The gestation biometrics of the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) are described. The abdominal diameter was determined monthly from 10 pregnant alpacas. In addition, uterus of 49 pregnant alpacas were collected from the Maranganí herd (Cusco, Peru) and classified by gestational age known as mating date (every 30 days from day 30 to 330 [± 15 days]). Gravid uteri were weighed and measured, allantoic and amniotic fluid was removed and measured, and fetal weight and length were determined. The results indicate a slight increase in abdominal diameter until the end of gestation, the fetus gradually increases its weight as gestation progresses, being greater from the sixth month onwards. The total length of the fetus increases from month nine. The amniotic fluid represents less than 18% of the volume of the allantoic fluid, both fluids have low volumes. An increase in fluids could be observed towards m...

Alopecic areas have been described in the lateral and medial area of the metatarsus of South American camelids, and have been called "metatarsal glands", analogous to those present in cervids. In this study, tissue samples were collected from the metatarsal region of 8 specimens (6 adult alpacas and two foetuses [5 and 8 months]) in the slaughterhouse of Sicuani, Cusco (Peru), and were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and processed by the standard histological technique. Six samples were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin, PAS and Golden Masson's Trichrome, and were subsequently evaluated by brightfield microscopy, and two samples of adult alpacas were processed by freezing cutting with a cryostat and subsequent differential lipid staining with Nile red and nuclear contrast with Hoecht 33342 and evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. A high epidermal tissue was observed, made up of main cells o...

Knowledge of embryonic and foetal development is extremely important in order to establish normal development parameters, the health of the foetus, and to identify critical periods in the growth curve. One of these processes is the pattern of ossification. The present study describes the ossification pattern in alpaca embryos and foetuses using radiology and diaphanization techniques. Seventeen pregnant female alpacas were used for the collection of embryos and foetuses of various ages (32, 45, 60, 90, 118, 150, 165, 190, 220 and 280 days). The specimens were weighed, measured and radiographed, and later fixed in 10% buffered formalin to be subjected to the diaphanization process in potassium hydroxide and finally stained with Alizarin Red. The description of the specimens indicates that in embryos of 32 and 45 days there are no mineralized structures; however, it can be seen radiopaque ...

The aim of this study was to describe the arterial supply of the uterine-fetoplacental complex in alpacas during gestation. In total, 26 female alpacas were used; of these, 5 non-pregnant females were used to describe the irrigation of the reproductive tract and the origins of its irrigation; and 21 pregnant females were distributed in subgroups of 7 and slaughtered when they reached the 1st, 2nd and 3rd third of gestation, respectively. The specimens were processed using the filling-corrosion technique. Observation of uterine irrigation in pregnant and non-gravid uteri shows that it originates from the abdominal aorta artery, from where the ovarian arteries emerge, which pass towards the ovaries and from where they continue through the cranial uterine arteries and enter the uterine horns where they anastomose with the lateral and ventral branches of the caudal uterine arteries that take...