CAN WE GENETICALLY TEST A HORSE TO CONFIRM HIS BREED?: No, not yet… but we can figure out other things…






Last week I sent away for a genetic testing kit for myself.

Why?…

Because my parents never embraced their heritage so I don’t really know much about mine.

You see, my mother, who was born on a Chippewa Reservation in Minnesota, repeatedly tells my brother and I that we are not Chippewa.  Or, not much, anyway…

??

Same with my father who was 100% Sicilian.  He was born here to immigrant parents who never spoke English and my Dad was determined to assimilate.  My father went on to become a dentist, speak perfect (non-accented) English and to – essentially – never look back.

Hmmmmmm.

Why do I want to know my roots when both of my parents would rather forget?

I just do.

So, I sent away for the kit.

It arrived today and I dutifully followed the instructions.

Soon I will know.

But, then I got to thinking…

This is the genetic kit I am mailing in the morning...

This is the genetic kit I am mailing in the morning…

BUT THEN I GOT TO THINKING…

I have 5 horses here who I have no idea their genetic identity.

Oh I can guess… but I don’t know.

Well, I kind-of know about Remi because when I adopted her from the BLM they told me that the blood they took from her gather indicated that the Oregon herd had a lot of Walking Horse in it.

Hmmmm.

I wonder how they knew that because…

We can be genetically test for genetic heritage in dogs and human…

But not for horses – yet.

They’ve finished the genome discoveries, but they haven’t done the breed studies yet.

Bummer!

WHAT THEY DO KNOW…

What they do know is pretty cool.

I found sites that will test for equine color and certain diseases and lots of other avenues and discovery paths that I had to list because some are common while others obscure.

Maybe this will help some of you.

Here are a few that I found during my research:

Click image to go to this site

Screen Shot 2013-02-10 at 3.16.40 PM

Click image to go to site

 

more

more

Click image to go to site

Click image to go to site

Another...

Another…

This is brand new!

This is brand new!

 

FASCINATING STUDIES

I stumbled upon this site.  These folks are very dedicated.  They are the ones who are really taking apart the equine genome and partnering with many for case studies.

Maybe some particular information about a particular trait listed below might help your horse?

This looked promising...  But upon review, this group did qualify the genome, but not for breed discovery...

This looked promising… But upon review, this group did qualify the genome, but not for breed discovery…

 

THIS IS A VARIETY OF STUDIES HAPPENING NOW

This is a list of studies happening now... you can go to the site now to learn more.

This is a list of studies happening now… you can go to the site now to learn more.

Cerebellar Abiotrophy Arabian University of California – Davis
Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy Thoroughbred University of Kentucky
Chronic Progressive Lymphedema Belgian, Shire, Clydesdale University of California – Davis
Contracted Foal Syndrome Thoroughbred University of Kentucky
Cytogenetic Abnormalities/Infertility Thoroughbred, others University of Kentucky
Dwarfism Miniature University of Kentucky
Extreme Lordosis Saddlebred University of Kentucky
Immune Mediated Myopathy Quarter Horse University of Minnesota/ Texas A&M
Fell Pony Syndrome Fell Pony Texas A & M, Uppsala
Fertility and Reproduction Various University of Hannover, Germany
Fracture and Tendon Injury Thoroughbred Animal Health Trust,?Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom
Laminitis Thoroughbred University of Kentucky
Lavender Foal Arabian Cornell University
Musculo-Skeletal Defects French breeds INRA, France
Navicular Disease Warmblood University of Hannover, Germany
Osteochondrosis Dissicans Dutch Warmblood University College Dublin, Ireland
Osteochondrosis Dissicans Thoroughbred Animal Health Trust, United Kingdom
Osteochondrosis Dissicans Hannoverian Warmblood University of Hannover, Germany
Osteochondrosis Dessicans Standardbred, Quarter Horse, Belgian University of Minnesota/?Norwegian Veterinary School
Pasture-Associated Laminitis Ponies and others Virginia Technical University
Photosensitive Trichothiodystrophy Curly Horse Texas A & M University
Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy 2 Quarter Horse University of Minnesota
Recurrent Airway Obstruction Swiss Warmblood University of Berne, Switzerland/?Animal Health Trust, United Kingdom
Recurrent Airway Obstruction Quarter Horse Michigan State University,?Cornell University
Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Thoroughbred Animal Health Trust, United Kingdom
Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Thoroughbred University of Minnesota
Recurrent Uveitis Appaloosa University of Minnesota/?Texas A&M University
Sarcoid Tumors Quarter Horses Cornell University
Shivers Muscle Tremors Belgian University of Minnesota
Stereotypic behavior (Cribbing) Thoroughbred, Quarter horse, others University of California – Davis
Suspensory Ligament Desmitis Paso Fino Texas A&M University
White Markings Swiss Franches Montagnes University of Berne, Switzerland

