Maricopa Community Colleges  EQS205   886-999 
Official Course Description:   MCCCD Approval:  04/14/87  
EQS205      886-999 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Equine Genetics, Selection, Development
Introduction to genetics as applied to selection of breeding animals. Emphasis on phenotypic selection and foal development. Prerequisites: EQS120 or permission of department.
 
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
EQS205   886-999 Equine Genetics, Selection, Development
1. Identify the primary criteria used in the selection of the breeding animal, and apply the criteria to various types of perfomrance horses. (I)
2. Define basic genetic terms. (II)
3. Describe the role of genetics in horse breeding selection, including inbreeding and outbreeding, coat color and texture, gaits, and abnormalities. (II)
4. Identify the primary factors considered in stallion management. (III)
5. Identify the causes and describe the management of stallion infertility and impotency, including semen evaluation. (III)
6. Identify the causes and describe the management of mare infertility. (IV)
7. Identify the primary factors considered in broodmare management. (IV)
8. Identify and describe mare breedig methods and procedures, including heat detection. (IV)
9. Describe the sequence of events in foal fetal development. (IV)
10. Describe the sequence of events in normal equine pregnancy and lactation. (IV)
11. Identify the causes of abortion and describe what preventive measures can be taken. (IV)
12. Differentiate between normal and abnormal foaling. (IV)
13. Identify the characteristics and describe the behavior of the meonatalfoal. (V)
14. Identify the needs of the orphan foal, including heath care, feeding, and discipline. (V)
15. Recount the management of the foal's first year. (V)
16. Identify and discuss the primary factors that comprise breeding farm records and economics. (VI)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
EQS205   886-999 Equine Genetics, Selection, Development
    I. Selection of Breeding Animal
        A. Primary Selection Criteria
          1. Pedigree
          2. Performance
          3. Conformation
          4. Temperament
          5. Intelligence
          6. Trainability
        B. Performance Selection Criteria
          1. Race horse
          2. Harness race horse
          3. Steeple chaser
          4. Hunter and jumper
          5. Combined training
          6. Stock horse
          7. Endurance and competitive trail horse
          8. Draft horse
          9. Show horse
      II. Applying Genetics to Selection
          A. Basis Genetic Definitions
            1. Chromosome
            2. Gene
            3. Heredity
            4. Environment
          B. Sex Chromosomes
            1. Sex determination
            2. X-linked Traits
            3. Y-linked traits
            4. Sex influenced traits
            5. Sex limited traits
            6. Sex chromosome abnormalities
          C. Breeding Aspects
            1. Selecting a stallion
            2. Theories on selecting a sire
            3. Selecting a broodmare
            4. Fertility
          D. Inbreeding and Outbreeding
            1. Culling
            2. Inbreeding
            3. Relationships
            4. Inbreeding coefficient
            5. Outbreeding
          E. Coat Color and Texture
            1. Mechanics of coat color
            2. Black and liver: the B locus
            3. Bay and seal brown: the A locus
            4. Chestnut and black: the E locus
            5. Grey, roan, and dominant white: the epistatic modifiers
            6. Diluted coat colors: the C and D loci
            7. Silver dapple: the S locus
            8. Flaxen mane and tail
            9. Pinto/paint: tobiano and overo spotting
            10. Appaloosa spotting
            11. White markings: the face and legs
            12. Colors that always breed true
            13. Colors that never breed true
            14. Colors that breed true when homozygous
            15. Coat texture
          F. Heredity and Gaits
            1. Walk
            2. Trot
            3. Canter
            4. Backing
            5. Running walk
            6. Rack
            7. Fox trot
            8. Pace
            9. Paso gaits
          G. Inherited Abnormalities
            1. Conformation
            2. The eye
            3. Skin
            4. Reproductive system
            5. Digestive system
            6. Nervous system
            7. Respiratory system
            8. Circulatory system
            9. Blood
        III. The Stallion
            A. Stallion Management
              1. Evaluation
              2. Handling
              3. Training to breed
              4. Vices
              5. Efficient use
              6. Feeding
            B. Stallion Infertility and Impotency
              1. Management
              2. Age
              3. Genetic aspects
              4. Inherited anatomical abnormalities
              5. Trauma
              6. Reproductive disease
              7. Semen abnormalities
            C. Semen Evaluation
              1. When to evaluate
              2. Collection guidelines
              3. Evaluation equipment
              4. Laboratory design and safety
              5. Handling the semen sample
              6. Examination procedures
              7. Normal semen parameters
          IV. The Mare
              A. Mare Infertility
                1. Management
                2. Physiology
                3. Reproductive diease
                4. Reproductive abnormalities
              B. Broodmare Management
                1. Breeding soundness examination
                2. Management for increased productivity
                3. Feeding
              C. Heat Detection
                1. Recognizing estrus
                2. Optimum time to breed
                3. Records
              D. Breeding Methods and Procedures
                1. Pasture breeding
                2. Hand breeding
                3. Artificial insemination
                4. Embryo transfer
                5. Breeding policies of United States Breed Registries (1981)
              E. Fetal Development
                1. Conception
                2. Embryology
                3. Controlling factors
                4. Maternal influence
                5. Fetal nutrition
                6. Teratology
                7. Gestation length
              F. Pregnancy
                1. Pregnancy test
                2. Care of the pregnant mare
                3. Conditions associated with pregnancy
              G. Lactation
                1. Mammary gland
                2. Care of the lactating mare
                3. Abnormalities of the udder
              H. Abortion
                1. Causes
                2. Induced
                3. Postabortion care
                4. Prevention
              I. Foaling
                1. Facilities
                2. Foaling detection
                3. Equipment
                4. Preparation check list
                5. Factors that control foaling
                6. Signs of impending foaling
                7. Parturition
                8. Induced labor
                9. Care of the mare after foaling
              J. Abnormal Foaling
                1. Dystocia
                2. Abnormal conditions associated with parturition
                3. Maternal behavior problems
            V. The Foal
                A. The Neonatal Foal
                  1. Fetal adjustments at birth: the adaptive period
                  2. Treatment of the newborn foal
                  3. Behavior of the newborn foal
                  4. Noninfectious complications
                  5. Infectious diseases
                B. Orphan Foals
                  1. Immediate needs
                  2. Health care
                  3. Feeding the orphan
                  4. Discipline
                C. The Foal's First Year
                  1. Behavior
                  2. Managing the young foal
                  3. Dentition
                  4. Hoof care
                  5. Preventive medicine
                  6. Angular limb deformities
                  7. Disease
                  8. Weaning
                  9. Developing the weanling
              VI. The Breeding Farm
                  A. Breeding Farm Records
                    1. Identification program
                    2. Daily records
                    3. Permanent records
                    4. Contracts
                    5. Registry forms and reports
                    6. Special information file
                  B. Breeding Farm Economics
                    1. Profitability and economic risk
                    2. Broodmare economics
                    3. Stallion services
                    4. Cost of raising a foal
                    5. Estate planning
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