Well there is finally research being done.

[Reble]

John, Not sure if you will answer this?

How do you believe we can protect our breeding program,

until the research is complete and hope for an answer?

Should we stop completely breeding two minis that have a dwarf?

or just stop breeding that Stallion with that Mare? I do understand it takes both to produce a dwarf?

So in my small herd that if my stallion and one of my mares produced a dwarf, I believe, I would sell the mare first and than think strong about gelding my stallion.

But if I have been breeding a stallion from young to old, and keep the same mares breeding year after year. & no dwarfs.

That does not guarantee they are not carriers and show up in their offspring correct?

Thanks for the info a lot to take in and what is best for the breed.

Wish you the best in your research.

 

[Arion Mgmt]

Reble,

I had a nice rather long answer and I was kicked off and lost it all, so I will try to answer you again from memory.

How do you believe we can protect our breeding program,

until the research is complete and hope for an answer?

Those are choices you will have to make, I am not in a position to tell you what to do with your heard, those are things that you will have the ultimate say. It would depend on your size of operation and financially how involved you are in the carriers and the risks.

Should we stop completely breeding two minis that have a dwarf?

or just stop breeding that Stallion with that Mare?

Those are your horses , again, I do not have the right to tell you what to do, Jut as I would not want someone tell me who I can or cant breed. Mare could be used with a different stud that has not had a dwarf,, but then again who is going to be honest with you on that??

Yor stud would depend on your size of program, invested monies, again, those are decisions only you can make, not me.

I do understand it takes both to produce a dwarf?

yes

So in my small herd that if my stallion and one of my mares produced a dwarf, I believe, I would sell the mare first and than think strong about gelding my stallion.

Again, investment cost versus breeding program size, and losses of foals that are dwarfs, all those play into decisions by small and large operations.

But if I have been breeding a stallion from young to old, and keep the same mares breeding year after year. & no dwarfs. That does not guarantee they are not carriers and show up in their offspring correct?

It depends on how many foals the stud has had and how many mares that are carriers were bred to him. The more carriers bred to him and no dwarf foals, the quicker you can calculate his chances of being a non-carrier with a high percentge.

John