Gene Expression Projects

Maturation and Repair of Articular Cartilage Various University of Kentucky
Allergic Eczema Icelandic Swedish Agricultural University
Alternations of Maternal Immunity During Pregnancy Various Cornell University
Athletic Performance Trotters Swedish Agricultural University
Common Variable Immunodeficiency Various Cornell University
Early Embryonic Development Various Texas A&M University
Equine Placental Development Various Cornell University
Fertility and Reproduction Various University of Hannover, Germany
Immunity to Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 Various Cornell University
Immunity to Rhodococcus equi in foals Various Cornell University
Improved Safety of Intra-articular?Glucocorticoid Therapy Various University of Kentucky
Muscle Response to Exercise Thoroughbred University College Dublin, Ireland
Osteochondrosis Dessicans Standardbred University of Minnesota/?Norwegian Veterinary School
Recurrent Airway Obstruction Various Cornell University
Recurrent Airway Obstruction Warmblood University of Berne, Switzerland/?Animal Health Trust, United Kingdom
Recurrent Airway Obstruction Quarter Horse, others Michigan State University
Studies of Equine Allergic Diseases Various Cornell University
Suspensory Ligament Desmitis Paso Fino Texas A&M University

 

PRETTY COOL, EH?

Someday soon, hopefully, we will be able to test for breeds….

 

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

newrule

 

Copyright

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.





HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth... if you like this, please pass it around!



2 comments have been posted...

  1. RiderWriter

    I think that’s great that you sent in the kit! I am very proud of my heritage and while I’m not a manic genealogist, I have studied the family trees others have put together and know very much whence I come – at least on my dad’s side. Actually, this came about because my membership is pending in the Daughters of the American Revolution! :-) (My I-don’t-remember-how-many-Greats Grandfather was named George Washington Fream, since his dad fought under the General himself in the War). Both grandparents on Dad’s side come from very, very old New Jersey families.

    On my mom’s side, I know I’m half French and half Danish. The Danish Great-Grandparents came directly from Denmark. The French Great-Grandparents were actually French Canadian. Hmm, I need to grill my mother some more about her mother’s parents…

    As far as my kids, they know their dad’s dad’s family have all lived in Western Kentucky for a long time. My FIL is related to half of Trigg County. But where they came from before KY is a dead end. Nobody cares, either – they’ve lived in KY since the early 1800s and that’s good enough! :-) On Hubby’s mom’s side, it’s worse – I can’t even find out a thing about her own parents. The only interesting tidbit we’ve ever been given is that somewhere along the line there was a Cherokee Indian. This I could easily believe as my husband, his mother and his sister had jet-black hair (all grey now) and still have kind of what I call an “Indian eye-set.” But I’ve never been able to pin down the exact relationship.

    That’s very curious that although your mom was born on the Chippewa Res. she claims she’s not American Indian, so you aren’t either. ?? If it was me, I’d sure want to know for college scholarship purposes, if nothing else! And your dad is a bit of an anomaly as well – the Italians I know (I grew up with MANY in NJ) are all very proud to be of that descent. BUT, they were all at least third-generation… I guess having parents who spoke no English was difficult for your dad.

  2. Michael

    Sometimes there are mystery’s within a family that have meant to be remain a mystery. Like being taught to call some family members Aunt and Uncle…and there’s always a crazy Uncle…only to find out years later that he was an actual Uncle.

    But your background is quite interesting and it will be more interesting to see the follow up story.

    How long do you have to wait for results?

Post a comment!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *