AFLPs in Warmblood Sporting Horses: Genetic Correlation with Height at the Withers

Abstract

The Mexican army produces Warmblood horses for jumping proposes. However, breeding is based on phenotype and stallions are selected stepwise until the end of growth, representing a high care and maintenance cost. In this work using 64 selective primer combinations and AFLP technology we identified specific molecular markers related with height at the withers measurements of Warmblood horses. AFLPs generated 14 specific polymorphic bands, giving a polymorphic ratio of 1.6%. Heterozygosity values were 0.205 and 0.311 for high and short groups, respectively. A 70 pb specific band present only in males, suggest that it could be used as specific marker to determine sex. Three specific bands were selected to determine genetic distances. UPGMA dendogram showed one branch that clearly grouped most of the shorter horses and other branch that grouped all higher horses, with a mixture of four organisms defined within the short group. Experiments currently in progress will allow us to identify other specific markers to make a genetic selection of high performance individuals in early stages of life.