Balancing Tradition and Innovation: A 5-Year Review of Modern Approaches to Livestock Breed Conservation

As severe selection and declining population numbers in many breeds have resulted in losses in the worldwide livestock genetic biodiversity, human concern about the situation of genetic variety in livestock breeds and their conservation has grown. In this context, genomic techniques now allow for more exact monitoring of adaptive traits and inbreeding, while reproductive techniques such as somatic cell nuclear transfer and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) help to preserve and recover rare genetic lines. AI-powered (Artifficial Inteligence) risk assessment models and digital herdbooks contribute to data-driven reproductive strategies, particularly in smallholder settings. Nonetheless, these advances face persistent hurdles, including a lack of legislative frameworks, high costs, limited accessibility in low-resource settings, and unresolved ethical problems. The findings highlight the importance of a balanced, interdisciplinary strategy that combines new biotechnologies with traditional knowledge, collaborative practices, and strong policy to assist in preserving the long-term viability of livestock genetic resources. This review intends to assess modern and traditional methods for the preservation of livestock breeds, analyzing references published between 2019 and the present.