Monitoring of growth and limb conformation of young stallions in Schleswig Holstein 2nd Information: Relationship between bodyweight and height of withers and radiographic findings

OC was diagnosed in the fetlock 24 %, in the hock 7% and in the stifle 12 % of all animals. The number of OC positive radiographic findings decreased from the first to the second period about 13 %. The fixed effect breeding farm influences significantly OCD in total and OC/OCD in the fetlock as well as in the stifle, whereas traumata were influenced highly significant. The heritabilities for the traits OC/OCD were estimated on a low until middle level and should be seen as a tendency. A significant positive correlation between height at withers and the trait trauma was shown in the first period, whereas in the second period a significant influence of the bodyweight and the height at withers on positive OC/OCD findings in the stifle was detected. The results show that to reduce the frequency of the radiographic findings basically the environment has to be improved. Recommendable is also a critically view towards the analysed traits, for example the height at withers in connection with the radiographic traits, because the constitution of health doesn’t follow the still increasing potential of performance.

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