Quechua Benefit Addresses Early Mortality among Highland Alpacas

Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, Michael J. Safley guides the nonprofit Quechua Benefit as founder and co-executive director USA. A core focus of Michael J. Safley’s organization is on generating commercial, high value alpaca fiber that benefits the Quechua people in Peru.

One major component of the economic empowerment equation is enterotoxemia, the leading cause of mortality among alpacas in Peru. The bacteria primarily impacts newborn cria and can result in an 80 percent loss of infant alpacas in bad years. In years with better outcomes, the rate is still typically in the high 30 percent range.

As an example, Picotani, a small highland community, lost 60 percent of its total crias to enterotoxemia in 2016. The only silver lining is that crias that survive do not become infected again, as immunity has been conferred. The vaccination program of Quechua Benefit centers on providing a temperature sensitive vaccine that must be kept chilled to communities with alpaca herds that experience significant mortality.

The nonprofit also focuses on the parasite Sarcocystis, which is typically transmitted from herding dogs to alpacas. This initiative involves providing Fenbendazole treatment for the dogs four times each year, at a cost of under $1 per canine.

Quechua Benefit Works to Help Vaccine Alpaca Herds in Peru

Michael Safley pic
Michael Safley

Michael Safley is a Hillsboro, Oregon professional who serves as founder and co-executive director USA with Quechua Benefit. Through the Peru-based foundation, Michael Safley focuses on breaking cycles of poverty in Peru and delivers education and essential preventive medical services.

One aspect of this mission focuses on providing craftswomen with the resources and training to create high value commercial alpaca fiber through Alliyma, a public benefit corporation. Another facet of the economic empowerment puzzle centers on Alpaca health programs and enterotoxemia, the top killer of alpacas across Peru. This bacteria targets newborn alpaca cria and results in breeders sustaining losses of from 30 to 80 percent of all newborns each year.

An impetus for Quechua Benefit’s involvement came when a veterinarian on the foundation’s team asked locals in Picotani whether a vaccine existed for the pervasive disease. The answer was that there had not been a local veterinarian in the area for nearly a decade. As it turned out, there was an enterotoxemia vaccination available at a cost of only 30 cents per animal.

There were challenges involved in introducing the vaccine, however, including its temperature sensitivity and need for refrigeration. In addition, the bacteria mutates quickly and new versions of the vaccine are required each year. That said, the benefits of the vaccine are immense, as cria that survive remain immune for life. Quechua Benefit’s work has effectively enabled local breeders to safeguard and grow their alpaca herds.