Re: [AlpacaTalk] More questions
We feed free choice hay, 2nd cutting orchard grass. We have custom
(home) made hay boxes that hold an entire 100 lb bale. We also have
lower hay boxes for pastures with crias (and their dams) so the babies
can get to the hay since the other hay boxes are too tall for the young
babies to reach into.
We feed a custom milled pelleted supplement. It's alfalfa based with a
premium vitamin/mineral mix and flax seed meal. The flax does indeed
improve fleece.
We do have automatic waterers. We have the small horse kind available
at just about any feed store. They are also available at Harbor Freight
for about $20. It's very easy to clean them when necessary, and they
only hold about 1 gallon of water so there is always fresh water. It
sure beats filling buckets with a hose daily, or 2 or 3 times daily!
Our hay boxes are on the ground. I've never seen alpacas eating from
high racks... not in Oregon! :) We bowl feed their pellet and make sure
they get their daily ration, no more, no less. No stealing is allowed.
We put the feed bowls on the ground as well, and pick them up when
they're finished.
I also love valleyvet.com, jeffersvet, Country Supply (horse.com). We
got some 5 qt fed bowls there for $1.42 a piece. You just can't beat
that price!
Heather
On Feb 28, 2008, at 3:28 PM, AmyJoLabbe@aol.
> How much feed is ideal? Do you normally feed free choice hay? What
> sort of
> hay? I live on the East coast and it is cold and snowy. No grass to
> speak of.
>
> How many of you supplement with grain and vitamins to improve fiber?
> Is
> there such a thing in alpacas?
>
> Do you like automatic waterers? Do you prefer bowl or paddle type?
>
> Alpacas are grazers, which means their body is designed to eat off the
> ground. But every alpaca farm I have been to feeds up high in racks.
> With horses,
> you don't want to feed them up like that because dust or hay
> particles from
> the hay can get into their nostrils and create respiratory
> irritation. I have
> even seen eye infections and scratched corneas from hay. There must
> be a
> reason so many people feed in hay racks. Your thoughts???
>
> Are there any good alpaca supply catalogs or websites? I need to buy
> halters
> at the very least.
>
>
>
>
> AmyJo
>
> ************
>
> (http://living.
> campos-duffy/
> 2050827?NCID=
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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posted by Chaddo at 9:04 PM
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