1
|
Giontella A, Silvestrelli M, Cocciolone A, Pieramati C, Sarti FM. Breeding Value Estimation Based on Morphological Evaluation of the Maremmano Horse Population through Factor Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2232. [PMID: 39123761 PMCID: PMC11310958 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Morphological scoring is a common evaluation method for domestic animals. The National Association of Maremmano Breeders (ANAM) has provided a dataset containing the records of 600 horses, four metric measurements (cm) and 24 traits with a continuous evaluation scale, each one with 15 classes. Moreover, a body condition score (BCS) with five classes is included. In this study, factor analysis was conducted to create a small number of informative factors (3) obtained from these traits, and a new BLUP-AM-MT index was established. The New Estimated Breeding Value (NEBV1) of each horse was computed by adding the genetic indexes of the three factors, with each one multiplied using a coefficient indicated by ANAM. The practical feasibility of the NEBV1 was evaluated through Spearman correlations between the rankings of the NEBV1 and the rankings of the BLUP-AM-MT, estimated through the four biometric measures and the morphological score (MS) assigned to each horse by the ANAM judges. The factorial analysis was used to estimate three factors: the "Trunk Dimension", "Legs" and "Length". As the explained variance was only 32%, the model was rotated, and the heritability of the three factors were 0.51, 0.05 and 0.41, respectively. After rotation, the estimated correlations between the new NEBV1 and the biometric measures were improved. These results should encourage breeders to adopt a breeding value index that takes into consideration the factors derived from all the variables observed in the morphological evaluation of the Maremmano. In this way, breeders can use it to select the best animals for breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Giontella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine—Sportive Horse Research Center, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (M.S.); (C.P.)
| | - Maurizio Silvestrelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine—Sportive Horse Research Center, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (M.S.); (C.P.)
| | - Alessandro Cocciolone
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (A.C.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Camillo Pieramati
- Department of Veterinary Medicine—Sportive Horse Research Center, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy; (M.S.); (C.P.)
| | - Francesca Maria Sarti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (A.C.); (F.M.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ripollés-Lobo M, Perdomo-González DI, Valera M, Gómez MD. Conformational Defects in the Limbs of Menorca Purebred Horses and Their Relationship to Functionality. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1071. [PMID: 38612310 PMCID: PMC11011047 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Limb-conformation defects significantly influence equine performance and welfare, necessitating thorough investigation for effective management. This study examines the prevalence and genetic parameters of 14 limb-conformation defects in Menorca Purebred horses using data from 1120 records (509 animals with an average age of 101.87 ± 1.74 months) collected between 2015 and 2023. Defects were evaluated using a three-class scale by three appraisers, and a Bayesian approach via Gibbs sampling was employed to estimate genetic parameters including gender, birth period, stud selection criteria, evaluation age and appraiser as fixed effects. Splay-footed forelimb and closed hocks were the most prevalent defects (67.20% and 62.53%, respectively). Horses with any of the defects analyzed have been observed to obtain significantly lower scores for both walk and trot. Heritability estimates range from 0.12 (s.d.: 0.025) for closed hock to 0.30 (s.d.: 0.054) for base narrow, confirming the genetic influences on the expression of limb conformation defects. The divergent defect in hind limbs showed the highest genetic correlations with forelimb defects (camped under, -0.69; s.d: 0.32 and camped out, 0.70; s.d: 0.27). The significant genetic correlations between defects highlight the complexity of the relationships, which requires careful consideration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ripollés-Lobo
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra, Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.); (M.V.)
| | - Davinia I. Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra, Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.); (M.V.)
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra, Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.); (M.V.)
