|




O


 
Director of Camelid Studies
University of Massachusetts Amherst
 Most llamas and
alpacas are
excellent mothers.

Crias most often

stay close to their
mothers except
when playing with
other crias.
Alpaca mother
standing over
her sleeping
cria.
à
à
   
Alternate Nursing Position
à
O

   
 Alpaca cria
nursing a
llama when
its mother¶s
milk has
stopped due
to severe
illness.
 Neonatal Examinations

‡ Neonatal exams should performed on the

day of birth or the next day according to
the wishes of the animal owner.
‡ |
 is the common name for the baby
camelid.
‡ A 
   


  


heard on the left side of the thorax is

somewhat common in crias and usually
disappears within 2 to 3 months.
‡ 

 
O
 

 
± relatively common in camelids and may
not be symptomatic
± result in loud heart murmurs on both the
left and right sides of the thorax.
‡ In a healthy cria, you can expect clear
sounds in the lungs and trachea.
‡ The abdomen should have quiet gut
sounds present.
‡ When examining the cria, it is important
to check for enlargement of the ¦  ..
‡ Some deformity or   is normal in
cria limbs.
‡ Dropped pasterns and valgus deviations
of the carpus are common in newborns.
± Most minor defects self correct over
the first one to two weeks of life.
Carpal Laxity
in a Full
Term
Newborn
Alpaca
ëase wide
Stance and
Laxity in
the Hocks
in a Full
Term
Newborn
Carpal Laxity
in a Full Term
Newborn
 O 


 






 


 






 


 
 

Ô


 
  à

|

Premature Normal

Ô

‡ It is important to check for  


  when examining the umbilicus.
± One to two finger defects should close
by four weeks of age or can be 

 u
 
 for two
weeks to correct.
± The umbilicus should be dry and not
edematous.
± It should be dipped with chlorhexidine
at birth and repeated the next day.
‡ Rule out 
 
when performing the
oral exam on a cria.
‡ It is important to check the cria¶s   



..




‡ If the pregnancy was full term, the cria¶s



 should be erupted.
|
 
! "#|


a = opening in palate
$

exposing nasal bones




 


Fowler
‡ Cria
 
 are palpable in the
scrotum at birth.
‡ The cria¶s blood should be checked at
24+ hours of age (maximum colostral
absorption completed) for adequate %&
levels.
‡ The normal camelid cria will have only


 .
.
‡ 1 ml per 40 pounds body weight of
Vitamin E and selenium subq (ë (ë O
)
O
)
and 1 ml per 40 pounds body weight of
  (1000 IU Vitamin D3 per
pound) subq may be given.
‡ %   in crias are relatively
common and may be prevented by
administering an

 in the first 24
hours using 30 ml of warm water and 5
ml of DSS.
½|
'


 Examination of the Dam

‡ The

 should be checked for

significant tears and these should be
corrected as needed.
‡ It is important to clear wax from the

  and express milk from each
gland.
‡ Diet should be adjusted according to
the dam¶s     

.

.
‡ Make sure the 
  has passed intact
± Horns rarely tear off
± Normally passes within two hours of
birth
± Note areas of normal, varying red
appearance depending on placental
separation from uterine lining
 à

 

ë

(




(

 Normal Placenta

ë
#


(

(

Dystocia and Premature Cria
Rubbery Covering on Feet
Central Incisors Not Erupted
Normal Placenta?
Abnormal, Edematous Placenta
‡ Check that the mother shows 




towards the cria.
± ëirthing is a normal herd activity.
± Isolation of the expectant dam or dam
and newborn cria is seldom warranted.
±  

on the part of the owner is
the key to establishment of normal
nursing behavior.
± If it is the mother¶s first birth or if she is
not accepting the cria, sedation or mild
restraint can be safely used.
 Colostral Antibody Transfer
‡ Full absorption by cria over first 24 hours
‡ Absorption rate decreases rapidly with
time over the first 12 hours.
‡ '

 




is due to:
± inadequate consumption - weak or
slow baby or uncooperative mom
± malabsorption - delay in nursing or gut
abnormality
± lack of production - malnutrition and
genetic inferiority
 Congenital Defects

‡ 

 

 

 is relatively
common
± Crias with this defect may die with
acute heart failure or live to an old age
‡ Polydactyly
Polydactyly-- extra digits
digits-- rare
‡ Fused digits
digits-- rare
‡ Tipped over ears
ears-- uncommon
uncommon-- heritable
‡ Gopher ears
ears-- chopped off at top
top-- heritable
‡ 

may also not be able to nurse.
‡ | 

 is usually fatal in the
cria.
± The cria may not be able to stand or
nurse due to the dyspnea involved.
± CA is often accompanied by other
defects such as wry face and
cardiovascular abnormalities.
± The inheritance of the trait is unclear
but it is thought to be polygenetic and
not simple recessive.
± ëest advice at present is to not
repeat the breeding
 | 

! ) 


'

 


#
 


 

Fowler
‡ The etiology of  
 *

 
+in

+in crias is unknown but it is
thought that they are possibly inherited.
± Parents of the cria should also be
checked for cataracts.
‡ O 

 



 ! ! common
common-- is
most often ignored by breeders
‡ |

-

- uncommon

‡