Linear Profiling in SWB – New Breeding Values and Genetic Background

4th International Workshop on Linear Profiling in the Warmblood Horse 14-15 March 2018

Linear profiling in SWB – new breeding values and genetic background

Åsa Viklund, Emma Thorén Hellsten, Sofia Mikko, Susanne Eriksson

Swedish Warmblood “Internationally competitive horses in dressage, show jumping or eventing”

65,000 horses 4,400 covered mares (2017)

75 40 8

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Introduction of linear profiling 2013 Young horse test for 3-year-olds (≈40%)

2014 Young horse test for 4- and 5-year-olds Foal inspections Stallion performance test Mares for conformation grading

Scientific background

Scientific results published in November 2017

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Scientific results in short Heritabilities Conformation (21 traits) 0.10 hock joint from behind - 0.52 for shape of the neck

Movements (21 traits) 0.08 energy in walk - 0.54 elasticity in trot

Jumping (14 traits) 0.05 ability to focus on the assignment - 0.57 scope

Genetic correlations very strong between corresponding traits

Correlation between EBVs Jumping technique (evaluating score) 155

145

135

125

115

Scope (linear) 105

85 90 95 95100 105 110 115 Much Little 85

55 5

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Correlation between EBVs Correctness of legs (evaluating score) 130

120

110 Foreleg (linear) 100 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 Toed out Toed in 90

60 6

Scientific results in short Heritabilities Conformation (21 traits) 0.10 hock joint from behind - 0.52 for shape of the neck

Movements (21 traits) 0.08 energy in walk - 0.54 elasticity in trot

Jumping (14 traits) 0.05 ability to focus on the assignment - 0.57 scope

Genetic correlations very strong between corresponding traits

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New breeding values 2017 March  Stallions - minimum 10 offspring with linear assessment (but at least 15 offspring at young horse test)

2018 January  Stallions - minimum 10 offspring with linear assessment  Mares – with own linear assessment

BLUP Animal Model

yijk = sexi + eventj + horsek + residualijk

New breeding values

 Based on young horse test for 3-year-olds (4,000 horses)

 50 traits (conformation, movements, jumping)

 100 = average of all assessed horses www.blup.se  Genetic standard deviation of 4 units

 Same direction of scale as protocol

 Accuracy – low, moderate and high

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On-going activities

Add information in breeding value estimations from:

 Young horse test for 4- and 5-year-old horses  Performance test for stallions

Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) of Young Horse Test Traits in SWB Horses Aim To find genomic regions associated with conformation and performance traits in Swedish Warmblood (SWB)

Contant Q 1203 och Arnold Assarsson. Photo: Maria Håkansson. 11

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Background

. SWB selected for show jumping and dressage traits. . Weak positive genetic correlations previously estimated between jumping and dressage traits. . Breeders focus increasingly on one discipline rather than both. . Still, some stallions have high EBVs for both disciplines.

SWB stallions by dressage EBVs

180 Dressage index Show jumping index 160

140

120

100

Lux Z Lux

A-Dur

Nobel

Metall

Cuper

Wilton

Twiligt Coriall

Haydn

Cortus

Cartier

Laptop

Careful Marwin

Silvano

De Noir De Santino Akribori Etrusco

Carland Z Robin

Orlando Looping Szkopul

Loredes Alcatraz

L'Acteur

Santana G Majim

Rubinrot Johnson Sandreo Radiator

Figaro R Figaro Richfield Cornetto

Rosevelt Highlight

Kennedy

Sancisco

Dionysos II Cassini Cardento

Tornesch xx Roven

Belamour Ask Casir

Lasandos

Topaasch Heartbeat

First Wish First

Sandakan

Cagancho

Carte d'Or Carte

Al Cantino Al

Florencio I Florencio Friendship M Camaro

Sandro Hit Sandro Manhattan

Highlander

Quite Easy Quite

Cathageno

Quintender

Caressini L Caressini

Highcruiser Feeling For

Balougraph

Quaterback Liberty Last Ask Carson Mail Jaguar R Stop Non

Contendro I Contendro

Briar (SWB) Briar

Corlensky G Corlensky Amour Saint

Qalle (SWB) Qalle

Don Primero Don Gardie la De

His Highness His

Smashing Hit Smashing

Chess (SWB) Chess

Bocelli (SWB) Bocelli (SWB) Magini VDL Callahan

VDL Sheraton VDL

Sir Donnerhall Sir (SWB) Niveau

Rambo (SWB) Rambo

Biggles (SWB) Biggles

Hermes (SWB) Hermes

Carême (SWB) Carême

Hip Hop (SWB) Hop Hip

Blue Hors Zack Hors Blue

Balou du Rouet du Balou

Skovens Rafael Skovens

Hohenstaufen II Hohenstaufen

Hamilton (SWB) Hamilton

Okeanos (SWB) Okeanos VDL Cruz Santa (SWB) Feliciano

Channon (SWB) Channon

Aerline H (SWB) H Aerline

Guido (ex Gudo) (ex Guido

Easy Boy (SWB) Boy Easy

Fetcher N (SWB) N Fetcher

Blue Hors Hotline Hors Blue Fontaine Alligator

Spender S (SWB) S Spender

Damino SD (SWB) SD Damino

Ludwigs Champion Ludwigs

Camiell-Flamingo Z Camiell-Flamingo (SWB) Alberth Lord

Saigon (ex Swingo) (ex Saigon

Lambourgini (SWB) Lambourgini

Black Coffee (SWB) Coffee Black

Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano

Eighty Eight Keys xx Keys Eight Eighty

Ronaldinho H (SWB) H Ronaldinho

Lucky Point HE (SWB) HE Point Lucky

Empire (ex Secret Pride) Secret (ex Empire

Blue Hors Don Romantic Don Hors Blue

Maloubet de Pleville (SF) Pleville de Maloubet

Daytona VDL (ex Wolters) (ex VDL Daytona Dee Jost Van Dyke (SWB) Dyke Van Jost Dee Stallions with ≥10 offspring born 2006-2009 13

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Material and methods

. 380 horses tested as 3-year-olds 2013-2014, hair samples . Total of 97 young horse test traits Height at withers 8 traditional evaluating scores 2 summarized traits: show jumping and dressage talent 57 linearly scored traits 29 deviations scored as 0/1 . Genotyped using the equine 670K SNP-chip (Affymetrix)

Two main clusters

EBV (dressage) = 97 EBV (dressage) = 117 EBV (show jumping) = 123 EBV (show jumping) = 84

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Height at withers

Confirmed published region on ECA3 highly significant for height at withers (p=3.4 x 10-21).

Conformation

Significant peak in linear conformation trait (p = 2.6 x 10-9) on ECA3.

Potentially interesting regions for deviation traits (0/1). Generally few individuals in one of the categories.

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Movements

Only few suggestive associations for movement traits in spite of high heritabilities (p=1.3 x 10-6).

Jumping technique

No significant association found in full data set (N=378) or in dressage cluster.

But potentially interesting association(s) in show jumping cluster only for linear jumping trait (N=189, p = 6.4 x 10-8).

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Conclusions

• Increasing focus towards either show jumping or dressage among SWB-breeders. • With 380 horses and 670K SNP-chip genome-wide assoc. for ‘normally distributed’ traits could be detected. • A highly significant genome-wide association was confirmed for height at ECA3. • Significant SNP associations were found for conformation traits. • Within one of two clusters, significant association was found for linear jumping traits.

Acknowledgement • Swedish Warmblood Association • Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research

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