DNA test kit
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DNA test to predict the genetic potential for being a small, medium or tall height horse.
Sample
- 30 to 40 hair roots - envelope
- 5 mL of blood - K3 EDTA tube
Turnaround time
- 2 to 5 working days
Why test?
- Confidently predict the expected mature height at withers of a young foal.
- Identify horses that are 70% likely to be within the specific height range desired by the owner.
- Produce horses of a desired height more consistently.
Results description
The DNA test verifies the presence of the (C) allele associated to tall height horses, and presents the results as one of the following:
- C/C – Tall physical height. This genotype, with two copies of the (C) allele, is associated with large horses, (1,69+/-4 cm height at the withers). This genotype can be found in draught horses, Westphalians (31%), Oldenburgs (29%), Hanoverians (28%), Holsteiners (18%) and Pureblood Lusitanos (4%).
- T/C – Medium physical height. This genotype, with one copy of the (T) allele and another of the (C) allele, is associated with medium-sized horses (1,64+/-5 cm height at the withers). This genotype can be found in the Holsteiner (64%), Westphalian (60%), Hanoverian (56%) and Pureblood Lusitano (29%).
- T/T – Small physical height. This genotype, with two copies of the (T) allele, is associated with smaller horses (1,59 +/- 4 cm height at the withers) and ponies (<1,48 cm height at the withers). This genotype can be found in the majority of ponies, Arabs (100%) and Pureblood Lusitanos (67%).
Additional information
- The development of the skeletal apparatus is regulated by the expression of the gene LCORL.
- Recent studies have identified a variation of a simple nucleotide base (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) in the promoter of this gene.
- The replacement of a thymine (T) with a cytosine (C) varies the expression of the LCORL gene. This variation in the expression influences the horse’s dimension. Consequently, if the expression of the LCORL gene is diminished the resulting horse has a larger body dimension (bones are longer).