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ALPACA HUSBANDRY HINTS

Vaccination Calendar for 2001

At the start of each new year we like to make a single page calendar for the new year listing the vaccination times for each alpaca on the property. Under the heading for each month we list the names of all alpacas requiring vaccinations in that month. Since we booster each pregnant female approximately 4-6 weeks prior to giving birth, this entails checking the last breeding date for each mother-to-be and making sure that her name appears on the vaccination schedule approximately 10 months later unless she has a record of giving at much shorter or longer gestation times than normal. The color of ink in which the alpaca’s name is written can indicate the type of vaccine to be used.

We keep this calendar at the very front of our animal health records book and make a point to check it at the first of each month for vaccinations that need to be made in the next 30 days. All crias and new animals are added to the schedule as they arrive. Other routine health procedures (i.e., deworming, Vitamin D) can be included on the same calendar page or have their own separate calendar page.

Better Than a Pocket for Carrying Filled Syringes

This winter while giving round the clock injections of three medications to an ailing alpaca, we discovered a better way for carrying filled syringes while single handedly catching and holding an alpaca. We just place the filled syringes under a fleece ear warmer band. This allows both arms free for catching the animal, keeps the contents well above freezing temperature and eliminates the possibility of accidentally expelling part of the contents of a syringe when moving about as can happen with a syringe in a pocket. The syringe is easily retrieved when needed with one hand, and we have not dropped a single syringe carried this way (yet). It works so well that we are thinking of designing a warm weather variety for summer use.

Halter Breaking Young Groupies

Alpacas are naturally herd animals and are usually happiest when part of a group. When halter breaking older crias and weanlings, we try to make it easier by doing it in small groups: moms with crias and then crias with their buddies. We like to start with youngsters that are 2-4 weeks shy of weaning, quietly fit them with halters and let them wear the halters for an hour or so a day for a few days while they get accustomed to wearing the halters and being haltered and unhaltered. Since all of our moms are halter broken, the next step is to halter the mom and attach a lead to the cria’s halter. The cria’s lead should be long enough to let him follow at his mom’s flank. The mom is then led and the cria will often follow her. If that happens, we will just take a little walk right away with no pressure on the cria’s lead. If the cria resists following the mom, we will try a little bit of pull and release on the cria’s lead. Once through the gate and out of her home quarters, the cria may be more interested in sticking close to mom as she is led. A more resistant cria is given more coaxing plus patience. In some cases an additional person at the cria’s rear or a rump rope (second rope encircling the cria’s rear and held by the handler) will encourage the cria to more forward. From the very first we prefer to go out in pairs: two human handlers each with a mom and cria pair in tow. We try to get each set of pairs away from “home” and out of sight of the other alpacas but stick to the driveway or easy pathway. After a successful short outing or two, we will venture a bit farther and vary the terrain. If we have several youngsters to start at one time, we like to take crias that are buddies out together and avoid taking out two that are very timid or resistive at the same time.

If a cria’s mom is not halter broken, a well broken yearling or adult female from the same living group may be paired with the cria. If there is no suitable substitute, we have been successful with one person taking the single cria on a lead and letting it follow along side of a familiar mom and cria pair that is being led by a second person. If this proves too stressful for the single cria, his lessons might be delayed until after he is weaned at which time he might be paired with a well behaved weanling of older animal.

We like to take all of our crias out for at least 3-4 walks at the sides of their dams (or substitute leaders) before weaning time. A week or so following weaning, we resume our walks in the groupie style, but now each handler takes a pair of weanlings or a weanling and an older alpaca other than its mom. If the new weanlings are skittish without their moms, we will be happy with a short driveway walk the first day and gradually increase the duration and difficulty of the terrain. We will aim or at least 2-3 walks in the week of resumed training. Progress at this point will depend on the dispositions of the individual weanlings and the amount of time that can be allotted to them. Some will have learned to enjoy going out while at their dam’s side and be great fun while a very timid fellow might only be able to handle following behind his best buddy or wearing a rump rope for many weeks. As the weanlings progress, we like to vary the outings, taking in new scenery and uneven terrain where we can go over, under and around natural obstacles.

Go to Current Alpaca Husbandry Hints or for past hints, go to our Alpaca Husbandry Hints Archives.

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