Alpaca Field Behaviour When Cohabitating with Lambing Ewes

Title
Alpaca Field Behaviour When Cohabitating with Lambing Ewes
Publication Date
2020
Author(s)
Matthews, Paige T
Barwick, Jamie
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0905-8527
Email: jbarwic2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jbarwic2
Doughty, Amanda K
Doyle, Emma K
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5255-2187
Email: edoyle3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:edoyle3
Morton, Christine L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8814-8688
Email: cmorton5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:cmorton5
Brown, Wendy Y
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5309-3381
Email: wbrown@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:wbrown
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Switzerland
DOI
10.3390/ani10091605
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/51677
Abstract

A common strategy to reduce predator attack on livestock is the deployment of guardian alpacas. However, little research has been conducted on the behaviour of this species while housed with other livestock. This study monitored two male alpacas cohabitating with 180 lambing ewes in order to quantify field behaviour in two phases. Phase one assessed diurnal patterns of alpacas and lambing ewes using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) collars recording data over 41 days, in combination with observational recordings. Phase two developed an alpaca behavioural ethogram through continuous observations from 05:30 to 19:30 h over a 3-day period. The two alpacas shared similar behaviours with commonality of distance travelled, and both species exhibited an increase in activity level based on speed between the times of 05:00 and 17:00 h. The GNSS data indicated that the alpacas flocked with the ewes at night sharing the same resting location, however, would spend time during the day on the outskirts of the paddock. Alpacas were observed to spend the majority of the observation period in two behavioural states: grazing (57%) and resting (27%). As a result of this study we were able to catalogue a range and frequency of field behaviours which alpacas exhibit while cohabitating with lambing ewes. However, further research is needed to determine in more detail how these behaviours correspond with the effectiveness of this species as a livestock guardian.

Link
Citation
Animals, 10(9), p. 1-18
ISSN
2076-2615
Start page
1
End page
18
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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