Survey of Risk Factors and Genetic Characterization of Ewe Neck in a World Population of Pura Raza Español Horses.
Authors: Ripolles María, Sánchez-Guerrero María J, Perdomo-González Davinia I, Azor Pedro, Valera Mercedes
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Ewe Neck in Pura Raza Español Horses Ewe neck—characterised by a concave dorsal profile and inverted neck musculature—represents a significant morphological defect in Baroque horse breeds, particularly affecting breeding programmes and functional performance. Researchers analysed 35,267 PRE horses using Bayesian genetic modelling to establish prevalence, identify risk factors, and estimate heritability, accounting for sex, age, coat colour, geographical location, and stud size. The defect affected over one quarter of the population (27.12%), with moderate heritability ranging from 0.23 to 0.34, indicating both genetic and environmental contributions; notably, chest height, back length, head-neck junction angulation, and thoracic index emerged as the morphological traits most strongly associated with ewe neck development. These findings suggest that whilst selective breeding against the condition is feasible and worthwhile, the moderate heritability coefficients mean that management strategies addressing the identified risk factors—including nutrition, rearing practices, and training methodology—should complement genetic selection in breeding programmes. For practitioners, this work underscores the importance of evaluating neck conformation alongside related skeletal traits when advising on remedial work, as underlying morphological predispositions may influence the success of rehabilitation and training interventions.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Ewe Neck is a common morphological defect affecting over 1 in 4 PRE horses, making selective breeding against this condition a viable strategy for breed improvement
- •Moderate heritability (0.23-0.34) means breeding decisions can effectively reduce prevalence, though environmental and management factors also play significant roles
- •Assessment of specific morphological features (chest height, back length, neck junctions) can help identify at-risk individuals and inform breeding decisions in PRE populations
Key Findings
- •27.12% of the PRE horse population studied exhibited Ewe Neck defect
- •Heritability coefficient for Ewe Neck score ranged from 0.23 to 0.34, indicating moderate genetic influence
- •All studied risk factors (sex, age, coat color, geographical area, birth stud size) were significantly associated with Ewe Neck
- •Morphological traits most closely related to Ewe Neck were height at chest, back length, head-neck junction, and bottom neck-body junction