FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(17); 2186; doi: 10.3390/ani12172186

Estimates of Genetic Parameters for Shape Space Data in Franches-Montagnes Horses.

Abstract: Conformation traits such as joint angles are important selection criteria in equine breeding, but mainly consist of subjective evaluation scores given by breeding judges, showing limited variation. The horse shape space model extracts shape data from 246 landmarks (LM) and objective joint angle measurements from triplets of LM on standardized horse photographs. The heritability was estimated for 10 joint angles (seven were measured twice with different LM placements), and relative warp components of the whole shape, in 608 Franches-Montagnes (FM) horses (480 stallions, 68 mares and 60 geldings born 1940-2018, 3-25 years old). The pedigree data comprised 6986 horses. Genetic variances and covariances were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood model (REML), including the fixed effects birth year, age (linear and quadratic), height at withers (linear and quadratic), as well as postural effects (head, neck, limb position and body alignment), together with a random additive genetic animal component and the residual effect. Estimated heritability varied from 0.08 (stifle joint) to 0.37 (poll). For the shape, the type was most heritable (0.36 to 0.37) and evolved from heavy to light over time. Image-based phenotyping can improve the selection of horses for conformation traits with moderate heritability (e.g., poll, shoulder and fetlock).
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2022-08-25 PubMed ID: 36077906PubMed Central: PMC9454882DOI: 10.3390/ani12172186Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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 study investigates the heritability of conformation traits such as joint angles in Franches-Montagnes (FM) horses, using a shape space model that enables objective measurement. Analysing data from 608 FM horses, it suggests that these traits have moderate heritability and could therefore be selected for in equine breeding.

Objectives and Methodology

  • The research aimed to derive objective measurements for conformation traits, traditionally assessed subjectively by breeding judges, in FM horses. The focus was on joint angles which are important selection criteria in equine breeding.
  • The study used the horse shape space model for extracting shape data. This model uses 246 landmarks (LMs) on standardized horse photographs to measure joint angles.
  • The pedigree data of 6986 horses was analysed, providing a large dataset for solid analysis. Among these, the key focus was on 608 FM horses, including 480 stallions, 68 mares, and 60 geldings born between 1940 and 2018 and aged between 3-25 years.
  • The researchers used a restricted maximum likelihood model (REML) to estimate genetic variances and covariances. This model included the fixed effects of birth year, age, height at withers, postural effects, along with a random additive genetic animal component and the residual effect.

Key Findings

  • The study found that the heritability of these traits varied between a low of 0.08 (stifle joint) to a high of 0.37 (poll).
  • For the shape traits, the type was revealed to be most heritable, ranging from 0.36 to 0.37.
  • The research noticed an evolution of the most heritable traits, from heavy to light, over time.
  • The team concluded that using image-based phenotyping could improve the selection process for horses with respect to conformation traits with moderate heritability such as the poll, shoulder, and fetlock.

Implications

  • By providing a method to objectively measure key traits, this research could greatly enhance equine breeding practices by enabling breeders to select more effectively for horses with desirable conformation traits.
  • The image-based phenotyping method could also drive improvements in assessment methods, reducing reliance on subjective evaluation by breeding judges.
  • As certain conformation traits showed moderate levels of heritability, breeders could more confidently select these traits knowing that they are likely to be passed on to the next generation.

Cite This Article

APA
Gmel AI, Burren A, Neuditschko M. (2022). Estimates of Genetic Parameters for Shape Space Data in Franches-Montagnes Horses. Animals (Basel), 12(17), 2186. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172186

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 17
PII: 2186

Researcher Affiliations

Gmel, Annik Imogen
  • Animal GenoPhenomics, Agroscope, Rte de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, Switzerland.
  • Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
Burren, Alexander
  • School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Länggasse 85, 3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland.
Neuditschko, Markus
  • Animal GenoPhenomics, Agroscope, Rte de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, Switzerland.

