Following on from our aims and our targets, alpacas to date have been a journey. When we first started the thought of having access to Peruvian stock was not a realistic expectation. We started with no knowledge of fibre but many years of experience in livestock management, breeding and selection systems, and conformation points essential in livestock for healthy, long, productive lives. So much has changed in such a short time and will continue with embryo transfers and identification of traits through DNA markers.
We believe we have now assembled stock that will see us build a base for achieving our target. With such huacaya bloodlines as ILR PPPeruvian Auzengate, Purrumbete Inti, Purrumbete Highlander, Purrumbete Brigantine, Benleigh Bellismo, Adelyn Highland Mist, Cedar House Ayaviri, Purrumbete Sweet Freedom and Suri bloodlines that include Peruvian Senator, ILR PPeruvian Amador, and Cedar House Silken Queen.
Genetic improvement does not come just from the sire. It is very important that the dam possesses the desirable genes for fast progress to be made. Through Allan and Carolyn Jinks at Benleigh Alpaca Stud we have been able to access some superb females mated to their new herd sire Benleigh Bellismo who ties up both Purrumbete Highlander's and Purrumbete Inti's genes of density, handle and fineness. Three of these females first fleeces were under 20 micron and a fourth 20.26 micron.
With the suris our approach has been a little different. We have mated very dense, fine huacaya females to homozygous suri males. The gene that changes the fleece type (suri/huacaya) from a staple to a lock is but a single gene.
Fleece characteristics such as high fleece weights and low micron are controlled independently by a number of genes and is therefore fruitless to expect that top suris will be produced by mating inferior huacayas to a suri. It is acknowledged that there are other genes associated with the suri, some obvious examples being the different ear shape and length or the 'beard' but these do not influence what we breed suris for. Our target for suris is still that exquisite luxurious fibre with sheen and handle like silk and we will achieve this through a backcross programme using superior males. After four generations we will have stock that the majority of breed societies acknowledge as being purebred ie 15/16 suri which is probably truer suri than most stock on registers today. |
