Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: The real question on hay feeding?????????

I can't say on the hay and alpaca issue, but I do know the basis for keeping a routine for feeding is very important in some species. I do know that animals that are creatures of habit, such as parrots, can become upset not only if the manner is changed, if a different peerson does the feeding and even if that person wears a different perfume or has a different smell to them. animals that relay on insticts,such as alpacas fear of dogs and keeping in a herd for protection, it could reason that any change could upset their sense of security, and thus affecting their milk production etc. That being said, if the animals are accoustomed to a variety of schedules or styles, then it wouldn't be seen as a threat to their security. In my opinion, it's better to get them accustomed to a varying schedule/methods because if a change has to be made it won't be stressful.
happy holiday,
marianne

Heather Zeleny - West Wind Alpacas <westwindalpacas@comcast.net> wrote:
Hi Sharon and Jim,
I was waiting to see if others had insight into this before posting..
but no one has!

I don't see how fluffing hay or not would have any affect on cows'
milk production. Is this anectotal or proven, or even a myth?

We used to fluff hay. Now we do not. When we did fluff the hay we were
also giving MSM daily as a preventative wormer as we had had massive
liver fluke infestation/infection. We think it was the MSM that blew
out the fiber, as it is sulphur based. So we don't know if fluffing
hay had any affect on our alpacas' fleece or milk production. Our
babies this year as a group had heavier birth weights than any other
previous year. :) At the same time, we had two 2 year olds who had
AFDs of under 20µ, and two almost yearlings with AFDs 20 or under, one
was 16.6! We are no longer supplementing with MSM, by the way. So I'd
say we have havier babies and better fleece not fluffing hay. I can't
really measure milk production, but the babies are doing very well.
And we haven't really kept up with weighing the babies past one month
of age. As long as they are growing well and have good body scores...
It's a manpower issue.

Does anyone else have observations on this subject?

Heather Zeleny
West Wind Alpacas
1150 Darlene Ln. #199
Eugene, OR, 97401

voice: 541.868.6976

http://www.westwindalpacas.com/
http://www.alpacanation.com/westwind.asp

--- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com, Sharon or Jim Dear
<sldear2001@y...> wrote:
>
> Take an alpaca farm. One person is an old dairy farmer, the other
person is not barn experieced, The farmer insists on fluffing the hay
with a pitch fork, the non farmer does not.
> 6 months later the non-farmer says to the farmer why aren't you
using the pitch fork and fluffing the hay any more? The farmer says
because you did not fluff and the alpacas will be affected by not
having the same manner of feeding (fluff versus putting out flakes of
hay) because i know that production animals (cows) are affected if
each person does not feed them the same way.
>
> Any imput on this subject would be welcomed.
>
> So I guess that was the real question to my asking eariler about
how do you feed hay to your alpacas?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Jim and Sharon Dear
> St. Lawrence County
> Potsdam, New York
> Alpacas came home 9-11-04
> THE DEAR ALPACA FARM
> www.dearalpacafarm.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Photos
> Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events,
holidays, whatever.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

SPONSORED LINKS
Alpaca Alpaca breeders West wind inn Farm animal Real estate farming Farming organic

---------------------------------
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

Visit your group "AlpacaTalk" on the web.

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
AlpacaTalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

---------------------------------

Tim & Marianne Barry
Sonny Haven Alpacas LLC
Sumter, SC
myalpacapride@yahoo.com

---------------------------------
Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/gMOolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlpacaTalk/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
AlpacaTalk-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/