Investigating Genetic Diversity and Determining Inbreeding Rates Using Pedigree Information in Iranian Kurdish Horses

Seyed Sharifi, Reza; Badbarin, Sajad; Heydari, Mohammad; Seifdavati, Jamal; Hedayat-Evrigh, Nemat; Salem, Abdolfattah Zeidan Mohammad

doi:10.48309/ijabbr.2026.2071531.1657

Investigating Genetic Diversity and Determining Inbreeding Rates Using Pedigree Information in Iranian Kurdish Horses

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

Reza Seyed Sharifi ¹

Sajad Badbarin ²

Mohammad Heydari ²

Jamal Seifdavati ¹

Nemat Hedayat-Evrigh ¹

Abdolfattah Zeidan Mohammad Salem ³

¹ Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

² Department of Animal Science Research, Kermanshah Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Kermanshah, Iran

³ Department of Animal Nutrition School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics Autonomous University of the State of Mexico Toluca, Edo de México, México

https://doi.org/10.48309/ijabbr.2026.2071531.1657

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and determine inbreeding rates in Iranian Kurdish horses, a vital genetic reserve for the country’s equine population, utilizing pedigree information. There are over 60,000 horses in the country, of which over 20,000 horses have been counted in the fields of sports, jumping and beauty. Of these, about 4,000 horses have also been registered as Kurdish horses. For this comprehensive study, registered data for over 4,000 horses served as the basis for the analyses. The primary objective of this research was to accurately estimate key population parameters of the Kurdish horse. These parameters included genetic diversity, pedigree completeness, genetic conservation index, effective population size, effective number of founding animals, effective number of ancestors, generation interval, individual inbreeding coefficient, and average kinship coefficient. Investigating these factors represents a crucial step toward a deeper understanding of the genetic status and strategic planning for the conservation of this valuable breed. The generation interval was estimated at 7.94 years, representing the average age difference between parents and their offspring. Concurrently, average kinship was calculated to be 0.37%. The overall average inbreeding level across the study population was 0.11%, which suggests a relatively low incidence of inbreeding within this breed.Further analyses yielded an effective population size of 405.08, derived from methods tracking individual inbreeding increases and maximum generation depth. This indicates a healthy genetic diversity. The effective founder size was also examined at 150, pointing to a balanced reproductive contribution from the foundational animals. Complementing this, the effective founder number (fe) was 150, and the effective ancestor number (fa) was 136. The resulting fe/fa ratio of 1.10 further supports the notion of a low impact from past genetic bottlenecks. Given that diminished genetic diversity and increased homozygosity can negatively impact performance traits, it is vital to implement proactive strategies. By continuing to monitor genetic diversity and carefully managing parent-offspring pairings to avoid close relatives, this valuable breed can be safeguard from future declines in performance and preserve its unique genetic heritage.

Graphical Abstract

Investigating Genetic Diversity and Determining Inbreeding Rates Using Pedigree Information in Iranian Kurdish Horses

Keywords

Inbreeding Coefficient

Kurdish Horse

Population Parameters

Studbook

Subjects

Biodiversity

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