On November 25th, 2022, the KFPS Member Council approved a four-year research program aimed at selecting against genetic disorders and conserving the genetic diversity of the Friesian horse. The research will be conducted by Wageningen University in the Netherlands and focuses on four areas:
Mapping the current genetic diversity of the Friesian horse
Developing a breed-specific reference genome for Friesians
Detecting hidden lethal mutations
Assessing the status of known and hidden genetic disorders
The research program will launch next year and begin with extensive DNA testing on an estimated 3500 Friesian foals worldwide that will be born in 2023.
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