Herbivores face the dilemma that the level of feed intake is negatively related to factors that determine digestive efficiency, such as thoroughness of ingesta comminution by chewing, and retention of digesta in the digestive tract. Ruminants have evolved particular adaptations to solve this dilemma. Most ruminants share the characteristic of “digesta washing”: fluid moves through their digesti...

This paper provides a review of South American camelid origins, evolution, classification, present status and future trends.

BACKGROUND In the context of the ongoing eradication campaign for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in cattle in Switzerland, the role of South American camelids (SAC) as a possible virus reservoir needed to be evaluated. OBJECTIVE To assess and characterize the prevalence of pestivirus infections in SAC in Switzerland. ANIMALS Serum samples collected from 348 animals (40 herds) in 2008 an...

Llamas, South American Camelids are increasingly popular in the United States, as a source of fiber, livestock guard, and pack animals. Gastrointestinal parasites have been identified as a major health problem in all classes of livestock including llamas. Currently, there are no approved anthelmintics available for use in llamas. In this study, the pharmacokinetics of a single, oral administrat...

BACKGROUND Information pertaining to clinical presentation and outcome of neonatal New World camelids (NWC) is limited when compared to calves and foals. HYPOTHESIS Values of variables at admission and subsequent treatment would predict survival in sick neonatal NWC. ANIMALS Fifty-six client-owned sick neonatal NWC presented over a 10-year period to the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching...

An 8-year-old, male huacaya alpaca presented for a left mandibular swelling that was not responsive to antimicrobial treatment. A computed tomography scan obtained, confirming the presence of lytic bone destruction and primary osteomyelitis. Surgical debridement area performed surgical site packed with antibiotic-loaded calcium sulphate beads provide local antibiotic delivery support new format...

Tremendous effort has been expended over the past two and a half decades to understand many aspects of camelid heavy chain antibodies, from their biology, evolution, and immunogenetics to their potential applications in various fields of research and medicine. In this article, I present a historical perspective on the development of camelid single-domain antibodies (sdAbs or VHHs, also widely k...

BACKGROUND Enterococcus is one of the major human pathogens able to acquire multiple antibiotic-resistant markers as well as virulence factors which also colonize remote ecosystems, including wild animals. In this work, we characterized the Enterococcus population colonizing the gut of Chilean Altiplano camelids without foreign human contact. MATERIAL AND METHODS Rectal swabs from 40 llamas a...