Reproductive flexibility in South American camelids: first records of alternative mating tactics in wild guanacos (Lama guanicoe)

Endocrine changes during pregnancy, parturition and post-partum in guanacos (Lama guanicoe).

Plasma concentrations of progesterone (P4), estradiol-17beta (E2), estrone (E1) and estrone sulfate (E1S) were measured during gestation in eight guanacos kept in captivity. Gestational length was 346.1+/-9.8 days. P4 plasma concentrations increased after ovulation and remained elevated until parturition. However, during the last 4 weeks of gestation, a gradual decrease from 4.17x1.17(+/-1)nmol...

Artificial insemination in South American camelids and wild equids.

An overview of the present status of the use of artificial insemination (AI) in South American camelids and wild equids is offered. Technical aspects of semen collection, dilution and cryopreservation have limited the development and use of AI in camelid and equid species. To-date, efficiency is low but progress has been made and viable offspring have been produced through the use of AI in dome...

Density but not climate affects the population growth rate of guanacos ( Lama guanicoe) (Artiodactyla, Camelidae)

We analyzed the effects of population density and climatic variables on the rate of population growth in the guanaco ( Lama guanicoe), a wild camelid species in South America. We used a time series of 36 years (1977-2012) of population sampling in Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Individuals were grouped in three age-classes: newborns, juveniles, and adults; for each year a female population transition...

Reproduction in South American Camelids

Reproduction in South American Camelids

All camelids (including the Bactrian [2 humps] and Dromedary [1 hump] old world camels) have a diploid number of 74 chromosomes. Interbreeding can occur between any of these species, producing fertile offspring. In llama and alpaca are occasionally interbred, producing an animal with longer but coarser fibre length than Alpaca. These are known as Huarizo. Using artificial insemination between o...