| | - María D. Gómez
- Asociación de Criadores y Propietarios de Caballos de Raza Menorquina, Edificio Sa Roqueta C/Bijuters, 36 Bajos, 07760 Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Perdomo-González DI, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Bartolomé E, Guedes dos Santos R, Molina A, Valera M. Designing an early selection morphological traits index for reproductive efficiency in Pura Raza Española mares. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skad409. [PMID: 38118055 PMCID: PMC10762892 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The low rate of reproductive efficiency in horses may be linked to the equine industry's practice of maintaining breeding stock that stands out for its athletic or morphological performance but exhibits poor reproductive efficiency. In this study, the age at first foaling, age at last foaling, interval between first and second foaling, average interval between foaling, foaling number and reproductive efficiency, and their relationship with the morphological records in 19,758 Pura Raza Española (PRE) mares were analyzed. After a partial least squares analysis height at withers, lateral hock angle, dorsal-sternal diameter, perimeter of anterior cannon bone, angle of shoulder, thoracic perimeter, hip-stifle distance, and angle of croup were the most important traits related with reproductive traits in PRE mares. A multivariate animal model with both morphological and reproductive traits was applied, including age, geographical area, coat color, and average stud size in the decade of the mare's first foaling. The results indicate that reproductive selection is feasible, and is enhanced by the use of morphological traits, given the moderate to high magnitudes of heritability values in both types of traits, which oscillated between 0.1 (interval between first and second foaling) and 0.95 (height at withers). The resulting genetic parameters were used to develop a series of selection indexes based on morphological or morphological and reproductive combination traits to improve reproductive efficiency traits in PRE mares and thus compute the expected genetic response (EGR) for the different strategies. The increase in EGR, when comparing EGR using only reproductive traits as selection criteria vs. using a combined index of both morphological and reproductive traits, oscillated between 4.0% for the age at first foaling to 46.8% for the interval between first and second foaling. In addition, two precocity indexes showed positive EGR when the age at last foaling and the interval between first and second foaling, both with and without morphological traits, were used as selection criteria. Therefore, this analysis reveals that the preselection of reproductive traits based on morphological traits is possible in PRE mares. Ultimately, this knowledge will help breeders achieve genetic progress in reproductive traits, leading to healthier and more successful breeding outcomes in horses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davinia I Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - María J Sánchez-Guerrero
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Ester Bartolomé
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| | - Rute Guedes dos Santos
- Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Portalegre 7300-110, Portugal
- Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization (VALORIZA), Portalegre 7300-555, Portugal
| | - Antonio Molina
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba 14014, Spain
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41013, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ripollés-Lobo M, Perdomo-González DI, Azor PJ, Valera M. Orthopedic Diseases in the Pura Raza Española Horse: The Prevalence and Genetic Parameters of Angular Hoof Deviations. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3471. [PMID: 38003089 PMCID: PMC10668699 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormalities in hoof shape are usually connected with limb conformation defects. The role of angular hoof deviations is important for longevity in sports competitions and is increasingly recognized as a factor associated with lameness in performance horses. In this paper, we measured the prevalence of four defects related to the angulation of the hoof in the Pura Raza Española horse (PRE): splay-footed forelimb (SFF), pigeon-toed forelimb (PTF), splay-footed rear limb (SFR), and pigeon-toed rear limb (PTR). A total of 51,134 animals were studied, of which only 15.75% did not have any of the four angular hoof defects investigated, while 26.61%, 23.76%, 79.53%, and 3.86% presented SFF, PTF, SFR, and PTR, respectively. Angular defects were evaluated using two different models; model A was a linear scale composed of three categories, where 0 corresponded to the absence of defects, 1 to a minor presence of the defect and 2 to the highest degree of the defect. Model B was composed of two categories, where 0 corresponded to the absence of defects and 1 to the presence of defects, joining classes 1 and 2. We measured the factors influencing the appearance of these defects: age, inbreeding coefficient, sex, and birth stud size. The heritability of each defect was also estimated using a multivariate animal model, using the Gibbsf90+ software from the BLUPF90 family, resulting in heritability estimates of 0.18 (s.d. = 0.009), 0.20 (s.d. = 0.010), 0.11 (s.d. = 0.009), and 0.31 (s.d. = 0.010) for SFF, PTF, SFR, and PTR defects, respectively, for model A, and 0.17 (s.d. = 0.008), 0.19 (s.d. = 0.009), 0.11 (s.d. = 0.009), and 0.29 (s.d. = 0.009) for SFF, PTF, SFR, and PTR defects, respectively, for model B. Finally, the genetic correlation between the diameter of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and the proportionality index (PI) in relation to the higher or lower prevalence of the defects was analyzed. We concluded that diameter of SDFT development is strongly correlated with inward toe conditions (PTF, PTR; P≠0 ≥ 0.95), while PI is associated with outward toe defects (SFF, SFR; P≠0 ≥ 0.95).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Ripollés-Lobo
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.)
| | - Davinia Isabel Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.)
