Australian Timor ponies have genetic diversity necessary for a breeding program, researchers find

Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) collaborated with Australian geneticists to determine whether the country's population of Timor ponies are genetically diverse enough to support a designated breeding program.Timor ponies, which were brought to Australia from nearby Indonesia's Timor Island in the 1800s, are well-suited to the climate of Australia, making them valuable both as recreational and working animals. However, the number of Timor ponies has decreased over the years due to changes in culture, technology and local agricultural needs.Today, the Australian government is interested in restoring the country's population of Timor ponies because of their climate adaptation, which may become more important as global warming continues.VMBS researchers were able to provide baseline DNA samples and data analysis to assist with starting the breeding program."Together with our partners at the University of Sydney, we found that the ...