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Genetics, selection, evolution : GSE2020; 52(1); 20; doi: 10.1186/s12711-020-00539-5

Challenging the selection for consistency in the rank of endurance competitions.

Abstract: Control of the environmental variability by genetic selection offers possibilities for new selection objectives for productive traits. This methodology aims at reducing heterogeneity in productive traits and has been applied to several traits and species for which animal homogeneity is profitable. In horse breeding programmes, rank in competitions is a common selection objective but has been challenging to model. In this study, the parameters of environmental variability for the rank of a horse were computed to analyse the capability of a horse to maintain the best ranking across competitions that consist of long-distance races in which the adapted physical condition of the horse is essential. The genetic component of the environmental variance for the rank in endurance competitions was evaluated, which resulted in proposing a new transformation of horse scores in competitions. Results: Homogeneous and heterogeneous variance models were compared by assaying three random effects that affect both the rank and its variability, using endurance ride data consisting of 2863 records. The pedigree relationship matrix contained 5931 animals. The rank trait was transformed into a normalized variable to prevent false estimates of the genetic correlation by inappropriate artificial skewness. The models included the number of participants in the race, sex, and age as systematic effects. The rider, the rider-horse interaction, or an environmental permanent effect were tested as random effects, in addition to additive genetic and residual effects. The models were analysed using the GSEVM program. Estimates of heritability for rank ranged from 0.12 to 0.15. The heterogeneous variance model that fitted the rider was assessed as the best model based on the deviance information criterion. Estimates of genetic variance for rank variability ranged from 0.12 to 0.13. The genetic correlation between the rank and its environmental variability was low and did not differ from 0. Conclusions: These results offer an opportunity to select animals for canalization by reducing the variability of race results and achieving the best positions, which could be a new selection objective by weighting estimated breeding values for rank and its variability in a selection index.
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Publication Date: 2020-04-10 PubMed ID: 32276582PubMed Central: PMC7149905DOI: 10.1186/s12711-020-00539-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores how the genetic selection of horses impacts their performance consistency in long-distance endurance competitions. It presents a new methodology that could be used in horse breeding programs to reduce variability and improve rankings.

Methodology

  • The researchers set out to compute the environmental variability parameters for the ranking of a horse in long-distance competitions.
  • The focus was on analyzing the capability of a horse to maintain top rankings across different competitions; an attribute which strongly hinges on the physical condition of the horse.
  • A significant part of the study was dedicated to evaluating the genetic component of the environmental variance of horses concerning their ranking in endurance competitions.
  • This investigation, in turn, birthed a new method of transforming horse scores in competitions.

Data Analysis

  • The study analysed endurance ride data from 2863 records, lodged in a pedigree relationship matrix containing 5931 animals.
  • The research team transformed the rank trait into a normalized variable to prevent inaccurate estimates of the genetic correlation due to inappropriate artificial skewness.
  • The systematic effects considered in the models include the number of participants in the race, as well as the sex and age of the horses.
  • On the other hand, the random effects tested comprise the rider, the rider-horse interaction, and an environmental permanent effect. The additive genetic and residual effects were also examined.
  • All the models were analyzed using the GSEVM program.

Results

  • The heritability estimates for rank ranged from 0.12 to 0.15.
  • The heterogeneous variance model that fitted the rider was adjudged the best model, following assessment using the deviance information criterion.
  • Estimates of genetic variance for rank variability fluctuated between 0.12 and 0.13.
  • The research found a low genetic correlation between the rank and its environmental variability, which did not differ significantly from 0.

Conclusions

  • This study offers a fresh perspective on how to select animals for canalization. The aim is to reduce the variability of race results and achieve higher positions consistently.
  • The results of this research could herald a new selection objective, which entails weighting estimated breeding values for rank and its variability in a selection index.

Cite This Article

APA
Cervantes I, Bodin L, Valera M, Molina A, Gutiérrez JP. (2020). Challenging the selection for consistency in the rank of endurance competitions. Genet Sel Evol, 52(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-020-00539-5

Publication

Genetics, selection, evolution : GSE
ISSN: 1297-9686
NlmUniqueID: 9114088
Country: France
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 1
Pages: 20

Researcher Affiliations

Cervantes, Isabel
  • Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta del Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain. icervantes@vet.ucm.es.
Bodin, Loys
  • GenPhySE, INRAE, 31320, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
Valera, Mercedes
  • Departamento de Ciencias Agro-Forestales, Universidad de Sevilla, Ctra. Utrera km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain.
Molina, Antonio
  • Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain.
Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo
  • Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta del Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Breeding
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation
  • Horses / genetics
  • Male
  • Models, Genetic
  • Pedigree
  • Phenotype
  • Physical Endurance

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. 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 Jun 13;13(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13121973pubmed: 37370483google scholar: lookup
  2. 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 Jun 22;10(6).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10061075pubmed: 32580415google scholar: lookup
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