Abstract

QUISPE E, Carlos; ANCCO G, Edith; VAN SAUN, Robert  and  GOMEZ B, Carlos. Phosphorus levels and their effects on growth and intake in female alpacas in the Peruvian Andes. Rev. investig. vet. Perú [online]. 2019, vol.30, n.2, pp.655-662. ISSN 1609-9117.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15381/rivep.v30i2.16180.

The aim of this study was to know the levels of phosphorus and its effects on feed intake and body weight in female alpacas during the breeding season (January-February) and weaning (August-September). In the first phase, serum phosphorus levels were determined in 200 11-13-month-old alpacas, located in four alpaca regions of Peru. P levels were 8.25 ± 1.63, 5.25 ± 1.46, 6.42 ± 1.84 and 4.8 ± 1.61 mg/dl for the regions of Pasco, Junín, Cuzco and Puno, respectively, with significant differences (p<0.05) between regions. P values in one region were below the reference limit (5-11.5 mg/dl) and the another near the lower limit, which could be considered as deficient in P. In the second phase, a controlled experiment was carried out with three concentrations of P in the diet: 0.16% (T1), 0.25% (T2) and 0.34% (T3), using 16 weaned female alpacas per group (7-8 months, 25.25 ± 1.62 kg). The animals received the feeds ad libitum and were housed in individual pens for seven months. Dry matter intake was 0.717±0.82, 0.826±0.82 and 0.967±0.49 kg/animal/day and as a percentage of live weight was 2.07, 2.24 and 2.60 for treatments T1, T2 and T3, respectively. In both cases there were significant differences between treatments (p<0.05). There was a significant reduction in the concentration of P in T1 (5.02±1.11 mg/dl) compared to T2 (11.07±1.79 mg/dl) and T3 (11.45±1.14 mg/dl). It is likely that low dietary phosphorus in T1 may have affected consumption and weight gain in growing alpacas.

Keywords : phosphorus; alpacas; growth; intake; weaning.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )