indigenous breeds

The imposing Helan mountains and vast deserts of the Alashan region in Inner Mongolia have been home to the herdsmen and their flocks of indigenous Capra hircus goats for hundreds of years. The goats’ long, white fleeces protect them from the extreme climate, while their soft, insulating under-fleeces, brushed out carefully by hand each spring, produce the finest cashmere fibers in the world. However, the introduction of a new, less sustainable but more productive breed threatens this isolated community’s traditional livelihood and its fragile ecosystem.

indigenous breeds Sustainable production requires indigenous (non-improved) livestock breeds.