The August newsletter featured a survey on the topic of "Information services for mating decisions made by Holsteiner horse breeders". We would like to express our sincere thanks to all participants for their contribution! The survey has since been evaluated by Miriam Engel as part of her bachelor's thesis at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry at Kiel University, and as announced, we would like to briefly present the results below. A detailed overview article is planned for one of the upcoming issues of Pferd+Sport.
A total of 218 individuals participated in the survey, the majority of whom were between 21 and 60 years old. Most participants actively bred Holsteiner horses with one to six mares. All breeding districts were represented by at least nine participants each; almost a third of the participants belonged to the largest breeding district of external members.
The aim of the survey was to determine the level of awareness regarding the various information services available for mating decisions by Holsteiner horse breeders and to ascertain whether and what need for expansion and improvement exists. In addition, the survey aimed to determine the importance that Holsteiner breeders attach to the various information services and criteria in their breeding selection.
The survey results underline the high relevance of information services concerning equine health. However, there is a need for improvement across all breeding associations in this area. With the health database currently under development, German breeding associations have long been trying to better address this aspect. However, a decisive improvement in the information services has only recently been achieved through research and development work carried out since the establishment of the IAFH, which aims, among other things, at the avoidance of genetic defects.
In addition to health, the canter, show jumping ability, and willingness to perform were rated as important or very important by more than 95% of the participants. The following chart shows in detail the relevance of various criteria regarding mating decisions:
It was found that the various information services concerning mating decisions vary considerably in some cases with regard to their level of awareness. For example, almost a third of the participants were unaware that, in addition to the Holsteiner Verband's online mating recommendation, the option of a telephone mating recommendation also exists. The website "Holsteiner Pedigrees" – an information tool available only for a few years – already boasts a high level of awareness and, alongside the stallions' performance test results, is one of the best sources of information according to the survey results. The website Horsetelex, which users can utilize to calculate the Thoroughbred percentage as well as the inbreeding coefficient resulting from a mating (partly for a fee), is still unknown to nearly a fifth of the participants, but is among the best-rated services in terms of its informational value. Expanding "Holsteiner Pedigrees" to include similar offerings could further increase breeders' satisfaction with the information services provided by the Verband.
When selecting a stallion, performance test results play just as important a role as the Verband's internal breeding values. A different picture emerges on the mare side: here, registration scores and mare performance test results are taken into account significantly less in mating decisions than the internal breeding values for mares. Naturally, when interpreting these results, one must take into account that scores from the mare performance test in particular are only available for a fraction of the broodmares. In principle, the acceptance of the internal breeding value estimation is to be evaluated positively, but the utilization of the results should be promoted even further. This could be achieved, inter alia, by incorporating additional traits (e.g. from the linear profiling) into the classical breeding value estimation. Furthermore, genetic markers are being added as an additional source of information this year, allowing certain genetic traits of a horse to be determined with relative certainty even at the foal stage.
The use of outside blood was also a topic of the survey. The participants were very well informed about the possibilities of using outside blood, and a majority had already used outside-blood stallions. However, it became clear that expanding the existing information services, specifically regarding outside-blood stallions, is the desire of many breeders.
Traditionally, the Holsteiner Verband strives to provide its breeders with innovative decision-making aids; a prime example is its pioneering role in the linear profiling of young stallion progeny. In conclusion, it can be said that the survey results provide good insight into which information tools are particularly well known and frequently used, but they also highlight opportunities for expansion with which existing services can be further improved in the future. Overall, however, the majority of participants were satisfied with the Holsteiner Verband's currently offered information services regarding mating decisions and rated them as equally good compared to other associations.
The survey was evaluated by Miriam Engel as part of her bachelor's thesis at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry at Kiel University.
