Cryo conservering van sperma van zeldzame Nederlandse eendenrassen

The Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) has the aim to store genetic materials of farm animal genetic resources in the gene bank, including semen of native Dutch duck breeds. CGN will store these valuable genetic resources in the gene bank to be able to recreate the breeds or to support in situ conservation of the breed in case of calamities. For every species research has to be done in order to find the optimal protocol for semen collection and cryo conservation. In this report of the cryopreservation activities on duch breeds in 2011 and 2012 are reported. In this report is described how breeds and animals were chosen, how the protocol for semen collection is developed, which research is done for collecting and freezing the semen and how many straws were cryopreserved in 2011 and 2012. The Dutch 'krombek' (Hook Bill duck) and the 'witborst' (North Holland White Bibbed duck) are endangered breeds and considered as our living heritage. Priority was given to these two breeds. Finally more than 900 straws from 39 animals were stored in the gene bank.