Camelid Mating - Anatomy & Physiology
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BACK TO REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
BACK TO CAMELIDS
In the UK, the aim is to mate females at around 1 year of age. As long as they are fully grown and well-nourished this results in acceptible levels of fertility and health in the mother and cria. Once calved, the female will become receptive to the male again in 2-3 weeks. The female should be able to conceive again if mated at this time.
Paddock Mating
- Male is left to run with the females
- Requires little human intervention
- Precise calving dates will not be known.
Hand or Pen Mating
- Supervised mating where the female is put into a pen with the male while mating takes place and then returned to the paddock without males.
- Timing of mating is known.
- Sire of cria is known.
- Valuable males do not waste energy inseminating the same female repeatedly, thus can be used to impregnate more females.
- Much time can be wasted if receptive but non-fertile females are presented for mating.
- When the male is with a herd of females, he can determine the best time for mating and immediately mate the most receptive females.
Stud Services
- One stud male can serve up to 40-60 females per year.
- Stud farms are common.
- Have stud males as a major source of income, selling services to breeders without a stud male.
- May involve transporting females to the stud farm, or in some cases leasing the male to inseminate many females.