Alpaca Husbandry Lecture Notes

Overview of Alpaca Husbandry

This lecture provides comprehensive information on alpaca husbandry, focusing on their nutrition, health management, reproduction, and wool production. The material is based on the understanding of alpacas’ natural habitats and behaviors, particularly from regions such as the Peruvian altiplano.

Nutrition of Alpacas

  • Adaptation to Fibrous Feeds

    • Alpacas are adapted to consume the highly fibrous feeds found in the Peruvian altiplano.
    • Camelids, including alpacas, are more efficient than sheep, cattle, and goats at extracting nutrients from poor quality feed due to:
    • Longer retention of feed particles in their stomachs.
    • Better recycling of urea back into their stomachs.

  • Daily Feed Intake

    • Average daily feed intake for an adult alpaca (maintaining body weight) is 1.5% of its body weight as dry matter.
    • For comparison, sheep, cattle, and goats have a daily intake of about 2% of body weight.
    • Example: A 70 kg alpaca requires approximately:
    • 1.5 ext{% of 70 kg} = 1.05 ext{ kg} of dry matter per day
    • This equates to around 1.2 kg of hay when converted to hay as fed.

  • Special Nutritional Needs

    • Increased needs when
    • Growing
    • Gestating
    • Lactating
    • If pasture hay and silage are of inadequate quality, supplementation with cereal grains and legumes may be necessary.
    • Monitor nutritional adequacy through body condition scoring of the herd regularly.

  • Water Intake

    • Average daily water intake is 5% of body weight.
    • Therefore, a 70 kg alpaca drinks approximately:
    • 5 ext{% of 70 kg} = 3.5 ext{ liters} of water per day.
    • Increased water intake is expected in hot weather, during lactation, and when grazing on salty vegetation.

Body Condition Scoring

  • Body condition scoring is essential for management.
    • Alpacas need to be scored whenever they are yarded.
    • For woolly alpacas, palpate the musculature over the lumbar vertebrae:
    • Ideal: Triangular cross-section musculature.
    • Concave musculature indicates a need for better quality nutrition.
    • Bulging musculature suggests the possibility of reducing supplements.

Vitamin D Requirement

  • High UV exposure in South America contributes to sufficient Vitamin D in alpacas.
  • Australian alpacas, grazing at lower altitudes and further from the equator, may suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, leading to:
    • Gland shifts
    • Limb deformities
    • Poor treatment outcomes in growing alpacas.
  • To prevent deficiency, supplementation is necessary for:
    • All growing alpacas under three years of age.
    • Pregnant females, especially those due to give birth during winter months.
  • Supplementation methods include injections or oral administration during autumn, winter, and spring, specifically in regions like Tasmania and Southern Victoria.

Wool Production

  • Wool production is a primary product of alpacas:
    • Annual fleece growth: 8 to 12 centimeters.
    • Annual fleece yield: 1 to 2 kg at shearing.
  • Shearing Practices
    • Scheduled during spring for improved thermoregulation in summer.
    • Low oil content leads to the use of low-speed handpieces during shearing to prevent overheating.
    • Shearing minimizes the risk of flystrike associated with excessive heat in other livestock (e.g., sheep).
    • Shearing duration depends on shearer expertise and facility setup, taking between 5 to 15 minutes.
    • Fleece is harvested in order of value:
    • Body fleece (blanket) and neck fleece first.
    • Fleece from the face is removed for visibility and to decrease grass seed contamination.
  • Post-shearing care includes:
    • Sheltering animals if inclement weather occurs swiftly after shearing.

Vaccination Protocols

  • Initial Vaccination
    • Alpacas receive two doses of a five-in-one clostridial vaccination, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, typically starting at 8 weeks and again at 12 weeks.
    • Subsequent vaccinations occur twice yearly (at shearing in spring and before females give birth).
  • Additional vaccines:
    • Leptospirosis vaccine in barren areas.
    • Cheesy gland vaccine if sheep are present on the property.

Reproductive Management

  • Female Reproductive Maturity

    • Females reach puberty around 6 months but should be at 65% of their mature body weight (about 45 kg) before being bred, ideally achieved by 12 months of age with appropriate nutrition post-weaning.

  • Male Reproductive Maturity

    • Males reach puberty between 1 to 3 years of age.
    • Semen characteristics:
    • Low sperm concentration, viscous fluid, average ejaculate volume of 1 ml.

  • Pre-mating assessment:

    • Conducted 60 days before joining, checking the five Ts:
      • Torso: Body condition score.
      • Teeth: Ensure capability to graze.
      • Toes: Check for lameness.
      • Testes: Assess size and health for sperm production.
      • Tussle: Check sheath and penis health.

  • Castration

    • Preferably performed at over 9 months of age using anesthesia and analgesia.

  • Artificial Breeding

    • Artificial insemination (AI) is not yet commercialized due to the challenging characteristics of alpaca semen (high viscosity, low sperm concentration).
    • Embryo transfer has been commercialized in Australia, with fresh embryos used as they emerge as hatched blastocysts, preventing freezing practices.

Gestation and Parturition

  • Gestation Period
    • Average length: 342 days (with a variability of ±4 to 6 weeks).
    • Gestation tends to be longer in spring (up to 348 days) and shorter in autumn (around 335 days).
  • Most births occur between 7 AM and 2 PM, theorized to allow neonates to dry in the sun post-birth, reducing mortality.
  • Expulsion Time
    • Typically takes 30 minutes to 75 minutes for a fetus to be expelled, with the fetus enveloped in a membrane to assist in lubrication during delivery.
  • Milk Composition
    • Variability exists in components like fat, protein, and lactose influenced by genetics, nutrition, and lactation stage.
    • Similar comparisons can be drawn with cow's milk.

Husbandry Calendar

  • Created for tracking the annual management of alpacas:

    • Joining phase includes:
    • Pregnancy testing around 4 weeks post-joining.
    • Marking (ear tagging, vaccination) done about 6 weeks after birth.
    • Approximately weaning occurs at 4 to 6 months of age, depending on nutritional status and health checks.

  • Shearing Schedule

    • Occurs in spring, with body condition scoring, vaccinations, and monitoring for worms taking place.

  • Five Ts Check

    • Conducted 2 months before males are to be joined, ensuring fitness for breeding.

Health Monitoring

  • Malnutrition and worm infestations are the leading causes of mortality in alpacas.
  • Effective health management involves:
    • Regular body condition scoring to monitor weight loss and nutrition adequacy.
    • Continuous monitoring of worm burdens, especially when grazing green pastures, recommended every 4 to 6 weeks.
  • Resource materials for further study on nutrition, reproduction, and parasite management are available as PDFs and additional readings.

Case Study Problem

  • Case of a farmer raising 100 alpaca weathers averaging 70 kg with insufficient pasture due to failed autumn rains.
  • Task:
    • Determine the frequency for providing hay based on feed consumption:
    • Calculate average dry matter intake per alpaca.
    • Convert this to hay as fed.
    • Factor in waste and total consumption for the 100 alpacas.
    • Establish how frequently to distribute 400 kg hay bales considering these factors.
  • Consider how a farmer can adjust feeding practices based on alpaca needs, informed by body condition scoring and overall health observations.

Additional Resources

  • Further readings on welfare codes for llamas and alpacas, studies on parasitology, and comprehensive husbandry practices are encouraged.
  • Industry links and references provided for ongoing learning and exploration.

Conclusion

  • The lecture concludes with insights into the responsibilities of alpaca husbandry, emphasizing nutrition, health, and monitoring practices to ensure optimal production and animal welfare.