- The Alpaca Across-herd Genetic Evaluation (AGE) project has successfully established a most important genetic improvement tool for a commercial livestock industry. This report describes this achievement and its importance to rapid genetic improvement in the alpaca industry. This research is of benefit primarily to Australian and New Zealand alpaca breeders to show them the progress achieved with the establishment of an Alpaca Across-herd Genetic Evaluation system and to encourage them to enter their alpacas into the AGE system. An AGE commercial service has been established for the Australian alpaca industry. This service is a world first for the alpaca industry. In the analysis of March 2008 there were 100 herds, 1879 progeny and 3872 alpacas. more »
- The quality and quantity of alpaca fibre is affected by not only the body condition and nutrition of the animal but also by season and sex hormones. These factors can interact with the genetic potential of each animal to such an extent that they can mask the true genetic value of an animal. This RIRDC report provides scientific data that can be used by producers, consultants to the industry, and feed manufacturers to design more appropriate diets and feeding strategies that will allow the industry to make genetic progress because these management procedures will decrease the impact of nutritional and environmental factors on the expression of the animal’s genetic potential for fibre production. more »
- One of the benefits of objective measurement of phenotypic alpaca traits is that the resulting measurements can be collected and analyzed for additional insights that can benefit the industry as a whole. Breeders who commission these analyses of their animals, as well as the organizations that provide them, play an important role in advancing the understanding of alpaca trait relationships and their possible underlying genetic links. more »
- An example from two alpaca breeders looking for generational fleece trait improvements using skin biopsy data as an aid to making better breeding choices. more »