Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVII, Issue 1
Written by Claudia PÂNZARU, Marius Gheorghe DOLIȘ, Mădălina Alexandra DAVIDESCU, Răzvan Mihail RADU-RUSU
One of the breeding objectives for Shagya Arabian breed in Rădăuți Stud Farm, Romania, focuses on increasing the height at withers for mares. The current research aimed to study the entire female progeny (175 foals) of 58 broodmares and 44 stallions included in the breeding activity for 40 years The objective was to determine the influence of breeders’ height and the foaling number (rank) on the foals’ biometrics. The average value of this measurement in female foals has consistently increased from first foaling (157.63 cm) to the fifth one (158.80 cm) throughout 40 years of breeding, indicating the fulfilment of the breeding goal over consecutive reproductive seasons. According to the simulation based on the linear trend equation, the progeny's height at withers could match the fathers' height by the 10th foaling if the same breeding practices were continued. In addition, stallions would have much more influence than broodmares in increasing the height of the foals. Continuing the forecast analysis based on the variations, the required average height at withers values in stallions and mares can be computed to attain a certain value for the descendants.
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