With paddocks
drying off fast down here, beware of early season rye grass staggers. There
have been several cases about.
Shearing time is
upon us. Make sure your fleece is long enough, and that it is clean prior to
shearing. The fleece cleaners are great - their electrostatic force flicks the
debris out of the fleece on the alpaca. Take a mid side sample and get your
microns tested. Weigh your total fleece weight, and then remember to fill in the
AGE submission form to get started on breeding values for your alpacas.
We strongly
encourage clients with offspring from our males to register them and their shear
data with AGE. This helps us get our stud male
breeding values more accurate, and give you better advice on who to use for
which female.
We also recommend
that older animals that do not grow enough length for decent use in a 12 month
period, are shorn anyway. This for animal health reasons. The shearers are still
reporting cases of lice in alpacas with 2 year fleeces.
We are finding
that modern day youngsters have fleece perfectly long enough to be shorn at 7
months, and are "over-fleeced" at 10 months. Consider shearing them young. The
second fleece will be far better for it.
Southern
Alpacas is looking to buy in clean, fine, coloured fibre to meet our
manufacturers demands this year.
Like us you may
have been finding the wait for early cria interminable. This is not unusual this
time of year. We recommend patience!
Finally, on
mating, remember that young females can likely be mated at 12 months of age. But
this may not be the best for them.
If your female is
smaller, or is not emotionally mature, or is resisting the male in the mating
pen, then wait. You will get a far better productive life from her by waiting,
than by forcing the mating.
