The assessment of Vyatka horse breed genetic state in modern conditions

Bass Svetlana Petrovna, Belousova Natalya Feliksovna, Azimova Glafira Vladimirovna, Gulyaeva Anna Nikolaevna

The purpose of the research is to assess the state of the gene pool of Vyatka breed horses in modern conditions. Method. To study this issue, an analysis of breeding stock horses both in agricultural enterprises and on private farms was made in the territory of three regions of the Russian Federation: the Udmurt Republic, the Kirov Region, the Central Federal District. For genetic characteristics, the entire livestock in each population was divided into groups based on the degree of relationship: group 1 outbred, group 2 with distant Fx inbreeding (0.2% - 1.55%), group 3 with dead Fx (1.56% - 12.5%), with inbreeding of close Fx (12.6% - 25%). The coefficient of inbreeding is estimated according to the Wright-Kislovsky formula. Results.The most typical horses with an inherent conformation are outbred horses from the population of the Central Federal District. Monitoring the quantitative composition of the breed showed that over the period from 1995 to 2021 the number of mares increased from 73 heads in 1995 to 287 in 2021, however, a sharp decrease in the number of the main composition of mares to 222 heads was recorded at the beginning of 2022. This tendency creates certain difficulties in the selection process. The largest number of mares is concentrated in the Central Federal District - 83 heads nowadays. At the present stage of work with the breed the analysis of genetic diversity showed that 43.3% of the representatives are outbred, it was based on the study of the increase in the homozygosity of individuals in a limited gene pool. Representatives of the Vyatka breed were obtained in equal proportions by distant and moderate inbreeding of 28.1% and 27%, respectively. Conclusions. The population of the rare aboriginal breed remains small; in conditions of a limited gene pool, specialists manage to avoid close inbreeding. The most typical with the correct conformation are outbred horses from the population of the Central Federal District.

Keywords:Vyatka horse breed; limited gene pool; inbreeding degree; inbreeding coefficient; horse selection; population.