Ratto and Bravo on camelids

Today we look back at some too-slightly-celebrated work by Ratto and by Bravo.

Ratto on centrifuged artificial llama vagina:

“Biochemical isolation and purification of ovulation-inducing factor (OIF) in seminal plasma of llamas,” Marcelo H Ratto [pictured here], Louis TJ Delbaere, Yvonne A Leduc, Roger A Pierson and Gregg P Adams, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2011; 9: 24. (Thanks to investigator Katherine Meusey for bringing this to our attention.) The authors report:

“Semen collected from male llamas by artificial vagina was centrifuged and the seminal plasma was harvested and stored frozen….

Bravo on responses to copulation in South American camelids:

Bravo PW, Stabenfeldt GH, Lasley BL, Fowler ME. “The effect of ovarian follicular size on pituitary and ovarian responses to copulation in domesticated South American camelids,” Biology of Reproduction, 1991;45:553–559.