positive uses of the native breeds

Left: Animal assisted activities l Middle: Eastern Finncattle l Right: Icelandic landrace chicken

The Nordic native production and companion animal breeds have a long co-existence with humans. Subsequently, they are all also an invaluable part of the social-economic history in the Nordic countries. Long periods of adaption in the North have made the native breeds well adapted to seasonal changes of the weather which has provided them with several favourable characteristics that are important when facing future challenges. Studies have identified several genomic regions under selection that may have contributed, for example, to the adaptation of the native cattle breeds to the northern and subarctic environments, including genes involved in disease resistance, sensory perception, cold adaptation and growth (Ghoreishifar et al, 2020; Weldenegodguad et al., 2019).

Alongside their adaption to the Nordic climates, their historical significance, and their traditional roles in food supply and security, native breeds may also have important contribution to landscape management, trademark food production (e.g. ice cream production from Northern Finncattle milk), education, tourism, and animal-assisted therapy (Tudor et al, 2023; Karja and Lilja 2007; Finnish Food Authority, n.d.). Reinventing uses of the native breeds and sharing their positive attributes could help broaden the opportunities for local economy and increase the interest in keeping the breeds.

The unique characteristics of the Nordic native breeds offer possibility to boost the local economy in various ways. Advertising local food resources – e.g., special quality meat and cheese – could increase public interest in the products and possibly increase tourism. Utilising the native breeds in education, competitions or for animal-assisted therapy could also provide another source of income. In addition, with new technical aids such as virtual fencing, grazing animals such as sheep and goats can be rented out to maintain cultural biotopes, which could boost farmer economy while sustaining biodiversity.

The gentle temperament of many of the native breeds make them easy to handle and therefore useful for education and animal assisted therapy (Karja and Lilja, 2007). Native horse breeds are useful to use in riding schools and possibly in higher education in terms of animal care, health and veterinary sciences. Further, they are often described as highly suitable for children (Soini and Lilja, 2014). A study from Finland has highlighted that equine activities reduce the incidence of social exclusion, and this can also be argued for in different dog breeds. Joining activities such as agility or obedience training allows the public (and their dogs) to learn new things and to be social. Studies have shown that owning companion animals can help boost our mental and physical health (for example Levine et al., 2013, Martins et al., 2023; Wells, 2009; Beets et al., 2012; Ravenscroft et al, 2021). Owning or taking care of animals that require physical activity motivates keepers to get up and out, it also teaches children responsibility. Characteristics such as gentle temperament and being easy to handle are highly desired in families with small children and participants in sports – this makes some of the native breeds especially suitable.

Resilient animal populations and their ability to sustain biodiversity of both flora and fauna, are crucial features for the Nordic native breeds. Native local breeds are known to be versatile and more resilient against pathogens.  This could relate to the resource allocation theory – i.e., high yielding animals have been bred to allocate more resources to production, thus perhaps having less resources for other processes in the organism such as immunological processes (e.g. Rauw et al. 1998). Furthermore, generations of natural selection have provided the native breeds with resilience against local pathogens, which can reduce the need for veterinary intervention and culling related to epidemics. For example, the Icelandic sheep breed is known for its resistance to scrapie, a fatal, degenerative disease comparable to mad cow disease in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans (Igel et al., 2023).

Various grazing animal species (cattle, sheep, goats and horses) can be used for grazing areas that are no longer useful in current farming systems. By utilising this opportunity, farmers can save money on feed while preventing plant overgrowth and thus contribute to maintaining ecological biodiversity (e.g. Jeffreys, 1999). Several studies have highlighted the differences in grazing patterns between native and commercial farm animal breeds: For instance, evidence suggests that commercial breeds such as the Norwegian Red and Holstein prefer more energy-dense pastures, whereas native cattle breeds exhibit more varied grazing patterns (Sæther et al, 2006). Additionally, native breeds like the Swedish Mountain cattle (Fjällko) have been observed to walk 25% longer distances than Holstein cows (Hessle et al., 2014). Recently several cities and NGOs in Finland have launched public projects utilizing farm animals in management of invasive plant species. Moreover, some urban areas including seaside meadows have been maintained with grazing for some time now (HEL-RESU, 2024; Suomen ympäristökeskus, 2022; Niemelä, 2012; Haapaniemi et al., 2012; Lassheikki, 2021; Pennanen, 2021). Grazing not only controls invasive species, but balanced grazing can also promote overall biodiversity (United Nations, 2015; Hirvonen et al., 2021). Especially in areas where those plants have spread widely, grazing native breeds can prevent their spread and even destroy already existing vegetation.

Balanced and varied grazing is important for the sustainability of ecosystems: Grazing animals are essential for maintaining biodiversity by directly influencing the composition of plant communities on grassland and the growth of green biomass (Fraser, Vallin and Roberts, 2022). Innovations such as virtual fences allow cows, sheep and goats to graze in otherwise unapproachable areas, and subsequently prevent plant overgrowth, as well as control weeds and invasive species. By utilizing different grazing areas according to their preference, the grazing animals also create favourable conditions for the formation of habitats for various animals including endangered birds, small mammals, and invertebrates (Bele et al., 2018). This means that, when they are managed properly, these animals not only contribute to maintenance of biodiversity, but also enhance soil health both chemically and mechanically (Hall, 2018). Improved soil health will in turn increase sequestration of greenhouse gases and positively influence water infiltration and filtration – promoting improved water quality and reducing the risk of flooding and soil erosion (Hall, 2018). Importantly, grazing also enhances the health and wellbeing of ruminant and equine farm animal species themselves because it is an important part of their natural behaviour.

Growing interest in the native dairy cattle breeds have led to new characterisation studies, and in turn, these research findings have further boosted the breeds' popularity. In 2021, Sunds et al. studied and compared milk oligosaccharides yielded in milk from native dairy cattle from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania and Finland with commercial breeds, and identified eight unique monosaccharide compositions and various isomers. They further found that dairy breeds native to Finland, Iceland and Norway produce milk with high contents of oligosaccharides that can help fight against gut-bacterial infections, which can be especially useful when creating formula for infants. In addition, ongoing Norwegian research related to milk immunological components has recently revealed promising preliminary results in milk of two native cattle breeds (Devold and Olsaker, 2023). The influence of these immune cells for the consumers have yet to be determined. Another recent study has also found that the variation of αs1-and αs2-casein, β-casein A1 and κ-casein B is larger in the native breeds than in the commercial Norwegian Red, and further that the milk from these old breeds have better renneting properties (Inglingstad et al., 2024). Therefore, keeping the old native Norwegian breeds in dairy production could be of great importance for future cheese production. This also promotes the possibility of a more diverse production system where the native dairy breeds can be utilised for cheese-production, which can also create new possibilities for local economy through niche cheese-products.

Besides exhibiting desirable characteristics in dairy products, native cattle breeds also have a desirable carcass composition. For example, a recent study suggest that Norwegian native cattle breeds have higher iron content in their carcass, and that most of them have better quality meat than the commercial Norwegian Red cattle (Sambugaro et al., 2024). These characteristics can be commercialised and create an improved market for sustainable production of meat from native breeds.