| | - Pedro Javier Azor
- Real Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Caballos de Pura Raza Española, 41014 Seville, Spain
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain; (M.R.-L.); (D.I.P.-G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Perdomo-González DI, Varona L, Molina A, Laseca N, Valera M. Quantitative analysis of parent-of-origin effect in reproductive and morphological selection criteria in the Pura Raza Española horse. J Anim Breed Genet 2023; 140:596-606. [PMID: 37287409 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
It is generally assumed that parents make a genetically equal contribution to their offspring, but this assumption might not always hold. This is because the expression of a gene can be blocked by methylation during gametogenesis, and the degree of methylation can depend on the origin of the parental gene (imprinting) or by preferential management associated with genetic merit. The first consequences of this for quantitative genetics is that the mean phenotypes of reciprocal heterozygotes need no longer be the same, as would be expected according to Mendelian heritage. We analysed three mare reproductive traits (reproductive efficiency, age at first foaling and foaling number) and three morphological traits (height at withers, thoracic circumference, and scapula-ischial length) in the Pura Raza Española (PRE) horse population, which possesses a deep and reliable pedigree, making it a perfect breed for analysing the quantitative effect of parent-of-origin. The number of animals analysed ranged from 44,038 to 144,191, all of them with both parents known. The model comparison between a model without parent-of-origin effects and three different models with parent-of-origin effects revealed that both maternal and paternal gametic effects influence all the analysed traits. The maternal gametic effect had a higher influence on most traits, accounting for between 3% and 11% of the total phenotypic variance, while the paternal gametic effect accounted for a higher proportion of variance in one trait, age at first foaling (4%). As expected, the Pearson's correlations between additive breeding values of models that consider parent-of-origin and that do not consider parent-of-origin were very high; however, the percentage of coincident animals slightly decreases when comparing animals with the highest estimated breeding values. Ultimately, this work demonstrates that parent-of-origin effects exist in horse gene transmission from a quantitative point of view. Additionally, including an estimate of the parent-of-origin effect within the PRE horse breeding program could be a great tool for a better parent's selection and that could be of interest for breeders, as this value will determine whether the animals acquire genetic categories and are much more highly valued.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davinia I Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Luis Varona
- Departamento de Anatomía Embriología y Genética Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Antonio Molina
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Nora Laseca
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Borowska A, Lewczuk D. Comparison of Conformation and Movement Characteristics in Dressage and Jumping Sport Warmblood Mares Based on Point Evaluation and Linear Scoring System. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3101. [PMID: 37835707 PMCID: PMC10571798 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of factors on the results of 100-point judging systems, linear scoring and basic measurements, as well as differences between systems for dressage and jumping warmblood mares. The research covered official data on 1547 warmblood mares. Analysis of variance and phenotypic correlations (Pearson and partial) were used. The analysis showed that sport type significantly influenced 1/3 of biometric measurements, 2/9 traits on the 100-point system and 7/37 of linear scored traits. The influence of horse type evaluation is more significant in linear scoring than in the 100-point evaluation, which provides an argument for using the first system in breeding. In the linear evaluation for warmblood mares grouped as jumping or dressage, the most significant differences (p < 0.001) were noted between the traits of shoulder position, line of the loins and shape of the croup. In the point-based evaluation, differences (p < 0.05) were found in forelimbs and walking, as well as chest circumference in basic measurements. None of the traits in the two evaluation systems is identical to any other (r > 0.8). The comparison of systems showed meaningful correlations only between general traits. The differences between sport types of warmblood mares were smaller than expected. More objective traits should be discovered to increase accuracy in discriminating between horse types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Borowska
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznan University of Life Sciences, ul. Wolynska 33, 60-637 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Dorota Lewczuk
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS, ul. Postepu 36A, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ricard A, Crevier-Denoix N, Pourcelot P, Crichan H, Sabbagh M, Dumont-Saint-Priest B, Danvy S. Genetic analysis of geometric morphometric 3D visuals of French jumping horses. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:63. [PMID: 37723416 PMCID: PMC10506242 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00837-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For centuries, morphology has been the most commonly selected trait in horses. A 3D video recording enabled us to obtain the coordinates of 43 anatomical landmarks of 2089 jumping horses. Generalized Procrustes analysis provided centered and scaled coordinates that were independent of volume, i.e., centroid size. Genetic analysis of these coordinates (mixed model; 17,994 horses in the pedigree) allowed us to estimate a variance-covariance matrix. New phenotypes were then defined: the "summarized shapes". They were obtained by linear combinations of Procrustes coordinates with, as coefficients, the eigenvectors of the genetic variance-covariance matrix. These new phenotypes were used in genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) and multitrait genetic analysis that included judges' scores and competition results of the horses. RESULTS We defined ten shapes that represented 86% of the variance, with heritabilities ranging from 0.14 to 0.42. Only one of the shapes was found to be genetically correlated with competition success (rg = - 0.12, standard error = 0.07). Positive and negative genetic correlations between judges' scores and shapes were found. This means that the breeding objective defined by judges involves improvement of anatomical parts of the body that are negatively correlated with each other. Known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosomes 1 and 3 for height at withers were significant for centroid size but not for any of the shapes. As these SNPs were not associated with the shape that distinguished rectangular horses from square horses (with height at withers greater than body length), we hypothesize that these SNPs play a role in the overall development of horses, i.e. in height, width, and length but not in height at withers when standardized to unit centroid size. Several other SNPs were found significant for other shapes. CONCLUSIONS The main application of 3D morphometric analysis is the ability to define the estimated breeding value (EBV) of a sire based on the shape of its potential progeny, which is easier for breeders to visualize in a single synthetic image than a full description based on linear profiling. However, the acceptance of these new phenotypes by breeders and the complex nature of summarized shapes may be challenging. Due to the low genetic correlations of the summarized shapes with jumping performance, the methodology did not allow indirect performance selection criteria to be defined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Ricard
- Pôle développement, innovation et recherche, Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, 61310, Exmes-Gouffern en Auge, France.
- Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | | | - Philippe Pourcelot
- INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Unité 957 BPLC, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Harmony Crichan
- Pôle développement, innovation et recherche, Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, 61310, Exmes-Gouffern en Auge, France
| | - Margot Sabbagh
- Pôle développement, innovation et recherche, Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, 61310, Exmes-Gouffern en Auge, France
| | - Bernard Dumont-Saint-Priest
- Pôle développement, innovation et recherche, Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, 61310, Exmes-Gouffern en Auge, France
| | - Sophie Danvy
- Pôle développement, innovation et recherche, Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, 61310, Exmes-Gouffern en Auge, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Ripollés-Lobo M, Bartolomé E, Perdomo-González DI, Valera M. The Relevance of the Expected Value of the Proportion of Arabian Genes in Genetic Evaluations for Eventing Competitions. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1973. [PMID: 37370483 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arabian horse is a generally reliable sport horse, and continues to be a remarkable endurance horse, so the relevance of the expected value of the proportion of Arabian genes (EV%AG) in horses participating in eventing could be a relevant factor. A total of 1089 horses participating in eventing (8866 records) were used. A GLM revealed that the EV%AG was significant in dressage, show jumping and cross-country. A BLUP genetic evaluation was computed with five genetic models (without the EV%AG (0) using as a covariate (A), as a fixed effect (B), with variance heterogeneity, and in genetic groups without (C) and with (D)). Dressage heritability ranged from 0.103 to 0.210, show jumping ranged from 0.117 to 0.203 and cross-country ranged from 0.070 to 0.099. The lowest DIC value was used as a criterion of fitness. The best fits (those which included variance heterogeneity) showed fewer than two points of difference in DIC values. The highest average estimated breeding value in dressage, show jumping and cross-country was found for horses with an expected value of the proportion of Arabian genes of 0%, ≥1% to <25%, and 100%, respectively. Therefore, the best way to model the EV%AG effect seems to be by considering the variance heterogeneity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María José Sánchez-Guerrero
- Departamento de Agronomía, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - María Ripollés-Lobo
- Departamento de Agronomía, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ester Bartolomé
- Departamento de Agronomía, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Karlau A, Molina A, Antonini A, Peyrás SD. The influence of foreign lineages in the genetic component of reproductive traits in Criollo Argentino mares: a 30-year study. Livest Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.105153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
|
10
|
Genetic relationship between free movement and under rider gaits in young Pura Raza Española horses. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.105031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
11
|
de Oliveira Bussiman F, Carvalho RSB, E Silva FF, Ventura RV, Ferraz JBS, Mattos EC, Eler JP, Balieiro JCDC. Reduced rank analysis of morphometric and functional traits in Campolina horses. J Anim Breed Genet 2021; 139:231-246. [PMID: 34841593 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Multitrait models can increase the accuracy of breeding value prediction and reduce bias due to selection by using traits measured before and after it has occurred. However, as the number of traits grows, a similar trend is expected for the number of parameters to be estimated, which directly affects the computing power and the amount of data required. The aim of the present study was to apply reduced rank (principal components model-PCM) and factor analytical models (FAM), to estimate (co)variance components for nineteen traits, jointly evaluated in a single analysis in Campolina horses. A total of 18 morphometric traits (MT) and one gait visual score (GtS), along with genealogical records of 48,806 horses, were analysed under a restricted maximum likelihood framework. Nine PCM, nine FAM and one standard multitrait model (MTM) were fitted to the data and compared to find the best suitable model. Based on Bayesian information criterion, the best model was the FAM option, considering five common factors (FAM5). After performing an intraclass analysis, none of MT were genetically negatively correlated, whereas GtS was negatively related to all MT, except for the genetic correlations among GtS and BLL, and between GtS and BLLBL (0.01 and 0.10 respectively). From all MT, two traits were derived computing ratios involving other traits, those had negative correlations with others MT, but all favourable for selection. Similar patterns were observed between the genetic parameters obtained from MTM and FAM5 respectively. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.09 (head width) to 0.47 (height at withers). Our results indicated that FAM was efficient to reduce the multitrait analysis dimensionality, and therefore, traits can be combined based on the first three eigenvectors from the additive genetic (co)variance matrix. In addition, there was sufficient genetic variation for selection, benefiting its potential implementation in a breeding program.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando de Oliveira Bussiman
- Bioinformatic and Animal Breeding Lab., Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (BIOMA-VNP/FMVZ-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Rachel Santos Bueno Carvalho
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo (ZAB/FZEA-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Vieira Ventura
- Bioinformatic and Animal Breeding Lab., Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (BIOMA-VNP/FMVZ-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - José Bento Sterman Ferraz
- Group of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo (GMAB-ZMV/FZEA-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Elisângela Chicaroni Mattos
- Group of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo (GMAB-ZMV/FZEA-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Joanir Pereira Eler
- Group of Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo (GMAB-ZMV/FZEA-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Júlio Cesar de Carvalho Balieiro
- Bioinformatic and Animal Breeding Lab., Department of Animal Nutrition and Production, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (BIOMA-VNP/FMVZ-USP), Pirassununga, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Gómez MD, Molina A, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Valera M. Prediction of adult conformation traits from shape characteristics of Pura Raza Español foals. Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
13
|
Matsuura A, Dan M, Hirano A, Kiku Y, Torii S, Morita S. Body measurement of riding horses with a versatile tablet-type 3D scanning device. J Equine Sci 2021; 32:73-80. [PMID: 34539208 PMCID: PMC8437753 DOI: 10.1294/jes.32.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The measurement of various body dimensions of horses plays a significant role in quality
