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Frontiers in genetics2021; 12; 619947; doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.619947

Genomic Correlations Between the Gaits of Young Horses Measured by Accelerometry and Functional Longevity in Jumping Competition.

Abstract: Functional longevity is essential for the well-being of horses and the satisfaction of riders. Conventional selection using longevity breeding values calculated from competition results is not efficient because it takes too long to obtain reliable information. Therefore, the objective was to identify early criteria for selection. We assessed two types of early criteria: gait traits of young horses and QTLs. Thus, our aim was to estimate the genetic correlation between gait traits and longevity and to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for longevity. Measurements of gaits by accelerometry were recorded on 1,477 show jumping horses that were 4 to 5 years old. Gait analysis provided 9 principal components describing trot, canter, and walk. Longevity estimated breeding values (EBVs) for stallions were calculated using a survival analysis of more than 900,000 years of performances by 179,448 show jumping horses born from 1981 onwards. Longevity was measured as the number of years spent in competition. Model included region and month of birth, age at first competition, year, and performance level. Longevity EBVs were deregressed to obtain weighted pseudo-performances for 1,968 stallions. Genomic data were available for 3,658 jumping horses. Seventy-eight percent of the horses measured for gaits and twenty-five percent of those measured for longevity were genotyped. A GWAS of longevity revealed no significant QTLs. Genetic parameters between each of the 9 principal components of the gait variables and longevity were evaluated with a bi-trait animal linear mixed model using single-step GBLUP analysis with the relationship matrix constructed from genomic data and genealogy (24,448 ancestors over four generations). The heritability of the gait traits varied from 0.11 to 0.44. The third principal component for trot (high lateral activity) and the first principal component for canter (high dorsoventral activity and low stride frequency) were moderately genetically correlated with higher longevity: rg = 0.38 (0.15) and 0.28 (0.13), respectively. Our study revealed that functional longevity is a polygenic trait with no major genes. We found new correlations between longevity and gait traits. Before using gait characteristics in a selection plan, these correlations need to be understood better at the biomechanical level.
Copyright © 2021 Dugué, Dumont Saint Priest, Crichan, Danvy and Ricard.
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Publication Date: 2021-01-29 PubMed ID: 33584826PubMed Central: PMC7879571DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.619947Google 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 paper is a study on the relationship between the gaits of young horses and their functional longevity in competitive jumping, seeking early selection criteria for longevity.

Objective and Criteria Assessment

  • The researchers focused on functional longevity in horses, which is important for the horses’ welfare and riders’ satisfaction. They suggested that the current method of selecting longevity breeding values from competition results is ineffective because it takes a long time to receive reliable information.
  • They assessed two early criteria for selection: first, the traits of young horses’ gaits measured by accelerometry, second, Quantitative trait loci (QTLs), which are the genomic locations of genes affecting a trait such as longevity.

Gait Traits Analysis

  • The gait traits of 1,477 show jumping horses, aged 4 to 5 years, were recorded using accelerometry. Through analysis, they abstracted nine principal components describing the horses’ walk, trot, and canter.

Longevity Evaluation

  • A survival analysis was performed to calculate longevity estimated breeding values (EBVs) for stallions, using the performance data for over 900,000 years by 179,448 show jumping horses born from 1981 onwards. The longevity was measured based on the number of years spent in competition.
  • Information such as the region and month of birth, age at first competition, year of performance, and level of performance were included in the model for analysis. The resultant longevity EBVs were deregressed to produce weighted pseudo-performances for 1,968 stallions.

Genomic Data Analysis

  • Genomic data were collected for 3,658 jumping horses, out of which 78% had their gait traits measured and 25% were measured for longevity. However, a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) of longevity did not reveal any significant Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs), indicating no major genes are responsible for functional longevity.

Gait and Longevity Correlation

  • The research concluded by evaluating the genetic correlation between the gait variables’ nine principal components and longevity, using a bi-trait animal linear mixed model and single-step Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) analysis.
  • The heritability of the gaits varied between 0.11 and 0.44. Of note, the third principal component for trot (high lateral activity) and the first principal component for canter (high dorsoventral activity and low stride frequency) showed a moderate genetic correlation with higher longevity.

Final Observations

  • The study concluded that functional longevity is a polygenic trait with no major genes responsible for it. The study also found new correlations between longevity and gait traits. However, the researchers recommended a need to understand these correlations at a biomechanical level before implementing these gait characteristics in a selection plan.

Cite This Article

APA
Dugué M, Dumont Saint Priest B, Crichan H, Danvy S, Ricard A. (2021). Genomic Correlations Between the Gaits of Young Horses Measured by Accelerometry and Functional Longevity in Jumping Competition. Front Genet, 12, 619947. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.619947

Publication

Frontiers in genetics
ISSN: 1664-8021
NlmUniqueID: 101560621
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: 619947

Researcher Affiliations

Dugué, Manon
  • Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Dumont Saint Priest, Bernard
  • Pôle Développement Innovation Recherche, IFCE, Gouffern en Auge, France.
Crichan, Harmony
  • Pôle Développement Innovation Recherche, IFCE, Gouffern en Auge, France.
Danvy, Sophie
  • Pôle Développement Innovation Recherche, IFCE, Gouffern en Auge, France.
Ricard, Anne
  • Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
  • Pôle Développement Innovation Recherche, IFCE, Gouffern en Auge, France.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Asti V, Summer A, Ablondi M, Sartori C, Giontella A, Pilastro V, Mecocci S, Cappelli K, Mancin E, Oian A, Mantovani R, Capomaccio S, Sabbioni A. Selection signatures and inbreeding: exploring genetic diversity in five native horse breeds. BMC Vet Res 2025 May 16;21(1):346.
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  2. Harari S, Deretz S, Dumont Saint Priest B, Richard E, Ricard A. Comparison of blood parameters in two genetically different groups of horses for functional longevity in show jumping. Front Genet 2024;15:1455790.
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