UC Davis to offer more testing options to Paint Horse breeders beginning 2012

July 25, 2011

Ability to test for coat colors and diseases in addition to parentage

The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) announces their affiliation with University of California, Davis (UC Davis) as the official genetic testing provider effective January 1, 2012. APHA requires genetic parentage testing for all breeding stallions, racehorses, foals produced by certain breeding methods and horses with certain registration situations.

“APHA’s affiliation with UC Davis is an exciting move for us,” said Lex Smurthwaite, Executive Director of the American Paint Horse Association. “We will now be able to offer members a wide range of testing to improve breeding chances for specific colors and to avoid potential diseases. Our APHA members have asked for this and we made it happen.”

In addition to the parentage verification test currently offered, UC Davis will also provide APHA members with two optional packages to test for color genes and diseases.

One of the optional packages is the comprehensive coat color package. This package will test for 11 color genes including tobiano, sabino, lethal white and others. Paint Horses are unique from most other breeds because of their spotted coat patterns. Their base coats are the same colors as those of other breeds, but superimposed over these colors are a variety of white spotting patterns. The ability to recognize these patterns and understand the genetics behind them is essential for Paint Horse breeders to increase the proportion of spotted horses in foal crops.

The other optional package is the complete disease diagnostic package. It will test for several genetically transferred diseases including Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP), Overo Lethal White Syndrome (OLWS), Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA) and Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency (GBED).

Breeders who are interested in finding out more in-depth information about their horses will benefit from the technology UC Davis can provide. Owners of Paint Horses can gain additional insight by using these two new options to test their horses for diseases and color genes.

Owners and breeders of Paint Horses will be able to utilize the comprehensive genetic testing options beginning January 1, 2012. For additional information contact Cindy Grier, APHA Field Services Managing Director, at cgrier@apha.com or by calling (817) 834-APHA (2742).

More about APHA
The American Paint Horse Association (APHA), founded in 1962 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is the international breed registry for the American Paint Horse. In fulfillment of its mission to collect, record and preserve pedigrees of the breed, APHA recognizes and supports 111 regional and international clubs, produces championship shows, sponsors trail rides and creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members' experiences with their horses.

APHA has registered almost a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded, and now serves approximately 64,000 active members around the world.

APHA Staff

Regional Clubs