National Livestock Identification System Alpaca and Llama ...

NLIS ALPACA AND LLAMA DATABASE OPTIONS REVIEW
There is no requirement in these Standards for the use of individual electronic
identification or the storage of data in the national database. However, it is difficult to
see how these requirements can be met without using these techniques.
The NLIS Alpacas and Llamas National Consultative Committee made a farsighted
decision in February 2009 to implement a NLIS Alpacas and Llamas using Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) and combining the essentials of individual
identification, movement recording and slaughter or death recording.
THE ALPACA AND LLAMA INDUSTRY ORGANISATION
Information provided on the alpaca and llama industries show that both are relatively
small industries compared to other livestock industries in Australia. However, both
species have viable numbers and overall numbers are increasing since importation
began twenty years ago.
One of the difficulties with both species is that the relevant associations are focused
on pedigree and breeding information and only contain information regarding
registered animals. There is little known regarding the non-registered animals with
regard to numbers or ownership.
For this reason, it is difficult to accurately assess the number of animals in Australia
and the number of properties where they are run. The numbers of registered animals
are known but the numbers of both species which are not registered are estimates.
Alpacas
There are two herd registries in operation in Australia.
International Alpaca Registry (IAR)
This is an database run by the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) on
behalf of the Australian Alpaca Association (AAA). This is a database of animal
pedigree, births and deaths, ownership and changes in ownership. This is the larger
breed registry and runs on the ILR2 software and has the capability to record animal
movements and provide a central registry for both registered and unregistered
alpacas.
Australasian Alpaca Register (AAR)
This is an alternate alpaca register run on the Optimate software. It also has the
potential to record animal movements and provide a central registry.
Information indicates that there are over 80,000 registered alpacas and 1,000
registered llamas in Australia residing on about 5,000 farms. In addition, the estimate
is that there are a further 45,000 unregistered alpacas and 9,000 unregistered llamas
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