Veterinary Health and Management of South American Camelids

South American camelids, encompassing llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas, have become increasingly important in diverse production and conservation systems worldwide. Veterinary health and management in these species centre on four interrelated domains: nutritional assessment, parasitic control, disease surveillance and reproductive efficiency. Nutritional status is most reliably gauged by body condition scoring and targeted use of body weight estimations, which underpin dose-dependent therapeutic decisions. Endoparasitic and ectoparasitic infestations remain among the principal health constraints, demanding sustainable deworming programmes based on routine efficacy monitoring and selective treatments. Diagnostic haematology—adjusted for unique elliptical red blood cell morphology and age-related reference intervals—serves as a cornerstone for detecting anaemia, inflammatory states and systemic disorders. Reproductive management integrates ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis with attention to abortifacients of zoonotic importance. Finally, recognition of emerging conditions such as neoplasia, gastric ulceration and vitamin D imbalances highlights the need for species-specific clinical protocols. Together, these practices form a cohesive framework that balances animal welfare, farm productivity and ecological stewardship, supporting the global expansion of camelid enterprises and safeguarding both animal and public health.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have defined age-related haematologic changes in clinically healthy female alpacas. By analysing longitudinal data from a research herd, investigators documented positive correlations of age with haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin, alongside rising neutrophil counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios. Conversely, lymphocyte proportions and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratios declined with age. These findings mirror trends in other domestic species and underscore the necessity of age-adjusted reference ranges for accurate interpretation of haematologic profiles in clinical practice.

Veterinary Health and Management of South American Camelids publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in veterinary health and management of south american camelids across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Haematocrit (HCT): proportion of blood volume occupied by red blood cells.

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): average volume of an individual red blood cell.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR): ratio of circulating neutrophils to lymphocytes, used as an indicator of inflammatory status.

Body condition score (BCS): numerical scale assessing relative fat and muscle reserves through palpation of defined anatomical landmarks.

Faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT): quantitative measure of anthelmintic efficacy by comparing parasite egg counts before and after treatment.

Body mass index (BMI): calculated ratio of body weight to the square of body length, employed to approximate body condition.

References

1. Hematologic parameters in female alpacas during age progression: a retrospective study. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds. Parasites & Vectors (2019).
3. The influence of different examiners on the Body Condition Score (BCS) in South American camelids—Experiences from a mixed llama and alpaca herd. Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2023).
4. Relationships between body condition score, body weight and body measurements in alpacas. Irish Veterinary Journal (2024).