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Alpaca Term (G)

Gamate: A sperm or egg; a sex cell.

Gamate selection: The process that determines which egg matures and which sperm is successful in fertilizing the egg.

Gelding: a castrated male alpaca.

Gene: The basic unit of heredity, including a DNA sequence at a specific location on a chromosome.

Gene frequency: The relative frequency of a particular allele in a population. Also referred to as allelic frequency.

Gene map: A diagram showing the chromosomal locations of specific genetic markers and genes. Also a linkage map or chromosome map.

Generational interval: (a) The amount of time required to replace one generation with the next. (b) In a closed population, the average age of parents when their offspring are born.

Genetic correlation: (a) A n analysis of the consistency and reliability of the relationship between breeding values for one trait and breeding values for another trait. (b) A measure of the production of change in more than one trait (pleiotropy).

Genetic marker: A detectable DNA fragment or gene used to identify alleles at a linked locus.

Genetic merit: The accumulative positive genotype of an animal or herd which can be passed onto offspring.

Genetic prediction: The field of academic alpaca breeding concerned with statistical procedures, measurement of data and computational techniques for predicting breeding and other values.

Genetic trend: Changes in the breeding value of a population over time.

Genetic variation: Fluctuations in breeding values within a population for a trait.

Genotypic value: The effect of an individual's genes (alone and in combination) on its performance for a trait.

Genotype: The entire genetic constitution of the individual animal.

Grading: The sorting and classification of fibers according to staple length, strength, evenness and fineness.

Grading up: (a) A mating system designed to create a purebred population by mating successive generations of non-purebred females to purebred sires. (b) A mating system designed to convert a population from one breed to another by mating successive generations of females descended from the first breed to sires of the second breed. Also referred to as top-crossing.

Greasy: A commercial term for unwashed alpaca wool.

Guanaco: Lama gunaimicoe, a wild member of the New World camelidae family.

Guard hair: Coarse, medullated fiber. A second coat of fiber found in llamas, vicuna, guanacos and sometimes alpacas. Also called kemp.