Determination of non - market values to inform conservation strategies for 1 the threatened

27 Livestock breed-related public good functions are often used to justify support 28 for endangered breed conservation despite the fact that little is known about 29 such non-market values. We show how stated preference techniques can be 30 used to assess the non-market values that people place on livestock breeds. 31 Through the application of a case study choice experiment survey in Zamora 32 province, Spain, the total economic value (TEV) of the threatened Alistana33 Sanabresa (AS) cattle breed was investigated. An analysis of the relative 34 importance of the non-market components of its TEV and an assessment of the 35 socio-economic variables that influence people’s valuation of such components 36 is used to inform conservation strategy design. Overall, the findings reveal that 37 the AS breed had significant non-market values associated with it and that the 38 value that respondents placed on each specific public good function also varied 39 significantly. Functions related with indirect use cultural and existence values 40 were much more highly valued than landscape maintenance values. These high 41 cultural and existence values (totalling over 80% of TEV) suggest that an AS in 42 situ conservation strategy will be required to secure such values. As part of 43 such a strategy, incentive mechanisms will be needed to permit farmers to 44 capture some of these public good values and thus be able to afford to maintain 45 breed population numbers at socially desirable levels. One such mechanism 46 could be related to the development of breed-related agritourism initiatives, with 47 3 a view to enhancing private good values and providing an important addition to 48 continued direct support. Where linked with cultural dimensions, niche product 49 market development, including through improving AS breed-related product 50 quality and brand recognition may also have a role to play as part of such an 51 overall conservation and use strategy We conclude that livestock breed 52 conservation strategies with the highest potential to maximise societal welfare 53 would be those that secure the breed-related functions that people value most, 54 with appropriate in situ conservation interventions and strategies being 55 identified accordingly. 56