Growth curves and genetic parameters for growth traits in Bolivian llamas
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2004-12-04
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The present study was carried out in the High Andes of the Department Cochabamba, Bolivia. Two types of llamas were found in the study area: Th’ampullis with higher fleece yields and fitting a fibre type; Kh’aras used as pack animals and fitting a meat-type. Growth curves for height at withers (HW), body length (BL), chest circumference (CC), abdomen circumference (AC) and body weight (BW) were described with the non-linear Brody function. The differences between sexes or types, except in the case of BW, were small.
Equations for predicting body weight from different body measurements that could be easily obtained under field conditions were calculated. Reasonable fits were obtained with the inclusion of chest circumference and body length or chest circumference alone.
Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated using animal model procedures based on mother–offspring relationships. Heritabilitiy estimates were 0.36, 0.27, 0.15, 0.09 and 0.11 for BW, HW, CC, BL and AC, genetic correlations ranged from 0.55 to 0.94.