The farm cultural heritage includes old livestock breeds. They are still threatened with extinction. At the beginning of the 20th century there were about 230 cattle breeds in Europe. Of this number, 70 breeds have irreversibly vanished, 53 breeds are considered extinct, and about 40 are threatened. The author lists horse, cattle, goat, sheep and pig breeds which occur in Poland, focusing on their specific features, and guidelines how to preserve them.