Interrelation of the breeding characteristics of the herd horses of Transbaikal

Abstract

The results of the study of exterior and constitutional features, the phenotypic correlation of live weight with body measurements and body built indexes in herd horses of the Buryat breed are presented. The research material was full-grown stallions (n = 7) and mares (n = 20), as well as horse colts (n = 20) and fillies (n = 20) aged 1.5 and 2.5 years. It has been established that stud stallions in live weight exceed the breed standard by 25.8%, mares - by 23.8%, colts - by 28.0-28.5% and fillies - by 12.3-25.7%. The measurement of the articles of the body also indicates their superiority in all basic measurements over the standard. The calculation of the body built indexes indicates that individuals are characterized by pronounced meaty forms. At the same time, males are characterized by a more solid build, broad and stretched body of a strong constitution. Analysis of the obtained data shows that the horses of the Buryat breed in terms of live weight and body parts measurements belong to the massive type I of the ecological zone. In adults and young animals at the age of 1.5 and 2.5 years, a positive, at a fairly high level, correlation between live weight and all measurements was revealed. A closer relationship of the live weight in stallions and mares was noted with the cannon bone girth (r = 0.586; r = 0.770), in colts and fillies at the age of 1.5 years - with chest girth (r = 0.903) and height at the withers (r = 0.903), respectively. With age, in colts, the relationship between the live weight and the body length increases (r = 0.902), in fillies - with chest girth (r = 0.623). The revealed relationships of the live weight with exterior and constitutional features in herd horses will allow to increase the pressure on a specific breeding trait during selection.