Alpacas: Do not be afraid!

Miranda JosephsonCalweton Veterinary

Group

Tonight Ladies & Gents…

• Brief overview

• Reproduction

• Parasites

• Therapeutics

OverviewSouth American Camelids

- Suri (10%) & Huacaya (‘Wacaya’)

- Pseudoruminants: C1 ~ rumen

- Hembra, Macho, Cria

- Cushing (sitting)

- Induced ovulators

- 11 month gestation (v variable)

- Pets, Showing, Breeding, Fibre

- T 38-38.9; P 40-60 / 80-100; R 20-30

Dentition

Eruption TimesIncisor 1: 2-2.5y Canines 2-7y av male: 2.5yIncisor 2: 3-3.5y av female 3.5yIncisor 3: 3-6y PM+Molars by 5y

Reproduction: FemalePuberty ~12mo or 65% mature weight;

re-mate 15d after unpacking (if all well)Induced ovulators – in 1 of 3 states: 1. Unmated, non-preg (non ov, non stim)

- Follicular waves – several follicles emerge (3-6d)- One becomes dominant; mature size (7-12mm) after 3-6d- Remains dominant 2-8d- No mating -> spontaneous regression over 3-6d

2. Ovulatory, non pregnant- e.g. mating in absence of dominant pre-ovulatory follicle; female witnessing mating or hearing orgling etc but not being mated- LH surge 2-6h later, ovulation ~24h later, CL 2-3d after ovulation- no pregnancy: PG from uterus -> luteolysis

3. Pregnant – as above but:- Progesterone persists and female will ‘spit off’ if mating attempted

• 1st breeding 12mo / 65% mature weight

or 15-20d after unpacking (60% conception rate)

• Breed ONCE when receptive

• Spit-off @ 7d to check for ovulation. If receptive, mate again TODAY

• Spit-off @ 14d to check for pregnancy. If receptive, mate again TODAY; if not, prob pregnant

• Spit-off q 2-4wks until ultrasound preg scan at 60d (10-20% embryonic loss in 1st 60d of normal pregs)

• Spit-off intermittently through gestation – 5 % chance of foetal loss >60d

After 3 matings as above, 87.5% shld be pregnant

Simple Mating Protocol

Reproduction: Male

Alpaca breeding has focussed on fleece & conformation, and not how these characteristics can be passed on!

Fertility has therefore suffered, males having both small sperm factories (testes) and small storage warehouses (epididymis).

Male Facts & Figures

• Born with descended testes and adhesions between penis and prepuce

• Preferably sexual maturity should be reached by 1½ - 2 years

• >4cm testicular diameter required

• Testes non-pendulous; fleece heavy – beware heat damage to sperm.

Balls too hot = no sperm for 60 days!

Parasites

Gut roundworms

Coccidiosis

Mange

Worms: Gut Parasites

• Little immunity thought to develop

• UK alpacas very tightly stocked compared to their native environment; little pasture rotation

• ‘Poovers’ to reduce pasture load

• FEC – cut-off point – controversial!

• Efficacy of products – dose rate?

• Anthelmintic resistance

Haemonchus

A (the?) major health problem in one of our herds: several clinical cases (one terminal), sub-clinical losses?

- Adult lactating females affected

- Narrow-spectrum (Flukiver, Trodax) preventative treatment at high-risk periods

Wormers• Panacur 10% – 4 x sheep label dose

• Ivermectin inj – double cattle dose

• Flukiver – 1.5 x label dose

• Trodax – label dose?

• Levamisoles – 6mg/kg s/c, beware neuro toxicity with overdose

NOT pour-ons – poor absorption

Efficacy checks important - FECR

Coccidiosis

• E mac – other coccidians less important

• Tends to affect youngstock

• More common in larger herds

• Diarrhoea NOT always a feature – consider with ill thrift

• Beware neg counts in early disease

• Veccoxan at label dose effective for treatment and control

Mange

Sarcoptes, Psoroptes and Chorioptes can all cause mange, causing varying degrees of itchiness.

Infestations can be mixed and skin scrapes are not always definitive.

Severe cases require combination treatment, with topical & systemic acaricidal dosing of in-contacts as these may be asymptomatic carriers

Suggested Mange ProtocolAll animals:

• Ivomec Classic injection at double cattle dose; twice, a week apart

• Frontline spray lower legs especially between toes

Badly affected animals: as above plus

• Keratolytic shampoo affected areas e.g. Paxcutol (Virbac) to loosen crusts

• Frontline spray affected areas after shampooing

… weekly for 3 weeks

• Excenel at 2.2mg/kg

• Steroid if v badly affected and not pregnant

…. more mange….

Aludex washes can be used instead of Frontline for topical treatment of affected animals – dilute as per label and use as topical spray. Care with pregnant females though Bristol Uni had no problems…

Mange can probably come in on shearing ropes!

TherapeuticsNOTHING is licensed!

• Vaccinations

• Antibiotics

• Sedatives

• Anti-inflammatories, hormones• Sick alpacas – supportive treatment• Vitamin D

• Anthelmintics – as previously

Vaccinations

Bluetongue - Primary course 2 doses a few weeks apart, as per data sheet

- Annual booster – or every 6 months?

Clostridial DiseaseTwo possible strategies:

Either:

- Lambivac at 48-72h (if healthy); 2nd dose 2-3wks later

- Heptavac/Covexin at 4-6mo (2 doses, 4 weeks apart)

- Heptavac/Covexin booster annually, when open

Or:

- Heptavac/Covexin at 8+12 weeks, with 6-monthly boosters

Antibiotics• Micotil – NEVER!!!

• Nor Metronidazole• Excenel 2.2mg/kg SC q 12h – skin, RFM

• Baytril 5mg/kg SC q 12h• Nuflor 20mg/kg SC q48h – jaw infections

• Oxytet 10mg/kg SC, IV sid for 3-5d

• Pen & Strep – label dose

• Amoxyclav – label dose

• Mamyzin – after uterine prolapse

Sedative Combinations

• Propofol via i/v catheter to effect, to intubate for gaseous anasthesia

• ‘KXB mix’: GA with i/m Ket 5mg/kg, Xylazine 0.5mg/kg, Butorphanol 0.05mg/kg

• Mild sed for rectal exam: 10mg (1ml) torb, a bit (0.5ml) rompun; leave 25 mins

• ‘Stun Sedation’ – low dose KXB. Ket 0.33mg/kg, Xylazine 0.33mg/kg, Butorphanol 0.11mg/kg

Miscellaneous

NSAID• LA metacam at cattle dose

Hormones• Receptal: 1ml i/m to stimulate ovulation• Oxytocin: 1ml i/m for retained placenta; second dose a few hours later• Estrumate: 1ml i/m, 2 doses 24h apart, for luteolysis

Sick AlpacasVitamin B• Vitbee 250: 2-4ml s/c, i/m to keep metabolic processes going; can also give Vit D and Selenium

Torbugesic• 0.03mg/kg s/c q 8h as appetite stimulant

Vetrumex / Pro-Rumen• Orally to aid digestion; also alfalfa

Sucralfate• 1g crias, 2g adults p/o TID - gastric ulcers

Vitamin D

‘Liquid Sunshine’, Duphafral ADE Forte, can be imported from Fort Dodge using a Special Import License.

• 2000 iu Vit D/kg in the muscle

• Animals <2y

• late Autumn & mid Winter – and during summer if like ’07, ’08, …

• Hembras due to unpack in winter, about a month prior to giving birth

Questions,

Comments,

Discussion?