Alpaca Care

Alpaca fiber can be used as sheer in the finest silks, to as thick and chunky as tweeds and wool. Conformation: Huacaya, as well as Suri alpacas are a small and relatively easy livestock to maintain.

Alpaca fiber can be used as sheer in the finest silks, to as thick and chunky as tweeds and wool. Conformation: Suri, like the Huacaya alpacas are a small and relatively easy livestock to maintain.

Those are kept on foster farms and trained until ready for adoption. Reputable rescues carefully evaluate animals before placement. Also, paying an adoption fee does not mean you own the animal.

If she isn't already pregnant, she'll sit down with her legs tucked underneath her (this is called cushing), and he'll sit down behind her, gradually pulling himself forward until his penis extends all the way into her uterus.

They give the other llama or alpaca an evil lama death stare that says, “Back off!” If the other lama doesn't pay attention, the spitter may spew just air but anything in his mouth, like partially chewed grass or hay flies out, too.

If you're new to camelids, you're likely wondering what the differences between alpacas and llamas. They have collaborated on several books, including How to Build Chicken Coops (2015).

Start with basic assignments, like filling feed bins and water buckets, and be prepared to work hands-on with young children. Bucks, bulls, boars, rams and even roosters are not safe for young children who have neither the presence nor the strength to...

Photo by Anna O'Brien A smoothly running shearing day is directly related to the number of helpers you have on hand. Keep Waiting Animals Happy Humans comfortable? Donuts are almost a requirement.

Additionally, consider how herd mates treat the older animal in the pasture. But, because of economics and efficiency, often we breed our livestock to give birth at different times of the year, which means sometimes in colder weather.

For more information about how you can help, visit the AOBA website . Barbara and her husband, Randy Coleman, own Wings & A Prayer Alpacas in Amity, Ore., so the request was one she could easily fulfill.

Insect strike causes stress, aggravation, stomping and excessive movement, which, in extreme heat, can be detrimental to an animal's health and well-being. They not only provide a cooling breeze but also help prevent biting insects such as mosquitoes...

You'll find that information on dewormer labels, or your extension agent can fill you in. Resistance happens because one worm in millions of worms has a genetic characteristic that makes it resistant to a specific dewormer.

A pre-purchase veterinary exam is essential in any alpaca purchase. Comprehensive Guide to Alpaca Pre-Purchase Examinations Alpaca Pre-Purchase Exam Guide This document, prepared by Dr. Leslie Richardson, DVM, details the type of questions you should...

As with any compost pile, this is best accomplished by—browns being woody materials like small garden debris andDepending on the amount of compost, it should take anywhere from a few weeks or months to a year before it's ready for use.will help break...

On slightly wobbly legs, the baby, who the Govins are considering naming Dusty, reunited with its mother and all is well. A lost baby alpaca found neck-deep in what the farmers think was a badger hole and was in need of rescuing.

Would you ever enter your alpaca in a costume contest? PennLive.com's Julia Hatmaker put together a great video (above) of the contest. These fuzzy creatures were featured in the Farm Show's first-ever costume contest on Jan.

We do! Our llama is a pretty, spotted male named Bandit. Herders buried the bones of sacrificed llamas in the enclosure into which they were expected to reincarnate. Then camelids disappeared from North America along with the woolly mammoth and saber-toothed...

Or, stick to the old favorites like Angora and Pygora goats, Angora rabbits , or beautiful sheep . That's true of some llamas , too. Boers have cashmere? A yak's winter, cashmere-quality undercoat is ultra-soft and cushy, and all you have to do is groom...

Her name is Deb Logan. “Those are llama beans. Tags alpacas , llama poop , llamas That makes it easy to scoop up and add it to the garden as a soil amendment . Then I'd use bleach to obliterate the smell of the old pile.

History: The ancestor of today's llamas evolved on the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago. The United States llama herd now numbers in excess of 100,000 animals.

It's my favorite topic! Ask our sheep friend, Nick. If all eight teeth are big, he is about 3 years old. Did you know we don't have teeth in our front upper jaws? This behavior helps them identify what they smell, especially the scent of animals they...

Or, do like our Mom and Dad who carry buckets of warm water to us at least twice a day. That's because us bucks and rams and wethers need to drink plenty of water year-round. That means using a heated bucket in the winter.

Learn about the risk and how you can keep your animals safe. However, once the animal's nervous tissues have been damaged, there's nothing that can be done to repair them. About the Author: Sharon Biggs Waller is an award-winning writer and author of...

Watch for clues to indicate what problem the animal may have. And Vitamin B12 shots.” Bolt's farm is also a breeding facility and she uses the Vitamin B shots anytime she has babies born that might need a bit of extra energy.

Then you won't have to be sad like my mom and Sam. When it was almost done, Dad came in and told her Baatiste was gone. Her baby lamb, Sam, is so sad and so is our Mom. Don't take a chance, check them out.

If you use a heat lamp, don't clamp it to the wall or suspend it by its cord or a piece of baling twine. You may want to heat their coop to keep frostbite at bay. For larger animals, use a horse trailer.

We administer mineral oil and anti-inflammatories in these cases to try to reduce the amount of excessive carbohydrates that are absorbed in the intestines. Gorging on grain is dangerous—even life-threatening—for horses, as grain overload can cause...