Abstract :
Four fibre traits (fibre diameter, FD; coefficient of variation of FD, comfort factor; and standard
deviation of FD) were jointly analysed with six subjectively scored type traits (fleece
density, crimp, lock structure, head, coverage, and balance) in two breeds of Peruvian Altiplano
alpaca (Suri, SU; and Huacayo, HU) to ascertain their genetic relationship. A total of
2405 fibre records and 2194 type scores were available for the HU breed whereas these
figures were 709 for fibre records and 650 for type scores for the SU breed. Estimated heritabilities
for fibre traits were moderate to high, ranging from 0.565 to 0.699 in the SU breed
and from 0.255 to 0.417 in the HU breed. Genetic and permanent environmental correlations
between fibre related traits were extremely similar across breeds suggesting that
these traits are fairly the same. Heritabilities estimated for the type traits tended to be lower
than those estimated for the fibre traits particularly in the SU breed (ranging from 0.173 to
0.272). Fibre and type traits were, in general, genetically poorly correlated except for crimp
in the HU breed, which had favourable correlations, from moderate to high, for fibre traits.
In Altiplano areas in which fibre performance recording could not be implemented, crimp
scoring makes it feasible to carry out mass selection in the Huacayo breed and furthermore
include rural communities in national or regional selection programmes.
