Camelid Husbandry

Question 1

What are the 4 SACs ?

Answer 1

domesticated = alpacas and llamas
wild = vicunas and guanacos

Question 2

Camelid Industry

Answer 2

fibre/fleece (shearing done once a year, takes ~6 minutes, high quality fashion garments can be made)
meat
breeding
flock guard (especially good at warning off foxes from sheep)
alpaca walking and experiences
companionship

Question 3

Anatomical key points

Answer 3

split upper lip with a dental pad and fighting teeth
obligate nasal breathers with extended nasal cartilage (consider halter design)
3 stomachs (C1, C2, C3, chew the cud and ruminate)
metatarsal glands on inside of hind legs
walk on leathery pads (P2/P3) with a non-weight bearing “toe-nail”
protectively positioned jugular and carotid to protect from fighting wounds

Question 4

Handling and restraint techniques

Answer 4

be aware of spitting, biting and kicking
restrain in a small pen with one or two other people
approach from the side
catch pole and rope can be used
“guitar-playing” position is an effective restraint technique
halters can be used, but remember obligate nasal breathers !
kush tying (chuckering) is a restraint whilst animal is in the kush position

Question 5

Reproduction and Parturition Key Facts

Answer 5

induced ovulated and non-seasonal

mating lasts 25 minutes, and you hear “orgling” from the male

female resists the advances of the male, and so “spitting off” is utilised
day 7 -> if spitting, ovulation has occurred
day 14 -> if spitting, conception has occurred

gestation length is 345 days, with reasonable cri survival rates
normal births occur during daylight, allowing the cria to dry out before nightfall to minimise heat loss

Question 6

Common Procedures

Answer 6

blood sampling -> jugular v. most common
injections -> intravenous (jugular), intra-muscular (quadriceps and triceps), sub-cutaneous (triangle in front shoulder)
nail clipping -> level to footpad
teeth cutting -> cutting fighting teeth level with the gum is required only
castration -> 18 months, under sedation
vaccination -> most relevantly, clostridia
ear tagging -> as with cattle or sheep
deworming /FECs -> anthelmintics usually ingested, injections preferred
vit D injections
micro-chipping
plasma transfusion -> for babies if not drinking colostrum, for antibody uptake, can also give goats milk

Question 7

Common Conditions

Answer 7

jaw/tooth root abscesses
C3 ulceration
diarrhoea
parasites
neonatal developmental abnormalities
Vit D deficiencies

Question 8

Nutrition of Camelids

Answer 8

Very efficient feed converters, often over-conditioned. Forages should form main part of diet
BCS has target of 2-3, should be performed 2-4 times a year, mainly monitor lumbar region

feed breakdown :
protein -> 8-10% for maintenance, 10-12% for growth/late pregnancy/lactation, 16% for cria
fibre -> minimum of 25% crude fibre
water -> 5-8% BW daily

total DMI should be 1-2% BW