Re: [AlpacaTalk] Feed
Well Tim, I have no idea how many alpacas you have, but when you have
50+, feeding twice a day is a bit impractical. We bowl feed and
separate into groups into stalls according to dominance and eating
speed so each alpaca gets its full ration but no more.
You may have a good point about too large a portion of most feeds at
one time causing problems, but again, we don't feed grain, so there
is no potential for grain -associated problems.
I have to tell you that I think it's those people who dreamt up the
idea of feeding leftover garbage from other processes as animal feed
are overthinking. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make that
stuff a balanced feed? Please read the paper at the Alpaca Research
Foundation website, if you haven't already. If by some crazy mishap,
our alpacas got into the feed bin, we would not have a fear of
entertoxemia or grain overload. At most, it would be like a human
taking a few multivitamins at one time instead of just one. Not only
is our feed absolutely proper nutrition for alpacas, it is safe!
Why do you need to add all of those different topdresses and
supplements? Shouldn't your alpaca feed satisfy all of its
nutritional needs? How much is all that extra supplement costing? Our
feed is $21 per 50 lb bag, fed at 1 cup per day for pregnant and
lactating dams. Males get a heaping 1/2 cup. 1 bag will feed 15 adult
males for 2 weeks. It's really a good bargain! One male costs $36.40
per year to feed this pellet. I haven't spoken about all of those
different, additional topdresses because I see no need for them, and
haven't used them.
One more thing, we don't give CD&T since we don't feed grain or grain
by-products. There's been much discussion on that as well, and at
least one very influential breeder that I know of also doesn't give
CD&T. Alpacas can get tetanus so tetanus shots are advisable, but the
other two clostridia strains are not really a problem in alpacas.
It's spoken to at length in Eric Hoffman and Dr Murray Fowler's "The
Alpaca Book".
Feeding the alpacas the right way actually is a money saver, and
makes for better fleece, healthier animals, and cria born in the
correct 16-20 lb range, rather than larger babies making delivery
very hard on the dam. That's another thing, we used to have almost
all 20+ lb babies. We even had a 25 pounder, and 24 lbs was common.
Let me tell you, if you have a dystocia with a baby that size, it is
even tougher to correct and deliver a live cria and have a live dam
afterward.
Heather
Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Creswell, OR
541.895.0964
Holistic Farm and Elite Fleece
http://www.whitelot
http://tech.
On Dec 24, 2008, at 8:12 AM, Tim wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> As a newer owner I have been following this and other discussions
> intently.
>
> I was going back and forth from being concerned and not concerned
> about my feeding plan.
>
> Not anymore
>
> I have decided after much research, that while some points of this
> discussion may be valid it is the amount of feed ingested that
> causes most of these problems.
> If you are feeding once a day you are probably causing your own
> problem.
> Feeding twice also allows for observation of your animals and will
> give more time for treatment if something is wrong.
>
> At this time I am feeding free choice grass hay and 1/2 cup of
> mazuri feed twice daily.
>
> Minerals will be given at 1/2 oz twice daily and fiber nutrients
> when I find a source.
>
> I am switching over to Dr Evans Start to Finish Supplement from
> Buckeye Nutrition here in Ohio.
>
> I have seen no reference to this supplement and the reference that
> have been mentioned on here are feeds that I have never heard of?
>
> The fiber from this program and the general health of animals on
> this program is super.
>
> I Think We Sometimes Think 2 Much.
>
> Tim
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posted by Chaddo at 9:02 AM
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