Grant Funding

  • 625000469 / Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

References

This article includes 36 references
  1. Weller R, Pfau T, Verheyen K, May SA, Wilson AM. The effect of conformation on orthopaedic health and performance in a cohort of National Hunt racehorses: preliminary results.. Equine Vet J 2006 Nov;38(7):622-7.
    doi: 10.2746/042516406X159034pubmed: 17228576google scholar: lookup
  2. Wallin L, Strandberg E, Philipsson J. Phenotypic relationship between test results of Swedish Warmblood horses as 4-year-olds and longevity.. Livest. Prod. Sci. 2001;68:97–105.
    doi: 10.1016/S0301-6226(00)00244-Xgoogle scholar: lookup
  3. Stock KF, Distl O. Multiple-trait selection for radiographic health of the limbs, conformation and performance in Warmblood riding horses.. Animal 2008 Dec;2(12):1724-32.
    doi: 10.1017/S1751731108003091pubmed: 22444077google scholar: lookup
  4. Jönsson L, Näsholm A, Roepstorff L, Egenvall A, Dalin G, Philipsson J. Conformation traits and their genetic and phenotypic associations with health status in young Swedish warmblood riding horses.. Livest. Sci. 2014;163:12–25.
    doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2014.02.010google scholar: lookup
  5. Jönsson L, Egenvall A, Roepstorff L, Näsholm A, Dalin G, Philipsson J. Associations of health status and conformation with longevity and lifetime competition performance in young Swedish Warmblood riding horses: 8,238 cases (1983-2005).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2014 Jun 15;244(12):1449-61.
    doi: 10.2460/javma.244.12.1449pubmed: 24871069google scholar: lookup
  6. Holmström M, Philipsson J. Relationships between conformation, performance and health in 4-year-old Swedish Warmblood riding horses.. Livest. Prod. Sci. 1993;33:293–312.
    doi: 10.1016/0301-6226(93)90009-7google scholar: lookup
  7. Ducro BJ, Gorissen B, van Eldik P, Back W. Influence of foot conformation on duration of competitive life in a Dutch Warmblood horse population.. Equine Vet J 2009 Feb;41(2):144-8.
    doi: 10.2746/042516408X363800pubmed: 19418742google scholar: lookup
  8. Dolvik N, Klemetsdal G. Conformational traits of Norwegian cold-blooded trotters. Heritability and the relationship with performance.. Acta Agric. Scand. Sect. A-Anim. Sci. 1999;49:156–162.
    doi: 10.1080/090647099424060google scholar: lookup
  9. Duensing J, Stock KF, Krieter J. Implementation and prospects of linear profiling in the Warmblood horse.. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2014;34:360–368.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2013.09.002google scholar: lookup
  10. Koenen E, Aldridge L, Philipsson J. An overview of breeding objectives for warmblood sport horses.. Livest. Prod. Sci. 2004;88:77–84.
    doi: 10.1016/j.livprodsci.2003.10.011google scholar: lookup
  11. Koenen E, Van Veldhuizen A, Brascamp E. Genetic parameters of linear scored conformation traits and their relation to dressage and show-jumping performance in the Dutch Warmblood Riding Horse population.. Livest. Prod. Sci. 1995;43:85–94.
    doi: 10.1016/0301-6226(95)00010-Igoogle scholar: lookup
  12. Samoré A, Pagnacco G, Miglior F. Genetic parameters and breeding values for linear type traits in the Haflinger horse.. Livest. Prod. Sci. 1997;52:105–111.
    doi: 10.1016/S0301-6226(97)00143-7google scholar: lookup
  13. Viklund Å, Eriksson S. Genetic analyses of linear profiling data on 3-year-old Swedish Warmblood horses.. J Anim Breed Genet 2018 Feb;135(1):62-72.
    doi: 10.1111/jbg.12311pubmed: 29345075google scholar: lookup
  14. Sánchez M, Gómez M, Molina A, Valera M. Genetic analyses for linear conformation traits in Pura Raza Español horses.. Livest. Sci. 2013;157:57–64.
    doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2013.07.010google scholar: lookup
  15. Schroderus E, Ojala M. Estimates of genetic parameters for conformation measures and scores in Finnhorse and Standardbred foals.. J Anim Breed Genet 2010 Oct;127(5):395-403.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2010.00856.xpubmed: 20831564google scholar: lookup
  16. Druml T, Dobretsberger M, Brem G. The use of novel phenotyping methods for validation of equine conformation scoring results.. Animal 2015 Jun;9(6):928-37.
    doi: 10.1017/S1751731114003309pubmed: 25582051google scholar: lookup
  17. Druml T, Dobretsberger M, Brem G. Ratings of equine conformation–new insights provided by shape analysis using the example of Lipizzan stallions.. Arch. Anim. Breed. 2016;59:309–317.
    doi: 10.5194/aab-59-309-2016google scholar: lookup
  18. Poncet PA, Pfister W, Muntwyler J, Glowatzki-Mullis ML, Gaillard C. Analysis of pedigree and conformation data to explain genetic variability of the horse breed Franches-Montagnes.. J Anim Breed Genet 2006 Apr;123(2):114-21.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2006.00569.xpubmed: 16533365google scholar: lookup
  19. Pfammatter M. Le Système de Description Linéaire au Sein de la Race des Franches-Montagnes.. Berner Fachhochschule, Hochschule für Agrar-Forst und Lebensmittelwissenschaften; Zollikofen, Switzerland: 2017.
  20. Gmel AI, Gmel G, von Niederhäusern R, Weishaupt MA, Neuditschko M. Should We Agree to Disagree? An Evaluation of the Inter-Rater Reliability of Gait Quality Traits in Franches-Montagnes Stallions.. J Equine Vet Sci 2020 May;88:102932.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.102932pubmed: 32303302google scholar: lookup
  21. Gmel AI, Gmel G, Weishaupt MA, Neuditschko M. Gait quality scoring data of Franches-Montagnes stallions at walk and trot on a treadmill by experts of the breed and their reliability.. Data Brief 2022 Jun;42:108123.
    doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2022.108123pmc: PMC9006645pubmed: 35434226google scholar: lookup
  22. Burren A, Bangerter E, Hagger C, Rieder S, Flury C. Züchterische Auswertung Beim Freibergerpferd.. Berner Fachhochschule, Hochschule für Agrar-Forst und Lebensmittelwissenschaften; Zollikofen, Switzerland: 2015.
  23. Hossein-Zadeh NG. A meta-analysis of genetic parameter estimates for conformation traits in horses.. Livest. Sci. 2021;250:104601.
    doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104601google scholar: lookup
  24. Makvandi-Nejad S, Hoffman GE, Allen JJ, Chu E, Gu E, Chandler AM, Loredo AI, Bellone RR, Mezey JG, Brooks SA, Sutter NB. Four loci explain 83% of size variation in the horse.. PLoS One 2012;7(7):e39929.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039929pmc: PMC3394777pubmed: 22808074google scholar: lookup
  25. Weller R, Pfau T, Babbage D, Brittin E, May SA, Wilson AM. Reliability of conformational measurements in the horse using a three-dimensional motion analysis system.. Equine Vet J 2006 Nov;38(7):610-5.
    doi: 10.2746/042516406X150367pubmed: 17228574google scholar: lookup
  26. Gmel AI, Druml T, Portele K, von Niederhäusern R, Neuditschko M. Repeatability, reproducibility and consistency of horse shape data and its association with linearly described conformation traits in Franches-Montagnes stallions.. PLoS One 2018;13(8):e0202931.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202931pmc: PMC6110498pubmed: 30148872google scholar: lookup
  27. Rohlf F. tpsDig2.. 2001. [(accessed on 23 June 2020)]. Version 1.78. Available online: http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/morph.
  28. Rohlf F. tpsRelw.. 2003. [(accessed on 2 July 2019)]. Version 1.70. Available online: http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/morph/index.html.
