Understanding the reproductive anatomy and physiology of your alpacas or llamas will enable you to take control of reproduction in your herd. Whether you are performing supervised yard-matings of only a few camelids, or paddock mating hundreds, it is essential to maximise conception rates so that females conceive quickly and efficiently, subfertile/infertile females are identified and treated/culled early, and unpacking (birthing) the following year is condensed and not stretched out over months.
Embryo transfer (ET) has been commercialised in alpacas and llamas and allows farmers to increase the number of crias per year from their most valuable females and males. Artificial insemination (AI) is still in the research phase as alpaca and llama semen is low in volume and sperm concentration, and very viscous.
The following PDF articles are aimed at assisting alpaca and llama farmers with improving reproductive efficiency in their herd, leaving more time to enjoy the animals watching them from the verandah, rather than chasing them around a dusty or muddy yard!
Cria Genesis PDF notes
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The ins-and-outs of reproduction
A simple guide to reproductive function in alpacas.
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A practical protocol to implement in your alpaca herd.
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Simplify the mating strategy in your alpaca herd.
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Cria Genesis male infertility form v1
This form outlines a systematic method of investigation of an infertile male alpaca (macho).
