“We have breeders in the States that are going out of business because they can’t control the parasites.”
It turns out that humans aren’t the only ones attracted to alpacas, those cute South American imports that are increasingly common on the Prairies lately.
Parasites love them as well, and control can be tricky, says Norm Evans, a Kentucky veterinarian, who spoke at the Alpaca Canada meeting during Farm Fair.
Alpacas will breed almost any time, but should be free of parasites before they are bred, he said.
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“This is the most important thing,” said Evans, who has worked with llamas and alpacas for over 20 years. “We have breeders in the States that are going out of business because they can’t control the parasites.”
Evans recommends producers do frequent fecal floats to check for parasites. A key factor in reducing intestinal parasites on an alpaca ranch is isolating the animals that are frequently infected.
“You’re going to find that every two out of 10 animals are the shedders and they reinfest the other animals,” said Evans. Separating the infected animals from the rest of the herd can cut down on frequent infestations, he said.
Torching around dung piles twice a month during pasture and forage season will kill larvae in the grass and prevent help prevent infestation, Evans said. Animals that have worms should be dewormed and then should have their fecal check 14 days after to make sure that they are free of parasites.
Evans recommends keeping up to date on immunizations before starting any breeding program. Alpaca producers should check to see what diseases are prevalent in other species in the area when developing their immunization programs. Animals should not be vaccinated while they are in their first 45 to 60 days or the last 45 days of pregnancy, he said.
Sick animals should not be vaccinated. “You need to have a clean female to breed to and she should be up to date on her vaccines before the breeding process,” Evans said.
BODY CONDITION IMPORTANT
Female alpacas should have a good body condition score before breeding. Producers should feel over the animal’s ribs, backbones and between the front legs to check the body condition. Producers can also raise the tail of the animal to look at the muscling on the animal’s rear end.
Evans recommended breeding only those females who have a body condition score higher than five on a one-to-10 scale. Animals with poor body condition scoring will generally need multiple attempts to get pregnant or will produce small or slow-growing cria.
Producers should also check the confirmation of the udder and the genitalia and should not breed animals who have skin problems, as treating animals with skin conditions can affect a developing cria. The skin problems may also be genetic and could be passed on to the offspring.
There are some steps that can be taken to arrange a more comfortable breeding process. Females should have their fibre clipped. Wrapping a female’s tail before breeding can prevent fibre or wool lacerations to the male. Ultrasounding a female can be the best way to assure that she is mature and ready for breeding, said Evans.
“A truly receptive female will generally hit the ground within the first 30 seconds of being exposed to the male,” he said. Fourteen days after breeding, the female can be re-exposed to the male to see if she is pregnant. If she goes down again, she is generally not pregnant.
The average male can breed at 20 to 21 months, and should be breeding by two and a half to three years. Males who cut their fighting teeth should have an ample supply of testosterone. They should have two equally sized testicles.
Evans prefers spring breeding and recommends good, clean grass as a birthing site. “If we can birth them on grass rather than in confinement where there is a concentration of pathogens and parasites, I think you’re going to be much better off,” he said.
