Protection against the extinction of the native breeds of poultry in the countries of Eastern Europe

A discussion. Native poultry breeds of East European countries suffered considerable losses during World War II and as a result of the "socialization" of agriculture. Currently, steps are being taken to protect against extinction of all that remains. Most advanced in the programme of preservation of the native breeds of fowls, turkeys, geese and ducks are Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Russia. The authors are aware of the insufficient range of the preserved material; a serious drawback has been the lack of information available from Albania, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and the former Yugoslavia. The studies carried out so far suggest that in the countries of Eastern Europe there is awareness of the necessity to maintain for future generations old, native breeds of poultry, not only as the genetic resources that are indispensable for further breeding activities, but also as evidence of past achievements.