improvement, genetic breeding, health, and soundness. There has been significant
advancement in the technology for acquiring stereoscopic images with a three-dimensional
(3D) scanner. This study aimed to validate the accuracy of body measurements obtained from
stereoscopic images taken with a 3D scanner. We manually took the following body
measurements for 8 riding horses: height at the withers, height at the back, height at the
croup, chest depth, width of the chest, width of the croup, width of the waist, girth
circumference, cannon circumference, and body length. Using a versatile tablet-type 3D
scanning device, we captured a 3D image of each horse. Relative errors varied from −1.37%
to 6.25%. The correlation coefficient between manual and 3D measurements was significant
for all body measurements (P<0.01) except for width of the waist and cannon
circumference. The low accuracy of cannon circumference (r=0.248) was due to effect of
hair. A simple regression analysis of all body measurements revealed a strong correlation
(P<0.001, R2=0.9994, root-mean-square error [RMSE]=1.522). Notable
advantages of this methodology include high accuracy, good operability, non-contact, high
versatility, and low cost. Further studies are required for the establishment of an
accurate measurement methodology that can scan the whole body in a shorter time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akihiro Matsuura
- Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Maiko Dan
- Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Aiko Hirano
- Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Yoshio Kiku
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Hokkaido 062-0045, Japan.,Present address: Department of Sustainable Agriculture, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Sciences, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Suzuka Torii
- Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Shigeru Morita
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Sciences, Rakuno Gakuen University, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Rosengren MK, Sigurðardóttir H, Eriksson S, Naboulsi R, Jouni A, Novoa-Bravo M, Albertsdóttir E, Kristjánsson Þ, Rhodin M, Viklund Å, Velie BD, Negro JJ, Solé M, Lindgren G. A QTL for conformation of back and croup influences lateral gait quality in Icelandic horses. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:267. [PMID: 33853519 PMCID: PMC8048352 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07454-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The back plays a vital role in horse locomotion, where the spine functions as a spring during the stride cycle. A complex interaction between the spine and the muscles of the back contribute to locomotion soundness, gait ability, and performance of riding and racehorses. Conformation is commonly used to select horses for breeding and performance in multiple horse breeds, where the back and croup conformation plays a significant role. The conformation of back and croup plays an important role on riding ability in Icelandic horses. However, the genes behind this trait are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with conformation of back and croup in Icelandic horses and to investigate their effects on riding ability. One hundred seventy-seven assessed Icelandic horses were included in the study. A genome-wide association analysis was performed using the 670 K+ Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, and the effects of different haplotypes in the top associated region were estimated for riding ability and additional conformation traits assessed during breeding field tests. RESULTS A suggestive quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the score of back and croup was detected on Equus caballus (ECA) 22 (p-value = 2.67 × 10- 7). Haplotype analysis revealed two opposite haplotypes, which resulted in higher and lower scores of the back and croup, respectively (p-value < 0.001). Horses with the favorable haplotype were more inclined to have a well-balanced backline with an uphill conformation and had, on average, higher scores for the lateral gaits tölt (p-value = 0.02) and pace (p-value = 0.004). This genomic region harbors three genes: C20orf85, ANKRD60 and LOC100056167. ANKRD60 is associated with body height in humans. C20orf85 and ANKRD60 are potentially linked to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in humans. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the detected QTL for conformation of back and croup is of importance for quality of lateral gaits in Icelandic horses. These findings could result in a genetic test to aid in the selection of breeding horses, thus they are of major interest for horse breeders. The results may also offer a gateway to comparative functional genomics by potentially linking both motor laterality and back inclination in horses with scoliosis in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Rosengren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Heiðrún Sigurðardóttir
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- The Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarnes, Iceland
| | - Susanne Eriksson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rakan Naboulsi
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ahmad Jouni
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Miguel Novoa-Bravo
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Genética Animal de Colombia Ltda, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Marie Rhodin
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Åsa Viklund
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Brandon D Velie
- School of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Juan J Negro
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Marina Solé
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Livestock Genetics, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Selection Criteria for Improving Fertility in Spanish Goat Breeds: Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Designing Selection Indices for Optimal Genetic Responses. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020409. [PMID: 33562683 PMCID: PMC7915267 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for several female fertility criteria and to choose the most suitable selection index in Spanish Florida and Payoya goat breeds. In this study, we analyzed as fertility traits, the age at first kidding (AgFiKid), and the interval between the first and second kiddings (Int12Kid), between the second, third, and remaining kiddings (Int3toKid), and between all kiddings (IntAllKid) in 51,123 and 22,049 Florida and Payoya females, respectively. Genetic parameters were estimated by fitting animal models using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) methodology. We proposed six selection indices to compare the genetic responses for all traits included, based on a new selection index theory. The heritability and repeatability estimates of the traits were low, as expected. The genetic correlations among fertility traits covered a wide range of values from 0.07 (AgFiKid-Int12Kid) to 0.71 (Int3toKid-IntAllKid) in Florida and from -0.02 (AgFiKid-Int12Kid) to 0.82 (Int3toKid-IntAllKid) in Payoya. Overall, the results of this study indicate that IntAllKid gives the highest genetic responses in both breeds but is expressed late in a female's life. However, AgFiKid and Int12Kid could be recommended as early selection criteria for female fertility in both breeds.
