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Alpaca breeding presents several interesting avenues for the owner to consider. There are several viewpoints in the industry, complicated by the alpacas history.
Prior to 1984, the only alpacas in the US resided in zoos. Then, a few imports arrived from Chile, and later from Bolivia. In the mid 90's. Peru entered the picture by allowing imports. A handful of Americans traveled to South America, visited alpaca farms, or were brought animals by the owners. The general region of origin (or just the country of origin) was noted, but often not the individual farm where the alpaca was born. So, imported alpacas have little to no historical information. To anyone who has bred animals in the past, that is a very odd situation. Even back in the days prior to the Internet, a dog or horse breeder was able to trace their animal's heritage back 5, 10 or even more generations. Now, all that information is available with a click of a mouse.
Also, there is much debate over what kind of breeding scheme one should use with alpacas. Inbreeding, linebreeding, outcrossing are all used to one extent or another in animal breeding, especially when attemping to create or maintain pure breeds. Linebreeding can cause genetic faults present in the parents to be expressed in the offspring. Outcrossing can lead to inconsitency in the offspring, but allows for "hybrid vigor".
So, breeding decisions with alpacas can be daunting. Here are some articles that I have found to be helpful. I believe people should do as much research as possible, and then make up their mind. I wouldn't fault anyone for making whatever breeding decisions they make - but as a small breeder, the risks of linebreeding are not something I am willing to take at this time. I do believe breeding to a linebred male is an effective way to take advantage of the strengths of linebreeding without having to take the risks.
1. Jiggling Genes - an article by Dr Philip Sponenberg. This article is very detailed - it includes all the various breeding strategies, discusses color inheritance, and defects.
2. Breeding Srategies: Which is which, and which is best for your alpaca - also by Dr Sponenberg. This article is long, but an understanding of breeding strategies is essential for animal breeders. It also discusses genetics, and brings the whole subject together by stressing that "selection is key".
I am a big Mike Safley fan. Obviously - I bought my first animals from him. He has also written some articles on this issue that are informative.
This article is a perfect place to start - Practical Alpaca Breeding It describes the building blocks of any successful breeding program. In order to breed superior animals, you need to have a goal, The concept Mike talks about - education and knowledge, being consistant and deliberate, and keeping it simple, are the back bone of a great breeding program.
When you decide to purchase alpacas and become an alpaca breeder, you need to choose your foundation stock and develop a breeding program. This article talks specifically about "Developing A Breeding Program"
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