Irtysh is a new type of Mugalzhar
horse breed developed in Kazakhstan. In the Abai region, scientists have been
engaged in selective breeding for about half a century, ever since the Kazakh
tulpar hybridization program was launched. Several generations of researchers
dedicated their efforts to refining and enhancing the breed, which ultimately
led to success. Notably, this marks the second successful selection of a new
horse type in the Abai region, with the Beskaragai breed developed last year.
«The horse has high productivity,
yielding up to 58 percent of meat, and a high percentage of offspring,
exceeding 85 percent. It typiсally has a reddish coat with zebra-like stripes
on its legs, a broad chest and neck, and a curved back. It features a large
abdominal cavity and is well adapted to both hot weather and harsh winters
compared to other breeds. The goal is to further enhance the horse’s
productivity and improve the breed,» said the professor Kairat Iskhan.
Kazakhstan will also focus on breeding Kazakh
horse breeds for sports purposes. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has recently
signed the corresponding law. More than 700 million tenge has been allocated
from the national budget for the development of horse breeding over the next
five years.
