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So You Think She's Pregnant

by Dean P. Neely, VMD, PhD, WoodsEdge Wools Veterinarian

Reproduction potential remains one of the main concerns in the alpaca community. Of prime importance to breeders is an efficient and economical method of monitoring pregnancy. Indeed, a well-managed breeding program rather than a wait-and-wish approach will increase your peace of mind. To diagnose and monitor pregnancies, veterinarians have utilized numerous techniques derived from other species and applied them to alpacas. On the forefront is the use of ultrasonic imaging which provides us a visual picture of internal organs previously only able to be described based on veterinary palpation or abstraction from hormone data.

Breeders and their veterinarians have several options to diagnose and monitor pregnancy: behavior, palpation, hormone assay and ultrasonic imaging. The female's receptive or non-receptive behavior to the male's presence remains the primary management tool. Veterinarians are able to provide rectal palpation of the uterus to detect pregnancy at 30 to 45 days post breeding. Smaller female alpacas may be problematic to palpate, particularly on a routine basis. Also, palpation often does not permit accurate detection of ovarian structures due to the small size of lama ovaries (1.0 to 1.5 cm. in diameter, approximately the size of a green pea). To determine ovarian activity and statue, hormone assessment is done by measuring blood plasma or serum levels. The primary hormone assessed to determine ovulation is progesterone. The presence of progesterone in the blood does indicate that a CL (corpus luteum) is present on the ovary, but does not guarantee your female is pregnant.

Ultrasound is presently the most advanced technology for determining and monitoring pregnancy. It is worth considering as a component part of your breeding management program, since non-pregnant females are costly to the breeder.

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