The Australasian Across Herd

Genetic Evaluation Program for

Alpacas - AGE
Murray Basingthwaighte
Chair of the AANZ Breed Development Committee
Ownership and Funding
 Breeding Values Are
A measure of the animals genetic worth;
not a measure of its phenotypic traits

Used extensively by other livestock

industries to improve rate of genetic gain

A simple number indicating the relative

position from the mean, that can be used
in calculations
 Phenotype verses Genotype
Phenotype what
you can see and
measure

Genotype what
genes go on to
produce the
phenotype of the
alpaca we see
 Genetic gain
By traditional breeding; improvements are
likely to be about 1% to 1.5% per annum

By utilizing the AGE project breeding

values; improvement can be increased to
4 or 5% per annum

a 3 fold increase
Conventional rate of genetic gain
Improved rate of genetic gain using
ABVs
early rapid
increases

rate slows
later

Genetic gains come

earlier and are greater
with ABVs
 Calculating Alpaca Breeding Values
IA
R
Da
Pe ta
di
gr
ee
Alpaca ABVs
trait data
s
ent
rem

Best Linear Unbiased

asu
Me

Prediction
 Conventional Breeding Decision
Cycle

Breeding Goal

Progeny Evaluation Mating Selection

Cria Produced
 Breeding Decision Cycle with
IA
R
Da
t a
ABVs

Alpaca
trait data

ABVs

Goal

Mea
sure Evaluation Selection
men
ts

Cria
 Distribution of results
Australasian alpacas range from -4.1 points below the mean to
+5 points above; for Fibre diameter ABV

Frequency and Distribution of Fibre Diameter ABV

AGE Analysis February 2006
1151 records

140

120

100
Finer Fibre Diameter
Frequency

80

60

40

20

0
-4.1 -3.6 -3.0 -2.4 -1.9 -1.3 -0.7 -0.2 0.4 1.0 1.5 2.1 2.7 3.2 3.8 4.4 4.9
Fibre Diameter ABV (m)
 Measured Traits
Up to 26 traits can be measured and
entered into AGE
Early stage ABVs are being produced for:
Fibre Diameter (micron)
Coefficient of variation (cv)
Staple length
Fleece weight
Body weight
 Collecting data
Alpacas enrolled on a pedigree register
First year:
Breeding herd alpacas and previous years
progeny (recorded as a group)
- Traits measured and entered into AGE
Subsequent Years:
Previous years progeny recorded as a
group and entered into AGE
The importance of progeny
 Phenotype verses Genotype
Phenotype what
you can see and
measure

Genotype what
genes go on to
produce the
phenotype of the
alpaca we see
 How are ABVs influenced
PARENTS

SIBLINGS PROGENY

SELF
 Effects of relatives & progeny on
breeding values
Information from Self Parents Half Progeny Accuracy
Siblings of ABV
None 0% 100% 0% 0% 50%

Self 60% 40% 0% 0% 76%

Self + 10 half 45% 26% 28% 0% 77%

siblings
Self + 10 sibs + 5 28% 16% 16% 40% 83%
progeny
Self + 10 sibs + 10% 5% 5% 80% 92%
15progeny
 Using ABVs
Alone an ABV only refers to one trait
Up to three traits can be combined into an
Breeding Objective Value (BOV)
Each trait is multiplied by a weighting
factor; which reflects its importance to the
breeder
BOVs are used to rank individuals in a
herd towards the breeders goal
 Breeding Objective Value
Calculation
BOV = (ABV fibre diameter x weighting)
+
(ABV fleece weight x weighting)

For example:
If Fibre diameter (fd): ABV = -2 & Weighting = -5
& Fleece weight (fw): ABV = +1 & Weighting = +2
The BOV calculation would be:
BOV = (ABV fd x weighting) + (ABV fw x weighting)
BOV = (-2 x -5) + (1 x 2) = 12
 Example Breeding Objective Values
Breeding Goal Breeding Goal
Fine Fleece Heavy Fleece

Fibre diameter (fd) weighting = -5 Fibre diameter (fd) weighting = +1

Fleece weight (fw) weighting = +2 Fleece weight (fw) weighting = +4

BOV=(ABV fd x -5) + (ABV fw x 2) BOV=(ABV fd x 1) + (ABV fw x 4)

