[Analysis of the population structure of the South German coldblood in Bavaria, Germany]

Gene contributions of foreign populations as well as coefficients of inbreeding and relationship were calculated in 1918 South German Coldblood horses registered in Bavaria in 2003. Based on nearly complete 8-generation-pedigrees (index of pedigree completeness: 76%) the mean coefficient of inbreeding was 23%. After considering missing pedigree data, the mean coefficient of inbreeding was 3%. The rates of inbreeding per generation in the current population amount to about 0.43% over the last eight generations and to about 0.15% in the forthcoming generation. In the total current population, the mean degree of relationship was 6%. The proportion of purebred South German Coldblood horses in the current population is about 43%. As the Noric horse is of same origin as the South German Coldblood, these two breeds can be considered as an entity and thus the proportion of purebred genes in the current Bavarian South German Coldblood population reaches more than 93%. The Suffolk Punch and Thoroughbred Horse were the most important contributors to the current South German Coldblood population, whereas the Rhenish-German and Black Forest Draught Horse as well as the Percheron had neglectable influences. The effective population size in the current Bavarian South German Coldblood population is Ne = 332.