Effects of GnRH and of single versus multiple mating on the
conception rate in alpacas
T.W. Knight, A. Death, T. Wyeth, F. Hill
AgResearch, Flock House Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 1900,
Bulls, New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1992, 52: 311-312
The effects of injecting GnRH at mating and of single vs
multiple matings on the conception rate in alpacas were investigated in
two experiments. In Experiment 1, 33 low liveweight (48.4 ± 1.3kg)
female alpacas were mated in autumn 1990 and 14 of them received an
injection (im) of 1ml GnRH immediately after mating. There were no
effects of the GnRH on conception rate but females which conceived were
heavier than those that did not conceive (50.6 ± 1.6kg vs 46.1 ±
1.8kg). Most female alpaca remained receptive to the male for at least
3 days in one oestrus period.
In Experiment 2, female alpacas were mated in autumn and spring 1991
with one group being mated once while the other group was exposed to
males once or twice a day for 3 days. Conception rates were similar in
the single (80% and 54% in autumn and spring) and multiple (73% and 43%
autumn and spring) mated alpacas. There was no difference in duration
of copulation between alpacas conceiving and not conceiving.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Alpaca; mating; GnRH; oestrus.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
