A Rare Breeds Farm?

Will is passionate about rescuing and protecting rare and minority breeds of domesticated farm animals and so created the Rare Breeds Farm near Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island. With the bio-diversity in domesticated farm animals eroding at the alarming rate of two breeds per week globally, public awareness and support is needed to reverse this trend. These breeds represent unique, and irreplaceable, gene pools specific to certain regions of the world where they have been selected for their adaptation to specific environments (including resistance to endemic diseases & parasites), or for agricultural, cultural, and religious purposes over hundreds or even thousands of years. Due to changing market trends, civil unrest and/or the introduction of higher input exotic breeds of livestock, many of the indigenous and primitive breeds have been displaced and are now face extinction.

Established in 2002 by William Marshall, the Rare Breeds Farm aims to:

• To collect and maintain breeding groups of rare breeds of domesticated farm animals.
• Make surplus breeding stock available to others interested in their conservation.
• Conduct tours to educate the public about the breeds and their plight.
• Instigate research on the rare various breeds.
• Collect and freeze Embryos and Semen, as a genetic safe guard against disaster (ie. disease) and to prevent genetic drift.
• Import and export genetics of rare breeds of domesticated farm animals.
• Provide niche marketing of meat products from surplus animals.