IN
ASPECTS OF REPRODUCTION THE ALPACA
M. R.
M.
SAN-MARTIN, COPAIRA, ZUNIGA, RODREGUEZ,
J.
BUSTINZA L. ACOSTA
G. and
San Marco Peru
Medicine, Lima,
Faculty of Veterinary University,
14-th
(Received August 1967)
not
The Lama does have oestrous
alpaca, pacos, regular cycles,
Summary.
Ovula-
but oestrus lasts for 21 36 the season.
to
days during
breeding
tion is induced coitus. Follicular ovulation
occurs
by rupture spon-
can
26 hr after coital stimulation and be induced a
taneously
by single
of The low observed in this is considered
hcg.
injection fertility species
be due low in the males incidence of
to to and a
sperm production high
in the females. The has been deter-
pseudopregnancy gestation period
mined be about 342 345
to to
days.
INTRODUCTION
The Lama is to the Camelidae.
an
pacos,
alpaca, ungulate belonging family
and ovulation
are occurs
Ungulates, generally, polyoestrous spontaneously.
follow the usual
The related the to
a to
camel, closely appears
species alpaca,
observations
Asdell, Nevertheless,
ungulate pattern (cf. 1964). preliminary
but is induced coital
showed that ovulation in the is not
by
spontaneous
alpaca
stimulation. The recorded here undertaken in order to
were
investigations
extend these observations.
The is a that lives altitudes. The studies
at
alpaca species normally high
m
made an altitude of 4300 above level the Modelo de
were at sea at
'Granja
de La in the of which is
Raya' Cuzco,
Auquenidos agricultural department
the of of Peru. work
This was
operated by Ministry Agriculture begun during
the season of 1957-58 and in the 2
was continued
breeding following years.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Animals
The animals used the semi-domesticated herds of the
to
belonged experiŹ
mental farm. A total of adult female in from 4
ninety-eight alpacas, ranging age
to 10 was used for determination of ovulation or
years by mating by injection.
Most of the animals had been at once.
least Of the
pregnant ninety-eight
killed in the of the
were course
animals,
eighty study.
For the determination of the duration of 306 females used
were
pregnancy,
and the times of and recorded. In this
were
mating parturition accurately
both varieties of suri and used and the data
were
study huacaya,
alpaca,
from each treated All male animals used in the
were
separately. study belonged
stock for the
to a on farm.
kept breeding purposes
c* 395
et
396 M. San-Martin al.
Methods
The of was determined observation of the characteristic
occurrence oestrus
by
of the female. When a the female takes a
male, prone
posture approached by
take The
her and to occurŹ
position elevating pelvis permits copulation place.
of ovulation determined of the ovaries
rence was at direct
autopsy
by inspection
and of from the tubes. At various times after
ova
recovery
by Fallopian mating
of chorionic the were
or human
injection gonadotrophin (hcg), genital organs
removed. The tubes flushed with saline means
were
Fallopian physiological by
to a was
of a connected blunt needle which inserted the in-
syringe through
a
fundibulum. The were collected in watch and examined under
washings glass
a For the artificial induction of a
dissecting microscope. ovulation,
single
B. various dose levels
intravenous of hcg at was
injection (Prolan Bayer) given.
of inside the of
Semen collected means a an
was
vagina
by sponge placed
recovered and its
the was
oestrous female.
sponge
Following copulation
a
into tube. Animals killed the
contents were test were
squeezed by cutting
veins and carotid arteries.
jugular
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
and oestrus
season
Breeding
of found the end ofNovember and
The season was to at
breeding
alpacas begin
lasted until the end of the of The females into
or came
April beginning May.
hr
heat 24 48 after In the absence of the the females
to reŹ
male,
parturition.
both and females
mained in heat for a At oestrus
long virgin parous
period.
characteristic with elevation of Their behaviour
a
adopted prone position pelvis.
followed for a and it found that remained in heat
was was
40-day period they
for 36 with occasional of than 48
to no
longer
non-acceptance
up days, periods
a
hr. This indicate of of oestrus
some
may lowering intensity during long
period.
defined. the in beŹ
was not
changes
Oestrus, however, sharply (Perhaps
are other
haviour not related the
to
closely physiological changes.) Frequently
females in heat the animals and assumed the same
approached copulating
see
them. It unusual females in heat male
near to was not to
posture showing
behaviour. females males the
never
Pregnant approached by adopted copulatory
Females were observed the male least 10 after
to at
posture. accept days copulaŹ
after ovulation. The duration
tion in these animals oestrus
;
presumably persisted
of lasted for 25 35 but it lasted for
to
min,
copulation frequently occasionally
1 hr.
ovaries in unmated animals
Appearance of
Twelve and four all isolated from males
animals,
parous virgin
alpacas
the of the were killed different times in oestrus.
season at
study,
during breeding
Their lasted for 3 8 before The ovaries of these
oestrus to
days alpacas
slaughter.
showed albicantia from the last and to or more
corpora pregnancy up thirty
a of
follicles of them with diameter 2 3
most to mm.
per ovary, Occasionally
None of the follicles
or follicles reached a diameter of 10 or more.
one two mm
close to
appeared rupture.
in the
397
Reproduction alpaca
Ovulation induced
by mating
The ovaries were examined for evidence of ovulation in nineteen
alpacas
which allowed and killed different times after coitus.
were to were at
copulate
The summarized in Table 2 which shows that ovulation had
are occurŹ
findings
red about hr after 1
26
copulation (Table ).
