We investigate Y chromosome variation to reconstruct the paternal genealogy of domestic breeds. Research in horses has demonstrated the far-reaching influence of oriental stallions on modern populations and clarified the formation and global dissemination of elite sire lines. Current efforts focus on extending high-resolution Y-chromosomal analyses to additional species and characterising the functional relevance of Y-linked genetic variation. 

Domestic animals are entrusted to us, making healthy and sustainable breeding our responsibility. Yet current practices face serious challenges: extreme, welfare-compromising phenotypes, a growing burden of hereditary disorders and progressive loss of genetic diversity. Advances in genomic and diagnostic tools now offer unprecedented power to address these issues. In close collaboration with the Kofler group at Vetmeduni we leverage large-scale veterinary health databases to track disease trends and identify underlying genomic factors — with the goal of developing evidence-based breeding strategies that prioritise welfare while preserving genetic diversity and breed integrity.