Free Alpacas Newsletter- How to Profit from Alpaca Farming

Monday, May 03, 2010

[AlpacaTalk] Introduction and a Question

 

Hi All,
My name is Jacqueline. I'm a long time horse owner but a new alpaca owner. In addition to 2 shetland wethers I've had for 5 years, I have 2 alpaca wethers that I have owned for about a year. So I don't know a whole bunch. I keep the sheep and alpaca together in a dry lot and they get hay twice a day plus a little grain once a day. One of the alpaca boys came through the winter pretty thin. He is low man on the totem pole even after the sheep.

My question is if I turn him out on a little grass, do I need to do it a little at a time to accustom him to the change in diet like you would a horse? Do alpacas colic? How long should I leave him out at a time? The grass is a mix with a lot of brome in it. But it is very wet since we are having a VERY rainy spring here.

Thanks for any advice,
Jacqueline Jacobson
Lone Jack Missouri
Lone Jack Fiber Mill
www.lonejackfiber.com

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posted by Chaddo at 7:20 AM 0 comments

Free Alpacas Newsletter- How to Profit from Alpaca Farming

[AlpacaTalk] RE: age

 

<<< She'll be 17 this year.

Heather>>>

Wow! We have a horse in mid to late 20s still doing good. I didn't
know how alpacas compared.
What is typical life span and what is too old to safely breed?
My first and oldest matriarch is 10yo. My stud is not the least bit
interested in her. I didn't know if it was because of her age or just
in general lack of interest in her? I have had them together, just the
2 of them, every day for the past month or so. He ignores her and paces
the fence moaning for his favorite who is, I assume, preg. Well he did
make a move in her direction a week or so back but she gave him the high
chin and he backed off. He was just a yearling when he came here and
she has always been the Queen Bee, so maybe he is just intimidated.
Perhaps it is more a case of *she* is not interested in him so he
doesn't push his luck. But I sure would like to get another baby from
her before she's much older.......if she's not too old. I would never
ever risk her for the sake of having another cria. She is far too
special to me - my AllieB.
Thanks, Janice

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Recent Activity:
Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat others with respect and civility.
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posted by Chaddo at 6:18 AM 0 comments

Free Alpacas Newsletter- How to Profit from Alpaca Farming

RE: [AlpacaTalk] Age

 

We had a rescue alpaca that had a healthy cria at 20 years old.  One of our herdsires jumped the fence!.  We found an old-folks alpaca farm in WA that took her when she was 21.  She was in good health with a body score of 4.5.
 
Peter Lundberg
Stayton, OR
Alpaca Blanket Project
503-551-5015
 

To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
From: wendy.edwards@shaw.ca
Date: Sun, 2 May 2010 20:10:46 -0700
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Age

 
my old girl turned 17 last january and i'm not shearing her either - she only has about 2 inches as it is
Wendy
DreamWeaver Alpacas
Port Alberni BC
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Age

 

She'll be 17 this year. 



Heather

Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Oregon

Holistic Farm and Elite Fleece

On May 2, 2010, at 11:58 AM, jelizabethfarms1@bellsouth.net wrote:

<<< To tell the truth I'm considering not shearing one of my huacayas
this year. She's very old and she suffered all winter from the cold.
Even at a full year's growth, she's only got 2" Poor old girl. But
she's got a great appetite, so she's not ready to go quite yet.

Heather>>>

What is considered "very old"?
Thanks! Janice





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Recent Activity:
Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat others with respect and civility.
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posted by Chaddo at 6:16 AM 0 comments

Free Alpacas Newsletter- How to Profit from Alpaca Farming

Re: Re : [AlpacaTalk] Advice

 

Yes, there are a lot of things that can cause severe weight loss and I did have my girl tested but nothing was found.  She's never been overweight by any stretch of the imagination, but it's painful for me to see how thin she is now.  I'm lending her to a new beeder as a companion to the female she's buying from me.  Getting her away from the herd and into an environment where she'll not have to deal with milk thieves should help, and I won't have to worry about her offspring taking up again.
 
Judith Korff
LadySong Farm
Music to Your Wallet
Randolph, New York 14772 
Cell: (716) 499-0383
 


From: Laura A. Roberts <laura0554@hughes.net>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, May 3, 2010 12:15:59 AM
Subject: RE: Re : [AlpacaTalk] Advice

 

            Your mention of your skin and bones girl made me thing of our old girl.  I bought her sight unseen and when she arrived, I was shocked to find her skin and bones.  She weighed 115 and her health records indicated her weight at 152 when healthy.  She was diagnosed with EPE….Mycoplasma Haemalama……(spelled wrong most likely) and treated with Biomycin.  This was last Fall…….she arrived at our farm Nov 1st. 

            WELL, I am so happy to say she now weighs 146 and is STILL nursing her cria……who is long overdue for weaning.  Also, amazingly enough, she was bred before we got her and she is still pregnant. 

 

            Our vet says we did a great job in getting groceries back on her……….all while nursing a cria, battling our horribly cold winter and recovering from a serious blood bourn illness.

 

            These old gals are so much more sturdy then I ever considered!

 

Laura Roberts

R Half Pint Farm

Spotsylvania, VA 

 

From: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com [mailto: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com ] On Behalf Of Judith Korff/Ladysong Farm
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 6:57 AM
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com
Subject: Re: Re : [AlpacaTalk] Advice

 

 

Yes it is, until you find 2- and 3-year olds nursing on a dam who lets anybody in!  I have an older female who - up until I weaned her a month ago - was allowing her 2009 cria, her 2008 cria, her 2007 cria and her sister's 2007 and 2008 crias nurse - sometimes all at the same time!  There are times you couldn't find this gal in the crowd around her.  One of her nieces even tried to snag colostrum while she was delivering last summer!

 

It was very upsetting to watch and worry that the newest baby wasn't getting what she needed (although they all seem pretty healthy and hardy EXCEPT the nursing mom, who is nothing but skin and bones no matter how much supplement and other nutritional support she gets).  I've retired this dam because it's just too hard on her, and since she's already given me 7 crias - the last three girls - I think she deserves a rest. 

 

So yes, it's great to have a nanny when you have an orphan or a cria whose own dam doesn't have adequate milk; it's not so great when they harm themselves and jeopardize their current offspring in the process.
 

Judith Korff

LadySong Farm

Music to Your Wallet

Randolph, New York 14772 

Cell: (716) 499-0383

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Recent Activity:
Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat others with respect and civility.
.

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posted by Chaddo at 4:40 AM 0 comments