When it comes to breeding foals, a UF researcher isn’t horsing around.
Samantha Brooks, a UF assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, is studying horse genetics to better predict the results of breeding pairs.
Brooks said her research focuses on horse genomes. She said she’s “looking at genomes from very diverse horses to catalog the differences.”
Currently, she said, she’s looking at two rare neurological conditions. One causes seizures and nervous system degeneration, and the other leads to inflammation in horse hooves.
Brooks’ research is used in horse DNA testing that screens for certain traits and diseases.
This has a real impact on breeders because they know more about the animals they’re buying, Brooks said.
“Breeders use the tests to determine if the stallion or mare carries the disease,” Brooks said. “That way when they choose to breed, they can avoid producing a sick foal.”
Lee Ann Selkowitz, owner and trainer at Twin Oaks Stables in High Springs, said the research can help reduce the number of horses that don’t pass breeding standards.
“If you could go in and see what was there, it would reduce the load on rescue and horses that are doomed to never really do anything,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 3/24/2014 under the headline "UF researcher helps horse breeders decide yea or neigh"]
