Event Description
Our trip to the Mallkini Ranch, the Alpaca Fiesta and the Michell's Factory Fiber Mill were the highlights of our trip. Our visit to the Mallkini Ranch was fascinating and we were treated exceptionally well with the food being some of the best we had in Peru. The Mallkini Ranch is owned by the Michell Group and is located in Puno, in the remote high altitudes of the Andes. Mallkini is the largest private Alpaca Breeding and Genetics Centre in Peru with a total Alpaca population of about 3,000. The Michell's also own the largest alpaca fibre mill in the world located in Arequipa, Peru and therefore it is easy to understand why the following objectives for their research at Mallikini is so important: Mallikini's BREEDING PROGRAM aim to select the best breeds based on the citeria of fibre fineness and density,and morphological conformation of the animals, mainly white and solid color Alpacas. Secondly, to construct a pen breeding system which has already allowed them to develop a pedigree book. Third to improve natural grasslands for better nutrition and reproduction. The GENETICS CENTER mission is to improve the genetics of the Alpaca. In their quest to pursue this mission they are working with Universities in both Italy and Peru along with the Peruvian Department of Agriculture for rhe f ollowing four genetic projects: First, is to develop reproductive techniques such as embryo transfers and production of ovocyles. Second, estimation of the genetic quantitive parameters (heir, repetition and genetic correlations) in the production of fibre. Third, to study the genotype relation of Alpaca habitat in the Adean world. Fourth, to study the relation of vegetal biodiversity and Alpaca breeding. We also were treated to a shearing experience very different from the U.S.A. The techniques and the results were interesting. All of the fibre is sheared off in total since this fibre is separated at the mill by hand and the blankets we sometimes save for show competition is not a concern. I wish I had the time to relate to you all the wonderful things we learned at Mallikini but I hope you get the flavor.
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