793-218 Horse Genetics and Breeding

The objective of this subject is to enable students to develop skills and knowledge in relation to horse genetics and breeding.

The content includes:

• an introduction to genetics, genes and chromosomes;

• sex determination;

• dominance, recessiveness;

• homozygosity, heterozygosity and colouring;

• the inheritance of faults, lethal genes and the interaction of two pairs of genes;

• probability, variation, mutation and chromosomal abnormalities;

• selection, its goal, differential and pressure; prediction of response;

• aids to selection, performance testing, heart scores, chromosome tracing;

• performance measurement in warmbloods, quarterhorses and stockhorses;

• breeds, strains, development of new breeds, inbreeding, linebreeding, cross-breeding, outcrossing;

• breeding theories, Lowe, Varolla, Vuillier; and

• stamina index.

Internal students: 3-hour exam (100%). External students: assignment of 3000 words (100%).