Re: [AlpacaTalk] Worried about Merry Morning
Janice,
Sorry to hear of the possible problems.
December of 2007, I had a bottle baby. At first I was buying goats milk. It was not cheap. Then I found out about a product called Sav-a-caf, Grade A Ultra 24. It is a multi species milk replacer. It comes with a cup inside the bag. It is mixed one cup to a quart of water. I also added one table spoon of Mountain High PLAIN yogurt per quart. My lil girl would suck down a 20oz bottle in just a couple minutes. I also used the pritchard nipple. Thankfully, the vet was able to get Brandie to take the bottle, just before Aran died. The last bag I bought was $33, and weighed 8 pounds, it worked out to about a dollar a quart.
Personally, I would leave the coat on her. If she isnt getting much milk, she might need the extra warmth.
Good luck with Merry.
Jim Guerin
Jimmini Farm
Yelm, WA
----- Original Message -----
From: houckj@aol.com
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 1:29 PM
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Worried about Merry Morning
I have noticed that mama doesn't seem to stand still long enough for
baby to get a good drink; the first several days she did, she would
stand for long periods of time. I have tried not to be a worry wart and
figure they know what they are doing. But today, day 6, I saw Merry
laying out in the hay, where she often is laying while the others are
eating, but something made me walk out there to check on her. Mama and
everyone else were standing around eating. Merry did not lift her head,
nor try to stand when I approached (and she is very skittish). I petted
her and it took a few seconds for her to alert and stand up. Perhaps
she was just sound asleep? But I was concerned enough, since I had
weighed her this morning and she hasn't gained any weight (but I have a
very old bathroom scale and so can only get a general idea). I checked
mama's teats and there was no milk when I squeezed each of them (but I
did get 2 good full spits to the face and head). My dtr had told me the
other day that she was worried that Merry was not getting enough to
drink as mama always walked away or laid down while baby was trying to
nurse. But baby seems to be thriving so I didn't worry too much about
it. Now today I am getting no milk from mama when I squeeze. So in I
came to look up the posts I had saved a while back when we were
discussing formulas for feeding crias. Didn't find the ones I thought I
remembered but found one that said milk, half and half, a dab of whole
yogurt and a little lite Karo syrup. I don't have any half and half on
hand but had everything else. Mixed it up, heated in double boiler to
105 and have spent the past 2 hrs trying to get some of it Merry. She
wouldn't suck on the pritchard nipple, she wouldn't take it from a
syringe - 2 different types, and she wouldn't take it from an enlarged
baby bottle nipple. I had mama and baby in an enclosed area. In
between fussing around with all this stuff she tried to nurse a few
times but mama laid down. We haltered her and tried to get her to stay
up and still, but she struggled against us. Baby did nurse a bit after
I finished with all my paraphanalia and I heard what sounds to me like
liquid being taken, the same sound I have heard each time I have
listened from the very beginning. But she constantly roots from nipple
to nipple and I fear she is not getting enough or *any*? I gave up and
released them thinking that was enough stress for right now. Merry
seems active and keeps right up with mama, sticking right by her side.
I have not seen her running and leaping about like I did the first few
days; but then I am not out there all the time, tho I do a sight check
every hour or so from the window, I don't walk out there.
Should I be worried? What should I do, if anything? She is about
18-20# and has been from birth, and active as she has been from birth.
Does mama sound dried up? I am thinking that if baby was really
hungry she would have been more interested in the bottle? She did
swallow some but not willingly. they both seem to be crying/humming all
the time. Baby hums when she wants to nurse, mama seems to be stress
humming, at least when I am around and doing stuff. I also noticed
baby's tail was not up when she was nursing as I have seen the others
do. Her tail goes up when she *wants* to nurse and approaches mama, but
while we had them in the enclosed area and she was nursing her tail was
not up at all; don't know if that is significant or not?
I am on digest and won't get the next digest till in the morning. If
anyone has any suggestions or thoughts that I should do something today,
please cc me privately; or even just to tell me not to worry would be a
relief. Or if there is anything I should get from the feed store in the
AM, please let me know. Nursemate was mentioned in several posts from
when we were having this discussion earlier this year and I looked for
it, but neither of my feed stores carries it.
Thanks! Janice in GA where it is warm today (in the 60s) but will be
back to freezing again by the end of the week. Should I take her coat
off for now - it is 40s at night; high 50s and 60s in the day for the
next several days, but rain off an on predicted.
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posted by Chaddo at 12:27 AM
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