Utilization of animal genetic resources in Brazil : results of a 28-year Conservation Program

When the Americas were conquered, there were a few domesticated animals in the continent. The natives exploited a number of those species, such as camelids and guinea pigs. Most introductions occurred during the first years of colonization, by the Spanish and Portuguese settlers who brought animals of the main domesticated species found on the Iberian Peninsula. In 1493, Columbus unloaded a number of animal species onto the island of Santo Domingo in the Caribbean. Subsequently, the animals moved with the settlers into the mainland, Central and South America, with the exception of Brazil, where only in 1534, the Portuguese settlers began bringing their own livestock. In Brazil, those introduced species were subjected to natural selection and became adapted to one of the many environments. Today, these earlier introductions represent recognized, well adapted populations, known as naturalized breeds (Mariante et al., 2009).