Selection program in South American domestic camelids

Abstract

The document presents the genetic selection experience that is being conducted in the alpaca population of the province of Caylloma in Peru (PROMEGE, genetic improvement program) through a cooperative effort between the Center for Development Studies and Promotion (DESCO ) - Peru, the department of environmental science of the University of Camerino - Italy, the Center for new technology, energy and the environment ENEA - Italy and the SUPPRAD program of the Catholic University of Córdoba - Argentina. The program uses an open nucleus selection scheme, characterized by a nucleus managed by DESCO - CEDAT, 20 seedlings (approximately 850 animals) and more than 200 breeders (peasant families) (approximately 15,000 animals). The total population of the Caylloma province is estimated at approximately 200,000 animals, 90% Huacaya and 10% Suri, with 60% white animals and 40% colored animals. At this time the program is fully operational. PROMEGE is the first genetic selection program so far made to operate in the populations of alpacas and llamas raised in the Andean highlands. The only other example in this regard is indeed the AGE program, which operates in Australia and New Zealand, and ITALPACA, which has been operating since 2004 in Italy. The existing breeds in the alpaca are essential of the primary type, as a result of the first distribution of the genetic pool subsequent to domestication and in the domestic camelids some effects of genetic drift caused by the shock of the conquest, the primary breeds are classically characterized by a high Phenotypic variability is both of the qualitative characters (color, type of fleece) and of the quantitative characters (biometric parameters, production). For this reason, the selection approach requires particularly impressive options in the same population.