Pointers On How To Care For Your Alpacas

PLEASE NOTE:
These notes are based on our experience, and we have supplemented this with anecdotal evidence and advice from other breeders. The notes do not replace any veterinary advice.

• Beginning your herd
• Birthing
• Colostrum
• Cria Emergency Kit
• Cria Weight
• Drenching
• Feeding Your Alpacas
• Guarding
• Halter and Lead Work
• Is the Cria Drinking
• Lice
• Mating
• Poisonous Plants
• Selenium Supplementation
• Spit-Off
• Travelling
• Ultrasounds
• Vaccination
• Vitamins A, D and E Supplementation
• Weaning
• Weight
• References

Beginning Your Herd

We have found that 3 alpacas are the ideal number for beginning a herd, rather than 2. They instinctively band together with one always on the lookout. It is equally preferable to have at least one older animal as the main guard with younger ones, if you are starting out. They are hierarchical and live comfortably in single sex groups. The more you have, the happier they are.

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Birthing

The gestation is generally about 342 days but it can range from 320-380 days.

We would recommend you purchase from the AAA a copy of the Alpaca Breeders Birthing Handbook by E McMillan and C Jinks. It is a quick reference guide and handy to have with you in the paddock if required.

Another book we would recommend and also available from the AAA is Llama and Alpaca Neonatal Care by Bradford Smith, DVM, PhD, Karen Timm, DVM, PhD and Patrick Long, DVM contact Camelid Health Supplies (Aust). We suggest you read one of these well before birthing starts.

The first sign of birthing may be the female straining over a dung pile. This may occur for some time before the birth. She may be restless and stay away from the rest of the herd. Just be observant and don't overcrowd the mother, give her space and be patient. We have found every birth has been different but all are exciting. We start to keep a closer eye on the female from about 20 days before the 342nd day. By doing this it is then easy to pick up on her change.

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Cria Emergency Kit

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Colostrum

It is very important if you are to succeed in hand-rearing a cria that they receive colostrum at birth. Colostrum is the first milk produced after birth, and it is high in protein, much of which is immunoglobulin.

If you are unable to milk any from the mother, we suggest you have some Impact Colostrum Replacer handy, which can be purchased from Camelid Health Supplies (Aust).

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Cria Weight

A cria should weigh from 6 to 9kg at birth and grow at a rate of 200 to 300g per day. We generally try and weigh the cria after a few hours, record the weight and than monitor the progress every week until 1 month and then every month. If the cria is not gaining weight, you may need to do some supplementary feeding.

We were given a cria whose mum didn't want him and we used My Lamb milk powder. He was bottle fed for 6 months, beginning 4 x day and reducing to 3x, 2x then once a day until he just wasn't interested in the bottle anymore. His weight gain was excellent.

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Drenching

We prefer to do a faecal egg count about twice each year. Worm test kits can be purchased from your local Rural Store or Rural Lands Protection Board.

If you run your alpacas with sheep, goats or cattle they may pick up worms from the droppings of these animals, therefore it is suggested that you drench your alpacas at the same time your drench your sheep etc. If you run your alpacas in small paddocks there is a greater risk of internal parasite build-up, or if paddocks are not rested for a few months.

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Feeding Your Alpacas

Due to the drought a lot of alpaca breeders have been required to supplement their alpaca feed. We have been in drought conditions for a few years and have been unable to sow the pasture that we require for feed. We are therefore supplementing the feed for our alpacas at Towrang, NSW with Alpaca Tucka, produced by the mill at Moss Vale. We can purchase the product through our stock feed supplier, Fife's in Goulburn. The alpacas are also given lucerne and clover. The rest of the herd reside at Murrumbateman and have an over abundance of feed available but some clover is given to them occasionally to give them a change.

Did you see that fox over there?

The alpacas roaming the 80 acres at Towrang are reasonably hardy browsers. They like quite a wide variety of grasses, as well as rather unusual items like eucalyptus leaves, wattle leaves and occasionally pine needles, mulberry leaves, strawberry leaves, etc. If you see your alpacas chewing on tree bark or gates they are looking for minerals that are missing from their diet.

Be aware that overweight alpacas may be at risk of heat stress, infertility, difficult births, poor lactation and neonatal mortality. Emaciated alpacas can be susceptible to embryonic loss, stillbirths, poor lactation and underweight crias.

We are intending to plant Stephen Pasture Seeds Alpaca Mix, once the drought breaks.

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Guarding

Alpacas are becoming well known as guards for flocks of sheep, herds of goats and clutches of hens. They will fiercely protect their charges, especially the young. Adult males at least 2 years of age are chosen as guards. Any younger and they will not be as effective. Remember, they need to be with at least another alpaca.

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Halter and Lead Work

We ran a Marty McGee workshop at our place and would recommend to all new breeders and older breeders that you get along to one of these workshops.Not only is Marty a great instructor but a fantastic handler. The equipment that she sells is the best and we highly recommend the fully adjustable halters.

The new addition to our equipment is the wand with a clip on the end to easily place the catch rope over the alpaca we are beginning to work with. So if you get the opportunity, make the effort to attend one of the workshops - you will be so much happy with yourself and your alpacas will be so much happier as well.

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Is the Cria Drinking?

