Peru has the largest number of alpacas in the world, approximately 85%. For this reason, the alpaca is considered a flagship natural resource in our country
The alpacas have a great capacity to adapt to high altitudes, their breeding is relevant because it generates products such as meat and fiber and economic livelihood of the high Andean communities settled upon the 4000 meters of the southern sierra.
One of the biggest problems is climate change. Alpaca farming is affected by the intensification of climatic phenomena (retreat of glaciers) and extreme microclimates (snowfalls, frosts, hailstorms, winds and cold), which affect livestock activity, especially alpaca farming. This increases alpaca mortality and affects the natural resources related to this farming, such as natural pastures and wetlands.
Today we live in a globalized world, where progress in information technology has led to a shift from the industrial to the post-industrial era, from standardized mass production systems to flexible production systems, which have favoured the globalization of trade in recent times where it is necessary to produce what the buyer wants to buy.
The flexible system allows production in smaller series adapted to the requirements of demand. Finally, what the market demands is produced, as far as giving options to satisfy the customer.
In recent years the Peruvian government has developed and provided programs of preservation and veterinary attention for alpacas and llamas affected by the frost and with the delivery of bales of oat hay and medicines, as well as the distribution of materials for the construction of sheds to cope with the cold.
There are various NGOs that have been providing technical and organizational support to the pastoral communities for their improved fulfilment.
However, during the experience the need to develop strategies to deal with climate change stands out, although there are other threat factors such as the diseases that most attack alpaca offspring, becoming the most frequent causes of their deaths, are enterotoxemia and fever, but there has also been a significant number of attacks by foxes and fatal conditions caused by climate changes.
Generally, breeders make special provisions to save the young and avoid mortality by providing supplementary feeding to protect them from climatic variations.
Deaths from malnutrition and deficiency diseases are more common among poor breeders. The diseases that attack adult alpacas the most, becoming the main causes of their death, are internal and external parasites, followed by fever and deficiency diseases resulting from malnutrition.