Collapse
|
16
|
Poyato-Bonilla J, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Cervantes I, Gutiérrez JP, Valera M. Genetic parameters for canalization analysis of morphological traits in the Pura Raza Español horse. J Anim Breed Genet 2021; 138:482-490. [PMID: 33527529 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Measurements from 13 different morphological traits of importance in the Pura Raza Español (PRE) horse were used to estimate genetic and environmental parameters following a heteroscedastic model in which data were assigned to stallions. Data sets used ranged from 20,610 (height at withers) to 48,486 measurements (length of shoulder), and the number of animals analysed in the pedigrees varied from 17,662 (height at withers) to 23,962 (dorsal-sternal diameter). Results of heritabilities of the traits varied from 0.09 (width of chest and upper neck line) to 0.30 (muscular development). Further, genetic correlations between traits and their environmental variability were estimated, obtaining values from -0.56 (muscular development) to 0.69 (height at withers). Also, predicted breeding values for the mean and for the environmental variability were obtained for all horses in the pedigrees, providing individual information about not only the expected phenotypic value of their offspring but also the expected heterogeneity among them. Results proved the possibility of improving morphological traits and reducing the heterogeneity of offspring at a time by the selection of animals and levels of systematic effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Isabel Cervantes
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Agronomía, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Survey of Risk Factors and Genetic Characterization of Ewe Neck in a World Population of Pura Raza Español Horses. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101789. [PMID: 33019702 PMCID: PMC7600715 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ewe Neck is a common morphological defect of the Pura Raza Español (PRE) population, which seriously affects the horse’s development. In this PRE population (35,267 PRE), a total of 9693 animals (27.12% of total) was Ewe Neck-affected. It has been demonstrated that genetic and risk factors (sex, age, geographical area, coat color, and stud size) are involved, being more prevalent in the males, 4–7 years old, chestnut coat, from small studs (less than 5 mares), and raised in North America. The morphological traits height at chest, length of back, head-neck junction, and bottom neck-body junction and the body indices, head index, and thoracic index were those most closely related with the appearance of this morphological defect. The additional genetic base of Ewe Neck in PRE, which presents low-moderate heritability (h2: 0.23–0.34), shows that the prevalence of this defect could be effectively reduced by genetic selection. Abstract Ewe Neck is a relatively common morphological defect in Pura Raza Español (PRE) horses and other Baroque type horse breeds, which adversely affects the breeding industry; (1) objectives: to establish the within-breed prevalence, possible associated factors, and heritability of Ewe Neck in PRE horses; (2) methods: the database included evaluations of 35,267 PRE horses. The Ewe Neck defect, 16 morphological traits, and 4 body indices were recorded. A Bayesian genetic animal model included the following systematic effects: sex, age, coat color, geographical area of the stud, and birth stud size were used; (3) results: in this PRE population, a total of 27.12% was affected. All the risk factors studied were significantly associated with the Ewe Neck score. The heritability coefficient for Ewe Neck score ranged from 0.23 to 0.34. Morphological traits (height at chest, length of back, head-neck junction, and bottom neck-body junction) and the indices (head and thoracic index) were those most closely related with the appearance of Ewe Neck; (4) conclusions: Ewe Neck is a relatively frequent defect in PRE horses, associated with risk factors and other morphological traits, with a moderate level of heritability. Breeding to select against this condition may therefore be beneficial in this breed.
