Analysis of the Performance and Breeding Value of Horses Registered in the Trakehner Association in Poland Considering Their Affiliation to Families of Mares

Abstract

This study involved a population of Trakehner Horses and horses of Eastern-Trakehner-Prussian origin registered in the Trakehner Association in Poland. A qualitative analysis was carried out for horses belonging to 33 selected mare families. The selected families were characterized in terms of performance and breeding value of the horses belonging to them. The analysis included results of: performance test for stallions and mares, shows and breeding championships, and sports competitions. The highest quality assessment was noted for horses belonging to families of the following mares: O Diana, E – Agresja xx, E – Balanda xx, and E – Avesta xx. In terms of gait quality, of high quality were also horses from the families: T – Chwala, E Chiazza xx, and E – Iglawa xx. The analyses carried out within the study indicated a high performance and breeding value of horses belonging to the families examined. INTRODUCTION An analysis of conformation and motor traits of a horse constitutes a basic criterion of the selection process in its initial phase. In the later stages of selection, a significant role is attributed to an evaluation, carried out with various methods, of the performance and breeding value of animals subjected to the selection process as well as their relatives (NOWICKA POSŁUSZNA AND LISZKOWSKI. 2001a NOWICKA-POSŁUSZNA AND LISZKOWSKI. 2001b, GERINGER AND KIEŁBASIEWICZ 2004). Knowledge of the performance and breeding values of individuals belonging to sire’s lines and dam families is of key significance in horse breeding in the selection process of pairs for reproduction. The success of the Polish breeding of pure bred Arabs and foreign breeds, in which practical use is made of the results of analyses of the performance and breeding value of individuals belonging to dam families and sire strains (TAVERNIER 1990, SCHWARK ET AL. 1993, SPRENGER ET AL. 1993), point to the indispensability of conducting such analyses without which the selection of individuals for mating is burdened with a higher risk of failing to achieve the assumed selection response.