The CRCS is concerned with the genetic improvement of equine populations of national interest, with a focus on health aspects, fundamental in the evaluation of athletes.
Further information on the CRCS website.
Activities
The main objectives of the group are:
- promote and coordinate research activities, both basic and applicative, for the enhancement of the national equine heritage;
- raise the awareness of potential external users on the competences present in the Center with scientific dissemination initiatives;
- transfer the results of research and innovations to users quickly and directly, also through permanent refresher courses for veterinarians and technicians in the sector.
The research fields concern:
- the evaluation of pre-selection and selection genetic tests (Performance Test) for Maremmano (stallions and mares) and Sella Italiano (stallions);
- morphological and performance test genetic indices for the Maremma;
- experimental genetic indices for the Italian Trotter;
- estimation of the heritability of osteochondrosis in the Maremma horse
- exercise stress and overtraining: study of gene expression in horses subjected to stress for the monitoring of animal welfare and for the identification of stress markers through molecular techniques;
- etiopathogenesis of poor performance syndromes in sport horses;
- characterization of national equine populations through the establishment of DNA Banks;
- molecular analyzes and studies on uniparental inheritance (mtDNA, ChrY) for the characterization of female and male lines;
- structural genomics studies to search for variants related to performance in the athlete horse;
- identification of markers for pathologies with a genetic predisposition;
- molecular characterization and phylogeny studies of viral and bacterial agents responsible for infectious diseases in horses;
- developmental orthopedic diseases;
- evaluation of laryngeal and pharyngeal functionality in horses for neuroprosthesis implantation;
- epidemiological studies relating to the main tick-borne pathogens and helminthic pathologies of horses and donkeys.