Genetic parameters for hair whorl traits in horses

Abstract

Hair whorl traits can be used as indicators of behavior in horses. However, little is known about the genetic component of this group of traits. The aim of this study was to estimate variance components for hair whorl traits in Quarter Horses. Genetic parameters were estimated for vertical whorl position on the head, number of facial whorls, and number of whorls on both sides of the neck. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.69 to 0.99 and genetic correlations ranged from 0.84 to 0.96. These estimates show that hair whorl traits have a large additive genetic variance and that the phenotype is a good indicator of the genotype. Selection for any of the traits will result in a correlated response for the others. This study contributes to the elucidation and understanding of the genetic basis of the distribution and formation of hair whorls, and encourages future studies investigating the association of these traits with behavior and indirect selection.