AI to Drive Genomic Selection in Horse Breeding
Russia is developing a unified digital system for horse breeding records, laying a base for selection and genetic evaluation across the industry.
The project is led by Buryatskaya gosudarstvennaya selskokhozyaystvennaya akademiya imeni V.R. Filippova (Buryat State Agricultural Academy named after V.R. Filippov). The Republic of Buryatia has been designated as the coordinating region for the development of herd horse breeding nationwide under the Prioritet-2030 (Priority 2030 program). Preliminary results of the project have already been summarized.
Core Network of Breeding Farms
A federal consortium has been established, bringing together Zabaykalsky Krai, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Bashkortostan, Altai and Tatarstan. Buryatia coordinates its activities. In total, around 50 breeding farms across the country are participating. The consortium’s main objective for 2026 is to establish a structured system of breeding records in horse husbandry.
“First, we identified a core group of breeding farms, four of them in Buryatia. At the same time, we are carrying out a large-scale inventory of the sector,” said Sergey Dorzhiyev, vice rector of Buryat State Agricultural Academy.
The selected farms in Buryatia include companies Ganga and Azhalsha in Kizhinginsky district, R.P. Dabaev's farm in Okinsky district and cooperative enterprise Ul'durga in Yeravninsky district. Data from these farms will form the basis for future genomic selection.
The herd horse breeding development project is funded under the Prioritet-2030 program and includes scientific expeditions and the creation of research infrastructure. The roadmap for developing herd horse breeding runs through 2036.
Digital Tools for a High-Potential Sector
The digital platform being developed by the academy will allow breeding farms to organize comprehensive data on valuable animals and obtain accurate information on breed characteristics. Over time, this will support more effective breeding strategies and enable genomic selection in horses.
The platform will also store detailed records for each breeding horse in a shared database, with remote access to information. It will enable monitoring of herd conditions and analysis of sector dynamics.
This approach supports the development of a profitable segment of livestock production. “Productive horse breeding in Russia is still developing in a largely organic way, but steadily, because it is economically viable for producers. The cost of maintaining a horse is roughly half that of cattle, while demand for horse meat remains strong,” said Valery Bolaev, head of the productive horse breeding department at the Vserossiyskiy nauchno-issledovatelskiy institut konevodstva (All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding).
According to the institute, Russia currently has approximately 1.3 million horses. Experts believe that producers can expand output of horse meat and mare’s milk products for the domestic market, in line with the goals of the national project Tekhnologicheskoe obespechenie prodovolstvennoy bezopasnosti (Technological Support for Food Security). At the same time, there is potential to increase exports to Asian markets.
Digital Management of the Sector
The unified digital breeding records system introduces new operating conditions for one of the most traditional and geographically dispersed segments of agriculture, herd horse breeding.
Producers will gain tools for transparent tracking of breeding resources, effectively allowing them to follow each animal from birth. This will improve analytical capabilities and enable precise genetic evaluation. Breeding practices are expected to advance significantly, including through genomic technologies.
These changes are expected to improve sector management, increase farm productivity and, given the lower cost of horse meat, expand the availability of affordable protein. Consumers will benefit from stable supply and clear traceability of livestock products, while export volumes are expected to grow.
The platform is part of a broader national trend toward traceability and transparency in agriculture. After implementation in Siberia and the Far East, the system could be expanded to other regions and potentially offered to Asian markets interested in developing breeding records and herd management systems.
