Gegenstand und Ziel Im Rahmen des vom Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL) finanzierten Modell- und Demonstrationsvorhabens (MuD) Tierschutz Projekt zu Neuweltkameliden (NWK) wurden mittels einer bundesweiten Tierhalterumfrage Daten zu unterschiedlichen Aspekten der Tierhaltung von NWK erhoben. Die vorliegende Publikation befasst sich mit dem Bereich Populations- und Betriebsstrukturen, Haltungsweisen, Nutzung und Wissensstand der Tierhalter von Neuweltkameliden in Deutschland. Material und Methoden Es wurde ein Onlinefragebogen von 550 Tierhaltern aus Deutschland ausgefüllt, wovon 421 (76,5 %) die Umfrage vollständig bearbeiteten. Der Fragebogen enthielt offene und geschlossene Fragen zu Betrieb und Management, zur Haltung, Fütterung, Zucht und Aufzucht, tierärztlicher Versorgung, Gesundheits- und Pflegemanagement, sowie zum Wissenstand der Tierhalter und Einschätzungen vom Verhalten der Tiere. Die unterschiedlichen Fragenkomplexe wurden deskriptiv ausgewertet. Ergebnisse Die teilnehmenden Betriebe setzen sich aus 365 (66,4 %) reinen Alpakahaltungen, 89 (16,2 %) reinen Lamahaltungen und 93 (16,9 %) Betrieben mit beiden Tierarten zusammen. 3 Betriebe machten keine Angaben zur Tierart. Es wurden insgesamt 7739 NWK, davon 6295 Alpakas und 1444 Lamas erfasst. Die jeweils beliebtesten Rassen sind das Huacaya Alpaka und das Classic Lama. Sowohl in der Alpaka- als auch in der Lamapopulation ist der Anteil an Stuten am größten (53,8 % der Alpakapopulation, 45,0 % der Lamapopulation). Die durchschnittliche Herdengröße beträgt 14,9 Tiere und in den meisten Fällen wird eine feste Gruppe gehalten (56,6 %). Viele der Tierhalter gaben an, ihre Tiere im vergangenen Jahrzehnt erworben zu haben (84,1 % der Alpakahaltungen und 62,6 % der Lamahaltungen). Die meisten Haltungen der Umfrageteilnehmer befinden sich in Bayern, Nordrhein-Westfalen und Baden-Württemberg. Häufig handelt es sich um Hobbybetriebe (51,0 %), die Tiere werden in den meisten Fällen für Wanderungen genutzt und die Wolle verarbeitet (58,0 % bzw. 52,3 %). 76,6 % der erfassten Tiere verfügen über eine Kennzeichnung, am häufigsten mittels Mikrochip, und 84,2 % der Betriebe gaben an, beim Veterinäramt registriert zu sein. Schlussfolgerung Anhand der Untersuchungsergebnisse ist ein deutlicher Anstieg an Tierhaltungen und Tierzahlen in den letzten Jahren zu verzeichnen. Die Gestaltung von Haltungsstrukturen konnte erfasst werden. Jedoch bleibt die exakte Zahl der Neuweltkameliden in Deutschland, trotz der bestehenden Registrierungspflicht, so lange unbekannt, bis eine systematische zentrale Erfassung von behördlicher Stelle erfolgt. Objectives As part of the “Model- und Demonstrationsvorhaben Tierschutz (MuD-Tierschutz)-project, supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), an animal owner survey was conducted to collect data on various aspects of keeping South American camelids (NWC). This publication covers the population structure of NWC in Germany. Material and methods 550 owners participated in the survey, of which 421 (76.5 %) completed the survey in full. The different sets of questions were evaluated using simple descriptive statistics. Results The participating farms divided up into 365 (66.4 %) alpaca, 89 (16.2 %) llama and 93 (16.9 %) farms which kept both animal species. Three farms failed to provide any information on the animal species. A total of 7739 NWC were recorded, including 6295 alpacas and 1444 llamas. The most popular breeds are the Huacaya alpaca and the Classic llama. Mares represent the greatest part of both the alpaca and the llama population (53.8 % of the alpaca and 45.0 % of the llama population). The herd size amounted to a mean of 14.9 animals of which the majority are kept in a constant group (56.6 %). Most owners stated, that they had acquired their animals within the past decade (84.1 % of alpaca and 62.6 % of llama husbandries). The majority of NWC are found in south-west Germany; in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg. These farms are typically hobby businesses (51.0 %), in most cases, the animals serve as hiking companions or their wool is processed (58.0 % and 52.3 %, respectively). 76.6 % of the animals possess an identification, most often by means of a microchip. 84.2 % of the farms stated, that they were registered at the local veterinary office. ConclusionBased on the results of the present investigation, a significant increase in NWC husbandries and animal numbers is evident in recent years. The design of husbandry structures was evaluated by the present study, however, despite the existing registration obligation the exact number of the South American camelid population in Germany remains unknown. Systematic central recording under the supervision of an official body is therefore warranted. Received: 30 November 2021 Accepted: 05 May 2022 Article published online: 06 September 2022 Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

