The Alpaca Journal
Mike and Kids

Alpaca Journal

Volume 2, Issue 1
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Genetics
THE SURI SELECTION TOOL
      The term “pure suri” is misunderstood. There are a number of ways to define a pure suri. The Suri Network breed standards as adopted, define a pure suri as the phenotypic product of mating a suri male with a suri female. The zoological definition of a pure breed is: A population of a species that have distinct characteristics that differentiate them from other populations in that species. Individuals within that population that reproduce with another individual of the population will produce offspring that are recognizable as members of that population.Animal breeding books allow that a breed can be defined by a breed association and does not necessarily need be “pure”. There is no doubt that a suri can be born of a huacaya parent and that a huacaya can be born of two suri parents. Suri breeders may be better served to use science, not subjective definitions, to accomplish their goal of breeding pure suri. I created the Suri Selection Tool because I don’t think a Suri breeder should have to get on their horse and go looking for a homozygous or “pure suri” male. Read more

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Genetics
What You See Isn't Always What You Get!
      My growing concerns over the suri alpaca breed has lead me into a much debated issue in the industry. That being the cross breeding of Suris with huacayas. As many of you know this is not a new practice. Through-out South America , Australia , and in the U.S cross breeding is happening. The practice was used widely in Peru during the importation days in order to ship colored Suris to the U.S. for big dollars. The American market wanted color and as long as the alpaca was suri phenotype and registered suri it was alright. This seemed all fine and many breeders with-out really understanding how the genetics work bought into this program. This also applies to any importation where the background of the suri was unknown! I will talk about importation later in this article. Read more

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Genetics
Homozygous Suris: What are the Odds?
It was in 1997 when Dr. Raul W. Ponzoni of the South Australian Research and Development Institute released his paper titled "Phenotypes Resulting From Huacaya by Huacaya, Suri by Huacaya and Suri by Suri Alpaca Crossings", stunning the alpaca industry.

He wrote it together with D.J. Hubbard, R.V. Kenyon, C.D. Tuckwell, B.A. McGregor, and G.J. Judson, and made the amazing claim that "The results indicated control by a single gene (or by an haplotype), and dominance of the allele responsible for the suri type (AlFs) over that responsible for the huacaya type (AlFh)." Read more

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Genetics
The Suri Gene Supreme A Crossbreeding Conundrum

      The idea of crossbreeding suris with huacayas is controversial. The concept creates cognitive dissonance. Many, maybe most of you, may not like the ideas presented here. Don Julio Barreda, a man I greatly respect, has made clear that, in his opinion, the suri breed should not be crossbred with huacayas. In the past, a huacaya with a suri parent in its pedigree has been less valuable than a similar animal without a suri parent. These crosses were considered impure or intermediate. Read more

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Shows
Alpaca Judging: Art or Science?

      It is a fact that many of the exhibitors at a given alpaca show are often dissatisfied with the judge. This dissatisfaction ranges from mild displeasure to outright disbelief in the results. Show participants fully expect judges to make decisions in a scientific fashion that dictates highly predictable placings that should be obvious to everyone concerned. They believe that judging is science. I have judged 1000's of classes over the past 10 years and I would like to suggest that each decision is not necessarily scientific; there is by necessity a certain art to judging alpacas. Read more

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