  29. R Core Team. R. A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing.. R Core Team; Vienna, Austria: 2013. Version 4.1.3.
  30. Gilmour A, Gogel B, Cullis B, Welham S, Thompson R, Butler D, Cherry M, Collins D, Dutkowski G, Harding S. ASReml-SA User Guide Release 4.2 Functional Specification.. VSN International Ltd., Amberside House, Wood Lane, Paradise Industrial Estate; Hemel Hempstead, UK: 2021.
  31. Gmel AI, Druml T, von Niederhäusern R, Leeb T, Neuditschko M. Genome-Wide Association Studies Based on Equine Joint Angle Measurements Reveal New QTL Affecting the Conformation of Horses.. Genes (Basel) 2019 May 14;10(5).
    doi: 10.3390/genes10050370pmc: PMC6562990pubmed: 31091839google scholar: lookup
  32. Iyyanar PPR, Wu Z, Lan Y, Hu YC, Jiang R. Alx1 Deficient Mice Recapitulate Craniofacial Phenotype and Reveal Developmental Basis of ALX1-Related Frontonasal Dysplasia.. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022;10:777887.
    doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.777887pmc: PMC8815032pubmed: 35127681google scholar: lookup
  33. Gmel AI, Haraldsdóttir EH, Serra Bragança FM, Cruz AM, Neuditschko M, Weishaupt MA. Determining Objective Parameters to Assess Gait Quality in Franches-Montagnes Horses for Ground Coverage and Over-Tracking - Part 1: At Walk.. J Equine Vet Sci 2022 Aug;115:104024.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104024pubmed: 35649491google scholar: lookup
  34. Brooks SA, Makvandi-Nejad S, Chu E, Allen JJ, Streeter C, Gu E, McCleery B, Murphy BA, Bellone R, Sutter NB. Morphological variation in the horse: defining complex traits of body size and shape.. Anim Genet 2010 Dec;41 Suppl 2:159-65.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2010.02127.xpubmed: 21070291google scholar: lookup
  35. Druml T, Dobretsberger M, Brem G. The Interplay of Performing Level and Conformation—A Characterization Study of the Lipizzan Riding Stallions From the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 2018;60:74–82.e1.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2017.06.003google scholar: lookup
  36. Cervantes I, Baumung R, Molina A, Druml T, Gutiérrez J, Sölkner J, Valera M. Size and shape analysis of morphofunctional traits in the Spanish Arab horse.. Livest. Sci. 2009;125:43–49.
    doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2009.03.006google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Gmel AI, Brem G, Neuditschko M. New genomic insights into the conformation of Lipizzan horses. Sci Rep 2023 Jun 2;13(1):8990.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-36272-4pubmed: 37268682google scholar: lookup
  2. Oliveira D, Halpern B, Martínez-Freiría F, Kaliontzopoulou A. Head Shape Heritability in the Hungarian Meadow Viper Vipera ursinii rakosiensis. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 16;13(2).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13020322pubmed: 36670862google scholar: lookup
  3. Gmel AI, Lamas LP, Rosa TV, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Klecel W, Martin-Gimenez T, Cruz A, Weishaupt MA, Neuditschko M. Shape and joint angle data for seven European horse breeds and their repeatability. Data Brief 2024 Oct;56:110799.
    doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110799pubmed: 39252769google scholar: lookup
  4. Gmel AI, Mikko S, Ricard A, Velie BD, Gerber V, Hamilton NA, Neuditschko M. Using high-density SNP data to unravel the origin of the Franches-Montagnes horse breed. Genet Sel Evol 2024 Jul 10;56(1):53.
    doi: 10.1186/s12711-024-00922-6pubmed: 38987703google scholar: lookup
  5. 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 Sep 18;55(1):63.
    doi: 10.1186/s12711-023-00837-8pubmed: 37723416google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,911 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.