Research Results - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

flock has been verified. Although the disease
was not completely eradicated, its prevalence
was markedly reduced. This, then, is a means
by which the producer can reduce OPC-associated
losses,
Changes in Workplans
Because of the security problems in the
Central Sierra, it was not possible to collect the
desired number of samples for OvLV testing.
Seroprevalence studies of OvLV infection in
flocks of large enterprises, communities, and
individual families are still incomplete.
Subproject 3B. Conclusion of field
studies on epidemiology of bacterial
and parasitic causes of newborn
mortality of alpaca.
Objectives
1. Correlate the death in newborn alpaca with
nursing.
2. Determine the causes of death in newborn
alpacas.
3. Characterize the bacterial agents associated
with pulmonary diseases.
Problem Statement and Approach
Mortality of alpaca crias constitutes one
of the major problems in alpaca herds. This
year, to complete former observations on alpaca
newborn mortality, our study was carried out in
Quinsachata (INIA Research Farm) located at
the district of Lampa of Puno department. One
herd was monitored. Initially all animals were
checked for pregnancy by ballottement two
months before calving. Two groups of dams
and crias were formed according to nursing
management- Group A, supervised for suckling
colostrum within first two hours of life (79 crias)
and Group B, not supervised (81 crias). All
animals were identified. The relative low
number of observations in both groups was
because only one or two newborn were exam-
78
ined daily (Table 1). For neonates the following
parameters and characteristics were considered:
breed, age, sex, color, birth weight, time to rise,
and suckling time for taking colostrum. In the
case of ill crias which subsequently died, the
following information was registered: history of
the case, duration of clinical disease, and diagnosis.
In case of the dam, parameters were:
breed, age, color, maternal chararacteristics,
physical condition, udder condition, etc.
Samples for bacteriological, parasitological,
immunological, and histopathological studies
were obtained.
Table 1. Dead alpaca crias in both groups.
Group
Animals A B
Supervised Non supervised
Supervised Nonsupervised
Total dams 160 170 330
Crias born '60 170 330
Crias observed 79 81 160
Dead crias 4 7 11*
* Besides these dead crias, 7 were killed by
foxes.
Justification
Taking advantage of the infrastructure of
the INIAA farm (Quinsachata) and its camelid
facilities, we wanted to complete our observations
on alpaca newborn mortality related to the
relationship between causes of death and levels
of immunoglobulins in the cria and other correlated
studies as mentioned. More field information
is needed relating to alpaca newborn
mortality and serum immunoglobulin levels.
Project Progress
Huacaya was the predominant breed in
both groups. The average birth weight was 6.30
± 0.997 kg. At 30 days the mean body weight
was 10.79 ± 1.696 kg. The mean time to standing
up after birth was 62 min. The time to first
suckling of colostrum was 94 ± 25 min. Bacteriological
isolations from dead crias (11) were