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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(16); 2071; doi: 10.3390/ani12162071

Pedigree-Based Description of Three Traditional Hungarian Horse Breeds.

Abstract: The Mezőhegyes Stud was founded in 1784 where three different horse breeds were developed: the Furioso-North Star, the Gidran, and the Nonius. These breeds were based on the same mare population, but each breed had different utilization purposes. Our aim was to analyze the pedigree information of these three indigenous breeds. The genealogical information was traced back from the actual breeding population back to the founder animals, and the final database contained more than 47,000 horses. The reference populations were defined as the registered breeding animals in 2019. The complete generation equivalent was 16.45 for the Gidran breed, 15.18 for Furioso-North Star, and 12.64 for Nonius, respectively. Due to the utilization of English Thoroughbred during the breeding history, the average maximum generations were close to 36 generations for each breed. The average relatedness was approximately 4%. The average Wright's inbreeding coefficient was the highest for the Nonius breed (5.59%). Kalinowski's decomposition of inbreeding showed that inbreeding is originated mainly from the past; the current fixation of alleles was higher for the Nonius horse breed. There was a reasonable bottleneck effect for each breed. The estimated effective population sizes suggest that there is no problem with the maintaining of Mezőhegyes horse breeds.
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Publication Date: 2022-08-14 PubMed ID: 36009663PubMed Central: PMC9405318DOI: 10.3390/ani12162071Google 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 study provides an analysis of the genealogy of three traditional horse breeds – Furioso-North Star, Gidran, and Nonius, developed at the Mezőhegyes Stud, and established in 1784. At the Stud, the genetics of over 47,000 horses were traced back to the founder animals and analyzed, revealing the various breeding techniques and heritage patterns.

Objective and Method

  • The aim of the research was to obtain information about the pedigrees and genetic diversity of three indigenous Hungarian horse breeds originating from the same mare population but for different usage purposes.
  • The researchers used traditional techniques to trace genealogical information from the present breeding population back to the founder animals.
  • The study considered the registered breeding animals in 2019 to define reference populations.

Findings

  • In terms of generation equivalency, the Gidran breed had the highest value at 16.45, followed by Furioso-North Star with 15.18, and lastly, Nonius with 12.64.
  • Across all breeds, it was observed that the number of maximum generations was around 36, mainly attributable to the incorporation of English Thoroughbred during the breeds’ development.
  • The average relatedness among these horses was roughly 4%, providing evidence of the genetic overlap and shared lineage within these breeds.
  • The highest average Wright’s inbreeding coefficient was found in the Nonius breed (5.59%). This statistic measures the probability that two alleles at any locus in an individual will be identical by descent.
  • Kalinowski’s decomposition of inbreeding reflected that the source of inbreeding was primarily from the past. Nonetheless, the Nonius breed showed a higher current fixation of alleles, revealing its present-day inbreeding effects.
  • A notable bottleneck effect was observed in each breed. This term refers to an event that significantly reduces the size of a population, thereby reducing genetic variation and causing a decrease in the population’s ability to survive and adapt.
  • The effective population sizes were estimated to indicate no issues with maintaining the Mezőhegyes horse breeds.

Conclusion

  • The study collectively provides an in-depth analysis on the genealogy and genetic diversity of the three Hungarian horse breeds developed at the Mezőhegyes Stud.
  • Further, it provides insights on the breeds’ unique genetic heritage, diversity, and relatedness, as well as identifying potential genetic threats like inbreeding and bottleneck effects.
  • The findings are helpful in the preservation and propagation of these unique horse breeds in future.

Cite This Article

APA
Klein R, Oláh J, Mihók S, Posta J. (2022). Pedigree-Based Description of Three Traditional Hungarian Horse Breeds. Animals (Basel), 12(16), 2071. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12162071

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 16
PII: 2071

Researcher Affiliations

Klein, Renáta
  • Department of Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
  • Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Oláh, János
  • Farm and Regional Research Institute of Debrecen, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Mihók, Sándor
  • Department of Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Posta, János
  • Department of Animal Husbandry, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.

Grant Funding

  • EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00008 / European Union and the European Social Fund

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Barsi B, Oláh J, Posta J. Analysis of Population Structure in Hungarian Coldblood Horses Based on Pedigree Information. Animals (Basel) 2025 May 13;15(10).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15101406pubmed: 40427284google scholar: lookup
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