Camelid Breeding Management Flashcards
camelids are ______ ovulators
induced
do camelids have a real estrus?
No real estrus, either accommodating or spitting off
what is special about male the camelid penis and why
During copulation, penis enters uterus (penis has a cartilaginous tip)
what horn do females normally get pregnant in
left, unknown why
how long is a cycle of a female camelid when they arent bred?
12 days… if they dont get bred they just keep going through this same cycle
what sign do you use to know if you can breed a female?
if they are spitting off, dont breed them
what is the extra membrane for horses and why is it thought to be there?
epidermal membrane (epithelion)
thought to act as a wind breaker when they are born because moms dont dry them off
camelids have an _______ septum
intercornual
how are camelids like queens reproductive wise?
induced ovulators, like a tom – penis
points rearwards
how are camelids like cows reproductive wise?
four teats, uterus drops over pelvic
brim, may get vaginal prolapse
how are camelids like mares reproductive wise?
diffuse microcotyledonary
placentation, uterine horns not “curled”, twins bad, long necks and legs make obstetrics difficult, gestation ~11 months, breed soon post partum, poor perineal conformation can cause infertility
what % of males are fertile at 1 year old and why?
10% , the penis must detach from the prepuce in order to be fertile
how are camelids like nothing else reproductive wise?
epidermal membrane, intercornual septum, pregnancy in left horn only, no heat, little ‘mothering’, cartilage tipped penis
when is the normal time that the glans penis is free in llamas vs alpacas
llamas = 18 months, range is 16-20 months
alpacas = 70% by two years, or 100% by 26 months
when are females capable of breeding and what is it related to
at one year, but they may be fertile much younger. its weight related
what is an issue with maiden llamas in relation to accepting males
Maiden llamas more often will accept the male although already pregnant
what happens if you accidentally breed when there is not an “ovulatable” follicle
you will just keep breeding them when they cant get pregnant so you will never be successful without investigation
what should you be looking into if you cant get a female pregnant
look at serum P4 values and get vet to do U/S to see what is going on and adjust breeding schedule based on the findings of that
causes of false positives for spitting as pregnancy diagnosis
False negatives eg. aggressive male and maiden female
False positives:
▪ dominant female
▪ retained corpus luteum
two methods of pregnany diagnosis
-spitting off 12-21 days after breeding (85% accuracy at 75-125d gestation)
-elevated serum progesterone (commonly done at 21d)
causes of false positives for elevated serum progesterone as pregnancy diagnosis
False positive with retained cl
can you use rectal palpation for pregnancy diagnosis
PALPATION per rectum depends on skill
▪ not alpacas
▪ most llamas ok after 45 days
▪ difficulty if hand large (need glove size <7.5) or in maiden or obese animal
when can you do ultrasound for pregnancy dx
ULTRASOUND
▪ per rectum >15 days, heart ~ 25 days
▪ transabdominal by 45 to 60 days depending on machine and llama; alpacas easily by 45d
when can you do ballottement for pregnancy dx
more than 9 months, ventral abdomen
what is a common malposition in camelids and is it easy to fix
neck in improper position, turned and facing away from birth canal. their necks are so long that it makes it difficult to correct
what signs do you see with a true breech
often do not appear to be in labour
what are some things to consider regarding male infertility (6)
▪ Prepubertal?? Is penis still attached to prepuce?
▪ Acquired defects eg. scrotal abscess or adhesions, penile damage from vulvar hair
▪ Heat (temperature, not the estrus kind)
▪ Congenital defects of testes or epididymis, eg. cysts
▪ Libido problems due to poor socialization or experience, hand-raised?
▪ Training
causes of female infertility (6)
▪ Congenital anatomical defects
▪ Hormonal problems eg. persistent CL
▪ Inflammation
▪ Post partum acquired anatomical defects
▪ Stress abortion
▪ Unknown (30 to 50% pregnancies lost <90 days, most <30 days)
what drug combo is usually used for camelid castriation
xylazine/ketamine/butorphenol
