Breed characteristics of Marwari and Kathiawari horses

Abstract

Marwari and Kathiawari, important indigenous breeds of horses were studied for breed characterization. The native tract of Marwari horses is Mewar, Marwar and Rajputaria areas of Rajasthan and of Kathiawari horses in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Both the breeds differed in withers height, face length, ear length, body length, length of arm. height at knee, and cannon bone ·circumferenee. All the estimates were significantly higher in Marwari than Kathiawari horses. However, Marwari and Kathiawari horses showed resemblance and overlapping for some of the above mentioned characteristics and in twisting of ears, face width and coat colours etc., which might be due to common gene pool, admixture of blood during the development of breed, common breeding tract, uncontrolled breeding and crossbreeding. The typical Marwari horse face is convex, long, lean, pointed with oval nostril and with longer ears. Whereas, the face of typical Kathiawari horse is concave, wider towards eye and narrow at muzzle (triangular), with prominent and curved mandible. wider nostril and smaller ear. The common coat colours in Marwari horses are brown, piebald and skewbald and in Kathiawari. chestnut and bay. The body weight right from birth to adult is more in Marwari compared to Kathiawari. Age of maturity, gestation period and foaling interval were similar in both the breeds. The survey revealed that mechanization, uncontrolled breeding, lack of purebred stallions and change in social customs have put both breeds under endangerment. Therefore, immediate measures to popularize selective breeding to be taken under field conditions for the existence and conservation of both breeds.