Metabolic profile and live weight of male llamas (Lama glama) fed with barley hay, alfalfa, and quinoa scrub
In recent years llamas have attracted great national and international interest for their qualities of human food production, fiber production for high-quality textiles, and for being an ecological animal. These qualities have allowed a resurgence of cultivating them for commercial ends. One of the...
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| Format: | Others |
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BYU ScholarsArchive
2005
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| Online Access: | https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5350 https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6349&context=etd |
| Summary: | In recent years llamas have attracted great national and international interest for their qualities of human food production, fiber production for high-quality textiles, and for being an ecological animal. These qualities have allowed a resurgence of cultivating them for commercial ends. One of the principal limits is secure food for allowing a constant, sustainable growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the metabolic profile and live weight of male llamas (Lama glama) fed with barley hay, alfalfa hay, and quinoa scrub. The fieldwork occurred in metabolic chambers in a closed environment at the demonstration farm of the Benson Agriculture and Food Institute (of Brigham Young University) located in the community of Letanys, in Viacha municipality. Three types of food--100% barley hay, 80% barley hay + 20% alfalfa hay, and 80% barley hay + 20% quinoa scrub--were offered randomly to seven llamas averaging three years old. A channel allowed the placement of a one-meter probe that collected jugular blood, the plasma of which was analyzed in the animal nutrition laboratory of UAC-Tiahuanaco. The average metabolites in the blood plasma were not significantly different (p>0.05) according to treatment except for GPT enzyme, with CV=20.5 Weight gain showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between treatments nor between blocks. Regarding percentage of food absorbed, 90% was consumed and 64% was absorbed. It was found that animals subjected to the three different diets lost weight due to the stressful experimental conditions of physiologic administration of saline and heparine during sample collection. In conclusion, the recommended feed is the diet consisting of barley hay and quinoa, followed by barley hay and alfalfa, both of which are recommended to supplement the feeding of llamas. Also, animals with better physical constitution and a tranquil temperament respond best to the treatments. |
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