Shoppers have been urged to buy meat from native farm animals for their Christmas dinner - to help preserve the future of East Anglia's rarest livestock breeds.
Conservation charity Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) says choosing native-breed turkeys, sausages, bacon and dairy products for traditional roasts, "pigs in blankets" and cheese platters could boost revenue for farmers and help save rare livestock from extinction.
Some of the UK’s rarest livestock breeds originated in East Anglia including the Norfolk Horn sheep, Norfolk Grey chickens, Large Black pigs and the famous Norfolk Black turkey.
Many more rare native breeds have been reared on farms in Norfolk and Suffolk for generations, such as White Park cattle and British Saddleback pigs.
RBST chief executive Christopher Price said: "The UK’s native livestock breeds are a wonderful part of our national heritage and they continue to provide us with fantastic, high-quality and high-welfare local produce.
"There are all kinds of different tastes and textures, and the festive period is a great time to give native breed produce a try.
"The farmers in Norfolk and Suffolk who keep herds or flocks of rare native breed animals are key to saving these breeds from becoming extinct.
"Every person who buys native breed produce this Christmas will be helping create the vital markets needed for these farmers to carry on this work.
"It’s a great way to enjoy delicious food in the knowledge that you are making a real difference to the survival of these irreplaceable native breeds."
One such farmer is Vic Jenkins, who keeps rare breeds including British Lop pigs at Thatched House Farm in Norton Subcourse, near Reedham.
She said: "Food is such an integral part of our festive celebrations so surely the provenance of that food should be as uppermost in our minds as the recipes to be used.
"When you make a centrepiece of rare or native breed meat then you know as well as getting fantastic flavour you are also supporting the genetic diversity of our farm animals for the future and the high-welfare, small producers that are the custodians of these animals."
Shoppers were urged to look out for native-breed produce at farm shops, farmers markets, butchers, supermarkets and cheesemongers - or seek out farmers' own online shops.
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