Sad News

www.alpacas-for-sale.co.uk
On Monday morning I checked on 108 and his Mum, but sadly he had died in the night.  He had taken his bottle the night before, so I was surprised at his sudden demise, although it was always a probability. We will never know what caused his sudden paralysis for sure.

Sandy Maiden died last night aged 18 and a half.   She was a great companion to my Mum when she was alive, and a successful agility dog and loved pet.   She won out of starters at full height twice before Mike started competing at midi height with her.  She always ruled the roost and the other dogs knew not to upset her.  

108 108

www.alpacas-for-sale.co.uk

108 is the cria who cannot walk.   We have been trying to keep his limbs moving so he does not lose muscle function and he does seem to be walking a little although he needs support all the time.  He now has swollen knees which means he cannot straighten his front legs.    A friend recommended a physiotherapist who treats humans and animals and she came today.

She has recommended that we stretch his legs rather than exercise them and we are going to try and stretch the ligaments which allow him to put his feet flat to the floor.   She was very helpful and came up with some other interesting ideas to try, including stimulating him before we try to walk him around in a sling made of old towels (which we do now).   She says that patting and plucking gently at his fleece around his back legs will help to stimulate his nervous system and make him aware of his back legs again.   He was a little sweetie whilst she treated him and was more intent on munching grass than taking any notice of being pulled and pushed.

His mother is not longer feeding him because he cannot reach her udder and she is too upset if we try to hold him up to her.   He is now being bottle fed three times a day.    He is two and a half months  old so at least we will not have to do it for too long.   Fingers crossed that eventually whatever caused the problem in the first place will go away.

The SIPS installers have finished after one or two hiccups.   They were a lovely team of builders and always cheerful and polite whatever happened.  Our teabag consumption will go down considerably until the next wave of building works - probably next week when the wooden cladding will be added to the outside.

Downstairs will be one big living space.   The interior photos are of the upstairs.

Christmas Market at Laurel Farm Barn

Lots of things

www.alpacas-for-sale.co.uk

The build was progressing very well and we have had a really lovely team of builders working on site, but all has now come to a standstill because it seems the drawings did not allow for proper roof support.   So it is "back to the drawing board" until they come up with a viable solution.

Pauline came to stay for a few days whilst the decorators were working at her house.   We visited a nearby poultry farm and I bought another 6 hens and she bought 4.  On Saturday and Sunday we went to River Cottage with a couple of young alpacas (the last of last year's boys) and our stall to sell the alpaca products which we normally sell in the farm shop.   It was a really good event.   Tickets were sold out well in advance and as well as enjoying ourselves (Pauline and I manned the stall together)  we sold a lot of socks, pashminas, beanie hats and knitting wool, as well as the two alpacas we took with us.  They are pictured above.   It was not a misty day - I put the camera in the cold box so it was out of sight and when I took it out to photograph the boys and our stand, the lense misted over!!

As well as craft stalls, demonstrations, lovely food and incidentally good weather there was a Poultry breeder!!  Pauline fell in love with some fancy chickens and decided to buy them and donate the two black rock hens she had purchased previously, to the Laurel Farm flock.

On Monday afternoon Mike was up on the scaffolding when he noticed this little chap was lying in the grass and seemed to be struggling unsuccessfully to get up.   He phoned me and I went to see what was wrong.

He was shaking and obviously in distress.  I did not try and help him but called the vet  straight away.

He came within 20 minutes and could find no obvious reason for the problem.   By this time he had stopped shaking and we had already thought that he must have had some sort of accident.  The vet agreed and the best guess is that he was either running around and injured himself or was kicked by another alpaca.   Possibly he tried to suckle from the wrong Mum or just got in the way.

The vet gave him antibiotics, metacam to ease the pain and reduce inflammation if any.  He told us to contact him after 3 days.  There was little improvement so I phoned and JJ, one of my favourite farm vets, came this time.   He thought the same but agreed that it was worth continuing to try and get him mobile again.  He gave him a steroid injection and thought that we should give it two or three weeks before having to make any decision on his future.    I am giving him physiotherapy  three times a day.   Some days I feel we are making progress and others he seems to go backwards.   Today is a good day and we have put Mum and son outside to give them some fresh air and a change of scenery.

We're off!!

www.alpacas-for-sale.co.uk

 After quite a few hold ups directly and indirectly caused by the weather mainly, the barn conversion is now making some rapid progress.  The SIPS (structural insulated panel system) and steel joists arrived this morning and tomorrow work will commence.  When they have finished in just a few days the entire interior of the building will be completed to first fix readiness - i.e. plumbing and electrics can go in.   Our builder, Jon, will be adding the wooden cladding as soon as possible and the windows will go in.   The outside will be complete.  Not sure how long it will take to get the inside done, but at least it will look like a proper home from the outside!

We brought the female alpacas and babies up to the home paddocks so that I could take photographs for the sale page on our website.  I had gaily been removing from sale the  Mums who had female cria and had not realised that it left hardly any stock for sale.  We are going to keep them up here for a few more days in the hope that Jessica (the last pregnant female ) will give birth and then they can go back to the winter paddocks for the rest of the year.

Sadly on Monday morning when I checked the stock I found the little body of number 9 a young male goat  who had been having problems.  We had given him anti-biotics, wormed him, and treated him for cocci and  also some glucose and pro-rumen to try and stimulate his digestive processes.  We thought he was improving but unfortunately he did not make it.

