Major welfare study published on safeguards for breeding
A MAJOR genomics research study has provided crucial new knowledge that will help to safeguard the long-term health and welfare of racing greyhounds and support sustainable breeding.
The peer-reviewed research presents the most comprehensive population genomic analysis to date of racing greyhounds in Great Britain.
The work provides crucial evidence to help safeguard long-term health and welfare while supporting sustainable performance.
The research, led by scientists at the Irish genomics research company, Zinto, was commissioned by the regulator of licensed racing, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) as part of its long-term welfare strategy.
The background notes to the research paper state: "A central aspect of the modern greyhound racing industry is a focus on animal welfare.
"Injuries that can occur to greyhounds during racing and training are multi-factorial, and the risk of injury is of concern both to everyone within the sport, internationally and to the wider public.
"Within the UK, responsibility for optimizing greyhound welfare is shared by all stakeholders within the sport of licensed greyhound racing, led by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which was established in 2009 to safeguard the integrity and future prosperity of the British greyhound racing industry and to regulate the welfare and care of racing greyhounds.
"In 2022, the GBGB’s long-term welfare strategy was published, which details steps to delivering upon a vision of promoting and protecting welfare across all stages of a greyhound’s life.
"These include research to better understand the genetic factors influencing greyhounds’ resilience and longevity, with a view to enabling selective breeding to reduce genetic predisposition to injury."
The study entitled “Genomic Diversity and Selection in the Racing Greyhound of Great Britain” examined genetic diversity, in-breeding, and selection signals in racing greyhounds using high-density genomic data.
The research shows that greyhounds exhibit substantially higher levels of inbreeding than most other dog breeds, driven by intense selection for racing performance.
The study also identified genes associated with key breed-defining traits, including visual acuity, locomotion, musculoskeletal function, cardiovascular biology, and neurological adaptability.
Without active management, in-breeding can increase the risk of inherited health problems, reduce resilience, and undermine long-term population sustainability.
Emmeline Hill, Professor in Equine Genomics at University College Dublin, CSO of Zinto, and lead scientist of the research paper said: “These genomic insights give us the clearest picture yet of the racing greyhound population in Great Britain.
“High in-breeding is a concern because it can increase the risk of negative health impacts.
“The key welfare opportunity is to now use modern genomic tools to manage diversity judiciously, preserving what makes greyhounds remarkable while reducing the likelihood of inadvertently concentrating harmful variation.
“Our commitment at Zinto is to apply the latest science to develop practical tools that support healthier breeding and better lifetime outcomes for greyhounds, and other animals bred for sport”, continued Hill.
Mark Bird, CEO of GBGB, said, “As the regulator of licensed racing, upholding the very highest standards of animal welfare is a priority for us, which is why it was so important for us to commission this research.
“All of our welfare policies and practices are based on robust scientific evidence and the findings from this research will be used to inform our guidance for breeders as well as our Rules of Racing so that we can continue to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all our greyhounds.”
Madeleine Campbell, Professor of Veterinary Ethics at University of Nottingham, Independent Director of GBGB, and co-author of the research paper said: “This novel study provides a scientific evidence-base for welfare-oriented breeding decisions and is an important step in optimising the welfare of racing greyhounds across their lifetimes”.