If the cria's tail is upwards it is a sign that it is still searching for milk. Have a look at the teats and ensure the wax plug has been removed by the cria drinking. If the cria appears weak the next day it indicates it does not have enough drinking capability and if it appears restless and humming excessively make up some milk and bottle-feed the cria. Or try to strip some milk from the mother, and hopefully this will give the cria enough strength to fight for their milk.

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Lice

Both biting and sucking lice can be effectively treated using a 3% fenthion (Tiquvon®) product as a pour-on administered at 31cc/100 kg in direct contact with the skin through parted fibre on the dorsum of the back. Permectrin (Ectrin®) is another pour-on option that has been reported to be safe and effective. This product can be purchased from places like Landmark, Elders etc.

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Mating

You must be very careful to keep all males separated from all females after weaning of both sexes. A working persistent male may not see the difference between a 6 month old and a 3yr old open female. We have heard of a male that just chased and chased a young maiden until he forced her down by fighting and she was injured in the process. So be careful, keep your stud males away from the open females. Most studs won't jump the fence to get to the females but some could do so!

Once 12 months of age and at least 50kg the maiden females are presented to a male. If she doesn't sit, don't force the issue - try again at 2-week intervals. We don't see the point in forcing a young female down, as she will not ovulate until she is ready. However, a maiden may need encouragement to assume the cush position for the first time after she lets the male mount her. Mature females can be mated 14-22 days after giving birth, if there were no birthing complications.

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Poisonous Plants

Alpacas are prone to liver problems more than any other animal. They have a smaller liver and cannot tolerate levels of toxins found in mouldy hay or spore toxins found on plants under litter i.e. after slashing, particularly in more humid areas.

Fatalities have been recorded where alpacas have eaten azaleas, rhubarb leaves, rhododendron, oleander, camellias, and some of the lily family. These plants are poisonous to all animals. The common capeweed and Patterson's Curse are also poisonous, but provided there are plenty of alternative grasses in the paddock small quantities of these don't seem to cause any problem. Some rye grass may cause the "Staggers".

Also under humid weather conditions some areas may suffer with a sporodismin toxicity problem especially if the paddock has been slashed and long grass is lying in the paddock. Please check with your local vet or alpaca owners in your area to see if this may be a problem. If one of your alpacas appears to be affected, remove it from the infected paddock to a safe yard, feed it hay, and contact your local vet immediately. Contact Camelid Health Supplies (Aust) for Pretty but Poisonous.

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Selenium Supplementation

Alpacas require large levels of selenium and generally this is not available from most of Australia's soils. A lack of selenium may cause fertility problems, and anecdotal evidence suggests that an extra dose of selenium administered to females having problems getting pregnant may help.

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Spit-off

It is good business practice to do the first 'spit-off' 7-8 days after mating. A male is presented to the female, in a confined yard. The female may: spit at the male, kick the male, run from the male or adopt an aggressive posture. This indicates that she is pregnant. A successful spit-off at seven days after mating indicates the female has ovulated but it doesn't truly indicate that she is pregnant. It is preferable to spit-off at 14 day intervals until an ultrasound pregnancy scan is done, or she is otherwise assumed pregnant.

Once you know your female is pregnant, it is wise to carry out further spit-offs during the pregnancy. It is known that a very small number of pregnancies are lost for unexplained reasons.

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Travelling

Alpacas fret when they are on their own and can get "sick". For this reason, breeders will usually take a companion animal with one they are transporting, either for showing or mating or for a vet visit. If females have cria at foot, that is they are not yet weaned, then they must be transported with their mothers. The cria doesn't count as a companion animal.

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Ultrasounds

It has been suggested by some breeders that if you have paid for an external mating it is wise to have ultrasound confirmation of the successful mating. You may wish to do this in the early stages of your breeding experience. Though spitting-off is considered 90 to 95% reliable, if the ultrasound is negative and the female is spitting-off, this may indicate a retained corpus luteum. Veterinary advice should be obtained for corrective hormone treatment in this instance.

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Vaccination

Alpacas require a 5 in Cria with selenium vaccination preferably twice each year. Given by subcutaneous injection, we recommend 2ml in January and July, but check with your vet about dosage and time for administering. Cria receive 1ml at 7 weeks and another at 1Cria weeks of age.

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Vitamins A, D and E Supplementation

The main reason for giving these vitamins is to supplement Vitamin D. Vitamin D is absorbed through the skin from sunlight. Many breeders believe that alpacas are slightly deficient in southern Australia, especially in locations where cloud cover is frequent. A, D and E is a thick oil, so use an 18 or 19 gauge needle. Cria receive 0.5ml at 4 weeks and another at 10 weeks of age.

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Weaning

Cria are weaned at 6 months of age or around 30-35kg, whichever comes first. Where possible, have an older female with them and prevent them from being able to physically see their mums. The boys can be moved to an all male group but we have found it very beneficial if they stay with older females for a couple of months first to learn socialisation skills but this may not apply with a early maturing male. We have found 2 months to be a suitable period for weaning before returning the girls to the larger female herd.

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Weight

Mature females should weigh between 60-75kg and males can weigh up to 100kg. Averages are 70kg for adult females and 85kg for adult males. Body condition is based on a scale of Cria to 5, with alpacas in very poor condition scoring Cria and obese alpacas scoring 5, 3 is ideal.

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References

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