THE IMPORTANCE OF LINES AND MARE FAMILIES IN IMPROVING THE BREEDING WORK OF AKHALTEKE HORSES:CASE STUDY OF TURKMENISTAN
Keywords:
Akhalteke · horse breeding · pedigree lines · stallions · mare families · Turkmenistan · selection · cross-breeding · Gyrsakar · speedAbstract
This article details the advancements and fundamental reforms underway in Turkmenistan's horse breeding industry, with a particular focus on the preservation and improvement of the indigenous Akhalteke breed. The Akhalteke horse is considered a "national treasure," and the primary goal of the current reforms is to increase the number of purebred Akhalteke horses while simultaneously elevating the breeding value of each foal. This study addresses the urgent need to scientifically analyze and enhance the 17 existing pedigree lines, a task that includes efforts to restore lines that are declining, establish new ones, and formally maintain mare families within state stud farms. The novelty of this work is its comprehensive approach, which integrates the study of pedigrees, performance in equestrian sports, efficacy in selection processes, quality of offspring, and the critical, though often overlooked, impact of mare families10. Utilizing detailed selection criteria (bonitirovka) based on origin, body size, exterior, activity, and quality of offspring, the research analyzes breeding practices and performance data, including results from the 2022 racing season. The findings reveal that lines such as Gelshikli, Gyrsakar, and Garlavach are key drivers of speed and that trait inheritance is heavily maternal (50%), a result that significantly influences the future direction of selection. The conclusion emphasizes that the quality and economic efficiency of breeding can be markedly improved by adopting a wider use of the cross-breeding method among the 17 lines and, most importantly, by establishing and formally cultivating mare families, an area currently suffering from insufficient attention in state stud farms.
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