Genetics of the Pantaneiro horse of the Pantanal region of Brazil

Abstract

Genetic variation at seven red blood cell alloantigen, blood group loci and 10 biochemical genetic loci was examined in 102 Pantaneiro horses from the Pantanal region of Brazil and compared to that of other domestic horse breeds. Measures of both individual genic variation and populational genetic diversity within the Pantaneiro were near the average for domestic horse breeds. From the standpoint of genetic conservation there is no immediate concern for loss of variation within the Pantaneiro. Analysis of genetic relationship showed that the Pantaneiro was clearly of Iberian Peninsula descent and that it was most closely related to other Brazilian breeds.<br>Examinou-se a variação genética de 102 cavalos Pantaneiros da região do Pantanal, Brasil, usando sete locos de grupos sanguíneos e 10 locos genéticos bioquímicos. As medidas de variação genética individual e diversidade genética populacional dentro da população de cavalos Pantaneiros foram próximas da média encontrada para as raças de cavalos domésticos. Do ponto de vista de conservação genética, não há preocupação imediata com relação à perda de variação dentro da raça. Análises das relações genéticas mostraram claramente que o cavalo Pantaneiro descende de cavalos da península Ibérica e que ele é estreitamente relacionado com as demais raças brasileiras

Genetic diversity of Brazilian Pantaneiro horse and relationships among horse breeds

“…Close inspection of Pantaneiro group showed a clear subdivision of population, and 16 animals split in (Bjørnstad et al, 2000;Cañon et al, 2000;Vilà et al, 2000). The differences obtained from microsatellite analyses are in agreement with the results of Cothran et al (1998), which characterized red blood cell alloantigen, blood group loci and biochemical genetic loci of four Pantaneiro horse populations. The origin of Pantaneiro horse and Uruguay Creole goes back to the colonization, but although they have geographically closely located, there was a clear genetic differentiation between them, as indicated by microsatellites analyses.…”

“…Pantaneiro horse population, compared with other breeds, has a genetic structure; the number of alleles and heterozygosity value demonstrated a high degree of genetic diversity within the breeding nucleus. Cothran et al (1998) observed an excess of heterozygosity in four Pantaneiro populations, and a single statistically significant deviation from HardyWeinberg expectations. They concluded that levels of genetic variability within Pantaneiro breed were at about the normal level for horses.…”

“…The θ and G ST values indicated that 8% of the total genetic variation is explained by breed differences in the horse populations, and 92% by differences among individuals. The lower f values indicated homogeneous population with lower within-population-inbreeding, except for VHL20, and θ and G ST Cothran et al (1998) showed that Pantaneiro was clearly descendent from Iberian Peninsula, and that it was most closely related to other Brazilian breeds; this genetic variation indicated normal variation levels for horses and that there is no indication of inbreeding. The proportion of genetic variation attributed to differences between breeds was about 8% of the total variation, with the remainder corresponding to differences between individuals.…”

“…Horse breeds around the world have been analyzed by microsatellites, including the Rutuertas horse (Vega-Pla et al, 2005), Spanish Celtic breeds (Cañon et al, 2000), and various European and Asian breeds (Vilà et al, 2001;Tozaki et al, 2003). Pantaneiro breed was genetically characterized by red blood cell alloantigen, blood group loci and biochemical genetic loci (Cothran et al, 1998).…”

Índices corporais para o cavalo pantaneiro

“…Cothran et al 17 showed the close genetic relationships of this breed with those from the Iberian Peninsula (Andaluz and Lusitanian) as well as other Brazilian horses, especially Mangalarga. The overall body shape is referred to as conformation.…”