Animal Biodiversity

«The diversity of livestock and crop variety can be considered a dictionary of sorts, thanks to which it is possible to adequately answer the needs of the great diversity of territories…».
Wendell Berry

Two sets of opposing photographs: a striking number of Friesian cattle on an intensive farm, distributed in circles around milking machines, contrasts with the image of Grigio Alpina cattle grazing on pastures; a Texan feedlot in which hundreds, if not thousands of beef cattle are confined, and Limpurger cows, once again grazing fields, with different spaces and types of feed available. And many more images, videos, as well as a booklet on Animal Biodiversity, demonstrating that among the different themes explored by Slow Food at Expo, animal welfare and animal biodiversity could certainly not go amiss.

Ph. Terry Mathews/Alamy, the milking phase on an intensive milk farm, United Kindom.

The booklet traces the history of the relationship between human beings and animals, a history with very ancient roots. Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated around 15,000 years ago; followed by sheep and goats, due to their size and frugal nature, and finally cattle. The first breeders chose species that would easily reproduce in captivity, have a fast growth rate, large litters and short intervals between births. They chose animals that were less aggressive, instinctively gregarious and privileging herbivorous species as they were easier to feed.
Only few species possessed all these characteristics, in fact out of over 50,000 known wild animal species, only 40 were domesticated, with only 18 of these being mammals. Thousands of different breeds originated from these 40 species, thanks to their adaptability to different environmental conditions and man-made selection, which has always been aimed at developing the most useful characteristics through specific cross-breeding.
Animal breeds are identified on the basis of physical characteristics (size, color of fur or plumage, shape of the head, limbs, horns and tail) and abilities (productivity, in terms of eggs, milk and meat, resistance to cold temperatures, ability to graze in difficult pastures, prolificity, etc.) that adults transmit to their offspring. Breeds are defined as native or local when their characteristics are tied to the climate, geographical and social-economic condition of the area in which they have developed or adapted to over time. Local breeds are able to live in extreme environments, as they require less attention and food, as is the case for the Villsau Sheep, an ancient breed that lives along the icy northern Norwegian coast, on rocky terrain and very poor pastures.