[Alpacasite] Re: Cracked corn and whole oats.

Ken,

I was thinking about the grains for very cold temps up here in
Northern Wisconsin. Today is not an issue as it is 30 degrees. But
yesterday it was -10, and I know as the winter goes on, the temps
are only going to continue to fall. I do not have a heated barn for
the alpacas and just don't want them to be cold. Plus, if I can get
the girls to eat out of my hand, it would probably make me feel good
too. :>) But thermoregulation was my main reason for inquiring
about grains.
Thanks for the pointers.
Christine Fox
Fox's Funny Farm
Glidden, WI
--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, "Kenneth E. Madl"
<kenneth.madl@p...> wrote:
>
> On Sat Nov 26, 2005, Christine Fox wrote:
>
> > Is cracked corn and whole oats OK to give to alpacas
> > in small amounts?
>
>
> In "Feeding Camelids", Dr. LaRue W. Johnson wrote:
>
> "Forage (pasture and hay or browse) should be a major contributor
of
> energy to the diet. For certain circumstances, cereal grains
(corn,
> oats, barley, etc) may be used as supplemental high energy
sources."
>
> My question would be WHY you want to feed them grains? Is it as
a
> supplement, or rather, as many people do, to make YOU feel good?
> (You don't need to answer, just to consider the question.)
>
>
> To diverge from this for a moment, with regard to the thread
> "Getting More People into the Alpaca Industry", I'd like to
repeat
> something that I've said several times in the past. Anyone who
has
> ever been to Peru, and watched alpacas spend all day walking and
> browsing knows how important this is to their contentment. I
have
> sat and watched them in large paddocks, and they are constantly
in
> motion, moving from one end to the other. I believe that keeping
> them in feedlot conditions for their entire life borders on
animal
> cruelty, and people considering purchasing them should be aware
of
> ALL their needs. If this hurts some people's feelings, then
that's
> too bad.
>
>
> Back to corn and other grains ...
>
> As a supplement, corn has value during harsh winter conditions,
but
> there is a danger. Here is what a couple of other expert vets
had
> to say.
>
> Ken Madl
> Aviana Farms
>
> -----------------------------
>
> In "Winter Care for Alpacas and Llamas", by Dr. Stephen R. Purdy,
> published in the Winter 2002 issue of "New England Journal of
Large
> Animal Health", he wrote:
>
> "Cracked corn is easily digested, readily available at any feed
> store, and the animals like to eat it. It makes an excellent
quality
> calorie supplement in the winter."
>
> -----------------------------
>
> "Practical Llama and Alpaca Nutrition", by Stephen R. Purdy, DVM
>
> http://www.purdyvet.com/pracnut.html
>
> simple grains-
> • excellent sources of supplementation
> • readily available at any feed store
> • excellent palatability
> cracked corn- 9 -10% protein and good digestibility = calories
> crimped oats- same
> barley- same
> soy bean meal- 46-48% protein and good digestibility
> 50:50 by volume mixture of cracked corn and soy bean meal has 23%
> protein and makes the ideal protein and calorie supplement for
> lactation, growth, and weight gain
>
> -----------------------------
>
> "Hypothermia--Are you ready for the winter?", by David E
Anderson,
> DVM
>
> http://www.alpacabreeders.org/htmls/vetscorner.html
>
> "During extremes of cold, camelids have a vital need for
energy. ...
> Corn is the "hottest" grain in that it provides the most readily
> fermentable carbohydrates of the cereal grains, but this also
makes
> corn the most risky for causing acidosis. I prefer to add oats to
a
> winter ration because this feed provides more fiber than corn and
is
> less prone to acidosis."
>

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