I guess you could say I'm a firm believer that doing less is actually doing more. So far he does not seem to be off. I'll watch him thru tonight and see how he is doing tomorrow morning. Since I cannot spend 24/7 with him he may have done his business without me knowing. But I do appreciate everyone's information. This is my first bottle cria. I sure hope it's a long long time before I have another. I've already had two other maidens deliver their babies this year without a mishap, hopefully that will continue thru the rest of the 2010 cria season!
I'll keep everyone posted on how he is doing. If anyone is on FaceBook I've posted pictures of him on my Brandilyn Farm wall.
Thanks again!
Donna Jaruzel
Brandilyn Farm Alpacas
Holly, MI
810-714-6061
248-933-6777
-----Original Message-----
From: Heather Zeleny <alpacatalk@gmail.
com>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 4:30 pm
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Bottle cria
An enema is a good suggestion if the cria "ain't doing right". We have found that the saline enema can be a little harsh, so we dump it out and replace with clean water (distilled if you have it) and mineral oil. Warm the enema and shake well, then administer.
Heather
Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Oregon
Holistic Farm and Elite Fleece
On May 16, 2010, at 12:47 PM, Tina Travis wrote:
Donna I think you have done a great job! You are making very good decissions.I would do a fleet baby enema if he is straining.If his system starts backing up new problems start---stop eating belly ache and my vet says all that straining can do damage also. Once again I do alot with my crias when they are born.I always do an enema,it takes so much energy to pass that first bowel movement. Giving the enema lets you know the cria is working on both ends.Always,T
Elkhorn Alpacas
31655 Elkhorn Glen
Warrenton,MO.63383
636-359-0250 / 636-459-8930
Alpacas are a rare treasure,
one that I like to share!!!!
From: "brandilynfarm@aol.com" <brandilynfarm@aol.com>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 2:15:33 PM
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Bottle cria
Yes we did shear today! Thank goodness that is done for the year!
The little stinker is doing fine. I've noticed he has increased his milk intake today. So that is good! He is walking better and even running some now. He has definitely imprinted himself on me so I do my best to just feed him and walk away. But to make sure he gets exercise he will follow me around the pasture. I will walk him up thru my girls as they are out grazing and then he sort of looses me and I just walk back to the barn and leave him out there. But when he is hungry and he here's my voice he starts calling for me and comes right to me. He is now 2 days old.
This was a very immature 3 year old female who had this cria. I think that has a lot to do with what is happening. When she got to my farm in late June 2009 at two years old she weighed only 100 pounds. And she was not thin, just small. She has gained steadily since arriving at my farm. Of course I now know part of the reason for that! Every time we did a breeding last summer this female would be kushed at the fence as close as she could get to where the breeding was being done. By last fall she was about 125 pounds so after talking it over with her breeder we thought we'd try and get her bred. The first time she screamed and ran around the stalled area like an idiot. We figured it was because she was a maiden. We waited a couple days and tried again. It took a couple three minutes for her to kush but she did and a breeding was done. Her due date was to be 9/29/10 - 345 days. So when I found this cria in the pasture the other day I had to start lifting tails as no one was due and everyone surrounding the cria were all pregnant. He had just been born, his sack was still partially on him. Of course as soon as I saw this female's rear I knew it was she who had had him. But she was nowhere near this cria. She was off to one side of him grazing. Needless to say I started freaking out. Because she was showing no interest towards the baby we separated them and put them in the pasture adjacent to the one they were in. Still very little interest towards the cria from the dam. It took 1 1/2 hours for this cria to get up. Once he got up and got over to mom, every time he would get under her she would sidestep away. After a couple hours we finally haltered her and held her. The cria would get under her and she would dance around or try and kush. It had now been about 4 hours since this cria had been born with no milk in him yet. So I did what I thought I had to for the sake of the cria. I milked her as best I could and with a bottle the cria took it all. We then started supplementing with a colostrum mix and have also kept up milking mom. At the moment the dam will cluck at him and then walk away like he is someone else's baby. Of course he really has no clue who she is. He stays with the herd during the daylight hours, but at night we bring him up to the house so I can get him fed. His last feeding is around 1AM and then its to bed for me. I'm back up at 6AM to get him fed and so far he has done fine. He is very happy to see me at 6AM. He's taking about 3 oz every 1 1/2 hours. Sometimes he will only take about 1 1/2 ounces. We haven't weighed him yet today. We were busy all morning getting everyone shorn. I've never worried about this but I'm not sure he has pooped yet. Though he certainly has peed. I can see he is trying. When should I intervene with this? And with what? An ennema? Just a little while ago he and his mama were kushed side by side - so I guess anything could still happen.
Thanks everyone!
Donna Jaruzel
Brandilyn Farm Alpacas
Holly, MI
810-714-6061
248-933-6777
-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Travis <traviselkhornalpaca
s@yahoo.com>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
ups.com Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 12:54 pm
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Bottle cria
Donna is shearing today BUT I believe she said they have been trying with the mom and cria hook up with little luck.Males and females can have the bizzirk behavior,that is why we have been putting the crias out with the herd as much as possible.Mine is a girl and the other one I raised was a male.No problems with behavior on the male--this little girl is going to be a problem,she is pushy and has a personality that is very dominate.She has that same attitude out with the herd--so far they just let her carry on.I hope they will put her in her place.Always, T
Elkhorn Alpacas
31655 Elkhorn Glen
Warrenton,MO. 63383
636-359-0250 / 636-459-8930
Alpacas are a rare treasure,
one that I like to share!!!!
From: Bluebird Hills Farm <bluebirdhills@ voyager.net>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com
Sent: Sun, May 16, 2010 8:14:17 AM
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Bottle cria
Donna,
Is there some reason why the dam can't nurse the cria??? If I were in your shoes, that is where I would be going. Secondly, you have started the cria on a milk that is completely adequate under the circumstances. Cows milk is very accessible, and very similar to alpaca milk. Thirdly, the cria likes it and is doing okay. Changing formula right now, in my opinion would be unwise, unless you suspect that your current "formula" is causing an issue.
If the dam is not anxious to nurse the cria, you can restrain her and allow the cria to get under there. This is definitely a trial of patience on your part, but in the long run very worth it and very important for cria and dam!
Lastly, I can't remember if this cria is girl or boy, but if a boy, please be careful with how much you interact, for you may create a male that imrints on you and when he reaches adulthood will consider you and other humans a rival alpaca and literally attck you.
If you want to bottle feed a cria for 4 to 6 months, go for it, but if it were me, I would be getting the cria's mom to do all the work, or at least the majority of it!
Laurel
The Shouvlins
Bluebird Hills Farm
Springfield, Ohio
937-206-3936
www.bluebirdhills. com
bluebirdhills@
voyager.net
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