Genetic diversity and inbreeding in the Greek Skyros horse

Inbreeding and heterozygosity levels were calculated in a population of 77 horses of the endangered Skyros breed that had been raised since 1988 at an experimental farm. Twenty one horses were inbred with average inbreeding coefficient of 0.11 ( ± 0.02). Annual inbreeding change over the last 10 years was not significant (P > 0.05). Animals were genotyped for 18 microsatellite markers. Average number of alleles was 4.11 ( ± 0.43). Average theoretical and observed heterozygosity were 0.63 ( ± 0.06) and 0.66 ( ± 0.06), respectively. The probability of paternity exclusion with 1 and 2 parents unconfirmed was 0.9890 and 0.9999, respectively. Genetic diversity levels were reasonable and comparable to results from other breeds internationally.