Scientists at the National Agrarian University have created the World’s first “test-tube” alpaca embryo in an attempt to protect the South American camelid’s biodiversity and improve its productivity by controlling reproduction. The three-year study was led by the Agrarian University’s Center for Investigation and Education on the Transfer of Embryos, Ciete, with support from Peru’s Agriculture Ministry and six other institutions, including the Canada’s Bioniche Life Sciences, daily El Comercio reported.
According to the daily, alpacas reproductive characteristics have limited other assisted reproductive technology like artificial insemination while in vitro fertilization, IVF, has proved to be an alternative to control reproduction.
IVF is the procedure where eggs from the female are fertilized by sperm from the male outside the female womb. “The next phase is the transfer of the embryos to the female recipient,” said the head of Ciete, Giselle Gamarra. “With that we could have the first breed in vitro.”
The head of Genetic Resources at the National Institute for Agrarian Investigation, INIA, and an advisor to the group, William Vivanco, told El Comercio the assisted reproductive advance is necessary for the alpacas biological security.
“The INIA has an experimental station in Illpa, in Puno Department, with a germ plasm bank of colored alpacas that have been selected over several years. But they are being conserved live. With climate change we could have a freezing and the germ plasm would disappear. That’s why we need a backup bank in order to protect our animals biodiversity.”
The fertility technique, added Vivanco, will allow breeders to select desirable genes and reproduce them in the alpaca population. “We will have the ability to choose the best and reproduce them intensely.”
Alpaca’s are mainly valued for their fiber, which is used to make sweaters, coats, blankets, scarves and hats, among other knitted and woven items. In Peru, their fiber comes in some 52 colors.
Alpaca exports totaled more than $25 million in 2006, a 12 percent increase over 2005. Its main markets were the United States, Germany, Spain and Italy.
