This paper expresses two conservation strategies, the passive conservation and the active conservation, for the domestic animal and fowl genetic resources in China. The study is based on the current status of these resources and their characteristics: rich in breeds, varieties, and types (the total number is 601, of them 385 are local breeds) diversified traits and production the contribution to world animal production facing serious challenges of economic development, and the breed structure. In process of change, for the relics and endangered breeds the passive conservation strategy should be adopted. For other breeds, the active conservation strategy should be adopted, and the reasonable combination of conservancy and development should be done. Two examples, the active conservation of Tan sheep and Hu sheep, are presented in this paper.