CGN is collecting genetic material and maintains gene bank collections of cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, goat, poultry and dogs. Both rare breeds and widely used, commercial breeds are represented in the gene bank.
General objective of CGN is to conserve all rare domestic animal breeds in the gene bank and to stimulate animal breeders to back-up their commercial varieties in the genebank.
There is a number of reasons to conserve genetic material (ex situ) in a genebank. Gene bank material can be used:
- In breeding programs in case genetic problems (drift, inbreeding, genetic defects) occur in live populations
- To reconstruct a breed in case of extinction or loss of a substantial number of animals
- To create new lines or breeds or to quickly modify or reorient selection of a breed
- For research purposes to gain insight on genetic diversity of populations
Number of breeds/lines per species in the genebank (2010)
|
Species |
Breeds/lines |
|
Nr of Animals |
|
Nr of straws |
|
Cattle |
9 |
|
4585 |
|
181.753 |
|
Dogs |
2 |
|
10 |
|
162 |
|
Goats |
2 |
|
30 |
|
3.820 |
|
Horses |
5 |
|
59 |
|
10.906 |
|
Pigs |
16 |
|
519 |
|
69.981 |
|
Poultry |
20 |
|
270 |
|
18.827 |
|
Sheep |
7 |
|
228 |
|
23.810 |
Storage locations
The Genebank collections are stored at two locations. Main storage is located at one of the locations of the Wageningen UR Livestock Research of Wageningen University and Research Centre in Lelystad. A duplicate storage site is located at the Veterinary Faculty of Utrecht University.
Collection and freezing of semen
Semen for the genebank can be collected in several ways:
- collect and freeze semen specifically for the Genebank.
- semen collection from the epididymis after castration or after slaughtering.
- storing a "snapshot" (limited number of doses) from commercial available frozen doses.
Video: Collection and freezing of poultry semen
Video: Collection and freezing of cattle semen
Search for genebank material
In the genebank database it is possible to search by species or breed yourself.
For a large part of the genebank collection an embargo period is applied before usage is permitted. Check the quality manual for the emitting criteria of the genebank collection.
For more information contact Henk Sulkers (+31 (0) 320-238294) or Kees Zuidberg (+31 (0) 320-238121).
Conservation planner
The Conservation Planner (gBankPlan), developed by CGN and the Dutch Rare Breeds Foundation (SZH), is a Microsoft Office Excel application to determine the amount of genetic material (sperm and/or embryos) necessary for conservation or recovery of a population.
Quality Management System
CGN has adopted a Quality Management System (QMS) according to ISO9001:2000, and most of its operations have been certified by RWTÜV. The complete CGN Quality Manual, excluding appendices, can be viewed or downloaded as pdf (6.2 Mb)