The utilitarian logic is forceful and often provides motivation for conservation. However, the strength of this force can itself be the reason for neglect of those breeds whose place in the modern breeding programmes is either not clear or nor secure. Therefore, just as cultural heritage sites are preserved as a global human heritage, some of the rare and endangered domesticated breeds may need incentives for local communities to conserve these even on immediate non-utilitarian ground. Although in the long term even these breeds may provide genes for unique traites. In any case, the knowledge system will provide the indigenous heuristics of selection, breeding, maintenance and utilization which are unlikely to emerge only from the formal breeding discipline.
Indigenous knowledge has technological and institutional dimensions.
One cannot be conserved without other. Technology is like words and institutions, the grammar. Indigenous technological knowledge helps in understanding the interactions among site, specie, season and socio cultural institutions around different breeds. Disruption in one link in the chain can disrupt the entire socio ecological system making conservation of breeds very difficult. These indicators can also help in community based eco system health monitoring so that the linkage between habitat and breed conservation is not ruptured.