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Huizinga, H. A., Korver, S., & van der Meij, G. J. W. (1991). Stationary performance testing of stallions from the Dutch Warmblood riding horse population. 2. Estimated heritabilities of and correlations between successive judgements of performance traits. Livestock Production Science, 27(2-3), 245–254.
Abstract: The length of test period of stationary performance testing (SPT) of stallions of the Dutch Warmblood riding horse population is evaluated. Heritability of successive judgements of traits and the phenotypic and genetic relations between successive judgements are estimated. Data from 1983-1988 are used, covering scores from 206 mostly 3-year-old stallions. Ten subjectively scored traits are considered: walk, trot, canter, riding ability, jumping ability, free jumping, cross country, character, stable behaviour, training report. Traits are successively scored at about 25, 50, 80 and 100 days in SPT. Missing scores are predicted on basis of the available scores using multiple partial regression coefficients. Validity of this method is checked in an independent data set for walk, trot and canter. The correlations between predicted and realized scores average 0.74, 0.77 and 0.79 when first, first and second, and first, second and third judgements are available, respectively. Variance and covariance components are estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures. Data from SPT are analysed using an animal model. Estimates of heritability are high and constant for gaits during the successive judgements. Except for stable behaviour estimates of heritability, the traits decrease slightly during the successive judgements. Estimates of the phenotypic and genetic correlations between successive judgements are high. It is concluded that length of SPT can be shortened and selection during SPT can be intensified.
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Huizinga, H. A., van der Werf, J. H. J., Korver, S., & van der Meij, G. J. W. (1991). Stationary performance testing of stallions from the Dutch Warmblood riding horse population. 1. Estimated genetic parameters of scored traits and the genetic relation with dressage and jumping competition from offspring of breeding stallions. Livestock Production Science, 27(2-3), 231–244.
Abstract: The stationary performance testing (SPT) of stallions as breeding candidates in the Dutch Warmblood riding horse population is evaluated. Genetic and phenotypic parameters of traits scored during SPT and the genetic correlation of these traits with performances in dressage and jumping competition from offspring of breeding stallions are estimated. Data from 1978-1988 are used, covering scores from 337 3-year-old stallions. Eight subjectively scored traits are considered. These traits are: walk; trot; canter; riding ability; show jumping; free jumping; cross country; character. SPT lasts for a period of 100 days. Data from SPT are analysed using an animal model. The relations between SPT of stallions and performances in jumping and dressage competition are analysed with an animal model for SPT data and a sire model for competition data. Variance and covariance components are estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures. Estimates of heritability are high (0.64) for gaits and riding ability, intermediate (0.41) for cross country and medium-high (0.31) for jumping. Estimated genetic correlation between show jumping scored during SPT and jumping in competition from offspring of breeding stallions is 0.84; for dressage this relation is 0.83. Some possible bias due to selection and the subjectivity of scoring is discussed. It is indicated that selection on SPT of stallions before entering breeding service is an effective tool to breed for ability of performance in competition.
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