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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anim Breed Genet / Consequences of specialized breeding in the Swedish Warmbloo...
Journal of animal breeding and genetics = Zeitschrift fur Tierzuchtung und Zuchtungsbiologie2022; 140(1); 79-91; doi: 10.1111/jbg.12731

Consequences of specialized breeding in the Swedish Warmblood horse population.

Abstract: In many European warmblood studbooks, clear specialization toward either jumping or dressage horses is evident. The Swedish Warmblood (SWB) is also undergoing such specialization, creating a possible need for separate breeding programs and a discipline-specific Young Horse Test (YHT). This study investigated how far specialization of the SWB breed has proceeded and the potential consequences. Individuals in a population of 122,054 SWB horses born between 1980 and 2020 were categorized according to pedigree as jumping (J), dressage (D), allround (AR), or thoroughbred (Th). Data on 8,713 J horses and 6,477 D horses assessed for eight traits in YHT 1999-2020 were used to estimate genetic parameters within and between J and D horses and between different periods. Future scenarios in which young horses are assessed for either jumping or dressage traits at YHT were also analyzed. More than 80% of horses born in 1980-1985 were found to be AR horses, while 92% of horses born in 2016-2020 belonged to a specialized category. The average relationship within J or D category was found to increase during the past decade, whereas the relationship between these categories decreased. Heritability estimates for gait traits were 0.42-0.56 for D horses and 0.25-0.38 for J horses. For jumping traits, heritability estimates were 0.17-0.26 for J horses and 0.10-0.18 for D horses. Genetic correlations between corresponding traits assessed in J and D horses were within the range 0.48-0.81, with a tendency to be lower in the late study period. In the future scenarios, heritability and genetic variance both decreased for traits that were not assessed in all horses, indicating that estimation of breeding value and genetic progress for these traits could be affected by a specialized YHT. However, ranking of sires based on estimated breeding values (EBVs) and accuracy of EBVs was only slightly altered for discipline-specific traits. With continued specialization in SWB, specialization of the YHT should thus be considered.
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2022-07-13 PubMed ID: 35830346PubMed Central: PMC10084081DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12731Google 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 focused on exploring how specialization in breeding Swedish Warmblood horses either for jumping or dressage has advanced, and the potential repercussions of such selective breeding. They also analyzed data from a series of Young Horse Tests (YHT) to estimate genetic traits and relationships between the types of horses, and projected potential future outcomes.

Specialization in Swedish Warmblood Horse Breeding

  • The study carried out an analysis on a population of 122,054 Swedish Warmblood (SWB) horses born from 1980 to 2020. They categorized these horses based on their pedigree as either jumping (J), dressage (D), allround (AR), or thoroughbred (Th).
  • Data from the YHT taken between 1999 and 2020 for 8,713 J horses and 6,477 D horses was then used to evaluate genetic parameters both within and between the J and D categories and across different periods.

Increasing Specialization over Time

  • The researchers discovered that more than 80% of SWB horses born between 1980 and 1985 were categorized as AR horses, indicating a low specialization level during that time. However, 92% of the horses born in more recent years (2016-2020) belonged to either the J or D categories, demonstrating a sharp increase in specialization.

Genetic Relationships and Traits

  • The average genetic relationship within the J and D categories was found to have increased over the past decade. In contrast, the genetic relationship between the two categories has decreased.
  • Heritability estimates for gait traits in D horses ranged from 0.42 to 0.56 and 0.25 to 0.38 for J horses. Heritability estimates for jumping traits were 0.17 to 0.26 for J horses and 0.10 to 0.18 for D horses.
  • Genetic correlations between corresponding traits evaluated in both J and D horses ranged from 0.48 to 0.81.

Future Scenario Analysis

  • Under future scenarios where horses are only assessed for either jumping or dressage traits at the YHT, both heritability and genetic variance decreased for traits that were not assessed in all horses.
  • This suggests that estimations of breeding value and genetic progress for these traits could be affected by a specialized YHT, even though the ranking of sires based on estimated breeding values (EBVs) and the accuracy of EBVs were only slightly altered for discipline-specific traits.

Conclusion

  • With the continuing trend of specialization in SWB horse breeding, the study suggests that specialization of the YHT should be considered to better assess and optimize genetic traits according to the specific breed category of SWB horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Bonow S, Eriksson S, Thorén Hellsten E, Gelinder Viklund Å. (2022). Consequences of specialized breeding in the Swedish Warmblood horse population. J Anim Breed Genet, 140(1), 79-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbg.12731

Publication

Journal of animal breeding and genetics = Zeitschrift fur Tierzuchtung und Zuchtungsbiologie
ISSN: 1439-0388
NlmUniqueID: 100955807
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 140
Issue: 1
Pages: 79-91

Researcher Affiliations

Bonow, Sandra
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden.
Eriksson, Susanne
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden.
Thorén Hellsten, Emma
  • Swedish Warmblood Association, Flyinge, Sweden.
Gelinder Viklund, Åsa
  • Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses / genetics
  • Animals

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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