Monitoring of horse breeds in Lithuania

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analise a distribution of horse breeds in Lithuania according to the monitoring data, estimate and predict the changes in horse breeds. Data was analysed from Agricultural Information and Rural Business Centre, Department of Statistics, Foreign Trade Statistics Division. Comparing the horse situation in Lithuania and the European Union, in Lithuania there is no effective operating system comprehensive evaluation of horse breeding and horses for sale system. One of Lithuania's horse breeding objectives is to presrve the local horse population genetic potential, as in Lithuania bred and kept horse native breeds are in dangerous condition. Žemaitukai, Žemaitukai large, Lithuanian heavy are included in the native farm animal genetic resources. It was predicted the Žemaitukai breed number increases 39, offspring in 2012 year (y=39.321x + 105.68; R2 = 0.9953), the large Žemaitukai breed number increases 45 offspring (y=45.583x + 33.25; R2 = 0.70), the Lithuanian heavy breed number increases 115 offspring (y=115.18x + 249.32; R2 = 0.70) Forecasted that the total number of horses will continue to decline in 2.7964 thousand horses per year (R2=0.92). [...].