As tails are often docked within the first days of life, studies investigating tail malformations and injuries in sheep do not exist thus far. To address this gap in the literature, this research aimed to analyse the occurrence of vertebral anomalies and fractures in the tail within an undocked Merinoland sheep population. At 14 weeks of age, the caudal spines of 216 undocked Merinoland lambs was radiographically examined, and tail length and circumference were measured. Anomalies were documented and statistical correlation and model calculations were performed. The occurrence of block vertebrae was observed in 12.96% and wedged vertebrae in 8.33% of the sample. Of the animals, 59 (27.31%) exhibited at least one vertebral fracture, which were observed in the middle and caudal third of the tail. A significant correlation was found between the occurrence of fractures and tail length (r = 0.168) and number of vertebrae (r = 0.155). Conversely, the presence of block and wedged vertebrae was not significantly correlated with tail length, circumference, or number of vertebrae. Only the sex showed significant differences in the probability of axis deviation. These results emphasize the importance of breeding for short tails to avoid fractures.

The difference in fleece type is the distinguishing trait between the two types of alpacas (Vicugna pacos), Huacaya and Suri. The Suri fleece type has been found to be inherited dominantly over the Huacaya type, resulting in offspring with the Suri phenotype. The aim of our study was to map genomic regions associated with the two different fleece types. In this study, 91 alpacas (54 Huacayas and 37 Suris) from Germany and Switzerland were genotyped using the 76k alpaca SNP array. Only 59k chromosome‐localised markers map to the alpaca reference assembly VicPac3.1, and after quality control 49 866 SNPs, were retained for population structure assessment and to conduct a genome‐wide association study. Both principal component and neighbour‐joining tree analysis showed that the two fleece‐type cohorts overlapped rather than forming two distinct clusters. Genome‐wide significantly associated markers were observed in the scaffold region of chromosome 16 (NW_021964192.1), which contains a cluster of keratin genes. A haplotype predominantly found in Suri alpacas has been identified which supports dominant inheritance. Variant filtering of nine whole‐genome sequenced alpacas from both fleece types in the critical interval of 0.4 Mb did not reveal perfect segregation of either fleece type for specific variants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use the recently developed species‐specific SNP array to identify genomic regions associated with differences in fleece type in alpacas. There are still some limitations, such as the preliminary status of the reference assembly and the incomplete annotation of the alpaca genome.

South American camelids (SACs) are increasingly kept as companion animals, but their role in zoonotic transmission is poorly understood. Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. are a leading cause of bacterial zoonoses globally. This study investigated the occurrence and zoonotic potential of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in SACs on German farms. Fecal swabs from up to 20 animals on 10 farms were collected across four seasons. Campylobacter spp. were isolated, and genomes were typed to assess multilocus sequence types (STs), virulence, and antimicrobial resistance. Campylobacter spp. were detected in 23/717 samples (3.2 %), including 16 Campylobacter jejuni from seven farms and seven Campylobacter coli from two farms. Detection was higher in alpacas (4.9 %, 21/427) than in llamas (0.7 %, 2/288), with higher rates in summer. Molecular typing revealed high genetic heterogeneity, though some STs recurred across timepoints, animals, and farms, suggesting potential endemic colonization. Nine distinct C. jejuni STs and two C. coli STs were identified, many belonging to clonal complexes (CCs) common in livestock and humans. All isolates carried virulence-associated genes for motility, adhesion, invasion, and toxin production, while several from CC21 harbored genes linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed wild-type phenotypes for erythromycin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol. Ciprofloxacin resistance, with T86I mutation in gyrA, was found in three isolates; one C. jejuni isolate carried tet(O) conferring tetracycline resistance. SACs harbor Campylobacter strains related to human and livestock lineages, with virulence and resistance traits relevant for zoonotic transmission. Their presence on German farms highlights the need targeted surveillance and biosecurity within a One Health framework.