Of course everyone interested in Akhal-Tekes hears all about sire lines. And from a historical point of view it is very interesting. However, genetic lineage is not only traced through the female line, there are certain genetic traits, such as a large heart and intelligence that are carried on the female X chromosome.
1. Maternal Grandsire effect:
Thoroughbred breeders have observed that some stallions do not produce great sons, but great daughters, who then create great sons 1. A female has two X chromosomes (XX) and a male has an X and a Y (XY). As the X chromosome from the stallion can only be given to his daughters, his sons will never inherit those traits. It is the dam that gives the X chromosome to her offspring. Since some desired traits are passed down on only the X chromosome it makes the dam line even more important.
2. Mitochrondrial DNA (mtDNA)
mtDNA is present in every animal cell and is only inherited from the mother. The really neat thing is that it then allows a direct lineage to be investigated through the female lines as it does not change over long periods of time (the rate of mutation suggests 10,000 years or more ) (2). The reliability of maternal genetic inheritance in horses has been documented in previous studies of Lippizans and Arabians (3).
In a study sponsored by Thoroughbred Genetics Harrison et al. (2006) found an association between genes and performance ability. The genes that were investigated are only on the mtDNA molecule from the dam and contribute to the energy systems utilized during performance. They concluded that there is a relationship between the dam and the type of energy system (whether the horse is a better sprinter or has more endurance) she passes on to her offspring.
“We anticipate that the data will help trainers identify from day one, optimum running distances for horses, develop appropriate training regimes and target specific races which will suit the horses’ individual genetic profiles.” (Dr Harrison, 5)
Dam line research from Akhal-Teke Estonia:
Aykhanum – 1876 Feya II – 1374 Fantaziya – 1376 Fergezel – 801 Mama Gezel – 104 Gezel – Guldjakhan
Aykhanum comes from dam family Fantaziya, which we can trace back to a mare Guldjakhan. Guldjakhan’s daughter 104 Gezel by Kara Ennym, born in 1930, was the original founder of this dam family. She is also mother to sire line founder 697 Gelishikli (by 629 Fakir Sulu). Line Gelishikli is nowadays the most widespread, taking about 1/3 of the breed.
801 Mama Gezel was born out of 104 Gezel by 164 Mamed Amin. 1376 Fergezel was one of the most important continuer of this dam family. She was born in 1951 out of 801 Mama Gezel by 629 Fakir Sulu. Her daughter 1374 Fantaziya became a new dam family founder. Another daughter of Fergezel – 1685 Fakiya (by 726 Karat) was mother to two great stallions, full brothers 1101 Turali and 985 Dagestan (both by 935 Yulduz). Fergezel`s daughter 2955 Fargona (by 724 Karakir) was imported to USA and gave among other foals a sire 1141 Astrakhan (by 1240 Melechan). 1374 Fantaziya was born in 1961 out of 1376 Fergezel by 812 Taimaz. Fantaziya became herself a dam family founder.
1876 Feya II was born in 1974 out of 1374 Fantaziya by 919 Sere. Both her parents are respectively dam family and sire line founders. Feya II has played a very important part of this dam family, giving such great broodmares as 2109 Aikhanum 20 (by 986 Derbent) and full sisters 2965 Fonema 13, 2966 Fortuna 16 and 2834 Mesele (all by 985 Dagestan). Aikhanum was a broodmare at Shael Stud farm giving following great offsprings as mares Almagul (by 1083 Omar), Agjai and Aida (both by 1301 Yakor) – latter is mother to young breeding stallion Shaar (by 1166 Gayaz), Akhbeli (by 1185 Jasman), Hanna (by 1166 Gayaz); and stallions Alaman (by 1095 Polot 2) – who was a Champion of the Breed in Pyatigorsk in 1995; 1278 Sere 2 (by 1301 Yakor) and Habib (by 1166 Gayaz
Some of Aykhanum’s beautiful get that are currently broodmares at Shael Stud:
1. http://www.legacycanadians.com/page/page/1098844.htm
2. Hill EW, Bradley, DG, Al-Barody M, Ertugrul, Splan RK, Zacharov I, Cunningham EP. History and Integrity of Thoroughbred Dam Lines Revealed in Equine mtDNA Variation, 2002 International Society for Animal Genetics, Animal Genetics, 33, 287–294.
3. http://www.tbheritage.com/GeneticMarkers/mtdnaintbdamlines.html
4. Stephen Paul Harrison, Juan Luis Turrion-Gomez. Mitochondrial DNA: An important female contribution to thoroughbred racehorse performance, Mitochondrion 6 (2006) 53–66.
5. http://www.thoroughbredgenetics.com/genetics_and_breeding.htm
Tabitha
That’s an addictive and interesting article at TB Heritage.com.
Mar 22, 2007 @ 7:09 am
Chris @ Real Horses
Great info but a dam line is just as important as a sire line. I totally agree that a great sire will always have a strong dam line. We see it all the time with our Percherons, the studs stamping their get consistantly always have a strong dam line.
Apr 27, 2007 @ 7:03 am
Dam families of NA stallions « Argamak Stud Canada
[...] have previously posted about the importance of dam lines in breeding, which outlines some of the important genetics passed on along the dam [...]
Feb 20, 2009 @ 12:14 pm