In the animals killed from 20 26 hr after coitus the follicular walls showed
to
increase in vascularization and about 26 hr after
an at minute haemor-
coitus,
were in the surface of the follicular wall. At 22 hr after
present
rhagic points
coitus in a 'macula surrounded a crown
one was
ovary pellucida' by capillary
observed. After follicles in various of and
states
ovulation,
collapse containing
different of blood noticed.
amounts were
Table 1
time of ovulation after
mating
Table 2
time of ovulation after intraŹ
venous of hcg
injection
(200 i.U.)
Induction ovulation HCG
of by
Different amounts hcg were to needed induce
of used determine the to
dosage
ovulation. Intravenous of 10 i.u. sufficient induce ovulation in
was to
injection
of animals. Ovulation had taken in each of animals
one two seven
place given
from 25 1600 i.u. of when killed 40 hr after
to hcg
injection.
Table 2 shows that ovulation induced of occurred from 24
hcg
by
injection
26 hr after which is about 2 hr earlier than
to
injection, following mating.
was
of it observed that the left
or
hcg,
Following mating following injection
ovulated more than the in
one
ovary frequently (thirty-two) right (twenty)
but the difference is not
animals,
fifty-two significant.
et
398 M. San-Martin al.
an
follicle but both ovaries had ovulation
one
Usually point
only ruptured,
in mated animals and in three animals with In of these
two hcg.
injected spite
the of twins is low in
observations, obtaining extremely
probability apparently
never
this Twins have been recorded in over births
species. 12,000
extending
at the de de La
over 12 Modelo
years Granja Auquenidos Raya.
Low
fertility of alpaca
in varies. Males and females remain
Mating practice alpaca breeding may
be
the or at the time
only
year
together throughout they may brought together
of six to ten are to
males allocated 100 females. Under
parturition. Usually
these conditions it has been observed that females be
some
may
frequently
for several consecutive while others
mated several times in one
day days, may
occasion. For the ofthe low and of
be mated on one rate
only fertility
study high
found in these we simulated field
have
animals,
pseudopregnancy mating
3
Table
alpaca recovered following various
findings on ova procedures of mating
:
Interval No. with
offemales
Total
Matings/ Mating from first Stage of
the
day days matings copulation Unsegmented Segmented eggs
to
killing eggs eggs
(hr)
48 1 cell
48 2 cells
48 2 cells
4 cells
72
4 to 8 cells
72
8 cells
72
96 8 to 16 cells
96 Morula
Morula
96
4
Table
gestation period in two varieties of alpaca
Gestation
period (days)
No.
Variety of
Mean
S.E.
females Range Ä…
169 to +
325 358 341-6 0-105
Huacaya
Suri to 361 345-3 + 0-401
137 326
conditions in order determine Thus one of normal
to
fertility. group eighteen
all of which had had least were mated
at one at
females, pregnancy,
previously
random with of males selected from the stock of the farm.
one
eight breeding
The of and the number of on which
day
frequency per days copulaŹ
copulation
tion the results in Table 3.
was were are
controlled;
permitted rigidly presented
All females were killed 2 after the last in order examine their
to
days mating
No was recovered from one female. A total of
ova. ovum seventeen was
eggs
recovered from nine animals six of these and
were to
;
unsegmented presumed
in the 399
Reproduction alpaca
be whereas eleven fertilized The low is
were
unfertilized,
(Table 3). fertility
due low but
to
probably sperm production presumably pseudopregnancy
occurs unsuccessful
commonly following mating.
These results indicate two unfertilized can be
First,
important points. eggs
recovered from females which have been mated several times or on
some
per day
different Failure of fertilization be due the with
to
days. may early
mating
sterile which could have induced fertilization
males, Second,
pseudopregnancy.
with the first of the
occurs this is evident from a
;
commonly mating comparison
of of and the interval between first coitus and their
stage
development eggs
recovery.
Pseudopregnancy
It estimated that about third of the females become
was one
may pseudo-
a
The duration of
season. has not
pregnant
during breeding pseudopregnancy
been but observations in the field that it lasts
determined,
accurately suggest
for a time because females do exhibit another oestrus after the
not
long many
first the whole
one season.
during breeding
Examination
ofsemen
In order ascertain the of collected
to semen was
sperm production alpaca,
the method and examined for the of
was
by
intravaginal sponge
presence
from 190 males examined and those which had
were
spermatozoa. Specimens
in the first collection examined on
no were 3 different
spermatozoa again
days.
males thus no were found in
examined,
Among thirty-nine spermatozoa eight
males This of sterile males well account for
percentage
(20%). apparently might
of
the rate seen.
high
pseudopregnancy
Gestation
In the of the dates of and of in the
season
breeding 1958-59,
mating lambing
of suri and recorded
two were
varieties,
following year ;
huacaya, accurately
Table 4 the of these &
Cabrera
presents
gestation period alpacas. Yepes (1940)
11 months for the duration of in Cardoso
suggested
gestation alpacas; (1954)
the
310 as most observed duration of Our
gave days frequently results,
gestation.
show in lasts an of than 11 months.
that more
however,
gestation alpacas average
The modal values 343 suri 346
were,
huacaya days; days.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The assistance of Drs M. C. and L. Fernandez-Cano in the
Chang preparation
of this is
paper acknowledged.
REFERENCES
A. Patterns 2nd 556.
S. mammalian Cornell Press,
Asdell, (1964) of reproduction, edn, p. University
New
York.
Ithaca,
A. & Historia natural ediar. Mamíferos Buenos Aires.
Yepes,
Cabrera, J. (1940) Sud-Americanos,
A. La Bolivia.
135. Editorial
Cardoso, (1954) Auquenidos, p. Centenario, Paz,