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Alpaca Husbandry

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Alpacas have a routine that sets the day and the year for their shepherd. They go out early in the morning to graze, and then retire to their shelter or favorite spot in the pasture to -kush- and chew their cud. They repeat this process several times a day. Alpacas generally have a baby each year, which requires that they be rebred fourteen to twenty-one days later and that their cria be weaned five to six months after birth.How you manage this cycle will determine your calendar. If you have cria year round you will need to stay close to home. If you do as they do in South America and breed the females in the spring, your year will be easier to organize. The cria will be born during warm weather and the mothers will graze green pastures while they are nursing.I recommend that you think about arranging your breeding program around the weather and a schedule that gives you the freedom to travel and to be away from the barn without worry. You will need to create a routine that allows for the alpaca chores on a daily and yearly basis.Compared with other livestock, alpacas are relatively disease free. Alpacas are small and easy to maintain, rarely overeat and require no extraordinary care. They simply need shearing, toe trimming, deworming, and vaccinations.

ANATOMY AND CONCEPTION

Conception is critical if an alpaca breeder expects to make a profit in the alpaca business. There is little money to be made from fallow females. Every alpaca breeder needs to understand in detail the process of alpaca reproduction.

CATCHING AND RESTRAINING

Alpacas always need to be handled. They must be moved about while doing routine husbandry, transport, and shearing.

CHUKKERING

Chukkering is a simple restraining system that immobilizes an alpaca. It is common in South America where alpacas are transported in open trucks.

DEWORMING

There are a number of effective products that will rid alpacas of internal parasites. These include Ivomectin, Ivomectin Plus, Valbazen and Panacur.

HALTER TRAINING

Halter trained alpacas are generally quieter when handled and easier to relocate over short distances. It is particularly important that stud males be halter trained.

IDENTIFICATION

LEG RESTRAINTS

A set of leg restraints can be useful, particularly for shearing. You should get instructions, on how to use leg restraints, from an experienced handler before using them for the first time. You can purchase leg restraints from catalogs that specialize in llama and alpaca equipment.

MOBILE MATING

This method involves either bringing the male to the female or visa versa. Once the mating is performed the animal that was transported for the mating is returned to their farm.

RECORD KEEPING

Once you determine the fleece traits that you are selecting for they should be measured on a consistent basis.

Shearing

Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in the spring. Shearing is the biggest maintenance that alpaca require and it usually takes about five to ten minutes per animal for an experienced shearer

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VACCINATIONS / INJECTIONS

I recommend alpaca breeders learn to give their own injections. It is easy to do and saves a lot of ...

LEG RESTRAINTS

A set of leg restraints can be useful, particularly for shearing. You should get instructions, on ho ...

THE CLUES THAT A CRIA IS DUE

Every parent can remember the time leading up to his or her first baby’s birth. A lot of you have he ...

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