Journal Article Review

Name Rachael Weiner

Article Title: Inbreeding trends and pedigree analysis of Bavarian mountain hounds,
Hanoverian hounds and Tyrolean hounds
Authors (list all): S. Voges & O. Distl
Journal Title: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics
Issue: 126
Page numbers: 357 to 365
Year 2009
1. Read the article in its entirety. Is this a (check one):
___ Article reporting the results of an original experimental research project.
___ Article reporting the results of an original observational research project.
_X_ Article reviewing and compiling data from older research projects.
___ An editorial, opinion piece, or book review.
2. What is the main question the article is trying to answer?
The article is trying to answer what the genetic similarities are between the Bavarian
mountain hounds, Hanoverian hounds, and Tyrolean hounds.

3. How was the experiment structured to answer the question? What is the
experimental protocol? Minimum 5 complete sentences
The experiment was structured so that the researchers were compiling information from
different European kennel clubs with complete stud books. The countries that
contributed stud books for all three breeds are Germany, Austria, and Swiss kennel clubs.
France contributed a stud book on the Bavarian Mountain hound, and Slovakia
contributed stud books for the Hanoverian Hound, and the Bavarian Mountain Hound.
They compiled all the data using a software called Opti-Mate which cross checks all the
identities of the dogs from these countries. They were looking at all the births from 1992
to 2004.

4. What was the independent variable (what was changed) in the experiment?
The independent variable is the dog breed.

5. What were the dependent variables (what was observed and measured) in the
experiment?
The dependent variable is the levels of certain genetic markers.

6. What was the final result of the experiment? If not based on an original experimental
research project, what was the final conclusion of the author? Minimum 2 complete
sentences.
The conclusion were that pedigree completeness has steadily increased for both the
Bavarian Mountain hound and the Tyrolean hound, while staying steady for the

Hanoverian hound till a drop in 2001. The original inbreeding coefficient test showed a
slight increase in the Tyrolean hound number but when corrected for the dogs with
incomplete pedigrees there was a steady decline for all three breeds.
7. Did the authors answer the question? Explain. Minimum 2 complete sentences.
Yes the authors answered the question of what is the level of relation and inbreeding in
Hanoverian hound, Tyrolean hounds, and Bavarian Mountain hounds. They have added a
great deal of information for further breeding of the Hanoverian hound, Tyrolean hound,
and Bavarian Mountain hound.

8. Write a short summary of the article. Minimum 8 complete sentences

The purpose of this article was to further the understanding of inbreeding in these three
scent hounds. The breeds used in this test are all European scent hounds used
exclusively for hunting. The breeds chosen are the Bavarian Mountain hound, Hanoverian
hound, and Tyrolean hound. This was done through studying stud books from Germany,
Austria, Swiss, French, and Slovakian. Through studying these stud books, the Bavarian
Mountain hounds, Hanoverian hounds, and Tyrolean hounds born between 1992 and
2004 were evaluated. They were evaluated on pedigree completeness, inbreeding
coefficient, founder genetics, and marginal genetic contributions. To further separate the
results they were divide country and region to find out if any one of these hounds is more
inbred in a certain area. The results are a warning to breeder of these breeds to be
careful.

9. List at least 3 new terms that are presented in the article and write the definition next
to the term. This is worth 30% of the assignment. By writing there were no new
terms is not an acceptable answer.
a. Coefficient
a number that is constant for a given substance, body, or process under certain
specified conditions, serving as a measure of one of its properties
b. dysplastic
To have dysplasia or an abnormal growth or development of cells, tissue, bone, or an
organ
c. equivalent
Equal