Introduction to Camelids

• Presenter: Jane Bourne
• Focus: Characteristics of Camelids
• Note: Copyright considerations.

Classification of Camelids

• Camelids are mammals belonging to the:
  • Order: Archaeodactyla
  • Characteristic: Even-toed ungulates where weight is borne equally by the third and fourth toes.
  • Suborder: Tylopoda
  • Distinction from Ruminantia (cattle, sheep, goats, and deer).

Evolutionary Background

• Phylogenetic lineage from prokaryotes to Camelids, with deer as a representative species.
• Evolution Timeline:
  • First appearance of Camelid forebears: 40 to 50 million years ago in North America.
  • Migration to South America: 3 to 6 million years ago via:
  • Panamanian land bridge.
  • Also migrated to:
    • Cold deserts of China and Mongolia.
    • Hot deserts of Southwest Asia, Middle East, and Africa.
• Domesticization timeline: Approximately 6,000 years ago.

Types of Camelids

• New World (South American) Camelids:

  • Two wild types:
  • Vicuna: Mainly in the Andes Mountains.
  • Guanaco: Found in Patagonia.
  • Domesticated species evolved from these wild types:
  • Llama: Evolved from guanaco.
  • Alpaca: Evolved from vicuna.
  • Alpaca Breeds:
  • Waqaya: 90% of global alpaca population.
  • Suri: Remaining 10%.

• Old World Camelids:

  • Dromedary Camel:
  • Characteristic: One hump; found in Asia and Africa.
  • Mnemonic: One hump forms a capital 'D'.
  • Bactrian Camel:
  • Characteristic: Two humps; found in colder deserts of China and Mongolia.
  • Mnemonic: Two humps form a capital 'B'.

Physical Characteristics of Camelids

• Common Features:

  • Long legs and necks.

• Ears:

  • Camels: Small ears to protect against sandstorms.
  • Llamas: Banana-shaped ears.
  • Alpacas: Leaf-shaped ears.
  • Ears are mobile and express emotions.
  • Forward: Interested and inquisitive.
  • Backward/Flattened: Unhappy.

• Identification in Australia:

  • Use of ear tags for identification.
  • Plastic ear tags: Read from a distance.
  • Registered animals: Brass tags with individual numbers.
  • Electronic ID tags: Not compulsory.

• Breathing and Feeding Characteristics:

  • Camelids: Obligate nasal breathers.
  • Halter placement: High on the bony part of the nose to avoid blocking nostrils.
  • Split upper lip: Enables selective feeding; rarely ingest foreign bodies.
  • Prehensile lips assist in harvesting feed.
  • Dental structure:
  • Upper dental pad and lower incisors for grazing.
  • Fighting teeth present:
    • Sharp canines or modified incisors used by males for dominance.
    • In alpacas and llamas, these are filed down; in camels, not filed.

• Digestive System:

  • Three-chambered stomach (compared to ruminants' four):
  • Compartment names: First, second, and third compartments.
  • Fermentation of plant matter occurs through microbial populations in the stomach.
  • Feeding habits:
  • Eat for about 8 hours daily.
  • Chew cud for 8 hours.
  • Idle/rest for 8 hours.
  • Adapted to low-quality, high-fiber, and low-protein diets.

• Feet and Mobility:

  • Structure includes a foot pad and toenail.
  • Cornified sole with a broad fibro elastic pad, aiding in walking on sand.
  • Nail trimming necessary with foot-bearing shears, as they aren't susceptible to foot rot.

Sexual and Reproductive Characteristics

• Female characteristics:

  • Udder: Eight milk glands, with four teats having two canals each.
  • Males:
  • Non-pendulous scrotum, unlike ruminants.
  • Sexual behavior: Flehmen response (curling neck and upper lip).
  • Mating season behavior: Bulla (prolapse of the soft palate).

• Castration practices:

  • Performed on alpacas and llamas after 9 months when growth plates have closed.

Tail and Anatomy

• Tail characteristics:
  • Covers anus, vulva, and scrotum for protection against UV radiation and trauma.
  • Controlled movement for urination and deposition; rare occurrences of urine scald or DAGs.
  • No requirement for mulesing due to natural bare breed.

Body Condition Scoring

• Importance: Fundamental management practice for camelids.

  • More convenient than using scales and less stressful for the animals.

• Procedure:

  • Apply same principles as body condition assessment in sheep:
  • Palpate muscles over lumbar vertebrae near the pelvis.

• Body condition score goal: Around 3.

  • Characteristics of ideal condition:
  • Musculature triangular in cross-section, flat lumbar muscles, short ribs visible, and no hollow or rounded flanks.

• Identifying underweight or overweight conditions:

  • Thin: Concave lumbar muscles, hollow flanks.
  • Over-conditioned: Bulging lumbar muscles, rounded flanks.

• Addressing condition loss:

  • First ensure adequate and balanced nutrition (energy, protein, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus).
  • Secondly, check for worm burdens through fecal egg counting every 4 to 6 weeks when grazing green pastures.

• Reference resource: A PhD report on alpacas from Melbourne University is recommended for practical use.

Conclusion

• This concludes part one of the Camelid lecture series.
• Thank you for participating!