hi Heather - your mom's feed sounds exactly what i'm looking for but i don't imagine it is sold anywhere in Canada.
i looked up Still Water Minerals website, and yes they will ship to Canada but i am waiting to hear back from them what the UPS charge will be
the tag on the alpaca pellet bags gives the following information:
14% Alpaca Pellets
Guarateed Analysis
Minimum Crude Protein 14%
Min. Crude Fat 3.0%
Max. Crude Fibre 9%
Min. I.U. Vitamin A/kg 14,000
min. I.U. Vitamin D/kg 2,000
Min. I.U. Vitamin E/kg 150
Calcium (actual) 1.3%
Phosphorus (actual) 0.9%
Sodium (actual) 0.2%
added Selenium 0.3mg/kg
i'm now going to see if the manufacturer has a website to get a list of the ingredients as the above means nothing to me - if anyone can interpret the above analysis for me i'd appreciate it.
i fed beet pulp last winter to give them something warm during the cold weather - the beet pulp and the dairy mix i mentioned earler are full of molasses, and they love it. I'm not feeding beet pulp this year because of what i've read on this list serve - however i have to get their feed worked out so they have a consistent diet, and i have healthy animals and fine fleece.
They don't like the plain pellets and will leave them sitting in their feed dishes, then act like i'm starving them. All this experimenting around isn't good for any of us, so i have to figure out the best, available formula and stick to it.
At least i know they have the best of hay, and i pay top dollar for it, but that part of their diet is consistent.
looking forward to more discussion - yes Janice, i know we talked about feed last year, but i'm slow to learn i guess - there are many differing opinions on feed, but i have to find the right mix for my animals. Most things are not available in our small valley but i don't mind making the drive or ordering online if i feel i'm getting the right stuff.
sorry if i'm ranting but this issue has been ongoing for me - some of the other farmers may be interested in ordering bulk feed and sharing if i can make a good case for change.
Wendy
DreamWeaver Alpacas
----- Original Message -----
From: Heather Zeleny
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] RE: feed
Hi Janice,
Yes, my mom does sell the custom feed she has milled at a custom mill
about 45 minutes away from us. We have shipped a few bags here and
there, and we do ship along the truck route that the mill's supply
trucks drive in Oregon and Washington. Shipping is extremely expensive.
She has many customers in the state and into Washington.
Our feed is sort of concentrated, we also feed at half the weight that
most feeds require. Right now the "retail" price is around $21 per 50
lb bag, but instead of feeding 2 cups to pregnant and nursing dams, we
feed 1 cup. The boys get 1/2 cup. I feed the boys, and 1 bag lasts 2
weeks for 15 adult males. It goes as far as 2 50 lb bags of most other
feeds, which makes it like 2 bags for $11.50. Fed according to the
label, we think this is the best deal in feed available!
You say your alpacas won't eat the alfalfa chunks, maybe its because
they're too big? I know that timothy hay pellets are often available,
as well as alfalfa pellets. I'm positive it is possible to find the
right sized pellet, and not have to resort to feeding corn based alpaca
feed, or something that has lot of "brewer's dried grains" or soybean
hulls, or any manner of left-over waste material that they then try to
sell as livestock feed.
We just feel it's very important not to feed a lot of sugars and
starches. Molasses is in a lot of feeds, and that's not good for the
alpacas' digestion, either. The alpaca has a hay mat in its
stomach/rumen in which lives the microflora and fauna that actually
feed the alpaca. They break down what the alpaca eats and their
byproducts and activity is what feeds the alpaca. Too much sugar in
molasses, beet pulp, corn, etc., creates a hostile environment for the
"good" alpaca flora and fauna. This creates an opening for the wrong
kind of microfauna to establish in the rumen, and leads to sick
alpacas. So if you do feed beet pulp, please use it very sparingly.
Believe me, you do not want to lose your best alpacas to a perforated
ulcer.
Our alpaca feed is akin to those organic holistic premium pet foods,
like the ones we feed to our cats. :) No corn, no by-products, no
filler. Just exactly what the alpaca needs for proper nutrition to
thrive.
Heather
Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Creswell, OR
541.895.0964
Holistic Farm and Elite Fleece
http://www.whitelotusalpacas.com
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/AlpacaTalk/join
On Dec 18, 2008, at 7:14 AM, houckj@aol.com wrote:
> <<We
> recommend that people who use our feed only have enough on hand that
> they'll use in no more than 3 months. Since we get a new ton every two
> weeks, they don't even need to have it around that long! But that's
> beside the point...>>
>
> Heather, last year was this same discussion about not feeding grain
> and
> it made sense to me, plus I have to drive a bit to get alpaca feed. I
> purchased a bag of alfalfa from local feed supply. It was not pellets
> but chunks. The only alpaca that would eat it was my breeding male,
> everyone else turned thier nosees up. Besides with the chunks there
> was
> no way they were going to get their vit or minerals (I don't add
> vitamins....can't remember if Dr Evans mineral has vit in it? I know I
> buy it in a 25#bucket (the smallest) and it lasts at *least* a year if
> not longer. Never thought about the vitamins. I went back to the paca
> feed and fed the alfalfa chunks to the horses as treats.
>
> But the pacas had not been eating their minerals for a very very long
> time now, they just fall to the bottom of the feed tray and stay
> there.
> I started feeding beet pulp this fall and they love it so now I add
> the minerals to that and top dress their feed and they eat it all up
> (and as soon as I can find a source I will start adding DE as well).
> So
> the beet pulp has become the carrier for those minerals. Now I just
> have to go find out if they have/had vitamins in them.
>
> Are you saying here that you sell the custom feed mix you use?
>
> Warmly, Janice
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