Selection criteria as used by owners-breeders of racehorses in Algeria

Due to positive externalities and the need to work on a large scale, animal breeding is usually carried out by breeders associations or states. In Algeria, racehorse breeding is in the hands of unorganized breeders-owners. Through a survey conducted with 461 owners-breeders between 2009 and 2011, this study investigates their perceptions, objectives and practices regarding selective breeding. Racehorse breeding is a full-time professional activity for a third of interviewees. The holdings are small-sized with 77% owning one or two mares. The regular practice of insemination could categorize breeders according to their professionalization (38.4% professional vs. 61.6% occasional breeders). Seniority in the sector was also used to classify breeders, considering as “young” the breeders under 10 years experience (38.8%) and as “senior” those above 10 years (61.2%). More than professionalization, seniority shows a significant impact on practices and objectives. Thus, seniority influences breed choice (young breeders tend to specialize while senior own both Arabian and Thoroughbreds; p<0.001), age at first foaling (sooner among senior breeders; p<0.01), information sources considered for selecting stallions (senior use more diversified sources; p<0.01), the importance granted to the price of insemination (greater for the young breeders; p<0.001), the importance granted to the ranking compared to earnings (the ranking being more important to young breeders, p<0.001), and the priority given to breeding (young breeders give rather priority to a buy-race-resell activity; p<0.001). Finally, racehorse breeding in Algeria is poorly professionalized, the only financial goal being cost coverage. Despite inappropriate practices, an interest for selection is noticed.