A NOTE ON THE CHARACTERIZATION OF A SMALL CELTIC PONY BREED

Eleven microsatellites are used as representative neutral markers to s creen a small Celtic pony breed (Asturcon). Allelic frequencies are ca lculated from a random sample (n=50) to estimate some population genet ic parameters, allowing the description of the population. The allelic frequencies are compared with published data from other populations w ith the same markers, leading to genetic distances which indicate the Asturcon position respective to such divergent populations as Equus pr zewalski and the Australian thoroughbred.