Quarter Horse Breeding in Brazil: Deepening Genetics and Performance in Cattle Cutting Competitions

This academic article examines Quarter Horse breeding in Brazil, focusing on the influence of elite North American genetic bloodlines and their impact on performance in cattle cutting competitions. The study demonstrates how strategic importation of breeding stock from the United States, combined with advanced genetic selection techniques and genomic analyses, has shaped breed improvement in the country since its introduction in 1955. The research highlights the importance of "cow sense" - the horse's innate ability to react quickly to cattle movements - as a fundamental characteristic for cutting success, revealing significant genetic differences between bloodlines destined for racing and cutting. The article also addresses future breeding challenges, including the need to maintain genetic diversity while seeking greater selection precision, and the promising perspectives offered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and functional genomics to optimize genetic improvement programs for the breed in Brazil.