28 Camelid Reproduction

Llamas are larger

Which is larger, llamas or alpacas?

LLAMA = right image

ALPACA = left image

Llamas have more "banana shaped" ears so theyre curved.

Alpacas have more "spear shaped" ears so theyre straight

Which one is the llamas versus alpaca?

Machos

What is the term for male alpacas/llamas?

No seminal vesicles or ampulla

Meaning they have a prostate and bulbourethral glands

What accessory sex glands are male alpacas/llamas missing?

Fibroelastic

What type of penis do llamas/alpacas have?

12-13 mo.: detaches starting at tip, progressing towards base

3 years: fully detached by sexual maturity

The llama/alpaca fibroelastic penis is attached to the prepuce at birth. When does it start to detach and at what point is it fully detached?

Cartilaginous process

What part of the llama/alpaca penis aids in penetration through the cervix?

Urethra located at base of cartilaginous process

Where is the urethra located in llama/alpaca penises?

BLUE = cartilaginous process

RED = urethra

What is the the difference between what is highlighted with the red and blue dotted circles?

Showing you there is no detachment yet of the fibroelastic penis. The penis is attached to the prepuce at birth and begins to detach from the tip at 12-13 months, so we know it is younger than that.

What is this arrow telling you and what age do you think this makes the llama/alpaca around?

NON-pendulant

What is the male camelid scrotum like?

Testicular cysts

What testicular problem typically plagues camelids?

Hembras

What is the name for female camelids?

Left (because it is larger)

95% of pregnancies in hembras occur in WHICH HORN

Physical contact (leg clamping), penile stimulation (process flopping around in uterus), orgling, and male ejaculation itself

Hembras are "induced ovulators". What does this mean they need for ovulation?

Vagina

Which is longer in a hembra's reproductive tract, vagina or uterine body?

5-15 mm

How large do hembra follicles get?

10-12 days

How long do "follicular waves" last in hembras?

Over 7 mm

How big must a follicle be in a hembra to be considered dominant?

year round

When can you breed hembras?

24-72 hours

How long after breeding does ovulation occur in hembras?

Check progesterone (may have retained CL), treat with PGF2alpha Cloprostenol (estrumate)

If a non-pregnant female camelid has cushed/bred but is now open and is nonreceptive, what hormone do you need to check and what do you need to give to manipulate the cycle?

Dinoprost/Lutalyse

Which should you AVOID using in camelids: Dinoprost/Lutalyse OR Cloprostenol/Estrumate

Very short

What do you think about the junction between the rectum and vulva in camelids?

Palpation per rectum (small hands only), vaginoscopy, uterine culture, ultrasound, biopsy, hysteroscopy, and hormone analysis

What reproductive diagnostics are there for female camelids?

Ultrasound rectal probe extender for camelids

What is this?

Vaginoscopy (?)

What is this?

"Sigmoidoscope" (vaginoscopy?). Both pieces are put together to push into the camelid vagina, then the bottom piece is taken out so the tube portion can stay in place and allow you to look inside

What is this for in camelid repro?

Hysteroscopy: left image is cervix, middle is two horns, right is up a horn

What are you seeing in these images in a female camelid?

Persistent hymen. When ruptured, histotroph comes out = normal

What is being seen here and what is coming out of this camelid?

Female laying down in "cushing" position (male rides her when she is standing and she falls down under his weight to this "cushing" position)

What is the term for what is happening here?

Spitting, kicking, refusal to lie down

What behaviors do female camelids exhibit if they are not receptive to the male?

Avoid more than 3. When male penis goes in and flops around, it damages the uterus and makes it a bad place for the embryo to implant when it is too damaged = inflammation, edema, hemorrhage

You should avoid doing more than how many breedings (live covers) with Hembras? Why?

Transuterine deposition

What is the term for male camelids ejaculating into both uterine horns during mating?

Refusal of breeding 14-15 days post breeding

What behavior helps you to make a pregnancy diagnosis in hembras?

"Dividing wall"

You can rectally ultrasound a hembra for pregnancy at 21 days. What are you looking for on ultrasound to tell you she is pregnant?

349 days

How long is gestation in camelids?

Diffuse epitheliochorial

What is the placenta type of camelids?

HIGH, as much as 50%

Overall, do alpacas have a high or low rate of early embryonic death?

Unpacking or Criation/Criating

What is the process of parturition called in camelids?

90% occur in late morning, around noon

What time of day do camelids normally unpack?

Stage 1: 2-6 hours

Stage 2: 60-90 minutes

Stage 3: within 6 hours

There are 3 stages to camelid parturition. How long do each of them last?

Lamoid dystocia, cranial presentation, dorsosacral position, head retained between legs

Describe this camelid dystocia

Lamoid dystocia, cranial presentation, dorsosacral position, head and both forelimbs retained

Describe this camelid dystocia

Female tends to be interested in the offspring, but she does not clean it off or have much physical contact

What is different about the maternal behavior of camelids compared to other species?

Within 6 hours

How long after birth should the baby camelid be up and nursing by?

4 teats but each teat has 2 associated glands = 8 total

(also held more closely to their abdomen compared to other species)

What is special about the camelid udders?

If it weighs less than 20 lbs if it is a llama, and less than 12 lbs if it is an alpaca

At what weight would you consider a cria "premature"?

Epidermal membrane = covers the entire body except orifices

What is this showing you? What is covering the cria?

Lubrication

What is the purpose of the epidermal membrane or "fourth membrane" in cria babies?

It naturally disintegrates off as it dries, the mother does not help lick it off

How does the epidermal membrane come off the baby cria?

Choanal atresia (nasal passages fail to fully develop)

What is the term for the congenital defect in baby cria that cause open mouth breathing?

More than 10% of its body weight over 2 or more feedings

How much colostrum should cria take in within the first 12-18 hours after birth?

Amnion closely associated with allantoic surface

What is closely associated with the allantoic surface in camelids, where in other species it may almost look like 2 separate things?

Concretions present from hair poking it, relatively normal

What is happening in this placenta? (the little "concretions")

This is showing a testicular cyst circled in the left image

What is happening in this camelid image?

Brucellosis and bacterial placentitis

What infectious causes may cause pregnancy loss in camelids?

Uterine torsion

What periparturient disorder affects the uterus in camelids in late term or at birth?

Berserk male

What is the term for hand reared camelid males that can imprint on humans which make them very friendly UNTIL they reach sexual maturity at which point they become very aggressive towards humans