Monday 11 February 2008

Going away on holiday


Just a quick note before we disappear on holiday for a week or so.


Sadly have now removed all the weanlings from their mums. Most of them were more than ready, but some now have to go it alone because their mothers are getting too thin and need building up.


It is a lovely sight when you drive in the yard now because we have fifteen fluffy youngsters free ranging the top three paddocks and coming into the yare for feeding or just when they are feeling curious. It makes it more convenient for halter training too, as they are all handy.


Tomorrow five of our six dogs will be delivered to their various holiday homes. Maddy, our black and white lurcher, will be staying at home to play with my son's dog and children.


All have been bathed, beds washed, and food bought ready for their new homes.


Taking advantage of the sunny weather I have been photographing all the alpacas which are for sale to go on our website.


Wednesday 6 February 2008

The "new" sawbench


The "new" tractor


Latest machines

Mike has just purchase three new machines. An International tractor, which is in very good condition for its age and he tells me that it will complement our other vintage tractor the grey Fergie. He has also brought a saw bench which works from the tractor PTO. It needs some attention - see the photo and you will see what I mean. The third item is a rowing machine which is actually in very good condition. Mike refused to be photographed using it, though.

Halter training

Well at last the weather has improved, albeit temporarily. I can start on my halter training programme for this year.

I always leave the cria in the herd with their mothers largely undisturbed to enable them to learn herd behaviour, which will stand them in good stead as they grow older and eventually reach adult hood.

My next step is to bring the whole herd in or at least into the catch pens. The first couple of sessions I just catch and hold each cria and release it as soon as it is relaxed. Once they relax quickly on catching I start to carry out mock veterinary or show judge procedures such as looking at their teeth, checking their tails and genitals as well as looking in their ears for signs (unwanted of course) of parasites like ear mites.

We are now at this stage with this year's cria. All bar one have excellent dentition, and I think it is probably me being too fussy with the odd one out.

The next step will be to quickly put a halter on the cria and just let them wander around with the halter on for a while until they are grazing or eating happily with the halter on. All of them should be ready for this stage within the next couple of days.

I have now been through the credentials of the herd and selected the animals who will be marked for the sale pen. I shall be keeping the alpacas with the most show successes and a few that I judge are of more value to our herd than the money they would fetch.

I have also entered eight for the Spring show at Bristol which takes place on the 29th and 30th March.