Association of economicly useful features of herd horses (Equus caballus) of the transbaikal breed

Abstract

The studies were carried out to study the exterior- constitutional characteristics, phenotypic correlation of live weight with body measurements and body composition indices in herd horses of the Transbaikal breed, to increase the efficiency of selection. The work was carried out in the conditions of the Trans- Baikal Territory. The material for the research was stud stallions (n=7), mares (n=20) and foals at birth and at the age of 6, 18 and 30 months (n=48). Stallions exceeded the breed standard in live weight by 27.2 %, mares - by 19.3 %. The height at the withers of stallions was higher than that of the breed standard by 3.2 %, in mares by 2.5 %; oblique body length - 2.2 and 2.4, respectively; chest girth - by 8.7 and 4.6, pastern girth - by 7.9 % and 8.9 %. The animals are characterized by pronounced meat shapes, while males are distinguished by a more knitted, wide-bodied and elongated physique of a strong constitution. The average body weight of stallions up to 30 months of age increased by 8.0 times, height at the withers - by 47.1 %, oblique body length - by 2.1 times, chest girth - by 1.9 times, pastern girth - by 55 .6 %. According to body indexes, stallions and mares of the Transbaikal breed are characterized as animals with pronounced meat forms and are closer to heavy breeds. In stud stallions, there was a positive relationship between live weight and pastern girth (r=0.922) and chest girth (r=0.716). In mares, only low correlations between the studied traits were observed. In young animals, a positive correlation of varying degrees between live weight and all the main body measurements at birth was revealed. At the same time, the closest relationship was noted with chest circumference (r=0.719).