The Equus Survival Trust is asking owners of rare breeds of horses to participate in an Equine Genome Research Project to be carried out at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. New Zealand horse owners are also invited to participate in the US-based study.
The research group is actively engaged in analyzing the equine genome. They are in the process of collecting blood samples from male horses of various breeds. They have enlisted the help of the Trust to spread the word to the endangered breed network and to owners and breeders interested in participating in their exciting research project.
Owners and breeders of the following breeds are asked to participate:
Ponies - Exmoor, Dales, Dartmoor, Fell, Highland, Lac La Croix, Newfoundland, Swedish Gotland
Heavy Horse - American Cream Draft, Belgian, Clydesdale, English Shire, Percheron, Suffolk
Donkeys - American Mammoth Jackstock, Poitou, Miniature Donkey
Samples will be used to:
develop male specific genetic markers that could be used to identify and analyze genes associated with stallion fertility,
accurately and efficiently trace the paternal lineage in various breeds of horses,
show evolutionary relationships between different breeds as evidenced through Y chromosome markers, and
discover male specific genetic factors common/diverse between different extant equids (horse, zebra, donkey, etc.) allowing us to study the evolution of the Y chromosome in these related species.
Researchers would like to obtain ~30-40 ml blood samples from 15 unrelated males or more for each breed. Males must be unrelated by at least three generations and sampling will include stallions, colts and geldings.
They will provide tubes and complete instructions for blood collection, their UPS account for overnight shipment of blood samples back to the US laboratory; veterinary service fees up to $40 (if needed).
The contributors will be kept informed by the research group about their collective findings upon the completion of the project. This is a chance to help endangered breeds by learning more about stallion lines and fertility, and deepen knowledge of the evolutionary relationships of historical breeds in relation to the equine family tree.
Facebook
Twitter
HOME SITES 
