The Breeders’ Year
Tips:-
Welfare
Wean Cria at 6 months old and insert microchips. Register them with the BAS. When conducting monthly checks on your alpacas, as part of the body score look for jaw abscesses and any evidence
of mites.
Health
Agree anti-clostricial regime with your local vet. Determine ADE and minerals regime for months of September to March.
Other
Make sure you know the deadlines for Countryside Stewardship and the Basic Payment Scheme (don’t get caught out!).
January
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Check all toenails and trim where necessary
Health
- Use this time to csstrate males over 18 months of age to avoid the possibility of fly strike during Summer
Other
- Use the Winter months to clean and sterilise equipment such as nail clippers, halters and buckets etc.
- Plan your field and paddock rotation ready for the coming year
- Select your show team and identify which shows and classes to attend
Nutrition
- Feed hay adlib
- Give extra feed to nursing Dams (more protein)
February
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Make a decision about your herd’s training requirements and start halter training last year’s cria ready for this year’s shows
- Book a shearer or clean and prepare your own equipment
Health
- Protect against liver fluke and liungworm, consult your vet if necessary
Other
- Check all fencing and buildings making repairs where necessary
Nutrition
- Feed hay adlib
- Give extra feed to nursing Dams (more protein)
March
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Weigh newborn cria, record birth, weight and all other details and enter into your alpaca software
Health
- If you are expecting births, take blood from geldings for plasma (or consult your vet) or identify a reliable, close to hand source
Other
- Prepare a birthing kit including plasma or colostrium, stomach tube, towels, bubble wrap or cria coat, disinfectant, scales, lambing tapes, lubricant, alpaca teats and bottles (Be Prepared!)
- Check media for information of this year’s shows ad locations
Nutrition
- Feed hay adlib
- Give extra feed to nursing Dams (more protein)
April
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Health
- Take faecal egg counts and treat herd if appropriate
May
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Other
- Take photographs of young alpacas
- Decide what to do with fleeces before shearing
- Clear fields of ragwort, thistles, burrs, young oaks and/or oak leaves
- Cut and wrap hay and haylage from now until September
June
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Shear alpacas not entering halter classes
- Trim teeth (including fighting teeth)
- Trim nails
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Other
- Sort and skirtt fleeces ready for processing
- Arrange for fleece samples to be analysed
- Continueto clear fields and paddocks of unwanted and poisonous plants prior to them flowering
July
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Keep a lookout and check for fly strike
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Other
- FInish shearing and skirting fleeces
- Send fleeces for processing
- Continue to check and clear fields of ragwort, thistles, burrs and oak leaves
August
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
- Keep a look out for fly strike
Other
- Cut hay ensuring there is no ragwort
- Start a new dung heap leaving the old one to break down into manure for selling
September
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Scan pregnant females
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
- Keep a look out for fly strike
Health
- Protect against liver fluke and lungworm if appropriate
- Begin vitamins ADE regime
Other
- Select future breeding males
- FInish cutting hay and haylage
Nutrition
- Feed pregnant females and feeding Dams with extra protein
October
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Stop matings to avoid Winter burths next year
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Other
- CHeck that yuo have enough hay to last the Winter season
- Make sure shelter is solid and ready for Winter emergencies
- Check the anti-freeze in tractors and other equipment with water coolanrt engines ready for WInter
Nutrition
- Feed pregnant females and feeding Dams with extra protein
- Feed hay adlib
November
Welfare
- Carry out monthly checks
- Scan pregnant females
- Weigh newborn cria and note birth, weight and record with all other details
Health
- Consider giving an Autumn drench of zinc, copper, cobalt, selenium and B12 if required
Other
- Register any cria who are currently unregistered (refer to BAS colour chart)
- Cut field hedges
Nutrition
- Feed hay adlib
- Feed pregnant females and feeding Dams with extra protein
December
Nutrition
- Feed hay adlib
- Feed pregnant females and feeding Dams with extra protein
- Finish Christmas shopping