Anisio Ferreira Lima NetoAnisio Ferreira Lima Neto anisiolima@cpamn.embrapa.br Raimundo Bezerra de...

International Classification), vegetation of caatingaand annual average precipitation around 600 mm,where the Pe-Duro (Figure 6) herd is kept inextensive cattle-rearing system during all stages oflife.

Since 1985, production data from the herd has beencollected periodically by Embrapa Mid-North, wherequantitative and qualitative traits were measured inanimals of both sexes, with age ranging from birth to22 years old. However, studies on characterization,evaluation and use are still not concluded. Figure 7shows the website of the Brazilian Association of Pe-Duro Cattle Breeders.

Figure 7. Brazilian Pe-Duro Cattle Breeder's Association OfficialWebsite.

Geraldo Mage/a Cortes Carvalhogeraldo@cpamn.embrapa.br

Marcos Jacob de Oliveira Almeidamjacob@cpamn.embrapa.br

Anisio Ferreira Lima Netoanisiolima@cpamn.embrapa.br

Raimundo Bezerra de Araujo Netorbezerra@cpamn.embrapa.br

Francisco das Chagas Monteiromontei ro@cpamn.embrapa.br

Danielle Maria Machado Ribeiro Azevedoazevedo@cpamn.embrapa.br

Tania Maria Lealtleal@cpamn.embrapa.br

Brazilian Agricultural Research CorporationAgricultural Research Center of the Mid-North

Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food SupplyAv Duque de Caxias 5650, Bairro Buenos Aires

Caixa Postal 01 - 64006-220 - Teresina, PIPhone: (86) 3089-9100 - Fax: (86) 3089-9130

www.cpamn.embrapa.br

Ministry ofAgriculture, Livestock

and Food Supply E~Circulation: 1,000 copies

Teresina, Brazil- october 2010

The Local Cattle From Semiarid Areasof Brazil'Pe-Duro, that means Hard Hoof in English, is acommon denomination for a local breed of cattle thatdwells in the semiarid area of Brazil's NortheastRegion (Figure 1).

Amazon forestCaatinga (Semiarid)Savana (Cerrado)Atlantic forestPampaWetland (Pantanal)

Brazilian domestic animal breeds are products ofnatural selection pressure over the years giving riseto animals adapted to the prevailing environment inwhich they were selected. The main importance ofthese breeds is related to the socio-economicdevelopment of the vast and diverse regions ofBrazil. Many of these breeds are under threat ofextinction due to genetic erosion arising fromwidespread crossbreeding, mainly with Nellore (Bostaurus indicus) type of cattle.

A singular breed of cattle, named Pe-Duro, wasformed in semiarid regions, in a difficult environment,with harsh climate, low rainfall and hightemperatures all year around. These breed takesadvantage of poor pastures and are known for theirexceptional rusticity. The potential loss of the Pe-Duro cattle from the semiarid regions of thenortheastern of Brazil represents the extinction of a

unique gene pool. Therefore, a conservationprogram was initiated by Embrapa Mid-North in 1983for the Pe-Duro cattle, indigenous to the "caatinga"ecological regions of northeast Brazil, characterizedby xerophytes vegetation not found anywhere else inthe world (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5).

Figure 3. Herd with the most common coat colors: yellow andred, and in various shades.

Figures 5. Pe-Duro cattle in the Caatinga biome.

The establishment of a in situ conservation herd bythe Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation(Embrapa), located at the experimental station ofEmbrapa Mid-North, in Sao Joao do Piaui City, Stateof Piaui, with a area of 1579.5 hectares, situatedbetween 08° 26' and 08° 54' south latitude, 42° 19'and 42° 45' west longitude, altitude of 222 m, drytropical climate (BSh, according to the Koeppen