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Winter Ready?
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_____ Shelter Shelters should be at least 3 sided with 3 ½ sides offering better protection. Barn should face away from prevailing winter winds. In Michigan it is best to face a barn East to South East and even then East and South East winds will occasionally blow.
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_____ Bedding Bedding should beat least 6 to 8 inches deep. Clean, dry straw is readily available and provides great insulating properties. Stock extra straw, you will have to replenish it often, frequent barn clean ups are a must this time of year (see #8 reference hygiene).
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_____ Water Heated buckets with unlimited clean fresh water at all times is a must. Some heated buckets get warmer then others, they will drink the warmer water first and will eventually stop using the cold buckets. Consider replacing buckets that are not as effective, the more water alpacas drink in the winter the healthier your herd.
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_____ Feed
Hay - Body heat is generated from eating Hay, so high quality grass
(preferably 2nd or 3rd cutting) hay is a necessity. This
should be provided free choice at all times. Also have ample hay feeders per
animal, as a guideline a hay bin containing 1 bale of hay accessible from all 4
sides would feed at most 3-4 animals. Keep in mind boys are more territorial,
so even more space should be considered. Always keep an open eye for the less
aggressive eaters and monitor them more closely to prevent herd starvation.
Feed Supplement - A good quality feed supplement formulated for alpacas
is also required. Among other things this feed provides a much needed energy
source. Additional grain or using the lactation formula may also be needed.
Dr. Evans seems to have a good grasp on supplements and feed, go to
www.lamawellness.zoovu.com for his recommendations.
Again access to the feed is critical. Provide a minimum of one and a half times
the number of feed bowls as female alpacas or two times the feed bowls for male
alpacas. Example: 10 females have 15 bowls. That way, if one gets pushed
off, they always have another bowl to feed from. This method also spreads the
food thin preventing choke. For females, space these bowls at least 24 apart
and for males, space at least 36 apart.
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_____ Creep Feeder A creep feeder is an asset year round, but especially in the winter. Both hay and feed should be available in the creep feeder. This helps lighten the burden on the Dam and provides a much needed energy source for the cria. It also gives the cria a sense of independence that seems to help with weaning.
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_____ Weighing / Body Score Weighing your animals on a regular basis is Alpacas 101. A good scale and scheduled weigh-ins are fundamental to alpaca husbandry. Adults should be weighed monthly, the younger the animal the more often they should be weighed.
Body scoring is a practice all breeders should learn and utilize. Simply put it is judging the condition of your animal by feeling its backbone. A pronounced back bone indicates your animal is to thin. If the back feels flat perhaps your animal is chubby. On a scale of 1 to 10 a score of 5 is ideal. A 1 score indicates a grossly under weight animal and a 10 score is grossly obese. Ask your vet for assistance in learning this simple procedure. This practice should be done often due to the fact that as winter progresses growing fleece can easily camouflage a failing animal. Keep in mind this practice does not replace the importance of weighing your animals.
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_____ Coats Coats may be necessary for the young, weak, thin and old alpacas. In addition, alpacas that do not have a dense fleece with at least 2 of fiber may need a coat for extra warmth. Have sizes of coats for all sizes of animal. Also, be sure to replace any coats that become wet on the inside; a wet coat is worse then no coat.
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_____ Hygiene & Ventilation During the winter, the animals are in close contact with each other. Because of this, the spread of parasites and the build up of ammonia may occur. Cleaning up both dung and urine each day is necessary. A completely battened down barn is breeding grounds for respiratory infection and poor thriving cria. Good ventilation, parasite control and hygiene are crucial.
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_____ Vitamins and Minerals The increased supplemental feed and providing free choice minerals will account for much of the needed vitamins and minerals the cold weather will demand. The winter months also mean shorter days and less sunlight which can lead to a critical deficiency in vitamin D. This lack of vitamin D in young alpacas may result in rickets. Rickets is a disease characterized by stunted growth, angular limb deformities and lameness. Leading Camelid Specialists strongly recommend vitamin D supplements for cria. Both injectable and oral forms of vitamin D are available. Consult your Veterinarian to determine the best method for your herd.
- _____ You Thats right, You. Be prepared for the cold. If you do not take care of yourself, who will be there for your animals? Assuming mom did her job right, we all know how to dress for all conditions. Just remember that a quick run to the barn because you left your cell phone out there, may for whatever reason turn into a two hour alpaca journey you have yet to encounter.
We hope many of you find
this helpful.
From Benchmark to you, Happy
Holidays and Warmest Regards,
Barrie Lynn Wood
Benchmark Alpacas at The Tin Roof Ranch
8475 Gale Road Goodrich, Michigan 48438
T: 810-636-3456
F: 810-636-3457
C: 248-388-4598
BenchmarkAlapcas@gmail.com
www.benchmarkalpacas.com
This is an abbreviated list to be used as a
quick reference.
For detailed information please visit our Library.
This list refers to the procedures that
Benchmark Alpacas follows.
Please feel free to contact us at
BenchmarkAlpacas@charter.net or 248.627.9863 for a more complete explanation
or for more information. We freely share this information as a reference only.
As with any alpaca care, please consult with your own Veterinarian.
