CARACTERIZACIÓN ESTRUCTURAL, ZOOMÉTRICA, PRODUCTIVA Y GENÉTICA DE LA POBLACIÓN DE LLAMAS DE LA REGIÓN DE HUANCAVELICA DEL PERÚ

Abstract

The structure of the llama farms located in 7 provinces of the Huancavelica region has been characterized by a survey of 145 owners. A questionnaire was used that covered aspects such as economic characteristics, herd characteristics, labor, feeding management, reproductive management, sanitary management, genetic management and commercialization. The production system is extensive, the farms are family type, the herds are small, about 27 llamas on average, and the presence of other livestock species is frequent. Three groups of farms have been identified with different degrees of access to resources: land, labor and capital, which conditions the strategies followed by the farms in relation to diversification, predominant species and livestock management. In order to establish the quantitative morphological standard of the llama, 20 biometric measurements were taken (cephalic, trunk and limb measurements) of 442 llamas (314 females and 128 males) of different ages, which were randomly selected from seven provinces of the Huancavelica region. Also in order to elucidate more precisely the body proportions that in turn indicate their abilities, 13 zoometric indexes (ethnological and functional) were calculated from the 20 biometric measurements mentioned. Zoometric measurements tend to increase with age, estimated through the dentition. Sex influences only some zoometric measurements, apparently showing that there is sexual dimorphism to a lesser degree in llamas. The llamas of the Huancavelica region, according to the zoometric indices are mesolinoid animals, with elliptical thorax, dolichocephalous and convex group. According to the functional zoometric indexes, they tend to have a meat orientation. In order to know the textile characteristics of the fibers (after de-bristle) of the llamas of the Huancavelica region, fiber samples were obtained from 437 llamas (310 females and 127 males) of different ages, which were randomly selected from 7 provinces of the Huancavelica region. The de-bristling process allowed obtaining finer and more homogeneous fibers, with a higher comfort factor (less itching factor) and a higher curvature index. On the other hand, in order to obtain some meat production characteristics of the llamas, production records from the South American Camelid Research and Development Center - Lachocc (CIDCS - Lachocc) of the National University of Huancavelica (UNH) were used. We also obtained carcass measurements of 45 adult llamas in the slaughterhouse of Huancavelica province. It was observed that the llamas have good meat aptitudes according to the functional zoometric indexes and the main meat production characteristics. Genetic diversity was evaluated by analyzing 22 microsatellite markers in 109 llamas from 5 provinces in the Huancavelica region. The genetic variability found was high with an expected heterozygosity of 0.68 ± 0.014 across all loci and an average number of alleles per locus of 6. In the whole population, the expected and observed heterozygosity had the same numerical value and it can be considered that the llamas of the Huancavelica region are in HW equilibrium. The proportion of genetic variability explained by the differences between the subpopulations of llamas in the Huancavelica region is moderate (FST = 0.1). According to this parameter, 90% of the variance in allele frequencies is expressed within each province and only 10% of the variance is attributed to differences between subpopulations.

Date of Award	22 Dec 2020
Original language	Spanish
Supervisor	Jesus Piedrafita Arilla (Director), Francesc Xavier Such Marti (Director) & Maria Jose Milan Sendra (Director)