Publications by authors named "Evelyn Todd"
Article Synopsis
- Scientists studied the DNA of 430 horses from 73 breeds to learn about changes in horse genes over time.
- They looked at special horses, like Clydesdales and Thoroughbreds, to see how modern horses are related to famous historical horses.
- The research showed that some modern horses are more closely related to ancient horses, but there has also been a lot of inbreeding, which is when closely related horses breed together.
Article Synopsis
- Donkeys played a crucial role in human history as reliable transport animals, especially in tough terrains, yet their significance is not thoroughly researched.
- A study analyzed the genomes of 207 modern and 31 ancient donkeys, revealing that they were domesticated in Africa around 5000 BCE, with subsequent expansions across Africa and Eurasia.
- The research discovered a new genetic lineage from the Levant around 200 BCE, which contributed to donkey ancestry in Asia, highlighting the historical importance of donkeys in economies, particularly during the Roman era when mules were vital.
Arabian horses are not only one of the most ancient breeds in the world, but they are also one of the most appreciated racehorse breeds today. The breed generates attention for their phenomenal endurance ability and their capability for gallop racing. Consequently, genetic testing to select the best individuals is attracting ever increasing interests from the Arabian industry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDomestic animal populations are often characterised by high rates of inbreeding and low effective population sizes due to selective breeding practices. These practices can result in otherwise rare recessive deleterious alleles drifting to high frequencies, resulting in reduced fertility rates. This study aimed to identify potential recessive lethal haplotypes in the Thoroughbred horse breed, a closed population that has been selectively bred for racing performance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Horses produce only one foal from an eleven-month gestation period, making the maintenance of high reproductive rates essential. Genetic bottlenecks and inbreeding can increase the frequency of deleterious variants, resulting in reduced reproductive levels in a population. In this study we examined the influence of inbreeding levels on foaling rate, gestation length and secondary sex ratio in Australian Thoroughbred mares.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The Thoroughbred horse, established in the 1700s, has significant cultural and economic importance, and its extensive breeding history allows for analysis of genetic consequences over time.
- A study of over 135,000 Thoroughbreds reveals that selective breeding hasn’t effectively reduced genetic problems, but some evidence suggests racing performance has improved due to certain breeding practices.
- The majority of inbreeding in today's Thoroughbreds comes from a few founding ancestors, and understanding the impacts of this inbreeding is crucial for enhancing the overall quality of the population, with implications for both domestic and endangered breeds.