Estimation of the genetic parameters for temperament in Haflinger horses based on the results of a character test using a pedigree-based relationship matrix

Figures & data

Figure 1. Test course design for assessing the temperament and behaviour in Haflinger horses (Zanon et al. 2021, modified).

Table 1. Age classes for Haflinger mares used for defining the fixed effect.

Age class	Animals	Percent
months of age < 36	12	5.8
36 ≤ months of age < 38	84	40.58
38 ≤ months of age < 42	43	20.77
42 ≤ months of age < 45	53	25.60
45 ≤ months of age	15	7.25

Table 2. Descriptive statistics of investigated behaviour traits.

Criteria	N	Mean	Std	Minimum	Maximum	CV
Interest	1592	6.5	1.8	1.0	10.0	28%
Activity	1592	7.5	2.3	1.0	10.0	31%
Excitement	2003	7.5	2.2	1.0	10.0	29%

SD standard deviation; CV coefficient of variation.

Table 3. Descriptive statistics of investigated behaviour traits for both judges.

Criteria	Judge	N	Mean	SD	Minimum	Maximum	CV
Interest	1	794	6.4	1.7	1.0	10.0	27%
	2	798	6.5	1.9	1.0	10.0	29%
Activity	1	794	7.4	2.2	1.0	10.0	30%
	2	798	7.5	2.4	1.0	10.0	32%
Excitement	1	1000	7.5	2.3	1.0	10.0	30%
	2	1003	7.5	2.1	1.0	10.0	28%

SD standard deviation; CV coefficient of variation.

Table 4. Variance components, heritabilities and repeatabilities from the multivariate analysis for Interest, Activity and Excitement in Haflinger horses.

Trait	σpe²±SE	σa²±SE	σe²±SE	h²±SE	r ± SE
Interest	0.30 ± 0.10	0.11 ± 0.10	2.04 ± 0.07	0.05 ± 0.04	0.17 ± 0.06
Activity	0.52 ± 0.19	0.75 ± 0.26	3.27 ± 0.12	0.16 ± 0.05	0.28 ± 0.07
Excitement	0.83 ± 0.22	0.79 ± 0.28	2.73 ± 0.09	0.18 ± 0.06	0.37 ± 0.06

σ_pe² permanent environmental variance; σ_a² genetic variance; σ_e² residual variance; h² heritability; r repeatability; SE standard error.

Table 5. Genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients from the multivariate analysis for Interest, Activity and Excitement in Haflinger horses.

	Interest	Activity	Excitement
Interest	–	−0.31	−0.21
Activity	−0.60 ± 0.34	–	0.82
Excitement	−0.77 ± 0.27	0.97 ± 0.04	–

Phenotypic correlations are above, and genetic correlations are below the diagonal; ±standard error.

Zanon T, Gruber S, Gauly M. 2021. Charakterprüfung bei Haflingerpferden. Züchtungskunde. 93:310–319.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [TZ]. The data are not publicly available due to restrictions.