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Page 3 of 5 The Utility of Breed Standards Breed standards are seldom based on the interests of the animals. They are elitist by nature, intended to encourage demand by creating an aura of exclusivity. The website of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) alludes to this in several places: Alpacas are much like diamonds. The market pays a premium for the finest examples of the breed...The U.S. alpaca registry is closed to further importation to protect our national herd, which will further moderate U.S. herd growth… Of more importance to most breeders is the overall physical soundness, or "conformation" of the animal. In addition to color, fleece, density, uniformity, fineness, luster and staple length will also affect value. Well-conformed alpacas with superior fleece characteristics sell for higher prices. (Emphasis added) The Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI) makes similar statements on their website: The alpaca industry is fairly new to the U.S., but it has had the foresight to create a basic condition for maintaining the value of its bloodstock, namely, a breed registry. The Alpaca Registry is a database housing the genealogy, blood typing and ownership records of alpacas in North America and those of a few alpacas outside this area. Since its inception in late 1988, the Registry has mandated blood typing as a requisite for registration and accepts only offspring of registered alpacas that qualify by blood typing. (Emphasis added) There is little question that breed societies have been successful in increasing the monetary value of "pure" blooded animals. In 1996 Thoroughbred horses (As its name implies, it was the first pedigreed, or "thoroughbred" horse, with a studbook first began in 1791) sold for an average of $28,240 in public auctions, and the highest price paid for a weaned foal was $1,400,000, while in 1985 a yearling colt sold for an incredible $13.1 million. A more important question though is, "Have breed societies, using their standards, been successful in either preserving or improving their breeds?" If we look at dog breeds, where a great deal of literature on the subject exists, the answer is an unambiguous "No".
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