Collapse
|
18
|
Perdomo-González DI, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Molina A, Valera M. Genetic Structure Analysis of the Pura Raza Español Horse Population through Partial Inbreeding Coefficient Estimation. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1360. [PMID: 32781594 PMCID: PMC7459874 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this work was to analyze genetic parameters such as the inbreeding coefficient (F), relatedness coefficient (AR) and partial inbreeding coefficient (Fij) of the whole PRE population, and the ancestors which account for 50% of the total genetic variability of the current population, from genealogical information. The average F of the whole PRE population (328,706 animals) has decreased from 8.45% to 7.51% in the least 20 years. The Fij was estimated for the whole PRE population, resulting in a database of 58,772,533 records containing one record for each Fij that each animal receives from a certain common ancestor (CA). A total of 10,244 CAs contributed to the Fij with an average of 5370 descendants, with each descendant having an average of 170 CAs. Over the generations, the number of CAs has increased, while the proportion of Fij by each one has decreased. In addition, the contributions of the more influential ancestors have changed. The increased census, the limited use of artificial insemination and our increased knowledge about inbreeding depression and the animals' breeding values allow breeders to select horses more for their functionality and conformation than for their pedigree reputation, which is the cause of all these changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davinia I. Perdomo-González
- Departamento de Ciencias Agro-forestales, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.J.S.-G.); (M.V.)
| | - María J. Sánchez-Guerrero
- Departamento de Ciencias Agro-forestales, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.J.S.-G.); (M.V.)
| | - Antonio Molina
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Edificio Gregor J. Mendel, Planta baja, Carretera Madrid-Cádiz km 396ª, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Mercedes Valera
- Departamento de Ciencias Agro-forestales, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Carretera de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain; (M.J.S.-G.); (M.V.)
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Folla F, Sartori C, Mancin E, Pigozzi G, Mantovani R. Genetic Parameters of Linear Type Traits Scored at 30 Months in Italian Heavy Draught Horse. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1099. [PMID: 32630510 PMCID: PMC7341255 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHDH) breed is selected based on linear type traits (LTT) evaluated at young age on six-month-old foals. However, animals retained for reproduction are scored also at adults age (about 30 months), and the evaluation is mandatory for the final official admission to the stud book of candidate mares and stallions. This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters of LTT scored at 30 months to consider if they are feasible for selection instead of using foal data and to reduce costs of selection plan. Data included 19 years of evaluation for 14 LTT and an overall score. Analyses were performed on 5835 females and 856 males via animal model. The heritability ranged from 0.03 (upper line length) to 0.40 (frame size). Traits of selection interest (head size and expression; temperament/movement; fleshiness; fore diameter; rear diameter) reported heritability between 0.21 and 0.31. High genetic correlations were obtained among traits related to muscular development, 0.73 on average. Positive genetic trends were found in traits of selection interest, already selected from foal type trait data. Accounting for genetic parameters estimated in adult animals instead in foals is feasible in IHDH selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Folla
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment—DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; (F.F.); (E.M.); (R.M.)
| | - Cristina Sartori
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment—DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; (F.F.); (E.M.); (R.M.)
| | - Enrico Mancin
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment—DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; (F.F.); (E.M.); (R.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Pigozzi
- Italian Heavy Draught Horse Breeders Association (ANACAITPR), 37068 Vigasio (VR), Italy;
| | - Roberto Mantovani
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment—DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy; (F.F.); (E.M.); (R.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cervantes I, Gutiérrez JP, García-Ballesteros S, Varona L. Combining Threshold, Thurstonian and Classical Linear Models in Horse Genetic Evaluations for Endurance Competitions. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10061075. [PMID: 32580415 PMCID: PMC7341300 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The racing time and rank at finish traits are commonly used for endurance horse breeding programs as a measure of their performance. Even so, given the nature of endurance competitions, many horses do not finish the race. However, the exclusion of non placed horses from the dataset could have an influence on the prediction of individual breeding values. The objective of the present paper was to develop a multitrait model including race time (T), rank (R) and placing (P), with different methodologies, to improve the genetic evaluation in endurance competitions in Spain. The database contained 6135 records from 1419 horses, with 35% of the records not placed. Horse pedigree included 10868 animals, with 52% Arab Horses. All models included gender, age and race effect as systematic effects and combined different random effects beside the animal and residual effects: rider, permanent environmental effect, and interaction horse-rider. The kilometers per race was included as a covariate for T. Heritabilities were estimated as moderately low, ranging from 0.06 to 0.14 for T, 0.09 to 0.15 for P, and 0.07 to 0.17 for R, depending on the model. T and R appeared mostly as inverse measures of the same trait due to their high genetic correlation, suggesting that T can be ignored in future genetic evaluations. P was the most independent trait from the genetic correlations. The possibility of simultaneously processing the threshold, Thurstonian and continuous traits has opened new opportunities for genetic evaluation in horse populations, and much more practical genetic evaluations can be done to help a proper genetic selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Cervantes
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Juan Pablo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence:
| | - Silvia García-Ballesteros
- Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, E-28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Luis Varona
