Microsatellites in Lithuanian native horse breeds: usefulness for parentage testing

Abstract

DNA technology is now the standard tool for equine parentage testing. Here we analyze two twelve microsatellite panels for the routine parentage testing in three Lithuanian horse breeds: Žemaitukai, Heavy-type Žemaitukai and Lithuanian Heavy Draught. The DNA loci analyzed were VHL20, HTG4, AHT4, HMS7, HTG6, AHT5, HMS6, ASB2, HTG10, HTG7, HMS, HMS2, ASB17, ASB23 and LEX33. The estimated probability of exclusion of wrongly named parents (PE) was high, with the values ranging from 99.91% for Žemaitukai and 99.99% for Heavy-type Žemaitukai and Lithuanian Heavy Draught. Keywords: microsatellites, DNA, horses, parentage testing, exclusion probability