Ethnozootechnical Perspectives on the Decline of Traditional Knowledge About Local Goat and Sheep Breeds in the Semi-Arid Region of Paraíba, Brazil

The conservation of local breeds plays a strategic role in maintaining genetic variability, ensuring adaptive responses to environmental challenges, and preserving the cultural and socioeconomic structures of traditional communities. In this context, this study explores the potential disappearance of traditional knowledge about local breeds from an ethnozootechnical perspective. The objectives were (I) to establish the breeding history of goat and sheep breeds/ecotypes in the semi-arid region of Paraíba; (II) to estimate the diversity index; and (III) to evaluate the selection criteria used by local communities in four territories: Coletivo, Borborema, Folia, and Casaco. The study aims to support genetic conservation and improvement programs. Data collection was participatory, involving breeders from all territories. To recover the breeds’ history, questionnaires were applied to the oldest breeders, called the “guardians.” Two workshops were held to assess the diversity of breeds in the past landscape (PP) and current landscape (PA), using the Recall technique. Responses were recorded in spreadsheets for analysis. Descriptive statistics and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) were used to assess animal distribution. The Shannon index indicated a drop in goat breed diversity, from 1.3 (PP) to 0.87 (PA). For sheep breeds, it decreased slightly from 0.7 to 0.66. Breeders reported valuing traits such as adaptability, disease resistance, fertility, and conformation. Their strong emotional connection with the animals highlights the breeds’ cultural relevance. A strong connection was found between the loss of genetic material in the studied territories and the extinction of local communities’ knowledge about local breeds.