Evaluation of the breeding objectives for the Trakehner Horse breed by a contingent valuation method (CV)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the breeding objective for the Trakehner Horse breed by using a Contingent Valuation (CV) survey. Deriving weights for the traits in the breeding objectives of horses is difficult. Compared to other livestock species such as dairy cattle or pigs many traits are not easily measured. Moreover, it is not straightforward to isolate the relative importance of a single trait from the overall market value of a horse, even if this information would be available. The CVmethod is able to derive the value of a single trait directly by using survey techniques. The survey was conducted with 106 members of the Trakehner breeding association during the annual meeting of the Trakehner Association in Hamburg 2007. The survey scenario was subdivided into three sections. In the first section respondents were asked to allocate 1000 Euro to ten traits that were assumed to potentially compose the breeding objective (walk, trot, canter on performance test, parcours jumping, type, conformation of the body, correctness of legs, character/temperament, willingness to perform, ride ability). In the second section the respondents were asked to weigh the trait-complex soundness, without budget constraints, relatively to the weights of the ten traits already evaluated. Additional questions to reveal further preferences and to characterize breeders were also included in the third section. The trait ride ability was identified as the trait of utmost importance in the eyes of the respondents, with an average allocation of 164 Euro. Following up were the traits willingness to perform and character/temperament, quantified with 144 and 142 Euro on average. High weights were also identified for the traits walk on performance test, type and canter on performance test. The relative weight derived for the trait complex soundness was nearly as high as the sum of the weights of all other traits. The results of this investigation will be used to formulate an ‘economically’ weighted breeding objective for the Trakehner breed, necessary as a prerequisite for a sound evaluation and improvement of the breeding program.

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