Evaluation of vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) fed with three types of hay in stables in the municipality of Tiahuanaco, department of La Paz

• Main Author: Cartagena Catacora, José
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2007
• Subjects: Llamas; llama farms; Bolivia; Animal Sciences; Life Sciences
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5343; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6342&context=etd

This study was conducted in the Rural Academic Unit of Tiahuanaco, in the Ingavi province, in the department of La Paz. Three juvenile vicunas and three adult vicunas were used. Our objective was to observe the development of vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) fed with three types of hay (Bromus catharicus Phalaris tuberoisum and Medicago sativa) in stables. We obtained the following results: rectal temperature of 38.2ºC in juveniles and 38.6ºC in adults; heart rate of 68 beats/min in juveniles and 67 beats/min in adults; respiratory rate of 18 breaths/min in juveniles and 17 breaths/min in adults; femoral vein pulse of 70 pulses/min in juveniles and 64 pulses/min in adults; compartment movement of 7 movements/min 7 times in juveniles and 7 movements/min 7 times in adults. Measurements for apparent digestibility were: (MS) 78.8% in juveniles and 80.4% in adults; (MO) 74.2% in juveniles and 76.4% in adults; (PB) 85.2% in juveniles and 83.7% in adults; (EE) 83.2% in juveniles and 76.2% in adults; (FDN) 75.6% in juveniles and 73.8% in adults; (ELN) 81.2% in juveniles and 78.3% in adults; (NDT) 80.4% in juveniles and 77.7% in adults; (ED/Kcal) 353.8 grams in juveniles and 341.8 grams in adults. For metabolites en vicuna serum we obtained: total protein of 6.7 g/dl in juveniles and 7.7 g/dl in adults; albumin of 5.3 g/dl in juveniles and 5.7 g/dl in adults; creatinine of 1.3 mg/dl in juveniles and 1.5 mg/dl in adults; urea of 40.7 mg/dl in juveniles and 39.2 mg/dl in adults; glucose of 131.8 mg/dl in juveniles and 130.7 mg/dl in adults; cholesterol of 29 mg/dl in juveniles and 27.4 mg/dl in adults; triglycerides of 44.2 mg/dl in juveniles; GPT of 5.5 UI/I in juveniles and 5.1 UI/I in adults; GOT of 5.4 UI/I in juveniles and 5.1 UI/I in adults; calcium of 8.5 mg/dl in juveniles and 8.3 mg/dl in adults; phosphorus of 2.4 mg/dl in juveniles and 2.3 mg/dl in adults; magnesium of 19 mEq/L. Lastly, we observed a weight gain of 2.6 g/day in juveniles and 1.8 g/day in adults.