Although less talked about, the loss of biodiversity in domestic animals is even more acute than in crops, because the gene pool is already much smaller and because fewer wild relatives remain. Livestock conservation programmes have not been a priority and local breeds are continuing to disappear at an alarming rate. This neglect poses a serious threat to the global food supply and the millions of people who depend on domestic animals for their livelihoods.

This article discusses the need to recognize the intellectual property rights of pastoralists and other traditional domestic animal raisers in the light of the growing interest in making use of the genetic traits of indigenous livestock breeds.