- Departamento de Anatomía, Embriología y Genética Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, E-50013 Zaragoza, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Azcona F, Valera M, Molina A, Trigo P, Peral-García P, Solé M, Demyda-Peyrás S. Impact of reproductive biotechnologies on genetic variability of Argentine Polo horses. Livest Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
22
|
Drawbacks and consequences of selective strategies in the design of semen banks: Case study of the Pura Raza Español horse breed. Livest Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
23
|
Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Negro-Rama S, Demyda-Peyras S, Solé-Berga M, Azor-Ortiz PJ, Valera-Córdoba M. Morphological and genetic diversity of Pura Raza Español horse with regard to the coat colour. Anim Sci J 2018; 90:14-22. [PMID: 30467923 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Gene mutations influencing melanocytes also impact on physiological and behavioural functions. In this study, we investigated their association with four different coat colours in the Pura Raza Español (PRE) horse using morphological traits and molecular datasets. Four different subpopulations were identified according to individual coat colour: grey, bay, chestnut and black. Coat colour significantly associated with morphological measurements. Observed and expected heterozygosity values were low in grey compared with the other three subpopulations, suggesting the presence of unique ancestral alleles probably arisen by genetic drift and selection mechanism effects. Nei's distance demonstrated a clear division among subpopulations, the grey being the most divergent group. Gene flow estimates were similar, showing the lowest values in grey. Divergence times among subpopulations assessed with the average square distance suggested that grey was the original PRE population which diverged from bay, chestnut and black. Our results also demonstrated a clear morphological differentiation according to coat colour. The close genetic structure of bay and chestnut PRE subpopulations and the clear differences in most morphological traits of grey and chestnut PRE mares would suggest the pleiotropic effect of genomic regions determining coat colour in horses. However, further analysis including genomic information would be necessary to elucidate the mechanisms involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Negro-Rama
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España
| | - Sebastián Demyda-Peyras
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, IGEVET-Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando N. Dulout" (UNLP-CONICET LA PLATA), Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Marina Solé-Berga
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R & Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pedro J Azor-Ortiz
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España
| | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sousa ASD, Jesus IICD, Araújo Oliveira CAD, Costa RB, de Godoi FN. How is the Morphometry of Stallions and Mares Show-Winning and Nonwinning Campolina Brazilian Breed with Batida and Picada Gaits? J Equine Vet Sci 2018; 64:34-40. [PMID: 30973149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric measurements of stallion and mares show-winning and nonwinning Campolina breed with batida and picada gaits. A total of 167 horses (74 stallions and 93 mares), consisting of 102 batida and 65 picada gait animals, were used. Among these horses, 96 were awarded and 71 were not. Twenty linear, seven angular, and 11 girth measurements were taken. Results from the judging sessions were collected, and awards were observed in both sexes and both gaits. A descriptive statistical analysis and an analysis of variance were performed using the MEANS statement and generalized linear model procedures of SAS software. For both sexes and gait types, most size measurements (height and length) were smaller in the winning animals. Results suggested that, based on the judges' assessments, the breed is targeting the breeding strategies toward a reduction in animal size because champions are becoming a standard for breeders and technicians and are more often used in reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriele Silva de Sousa
- Institute of Animal Science, Animal Production Department, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Raphael Bermal Costa
- Institute of Animal Science, Animal Production Department, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Holl HM, Vanhnasy J, Everts RE, Hoefs-Martin K, Cook D, Brooks SA, Carpenter ML, Bustamante CD, Lafayette C. Single nucleotide polymorphisms for DNA typing in the domestic horse. Anim Genet 2017; 48:669-676. [PMID: 28901559 DOI: 10.1111/age.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Genetic markers are important resources for individual identification and parentage assessment. Although short tandem repeats (STRs) have been the traditional DNA marker, technological advances have led to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) becoming an attractive alternative. SNPs can be highly multiplexed and automatically scored, which allows for easier standardization and sharing among laboratories. Equine parentage is currently assessed using STRs. We obtained a publicly available SNP dataset of 729 horses representing 32 diverse breeds. A proposed set of 101 SNPs was analyzed for DNA typing suitability. The overall minor allele frequency of the panel was 0.376 (range 0.304-0.419), with per breed probability of identities ranging from 5.6 × 10-35 to 1.86 × 10-42 . When one parent was available, exclusion probabilities ranged from 0.9998 to 0.999996, although when both parents were available, all breeds had exclusion probabilities greater than 0.9999999. A set of 388 horses from 35 breeds was genotyped to evaluate marker performance on known families. The set included 107 parent-offspring pairs and 101 full trios. No horses shared identical genotypes across all markers, indicating that the selected set was sufficient for individual identification. All pairwise comparisons were classified using ISAG rules, with one or two excluding markers considered an accepted parent-offspring pair, two or three excluding markers considered doubtful and four or more excluding markers rejecting parentage. The panel had an overall accuracy of 99.9% for identifying true parent-offspring pairs. Our developed marker set is both present on current generation SNP chips and can be highly multiplexed in standalone panels and thus is a promising resource for SNP-based DNA typing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H M Holl
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - J Vanhnasy
- Agena Bioscience, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - R E Everts
- Agena Bioscience, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | | | - D Cook
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|