BOV= (-2 x -5) + (1 x 2) = 12 BOV= (-2 x 1) + (1 x 4) = 2

 Typical NZ herd
Goal: Uniform (cv), Fine (fd) fleece, maintain fleece weight (fw)
BOV=(ABV cv x 5) + (ABV fd x -3) + (ABV fw x 2)
IAR No Name Sex Progeny Linkage ABV FW ABV FD ABV CV BOV
(kg) (m) (%) Value
25 Stud 4 M 1 A 0.7 -2.1 -1.3 14.2
42 Dam P F 5 A 0.2 -3 -0.9 13.9
1 Dam A F 1 A 0.5 -0.7 -2.1 13.6
21 Dam U F 3 A 0.2 -2.7 -1 13.5
10 Dam J F 0 A -0.1 -2.4 -1.2 13.0
19 Dam S F 3 H 0.2 0.4 -1.8 8.2
43 Dam Q F 2 A 0.4 -1.2 -0.7 7.9
18 Stud 1 M 25 H 0.2 -0.6 -1 7.2
26 Dam Z F 2 A -0.1 -0.7 -1 6.9
17 Dam Q F 3 A -0.2 -3.4 0.6 6.8
23 Dam W F 1 A 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 5.8
31 Dam E F 6 H -0.1 1.2 -1.9 5.7
22 Stud 2 M 15 A 1.5 -1.3 0.5 4.4
32 Dam F F 0 H 0.2 -1.6 0.2 4.2
4 Dam D F 1 A 0.5 2.7 -1.3 -0.6
36 Dam J F 4 A -0.1 0.2 0 -0.8
12 Stud 3 M 10 A 0.1 0.4 0.1 -1.5
28 Dam B F 5 H 0.2 -1.9 1.6 -1.9
 Selected Stud Males
Goal: Uniform (cv), Fine (fd), fleece, maintain fleece weight (fw)
BOV=(ABV cv x 5) + (ABV fd x -3) + (ABV fw x 2)
IAR No Name Sex Progeny Linkage ABV FW ABV FD ABV CV BOV
(kg) (m) (%) Value
25 Stud 4 M 1 A 0.7 -2.1 -1.3 14.2
42 Dam P F 5 A 0.2 -3 -0.9 13.9
1 Dam A F 1 A 0.5 -0.7 -2.1 13.6
21 Dam U F 3 A 0.2 -2.7 -1 13.5
10 Dam J F 0 A -0.1 -2.4 -1.2 13.0
19 Dam S F 3 H 0.2 0.4 -1.8 8.2
43 Dam Q F 2 A 0.4 -1.2 -0.7 7.9
18 Stud 1 M 25 H 0.2 -0.6 -1 7.2
26 Dam Z F 2 A -0.1 -0.7 -1 6.9
17 Dam Q F 3 A -0.2 -3.4 0.6 6.8
23 Dam W F 1 A 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 5.8
31 Dam E F 6 H -0.1 1.2 -1.9 5.7
22 Stud 2 M 15 A 1.5 -1.3 0.5 4.4
32 Dam F F 0 H 0.2 -1.6 0.2 4.2
4 Dam D F 1 A 0.5 2.7 -1.3 -0.6
36 Dam J F 4 A -0.1 0.2 0 -0.8
12 Stud 3 M 10 A 0.1 0.4 0.1 -1.5
28 Dam B F 5 H 0.2 -1.9 1.6 -1.9
 Rejected Stud Males
Goal: Uniform (cv), Fine (fd), fleece, maintain fleece weight (fw)
BOV=(ABV cv x 5) + (ABV fd x -3) + (ABV fw x 2)
IAR No Name Sex Progeny Linkage ABV FW ABV FD ABV CV BOV
(kg) (m) (%) Value
25 Stud 4 M 1 A 0.7 -2.1 -1.3 14.2
42 Dam P F 5 A 0.2 -3 -0.9 13.9
1 Dam A F 1 A 0.5 -0.7 -2.1 13.6
21 Dam U F 3 A 0.2 -2.7 -1 13.5
10 Dam J F 0 A -0.1 -2.4 -1.2 13.0
19 Dam S F 3 H 0.2 0.4 -1.8 8.2
43 Dam Q F 2 A 0.4 -1.2 -0.7 7.9
18 Stud 1 M 25 H 0.2 -0.6 -1 7.2
26 Dam Z F 2 A -0.1 -0.7 -1 6.9
17 Dam Q F 3 A -0.2 -3.4 0.6 6.8
23 Dam W F 1 A 0.6 -0.7 -0.5 5.8
31 Dam E F 6 H -0.1 1.2 -1.9 5.7
22 Stud 2 M 15 A 1.5 -1.3 0.5 4.4
32 Dam F F 0 H 0.2 -1.6 0.2 4.2
4 Dam D F 1 A 0.5 2.7 -1.3 -0.6
36 Dam J F 4 A -0.1 0.2 0 -0.8
12 Stud 3 M 10 A 0.1 0.4 0.1 -1.5
28 Dam B F 5 H 0.2 -1.9 1.6 -1.9
 A Genetic Breeding Program for
Peruvian Alpaca Breeders
Identifying breeding Record their traits
animals ear tags
 A Genetic Breeding Program for
Peruvian Alpaca Breeders
Controlled matings to produce accurate
pedigrees
 A Genetic Breeding Program for
Peruvian Alpaca Breeders
Develop a BLUP program
Record progeny trait data
Produce Alpaca Breeding Genetic gains come
earlier and are
Values greater with ABVs

Rank breeding herds

through BOV calculations
and use for mating
decisions
Increase rate of genetic
gain!
 Developing a New Zealand Alpaca
Encourage all breeders to join AGE
Have a Stud Register using Alpaca
Breeding Values
Use BOVs to make breeding decisions
Breed robust alpacas that exhibit high
quality fleece characteristics
Backed up by Alpaca Breeding Values;
proving their ability to breed true to type
 The NZ Alpaca
the best in the world?