We’ve been scanning all the females today and it was quite reassuring really with only a handful open plus some maidens of course. One girl, due in July, appeared to scan negative but when we put a male in with her she went ballistic, the picture of an outraged alpaca, another scan clearly showed a whacking great cria. There were several who we assumed probably weren’t pregnant as we mated them at the end of the season and as we knew we would not re-breed until the spring didn’t do spit offs. Anyway they took.
Andrew is slowly getting his hand in with shearing – ten so far that have birthed. He is pretty good and has only cut one and they all look nice. The cria are doing well putting on between two and three kilos a week and chasing around the place. They particularly enjoy chasing rabbits, crows, pheasants and next door’s cat which is a bright white and stands out in the field.
They would probably like to chase Alice but she is not allowed in that field after her near death experience. Mind you she is daft enough to toddle in there in that optimistic spaniel sort of way with her tail in the air.
We had a run through yesterday with the younger show team animals for Devon County. A fawn boy had to be trained from scratch as this will be his first show. He has understood and walks well but the three whites who have done two shows are still a complete pain and dance about a lot. Oh the humiliation of the show ring.
Leo –
We also scanned our females today. Those who we thought were empty – collected blood (for progesteron). We had ME Claudius walking around the females. He looked very macho. See, his pictures at http://www.dierenarts-en-alpaca.blogspot.com .
Also vaccinate them against bluetongue (we already gave the “new ones” Clostridiumvaccination). Did some nails. And at last put Leon and Lysander in one field with Claudius. Away from the macho gelded male. We are very happy with Claudius. He really looks super.
Marieke ordered the sailing equipment to build a harnass for the shearing. But they had a backorder. So they couldn’t deliver immediatly.
Good luck with the training for the Devon Show.
Greetings from Holland,
Leo