| Module Identifier |
RS30210 |
| Module Title |
EQUINE GENETICS AND BREEDING |
| Academic Year |
2004/2005 |
| Co-ordinator |
Dr Basil T Wolf |
| Semester |
Semester 2 |
| Mutually Exclusive |
RS25020 |
| Course delivery |
Lecture | 20 Hours 20 x 1 hour lectures |
| |
Practical | 20 Hours 5 x 4 hour practicals |
| Assessment |
| Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
|---|
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours Outcomes assessed 1, 2, 3 | 100% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Outcomes assessed 1, 2, 3 | 100% |
|
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Outline the principles of genetics using examples from horses and discuss their application to breeding for coat colour and the control of lethal or deleterious conditions with Mendelian inheritance.
2. Apply the basic concepts of quantitative genetics to the improvement of the health and performance of the horse.
3. Describe breeding schemes for sports and leisure horses and evaluate aspects of their design that influence the rate of genetic improvement for metric traits.
4. Evaluate the potential applications of emerging technologies in the genetic improvement of horses
Brief description
This module discusses the genetic principles that underlie selection programmes for the improvement of the health, welfare and performance of horses.
This module will review current knowledge of genes that are involved in the inheritance of coat colour and health of the horse. The effects of inbreeding and heterosis will be outlined and their implications for genetic improvement, breed formation and genetic conservation will be considered. Special emphasis will be placed on a study of the principles of quantitative genetics and their application to selection for single and composite objectives. Factors that influence the design of improvement schemes for horses will be explained and the potential applications of reproductive technologies and the uses of marker assisted selection will be discussed.
Reading Lists
Books
** Essential Reading
Bowling, A T (1996) Horse genetics
CABI 085199 101 7
Bowling, A T and Ruvinsky, A (2000) The genetics of the horse
CABI 0851 994 296
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6