Population structure of South American camelids in Germany

Abstract

As part of the "Model- und Demonstrationsvorhaben Tierschutz (MuD-Tierschutz)-project, supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), an animal owner survey was conducted to collect data on various aspects of keeping South American camelids (NWC). This publication covers the population structure of NWC in Germany. 550 owners participated in the survey, of which 421 (76.5 %) completed the survey in full. The different sets of questions were evaluated using simple descriptive statistics. The participating farms divided up into 365 (66.4 %) alpaca, 89 (16.2 %) llama and 93 (16.9 %) farms which kept both animal species. Three farms failed to provide any information on the animal species. A total of 7739 NWC were recorded, including 6295 alpacas and 1444 llamas. The most popular breeds are the Huacaya alpaca and the Classic llama. Mares represent the greatest part of both the alpaca and the llama population (53.8 % of the alpaca and 45.0 % of the llama population). The herd size amounted to a mean of 14.9 animals of which the majority are kept in a constant group (56.6 %). Most owners stated, that they had acquired their animals within the past decade (84.1 % of alpaca and 62.6 % of llama husbandries). The majority of NWC are found in south-west Germany; in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg. These farms are typically hobby businesses (51.0 %), in most cases, the animals serve as hiking companions or their wool is processed (58.0 % and 52.3 %, respectively). 76.6 % of the animals possess an identification, most often by means of a microchip. 84.2 % of the farms stated, that they were registered at the local veterinary office. Based on the results of the present investigation, a significant increase in NWC husbandries and animal numbers is evident in recent years. The design of husbandry structures was evaluated by the present study, however, despite the existing registration obligation the exact number of the South American camelid population in Germany remains unknown. Systematic central recording under the supervision of an official body is therefore warranted.