Institute of Livestock Sciences, Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences-Vienna, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, Vienna, Austria.
J Anim Breed Genet. 2009 Oct;126(5):348-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2008.00790.x.
The pedigree of the current Austrian Noriker draught horse population comprising 2808 horses was traced back to the animals considered as founders of this breed. In total, the number of founders was 1991, the maximum pedigree length was 31 generations, with an average of 12.3 complete generations. Population structure in this autochthonous Austrian draught horse breed is defined by seven breeding regions (Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria and Vorarlberg) or through six coat colour groups (Bay, Black, Chestnut, Roan, Leopard, Tobiano). Average inbreeding coefficients within the breeding regions ranged from 4.5% to 5.5%; for the colour groups, the coefficients varied from 3.5% to 5.9%. Other measures of genetic variability like the effective number of founders, ancestors and founder genomes revealed a slightly different genetic background of the subpopulations. Average co-ancestries between and within breeding areas showed that the Salzburg population may be considered as the nucleus or original stock whereas all other subpopulations showed high relationship to horses from Salzburg. The target of draught horse breeding in the 21st century does not meet the breeding concept of maximizing genetic gains any more. Stabilizing selection takes place. In this study, we show that demographic factors as well as structure given by different coat colours helped to maintain genetic diversity in this endangered horse breed.
当前奥地利诺里克尔挽马种群的系谱追溯到被认为是该品种创始人的动物。总共有 1991 个创始人，最大的系谱长度为 31 代，平均有 12.3 个完整的世代。这种土生土长的奥地利挽马品种的种群结构由七个繁殖区（卡林西亚、下奥地利、萨尔茨堡、施蒂里亚、蒂罗尔、上奥地利和福拉尔贝格）或通过六个毛色组（海湾色、黑色、栗色、杂色、豹纹、斑色）来定义。繁殖区的平均近交系数在 4.5%至 5.5%之间；对于毛色组，系数从 3.5%到 5.9%不等。其他遗传变异性指标，如有效创始人数量、祖先和创始人基因组，揭示了亚群的遗传背景略有不同。繁殖区之间和内部的平均共同祖先表明，萨尔茨堡种群可能被视为核心或原始种群，而所有其他亚群与来自萨尔茨堡的马匹都有高度的关系。21 世纪的挽马繁殖目标不再符合最大限度地提高遗传收益的繁殖概念。稳定选择正在发生。在这项研究中，我们表明，人口因素以及不同毛色所带来的结构有助于维持这种濒危马种的遗传多样性。
