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Home / Equine Research Bank / Genes (Basel) / Heritability Estimates of Traits Assessed in Field Performan...
Genes2026; 17(2); 148; doi: 10.3390/genes17020148

Heritability Estimates of Traits Assessed in Field Performance Tests of Polish Warmblood Mares.

Abstract: : Knowledge of the genetic background of evaluated traits has been the basis for genetic progress in every horse-breeding population and is essential for precise breeding and up-to-date decision-making. The study aimed to estimate the heritability coefficients for field performance traits in mares. : The research was based on 1408 evaluations of mares conducted during the years 2002-2021 in 51 training centers in Poland. The preliminary analyses of the effects, significant for the investigated traits, were obtained using analysis of variance, and these additional data are also presented (SAS program, GLM and Mixed procedures). The final statistical model for the AI-REML procedure of the DMU program included a fixed effect of the training center-season-year of evaluation, a random effect of the animal, and a regression on age in years. : The heritability coefficients of the performance traits were moderate to high (0.32-0.60) with the SE within the range of 0.06-0.08. The highest heritability was estimated for the free jumping, trot, and overall results. The lowest heritability was achieved for the rideability. : The level of heritability estimations allowed for the population progress in the evaluated traits.
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Publication Date: 2026-01-28 PubMed ID: 41751532PubMed Central: PMC12940987DOI: 10.3390/genes17020148Google 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.

Overview

  • This study estimated the heritability of various performance traits in Polish Warmblood mares based on evaluations conducted in field tests over nearly two decades.
  • The goal was to understand the genetic contribution to these traits to support effective horse breeding and decision-making.

Background and Importance

  • Heritability refers to the proportion of observed variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals in a population.
  • Knowing heritability is critical in animal breeding because it predicts the potential for genetic improvement through selective breeding.
  • Traits with higher heritability are more likely to respond to selection, leading to genetic progress in subsequent generations.

Study Design and Data

  • The research analyzed data from 1,408 individual mare evaluations collected between 2002 and 2021.
  • These evaluations were performed across 51 different training centers in Poland, providing diverse environmental conditions and testing scenarios.
  • Traits assessed included free jumping, trot, rideability, and an overall performance score.

Statistical Analysis

  • Initial analyses employed analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods to identify significant effects influencing the traits, accounting for environmental and management variables.
  • Statistical software SAS was used with General Linear Model (GLM) and Mixed procedures to process the data.
  • The final heritability estimates were calculated using the AI-REML (Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood) procedure implemented in the DMU program.
  • The model accounted for:
    • Fixed effects: combination of training center, season, and year of evaluation (to control for environmental variation)
    • Random effect: the individual animal’s genetic contribution
    • Covariate: age of the mare in years (to adjust for age-related performance differences)

Results: Heritability Estimates

  • Heritability coefficients for the performance traits ranged from moderate to high, between 0.32 and 0.60.
  • Standard errors of these estimates were relatively low (0.06-0.08), indicating reliable results.
  • The highest heritability values were found for:
    • Free jumping ability
    • Trot gait quality
    • Overall performance score
  • The rideability trait showed the lowest heritability within the studied traits, suggesting greater environmental influence or more complex genetic determination.

Implications and Conclusions

  • The moderate to high heritability estimates suggest that selective breeding in Polish Warmblood mares can effectively improve key performance traits.
  • The findings support the use of these traits as reliable selection criteria to achieve genetic progress in horse populations.
  • Adjusting for environmental effects and age in the analysis helped to isolate the genetic component accurately, strengthening the validity of the estimates.
  • Breeders and decision-makers can use these heritability values to implement breeding strategies aimed at enhancing the desired performance characteristics within this horse population.

Cite This Article

APA
Lewczuk D, Borowska A, Maśko M, Bagnicka E. (2026). Heritability Estimates of Traits Assessed in Field Performance Tests of Polish Warmblood Mares. Genes (Basel), 17(2), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17020148

Publication

Genes
ISSN: 2073-4425
NlmUniqueID: 101551097
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
PII: 148

Researcher Affiliations

Lewczuk, Dorota
  • Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS Jastrzębiec, Postępu 36a, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland.
Borowska, Alicja
  • Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland.
Maśko, Małgorzata
  • Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland.
Bagnicka, Emilia
  • Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology PAS Jastrzębiec, Postępu 36a, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / genetics
  • Horses / physiology
  • Female
  • Poland
  • Breeding
  • Quantitative Trait, Heritable
  • Phenotype

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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