1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) - Switzerland

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

29/10/2018

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Approach

A new chicken breed is developed based on three remnants populations having similar looks, with the purpose of recreating a healthy chicken adapted to mounaneous areas.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Chicken with a crest have been known in the alpine areas of Switzerland, Austria and Italy for many centuries, as bone excavations, historic paintings and old pictures show. Crested chicken can still be found in Switzerland, now called “Appenzeller Spitzhauben, and in north-eastern Italy, as Polverara. Members of the association Pro Patrimonio Montano supposed that these chickens are the southeastern and western remnants of the same population of chicken and wondered what would happen if they crossed the two breeds. In 2010 crosses were done in both ways. As the crossed individuals all turned out black, and quite uniform, the initiators decided to start a serious breeding project with the aim of developing a breed adapted to the alpine conditions while relying only on the genetics of the two former chicken breeds. Later a small population of crested chicken, supposed to be other remnants of the Tyrolean chicken, was found on a remote farm in a remote valley, the Sarntal, and integrated into the breeding project of the “New Tyrolean Chicken”. The roosters of descendants of the Sarntal chicken are quite aggressive, reason why it is not used extensively in the new Tyrolean chicken breed.
The breeding is decentralized, with many small-scale farmers, hobby chicken keepers, and other interested persons keeping breeding groups. The breeders are organized in regional groups, with one regional coordinator overseeing 3 to 7 chicken breeders. The regional coordinator is assessing each newly hatched chicken and rooster to select for the ones being kept for further breeding. Selection takes place for morphological traits to match the ancient type of Tyrolean chicken. The selection for this ancient phenotype is due to the fact that the appenzeller Spitzhauben” has been crossed with other chicken because of concern with inbreeding, as the population was based only on a few individuals.
The regional coordinator is compensated for each chicken he or she assesses with 3 CHF/€, and additionally 2 CHF/€ per ring put on a chicken suitable for breeding. The assessment takes place at around 13 weeks. The assessment is then sent on an excel file to the coordinator at Pro Patrimonio Montano, where all files are added together. Each chicken has its ancestors recorded, with the maternal line being merged as sisters bred together.
Pro Patrimonio Montano is organized as an association, overseeing currently five breed and species of animals. The voting inside the organization for changing rules is done by representants of the breeders. Each region with up to 50 breeders has one voice at votes, can therefore send one representative. Regions with more than 50 breeders have two votes, thus two representatives.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• recent local initiative/ innovative

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The objective is to breed a healthy chicken for the alpine region, while keeping the old remaining genetics of crested alpine chicken.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	self-mobilization	Two breeders, one of polverara chicken, the other of Appenzeller spitzhauben, decided to see what would happen if the two breeds were crossed. Out of this, the project started.
planning	interactive	The initiators, being only two, found others with which they could breed the new Tyrolean chicken.
implementation	interactive	As two breeders on a small scale are not enough, others joined.
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	The egg laying is monitored only by a few chicken keepers. An evaluation of the breeding stock takes place for every animal about to enter the gene pool.

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Explain:

All the chicken keepers chose to breed or not. Regional coordinators help with the selection of the breeding stock.

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• field staff/ advisers

Form of training:

• on-the-job
• courses

Subjects covered:

Selection of the breeding stock. The training is only for the regional coordinators.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

Describe/ comments:

The advisory service is given by the regional coordinators.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• regional

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

The regional coordinators were put in place to coordinate the breeding and to advise the chicken keepers.

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

A monitoring and evaluation of the breeding stock only takes place before the onset of the laying. The egg production is only evaluated by a few chicken keepers.

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

No

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

The project started as an experiment to research what would happen if the Polverara and the Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicken were crossed.

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• < 2,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Mainly donations via the association Pro Patrimonio Montano.
In the early years of the project, the budget was higher due to the necessary animal transports.

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• other

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
The organisation is adapted to the need of the breeders.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Knowledge is spread about the conservation of genetic resources and backyard poultry keeping.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The new Tyrolean Chicken is not assessed for the egg laying, and can therefore not be selected for it.	Subsidise automatic electronic egg traps, for example based on RFID chips on chicken legs.
The new Tyrolean chicken may replace other rare breeds.	The biggest threat to biodiversity is industrial agriculture, therefore the promotion of other initiatives like the new Tyrolean chicken can counter this loss of biodiversity. The new Tyrolean chicken complements the other available breeds.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Agricultural Genetic Resources in the Alps, Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe, 2003, ISBN 3-258-06669-8

Available from where? Costs?

Available from Pro Patrimonio Montano

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Pro Patrimonio Montano

URL:

patrimont.org

Title/ description:

An RFID-Based Smart Nest Box: An Experimental Study of Laying Performance and Behavior of Individual Hens

URL:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29538334

Title/ description:

Umwelt und Artgerechte Legehennenhaltung. Entwicklung und Erprobung von elektronischen Registrierungssystemen. Ab S. 99

URL:

https://docplayer.org/63001785-High-tech-innovationen-fuer-verfahrensketten-der-agrarproduktion.html

Title/ description:

Trial with automatic egg count

URL:

https://www.cabi.org/Uploads/animal-science/worlds-poultry-science-association/WPSA-italy-2006/10204.pdf