I can't believe it is nearly a month since I returned from the UK. Firstly I need to apologise to Mark from Patou Alpacas for not thanking him sooner for the lovely time I spent at his property.
Glad to see that Columbus has the idea now! Minstrel looks like she is growing out nicely as well.
I arrived back to winter weather lots of rain and wind in fact one of the trees had blown down right across the gate. I thought Perry and James were trying to keep me out! So the only way in to the property was over the fence and through the paddock.
Trees or branches falling seem to a problem at the moment as soon as we get one lot sorted another drops. We are not going to replace them the gum trees make to much mess and insist on falling over!
Perry who thought he had got his last few modules for his masters sorted to have a lighter work load has found the opposite, he is getting frustrated at the amount of time it is taking particularly as he would like to be outside 'doing stuff'. He is currently trying to work out what he is going to do for his dissertation with computing and alpacas. You can just picture it alpacas learning to use a mouse!
Last week we had a surprise, we don't have cria at this time of year, too cold, but last Wednesday morning in the sleet when I went out to feed the girls there was a cria sitting shivering in the paddock.
Now our next drop is not due until November, all the girls looked at me to say "He's not mine". So I picked him and took inside as he was not looking too good. Tucked him up in the bathroom (underfloor heating and over head heating). Then took off to find mum. It had to be a girl that we had brought pregnant so after rounding them up and lifting their tails I found mum.
Poor little chap was deteriorating so off to the vet he went, had a plasma transfusion (needless to say he was a little prem) then tube feeding. He is back home with us now and feeding from mum well. We did milk her from the beginning, long job with little to show for it. But it has been worth while.
He has been named Bill and he might even be called Big Bill as that,s what the vets bill will be. The vet was back today as Bill has pastern problems in his left leg so he is now splinted up and we hope it will right itself.
Sarah
Glad Bill is now feeding from mum. Milking alpacas is not easy is it, like you say a lot of work for not a lot of milk but well worth it when they can go back to mum.
ReplyDeleteHope little Bill, is doing well, I had a little cria born last year who had leg problems, I used some grey foam type pipe lagging to hold the leg straight, it worked a treat, you wouldn't know if you didn't know, if you catch my drift !.....hope that the 'bill' isnt too Big ! ..........Jayne
ReplyDeleteWell done - sounds like you just caught him in time. Hope he is doing well now!
ReplyDeleteBill is doing well. He is gaining weight a bit slower than we would like but at least his weight is going up.
ReplyDeleteHe has a padded splint that is made from electrical piping cut into thirds length ways.He is rather multi coloured at the moment, the bandage on his neck is green, his coat is blue and his leg bandage is red but at least he is happy.
The 'bill' - that was big.
Sarah