International Species Chat

The Livestock Conservancy

Welcome to our first International Species Chat! This week we're talking with Dr. Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez Galvan and D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, Ph.D. Guadalupe teaches at the Autonomous University of Chiapas in Mexico. She holds a Zootechnical Veterinary Medicine from UNACH, a Master in Tropical Agroecology from UNACH, a Master in Agroecology Sociology and Rural Development from International University of Andalusia in Spain, and a Doctor in Natural Resource Management from University of Córdoba, Spain. Her work focuses on the sustainable development of agriculture in small family systems. Guadalupe is also the International Coordinator of the Network for the Strengthening of the Backyard in Latin America TRASIBER Network, the Vice President of the Ibero-American Network for the Conservation of Local Animal Genetic Resources (CONBIAND Iberoamérica), and the Sectorial Editor of Ethnozootechnics and traditional livestock knowledge, of the Journal of Actas Iberoamericanas de Conservación Animal AICA. D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, Ph.D. has served as Technical Advisor to the Livestock Conservancy since 1978, providing counsel and mentoring to Livestock Conservancy staff, breeders, breed associations, scholars, and NGO partners. He was the moving force for establishing the Conservation Priority List and the standards for rare breed inclusion. Because of the quality and originality of his approach to conservation, Dr. Sponenberg’s expertise is internationally renowned. He is the author of several books on color genetics and conservation, and is a sought after speaker domestically and abroad. Phil is Professor of pathology and genetics at Virginia Tech. On his own farm, he is a conservation breeder of Tennessee Fainting goats, and enjoys playing with color genetics in his Brahma chickens. Find more from The Livestock Conservancy on their Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.