Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Sidebone is considered as a disease and is regulated in horse breeding according to the Swedish animal welfare law. Cold-blooded trotter stallions with sidebones are not allowed to be used in breeding. The population of the cold-blooded trotters is relatively small and the risk of inbreeding increases when fewer number of stallions are approved for breeding. Studies have shown that sidebones do not result in any reduction in performance during competition.

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of inbreeding on sidebones and performance in cold-blooded trotters. The material used in the study was collected by Hedenström (2015) and included different sidebone grading systems, performance data in form of best time and number of starts. The data was supplemented by the inbreeding coefficient of each horse. The inbreeding coefficient was obtained from websites and staff at Svensk Travsport and Det Norske Travselskap. Data was processed in Excel and statistical analyses was done in SAS. The result showed that there was no significant correlation between inbreeding and sidebones or inbreeding and performance. These results strengthen the study´s hypothesis that sidebones are not linked to inbreeding or performance. Future studies should focus on how the boning process develops and affects the horse during the first year of life, particular attention to the size of the horse, training surface, feeding, hoof care and other environmental factors.