Abstract
The Dutch Konik is valued from a genetic conservation perspective and also for its role in preservation of natural landscapes. The primary management objective for the captive breeding of this primitive horse is to maintain its genetic purity, whilst also maintaining the nature reserves on which they graze. Breeding selection has traditionally been based on phenotypic characteristics consistent with the breed description, and the selection of animals for removal from the breeding program is problematic at times due to high uniformity within the breed, particularly in height at the wither, colour (mouse to grey dun) and presence of primitive markings. With the objective of identifying an additional non-invasive selection criterion with potential uniqueness to the Dutch Konik, this study investigates the anatomic parameters of the distal equine limb, with a specific focus on the relative lengths of the individual splint bones. Post-mortem dissections performed on distal limbs of Dutch Konik (n = 47) and modern domesticated horses (n = 120) revealed significant differences in relation to the length and symmetry of the 2nd and 4th Metacarpals and Metatarsals. Distal limb characteristics with apparent uniqueness to the Dutch Konik are described which could be an important tool in the selection and preservation of the breed.
Highlights
Efforts to conserve the uniqueness of primitive horse breeds has led to the establishment of captive breeding programs designed to oversee their breeding selection and re-introduction back into the wild [1]
The selection criterion was based on phenotypic characteristics from the reported sightings of Tarpans dated between 1518–1909 [4,5]
With the view to identify a non-invasive selection criterion with potential uniqueness to the Dutch Konik, this study investigates the anatomic parameters associated with the splint bones of the distal limb in the Dutch Konik in comparison with the modern Domesticate horse, with a specific focus on the relative lengths of the individual splint bones
Summary
Efforts to conserve the uniqueness of primitive horse breeds has led to the establishment of captive breeding programs designed to oversee their breeding selection and re-introduction back into the wild [1]. One such breed is the Konik, a hardy, stocky horse first established in Poland and believed to have descended directly from the extinct Tarpan (Equus caballus gmelini, Antonius) [2,3]. Thes ideals were soon interrupted by World War II and subsequently, the reduced population experienced a genetic bottleneck [2,5,6] Despite this setback, a breed registry was issued in 1955 and the first volume of the Polish Konik Studbook became established in 1962. This effectively provided the mechanisms to manage selection, breeding and genetic conservation of the Polish Konik horse [2,5,6,7]
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