Genetic parameters for chronic progressive lymphedema in Belgian Draught Horses. (19th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Keyser, K.; Janssens, S.; Peeters, L.M.; Foqué, N.; Gasthuys, F.; Oosterlinck, M.; Buys, N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal breeding and genetics. Volume 131:Number 6(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 522
• Page End: 528
• Publication Date: 2014-03-19
• Subjects: Livestock -- Breeding -- Periodicals; Livestock -- Genetics -- Periodicals; 636.0820
• DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12087
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0931-2668

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jbg12087-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Genetic parameters for chronic progressive lymphedema (CPL)‐associated traits in Belgian Draught Horses were estimated, using a multitrait animal model. Clinical scores of CPL in the four limbs/horse (CPL<sub>clin</sub>), skinfold thickness and hair samples (hair diameter) were studied. Due to CPL<sub>clin</sub> uncertainty in younger horses (progressive CPL character), a restricted data set (D_3+) was formed, excluding records from horses under 3 years from the complete data set (D_full). Age, gender, coat colour and limb hair pigmentation were included as fixed, permanent environment and date of recording as random effects. Higher CPL<sub>clin</sub> certainty (D_3+) increased heritability coefficients of, and genetic correlations between traits, with CPL<sub>clin</sub> heritabilities (SE) for the respective data sets: 0.11 (0.06) and 0.26 (0.05). A large proportion of the CPL<sub>clin</sub> variance was attributed to the permanent environmental effect in D_full, but less in D_3+. Date of recording explained a proportion of variance from 0.09 ± 0.03 to 0.61 ± 0.08. Additive genetic correlations between CPL<sub>clin</sub> and both skinfold thickness and hair diameter showed the latter two traits cannot be used as a direct diagnostic aid for CPL. Due to the relatively low heritability of CPL<sub>clin</sub>, selection should focus on estimated breeding values (from repeated clinical examinations) to reduce CPL occurrence in the Belgian Draught Horse.</p> </abstract>