We were supposed to be taking some alpacas and of course our alpaca wool and garments to a local village fete on Monday but due to the weather they cancelled the outdoors aspect and moved all the stalls in to the village hall so we did not take the boys as it would have been a bit pointless leaving them outside in the pouring rain whilst everyone else was indoors.

We had a very small table so could not display our wares very well and we were right by the gap between the small marquee and the village hall so we got the full benefit of the wind and rain that was blowing in.  Luckily it was only a couple of hours and we beat a hasty retreat as soon as the crowds died down, returning to a nice warm evening in front of the TV with a glass or two of excellent port.

On Saturday we are due to make our usual contribution to village life by having a stall and taking some alpacas to Chardstock Street Fayre.   We are really hoping for some good weather (as I am sure everyone else is) and the opportunity to sell some goods.

We have decided to hold a Christmas Market on the 1st December to sell our own products and to add some more interest by having a variety of stalls with different gift and novelty ideas.   I only sent out an email today and so far we have interest from a lady who sells vintage knitting patterns and hand made baby clothes (mainly from alpaca), a talented designer and maker of Christmas wreaths and other decorations from all natural sources,  a jam maker, hand made cards, cakes, someone who makes cakes stands (I cannot wait to see what they are like) and mulled wine.  Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet the alpacas, goats and chickens.

Lady in waiting

www.alpacas-for-sale.co.uk

Jessica is the very last female to birth this year.   Her optimum due date is today but there is no sign of any new addition so far.  The photo shows her eating for two we hope.

Anchor (pictured looking sadly over the gate) is in quarantine having returned from a stay on one of our client's farm where he has been acting as a temporary herd sire. We hope his girls will be producing some fine offspring as a result of his attentions.

We have now weaned this year's goat kids.   The Mums have been kept out of site in the barn but have now been re-introduced to the rest of the herd and the kids are staying with the bucks and sharing it with three male alpacas for the time being.   We have given up on using the top paddock because the new 4 ft stock fencing is square and not oblong gaps so that when the goats put their heads through (as they often do)  they cannot withdraw them because their horns get caught.   When the gaps are oblong they just turn sideways and slide back out.

We are going to several fayres and fetes soon so I am trying to handle and halter train three yearlings so they behave well when they go on show.   So far they are improving rapidly and getting used to walking round strange obstacles like the pile of wood at the back of the barn.  They are no longer spooked when they accidentally tread on a piece of tarpaulin and generally seem to look forward to getting in to their show pen - probably because they get a food treat once they are there.

Time Flies

Time has flown since the last update, but I am not sure where it has gone.

Really loved the Olympics, so  any indoor time was spent catching up on the latest.

I took Dolly to a dog training course run by my friend, Pauline, with John Rogerson, a well known dog trainer and behaviourist, being the speaker/instructor.   It was called CSI and although it would not qualify your dog to become a sniffer dog, it was very interesting and surprisingly most of the dogs quickly learnt how to identify scent and Dolly was ace at finding an article dropped on a track.   This was called "seek back".  Very useful if you are out walking and drop something.   You just get the dog to retrace your footsteps and find what you have lost.  We also learned how to teach the dog to identify the scent of a decomposing body (eau de rotting pork was used).  It was added to a cotton bud and hidden in one of several marked places and the dog had to identify the spot.  Following a human track was the subject of another session.

She obviously took it all on board because at a  Dog Show last weekend, I threw the green ball on a rope which Charlie, Dolly and Romie all run after and Dolly always wins and brings back to me.   On this occasion another dog came up to Dolly and she dropped it and ran off with her new friend.   The ball disappeared in the long grass and after a few minutes search I decided to write it off.    The next time we went out, however, we must have retraced our footsteps in the 20 acre (approx) field and Dolly ran over a spot and then ran back and picked up their ball.

I only stayed for two of the four days and returned to the farm on Saturday morning to help Mike catch up before we left for another four day dog show. Mike only came for two days (Sunday and Wednesday)  because he had to stay home whilst the Gas installers continued their search for the gas pipe to connect us!!

They finally sorted it out on Wednesday but they had to dig up some of the road so we still have the yellow fencing out front.  Then on Thursday we were off to the KC International Dog Show at Rockingham Castle in Leicestershire.

It was a fantastic venue and the weather was kind.  Dolly is still chasing the elusive Grade 3 win she needs to move up the grades.   She has won a steeplechase, and a jumping and had several places in agility and jumping but we seem to be jinxed with the odd pole down (5 faults) or handler error (me)!

Normal service was resumed on Monday and on Tuesday Nick and I caught up with cria vaccinations and gave all the cria and Mums a dose of ADE to ensure that their Vitamin D levels were maintained given the lack of much sunshine this summer.  

We trimmed the toe nails of all the goats, and, sadly, separated this year's kids from their Mums.   We are keeping the Does in the barn for a few days whilst their milk dries up.    We were expecting a lot of noise as goats are quite vocal, but in fact there was very little.  In fact I think the Mums are quite pleased to have a break from parenthood and just chill with each other and the youngsters still have their siblings from last year and the year before so they have plenty of company.

Now the rain has returned with a vengeance, so I took the opportunity to bath the dogs as they were wet anyway!!