Conservation of genetic diversity in livestock -- Importance of livestock -- Importance of genetic diversity -- Genetic erosion in North American livestock -- Agricultural context of genetic erosion -- Conservation of livestock genetic diversity -- North American livestock census -- Census -- Asses -- Cattle -- Goats -- Horses -- Sheep -- Swine -- Census summary -- Recommendations for livestock genetic conservation -- Case studies of livestock extinction -- Improvement in the marketplace: an economic history of the United States livestock industry and the demise of historic breeds of cattle, sheep and swine / Bruce Kalk -- Extinction of horse breeds in the United States / Carolyn J. Christman -- Goat breeds believed extinct in North America / Robert L. Johnson -- North American feral livestock census / Carolyn J. Christman and D. Phillip Sponenberg