Raças nativas de galinhas do Brasil: identificação, histórico e conservação

Abstract

During the period of colonization of Brazil, the first chickens were introduced from the Iberian Peninsula and its colonies in Asia and Africa. The random crossing of different genealogical classes allowed the formation of chickens with high genetic variability and adapted to the different environmental conditions of the country, making them more resistant to heat stress and to pathogens and parasites due to the way they were raised. Currently, there are several native breeds distributed throughout Brazil, mainly in the Northeast region, however, these are at imminent risk of extinction by genetic erosion, due to the crossing without technical basis of native chickens with commercial lines. From this perspective, there is a need to know conservation methods to replace the populations of these birds, but for this to occur effectively, it is necessary to know the importance of native chickens as a genetic resource and within the different concepts in which they are inserted, seeking to introduce them within the scope of academic research and disseminates them to the population, extolling their advantages for more natural systems in obtaining healthy products, concerned with the environment, animal welfare and socioeconomic impact.