Preservation of genetic material is of special interest to the Conservancy, and for a period of time it maintained a gene bank that was later transferred to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Breeds that The Livestock Conservancy has assisted in saving include the Carolina Marsh Tacky horse, Randall cattle, Red Wattle hogs and the American rabbit.

This awareness was partially due to difficulties encountered in obtaining heritage breeds for living history sites.

[2] This was particularly evident when historians were searching for historically authentic breeds to display at the Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts and were unable to find sheep of the Vermont strain of Merino, as they had gone extinct.

[9] The initial survey was called "the most comprehensive assessment of livestock genetic resources ever conducted in the United States".

Its mission is to protect "genetic diversity in livestock and poultry species through the conservation and promotion of endangered breeds.

[1] Publications sold include books on conservation and genetics, livestock husbandry, farming operations and breed guides.

[18] By 2009, this amount had jumped to slightly more than US$440,000, mainly from donations, grants and service revenue, but also including investment income.

The Livestock Conservancy and Rare Breeds Canada intervened in some of these cases, leading to the survival and preservation of some gene stocks.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) participates in livestock preservation mainly through technology-based approaches such as gene mapping and germplasm (genetic material) storage.

After collecting genetic material from over a dozen rare breeds, the bank was transferred to the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP).

It maintains a close relationship with the NAGP, including assisting in the collection of genetic material from additional rare breeds.

For instance, in 2005, the organization partnered with the NAGP and the American Grassfed Association for a discussion on the cryogenic preservation of rare breed genetic material, which included a tour of the USDA Livestock and Poultry Gene Bank.

[30] In 2009, the Conservancy set up an online classified advertisement system to help users find and purchase rare breeds.

[32] In 2009, a definition for heritage chickens was released that is similar to the one for turkeys – breeds are required to be considered "standard" by the American Poultry Association, be long-lived and slow-growing, and able to mate naturally.

[34] As of 2010, the Conservancy was undertaking several programs to help breeders and the public understand the need for and the way to preserve heritage breeds.

[40] Equine breeds, such as the American Cream Draft, were among the reasons that the organization was formed, and were on the earliest conservation priority lists.

After the rescue, a conservation plan was developed for the animals and small breeding groups of horses were placed with responsible parties.

[12] It also assisted in formulating a conservation and breeding strategy for a strain of Colonial Spanish horses from Santa Cruz Island in California.

The sheep were in danger of being eradicated by The Nature Conservancy, which was working to save indigenous vegetation that the breed used as food.

The population now stands at 125 animals and is considered an important genetic resource due to its island heritage, which kept it isolated from other breeds and forced it to adapt to adverse conditions.

[12][47] Beginning in the early 1990s, the Conservancy worked to preserve the San Clemente Island goat, a rare Spanish-descended breed from California.

[48] As of June 2010, the organization was working on the rescue of a group of feral Spanish goats from an island in South Carolina.

However, between 1990 and 1999, purebred stock diminished from 272 animals to just 42 pigs held by six breeders,[50] and in 2000, it was asked to create a unified breed registry for the Red Wattle Hog.