Genetic structure and admixture between the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood in contrast to Lipizzan horse from Croatia

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breeding histories for which studbooks have only recently been established. The Lipizzan breed has the oldest formalized breeding and no record of recent genetic introgression from other breeds in Croatia. We analyzed the genetic structure, interbreeding, and breed characteristics by genotyping nine dinucleotide microsatellite loci for 53 Posavina, 37 Croatian Coldblood, and 33 Lipizzan horses and showed that differing breeding schemes and histories have had a strong and measurable impact on the population genetic structure within and between the three breeds. A Bayesian clustering method demonstrated that two population clusters best explain the genetic structure. Samples from the pre-defined breeds of the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood were assigned to a separate genetic cluster, while Lipizzan specimens were assigned to another distinct genetic group. Twelve samples of the Posavina/Croatian Coldblood cluster (13%) showed admixed ancestry with Lipizzan horses. A test for heterozygosity excess, allele frequency distribution mode-shift, and M-ratio test were used to detect genetic evidence of recent population bottlenecks, none of which provided evidence for bottlenecks in the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood populations. In contrast, although somewhat ambiguous, evidence suggests a genetic bottleneck in the Lipizzan population in Croatia.

Genetic diversity and differentiation of 12 eastern Adriatic and western Dinaric native sheep breeds using microsatellites

“…However, the island and peninsula breeds were not affected directly by war activities, as was the case with LIK, RUD, DAL, and the breeds from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which could have been exposed also to isolation breakage. Re-establishing of the studbooks after the war was performed by assigning the breed membership according to phenotypic appearance, similar as with other indigenous breeds in this area (Galov et al, 2013).…”

Hematological and Serum Biochemical Reference Values for the Posavina and Croatian Coldblood Horse Breeds

“…Although considered as different breeds, Ivankovic et al [6] found, based on mitochondrial D-loop sequence variation, that the Posavina and the Croatian Coldblood horses were the most closely related populations. Furthermore, using microsatellite markers, Galov et al [7] did not observe genetic differentiation between these two breeds. According to the Annual Report of horse breeding in the Republic of Croatia [8], in the 2010 the number of Posavina horses was 4909, with the largest number of animals bred in the area of Sisak-Moslavina County (69.81%).…”

“…Moreover, no genetic differentiation between them was observed [7]. Our aim was also to compare those reference values with already known reference values for other breeds of coldblood horses, hotblood horses and horses in general.…”

Recent developments in cattle, pig, sheep and horse breeding - a review

“…Much higher effective numbers of founders and ancestors, 94 and 32, respectively, were reported in the Lipizzan horse by Pjontek et al (2012). Galov et al (2013) examined the genetic structure and admixture between Posavina and Croatian Coldblood in contrast to the Lipizzan horses from Croatia. The Posavina and Croatian Coldblood are Croatian autochthonous horse breeds with interwoven breeding histories.…”