Research Article

The breeding value of Wielkopolski horses belonging to particular stallion lineages in the successive volumes of the Stud Book, as evidenced by their body conformation and performance traits

Marian Kaproń, Elżbieta Czerniak, Marek Łukaszewicz, Agata Danielewicz

Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities

Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding in Jastrzębiec

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 14(1), 2015, 77‒90

Abstract. The study of the body conformation and performance traits of the 11 376 Wielkopolski horses registered in the six successive volumes of the Stud book identified 24 principal stallion lineages [subsequently divided into 4 origin groups (lineage types – "Trak./East–Pruss", (Trakehner/East–Prussian), "Han." (Hanoverian), "xx" and "o/xo"] which comprised 10 630 horses. The particular lineages were represented by highly different numbers of horses, with a tendency for some of them to gradually decline ("Trak./East–Pruss." type), stagnate ("o/xo") or distinctly progress ("xx" and "Han."). A considerable number of statistically significant differences were found in the mean values of the body conformation and performance trait indices of the analysed horses (chiefly at P < 0.01) between the lineage origin groups, which suggests a high degree of breeding influence on the development of Wielkopolski performance traits. Moreover, emphasis was laid on the evident need for maintaining the existing lineages in the Wielkopolski subpopulation covered by the gene pool protection program and creating new lines and lineages in order to improve the principal population of the breed - though, exclusively on the basis of sires that pass onto their offspring body conformation and performance trait complexes which determine a high capacity potential of the offspring to meet the requirements of different purposes, forms and methods of the contemporary use of horses.

Keywords: Wielkopolska breed horses, breeding value, families, horses studbook