Importance and Potential
Cryopreservation of the biological material from farm animals is so far the only method to conserve biodiversity. It enables collection and storage for an indefinite period of biological material from animals with unique performance and adaptive traits.
The application of cryopreservation allows for reproduction to be controlled effectively while contributing significantly to breeding progress and maintenance of genetically determined diversity. This concerns both native breeds and high-yielding utility breeds, which are threatened with the loss of genetic variation as a result of intensive selection or epidemics of animal diseases.
