What does ‘heritage breed’ actually mean?

The term ‘heritage breed’ gets thrown around a LOT and often incorrectly in the world of farming and homesteading. Probably because it implies quality, many farmers and even breeders incorrectly label their stock as ‘heritage.’

But animals with heritage breed lineage have actually been bred specifically over decades for qualities that make them conducive to farming. Heritage livestock breeds of all species are imperative to understand and preserve.

The Livestock Conservancy defines heritage breeds as the following:

“Heritage breeds are traditional livestock breeds that were raised by our forefathers. Before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice, these breeds were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well-adapted to the local environment…Traditional, historic breeds retain essential attributes for survival and self-sufficiency such as fertility, foraging ability, longevity, maternal instincts, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to diseases and parasites.”

You may think of heritage breed livestock as the ‘heirloom’ variety of vegetables. Their bloodlines have been carefully selected for purity and specific traits over generations.

This does not imply that other breeds of livestock are necessarily inferior, just not crafted or monitored over time. Especially when it comes to poultry, most heritage breeds are also endangered.

The problem comes in with our modern agricultural techniques and factory farms. Many industrialized breeds actually use artificial insemination and focus on the bloodlines with the highest production. This can lead to an inbred group of animals, making them all very susceptible to be affected by a particular disease, genetic issue or change in climate.

“Relying on only one variety of potato was a major cause of the Irish Potato Famine, and reliance on a single breed of milk or meat animal could have similar consequences. Currently, only 14 breeds provide 90% of our animal products in the worldwide food supply.” - Mother Earth News

14 breeds = 90%!? The less healthy variety that is included in any livestock bloodline, the more likely that major health issues and loss of various breeds are going to eventually arise. Heritage breeds include healthy biodiversity because they are not being raised for one single purpose (i.e. fast growth, larger animals, more production…etc.).

As of January 2022, here is the (small) current lists of recognized heritage poultry breeds from the Livestock Conservancy:

Heritage duck breeds include: Ancona (Watch), Cayuga (Watch) and the Australian Spotted (Study).

Heritage Chicken breeds include: Holland (Critical), Cubalaya (Threatened), Rhode Island White (Threatened), Buckeye, Chantecler (Watch), Delaware (Watch), Dominique (Watch), Java (Watch), Jersey Giant (Watch), New Hampshire (Watch), Rhode Island Red – Non-Industrial (Watch), and the Plymouth Rock (Recovering)

In an effort to support sustainable farming practices and healthier livestock, consider prioritizing heritage breeds when you purchase meat or animals for your homestead.

Much of this information has been taken from The Livestock Conservancy website, a non-profit organization devoted to saving rare breeds from extinction. They have lots of great information on heritage breeds if you’re looking to learn more!