We have never used the traditional Alpaca feed, our livestock all get the same mix of grains,beet pulp, molasses, etc,etc that we have had custom mixed for 10 years. We deworm everybody when needed/ and on a schedule of 5 times per year with garlic and molasses. We tried pellets(our first use of these, when we first moved to this province as feed choices and vet care is very very limited(most of our stuff needed for our livestock is ordered from Ontario thru our supplier regularly now) and had our first and only loss from choke(one of our beautiful up and coming future herdsires, it just broke my heart, though i tubed him several times;( to no avail, and will never use any pelleted form of feed again(except our rabbits) for any of our gang. We are vaccine free/ chemical/medication free unless absolutely necessary(several years now), we use natural remedies that thru trial and error have become as successful for us as any conventional chemical/treatment on the market and the vets here are absolutely useless and we have not had a vet here for this reason) Our motto here is if it ain't broke don't fix it;) and it works very well, and molasses is a very big part of our management system;) on a daily ongoing bases. We leave out free choice dairy mineral/kelp/DE/salt for the pacas,goats and horses, then for our sheep its sheep mineral/kelp/DE/salt. Our herd is very healthy, one of our paca girls will be 19 this year along with several other seniors ranging from 9-15 as well as our yearlings, etc all have done very well and this is what works for us. We understand the consequences to all we do and yes over the years of building healthy drug free stock we have had many fences to climb, big and small with some heart break along the way, it runs in the life of farming. An old farmer in his 90's once said to me many years ago "if you have livestock you've got dead stock" and over the years has proved to be true, not often but its there. It is wonderful to have a list so experienced, open minded and not opposed to how you choose to farm your livestock, we don't show we are in it for the fiber(the odd sale is ok too don't get me wrong LOL) and run closed herds on all our gang. Freedom of speech is great without all the flack of someone trying to tell you different or that you are doing it wrong which I get up the wazoo most times.(Sometimes people cannot see the forest because of the trees) I'd hate to see this group any other way, for we all seem to be a pretty good bunch;)
june Neill
http://www.geocities.com/tytarkennels/
http://iherdalpacas.etsy.com/
http://iherdalpacas.blogspot.com/
----- Original Message -----
From: houckj@aol.com
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 11:00 AM
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Beet Pulp/Molasses
I use the shredded beet pulp - it is the only thing I have ever seen
around here. I checked the label yesterday and yep it has molasses in
it; as does the alpaca feed from Southern States. Molasses is about the
4th or 5th ingredient. I have been feeding that for about maybe 6 yrs
or so now.
I do soak my shredded beet pulp and it does swell up. I soak up a few
days worth at a time; I don't use hot water. I give more than 1/8th
cup, but like Karen, use the scientific handful method, so can't really
say how much. Maybe today I'll take a measuring cup out with me and
check the amt.
More info about molasses being a problem for alpacas anyone?
Warmly, Janice
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