Females Acting Like Males

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Permalink Reply by Cindy Lavan, Chase Tavern Farm on December 16, 2008 at 8:33am

Hello Tacha,
It's a behaviour that is seen. I would say not super common but common enough that it doesn't raise any eyebrows. Hormones play a lot into it as well as her dominance in the herd of only females. In animal species, someone has to assume the leadership role and w/alpacas, it's an alpha female situation. We've seen this behaviour more in females who have had pregnancies before and were held open for some reason or another. They still drop for breeding and reamin bred and carry to term w/out issues. They are actually really helpful only in the regard you know what other girls in the group they live w/are open and can get them bred back just by watching the behaviour of the group.
If she had issues regarding carrying a pregnacy and behaved in this matter, then that's another story all together. Have a good day!
Cindy Lavan
Chase Tavern Farm
www.chasetavernfarm.com

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Permalink Reply by John Gennarino and Tacha Trimm on December 17, 2008 at 8:32pm

Thank you Cindy...That makes sense especially since her status has recently been threatened by an agisted female who is pretty aggressive in terms of trying to be dominant in the female pasture.

Thanks for your response!
Tacha

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Permalink Reply by Bonnie Klingman----Heaven's Gate Alpacas on December 17, 2008 at 10:14pm

Tacha,
Yes this does happen. I have known to other farms that have had a female mounting other females. I also have a gal that is 3 yrs. old and she had her first cria this past Aug. She has tried mounting my Alpha female twice, but she hasn't done that to any of my other girls. My Alpha gal is not pregnant because I want to wait until spring to breed her,the one who is doing the mounting "IS" pregnant. Go figure! I think it is some what the dominating thing. I know cattle do the same thing, females mounting other females. I hope I have shed some light on the issue, but I'm like you, I'm not sure why some do it, I just know some do. Oh by the way my Alpha gal was one of my first girls and the other one I just bought this past summer. When they both were pregnant that issue didn't come up, maybe because my Alpha gal is a real witch when she is pregnant but when she isn't she is a real sweatheart. I told my hubby I wish she would be like that all the time.

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Permalink Reply by Inti Alpacas, LLC Linda Marie McWilliams on December 20, 2008 at 3:28pm

Hi Tacha,

Bonnie & Cindy both mentioned dominance, or challenging a dominant animal, as a
reason for the mounting behavior you have noticed in your female. Whether they
are orgaling while mounting or not, dominance appears to be the major factor driving this
behavior in alpacas. This is also true of males mounting each other.

As Cindy pointed out, watching the response of other females to the one that is
trying to mount can help you to detect which female in your herd are 'open', and
which may be receptive to mating on any given day. However, just as some
submissive females will kush for a male even when they are not in a fertile
point of their cycle, some submissive female alpacas will also tolerate being mounted
by a dominant female, even if the one kushing is 'in cria'.

Careful observation will help you to tell the difference, but knowing your own animals'
behavior and pecking order will help you to interpret their actions more accurately.

Our alpaca may look like innocent 'Disney' characters, but establishing and maintaining
their place in the herd hierarchy and dominance is the most important thing in their
lives - after eating, and it affects their feeding behavior, too. Guess they're not
really 'angels' after all!

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Permalink Reply by Jannette Cox on December 22, 2008 at 2:48pm

I have had females display this behavior. They were maidens and had watched the males breeding and imitated the males instead of cushing. It is not uncommon. Jannette Cox

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