Montesano Alpacas Shearing Day 2012

Thank you to all who came to watch and explore the full process of harvesting the fleece from our herd and witness the start of the fleece to fiber transition.

Shearing is an important part of alpaca farming, and benefits the alpaca greatly to get some relief with the onset of the warmer weather to come.

Alpacas are shorn once a year in the Spring. Each alpaca produces between 3 and 10 pounds of fiber depending on age, genetics, environment and nutrition.

Alpacas can be shorn standing up or stretched out on the ground or a table with out any harm to the animal. We prefer to lie them down, tying the front legs together and the back legs together. This method allows the shearer to work faster and get a more even cut. We think it is less stressful too because it is faster. Typically each animal is shorn in less than 10 minutes.

Not only does shearing keep the alpaca cool and comfortable, it provides us with valuable fleece that can be processed into yarn, roving or simply felt, and then later, beautiful hand made products that we feature at our farm store.

This event was fun and informative for individuals of all ages!

Wordless Wednesday - Alpaca Strange

before you yell at me, take a guess and then check out the link below...

Click here to see if you were correct!

New Year's Resolutions for Alpacas

We have been very blessed this year, but it is that time that all you hear about is New year resolutions. If you could write a New Year's Resolution for your alpacas, what would it be?

• To stop pooping in the stall?
• To come when you call him?
• To win more blue ribbons?
• Boys, get along with the other boys more amiably?
• To stop kicking while having toes clipped?
• To load more easily into the horse trailer?
  

Please leave a comment to share your New Year's Resolutions for your alpaca.

Also, if your alpaca could write a New Year's Resolution for you, what might it be? Would he ask for more treats, a better haircut?

I think mine would be watching more sunsets in the pasture. Dusk is a favorite time for cria pronking. When was the last time you stopped and watched yours?

A Special Alpaca Moment!

It is always special when you can share your alpacas with others. Took a couple of my male alpacas to be in the church's Nativity Scene. Had lots of fun educating people on alpacas and watching all the kids.

We have been blessed this year and hoping all my friends will have a blessed year!

Alpaca Supplies, Where did you get that?

I am going to be more active in blogging this year hope to keep blogs short and sweet.

Every new breeder knows what it is like to try to figure out where to get the equipment and supplies they need to take care of their alpacas. Every established breeder knows what it is like to try to help them and to find out where to get all the items they need too.

We ask each other; we search the web; we scout around at events; there are lots of ways to increase your list.

I have tried to compile a list of the vendors we use and all of the ones sent into me by other alpaca friends as well. Maybe we can add to this list and republish it from time to time. I am sure there are lots of good companies we have left off and this list is by no means complete.

Please send me your favorites and I will keep the list updated

Ridge Mist Llama and Alpaca Supplies
1-800-24LAMAS

Quality Llama Products
1-800-638-4689

Jeffers Livestock
1-800-533-3377

Stevens Llamatique
1-800-469-5262

M & M Vet Labs
1-734-439-2698
Lab work. Mel is the BEST! We overnight blood samples before 3 pm; get progesterone results by fax by 5 the next day.

Valley Vet
1-800-468-0059

PBS Animal Health
1-800-321-0235
A dedicated alpaca rep gives great service at competitive prices.

Light Livestock Equipment by Ausable Valley Alpacas
1-866-999-2821
Really alpaca-friendly hay feeders, chutes, panels, shearing tables, scales etc. You can pick them up at shows sometimes. Saves shipping.

Halcyon Yarn
1-800-341-0282
All sorts of spinning wheels, looms, knitting supplies, etc. I bought their English combs, perfect for carding dirty cria fleeces.

If you have other companies you like, send the information to me and we’ll keep this list updated. Let me know if you think we should change the format, ie. put in more descriptions or organize differently.

Wordless Wednesday: Do Alpacas Fly?

Aussie rap! Bill the Alpaca breeder

I know it has been around for while a while, but it make me laugh every time I watch it. CGU is one of Australia's largerer insurance companies and they started a new advertising campaign a few months back.

'Bill' was the first one they made in the series and they ran it a few times late at night then we didn't see it again for weeks. Then, CGU started started sponsoring the football on satellite TV and suddenly Bill is getting prime time spots on the weekend and he's becoming a minor celebrity.

CGU has been a great publicity boost for the alpacas industry and best of all make me laugh.

Things I could not live without

Here in the Northern Alabama, it promises to be a hot muggy day. The kind of day that really makes you think--it's summertime. And, I confess, the kind of day that makes me grateful for small things on the farm.

That got me to thinking about things we can't live without. As far as around the barn, my most prized purchase is my Frank Automatic Water Fountain. http://www.alpacatv.com/waterer-order-form.aspx
I did the research before I built the barn and am so glad I did. Every morning as I walk to the barn on my way to feed the alpacas I glance at my water system and smile. When it is hot, the alpacas have cool water. When it is freezing, their water is not.

The other day I listened to a podcast recommending putting goldfish in the water trough to help eat the algae, mosquito larva and keep it clean (Yuk!! I don't think so). Another person said they had to attach four garden hoses together just to reach the barn form the house. Do not get me wrong, I have made plenty of mistake, but do not try to talk me out of my automatic water fountain! I love it!

Would live to hear about things you cannot live without, barn or no barn?

Wacky Wednesday- Speaking of Spitting

New baby alpaca (cria) on the farm and everyone was out taking a look. I promise, I was not barking or anything, just took my turn to take a smell. The cria was real nice, thought we could play a little, but not mama. I had not even made it to to get a good sniff and bam!

I do not even usually get my feet wet in the grass! Forget this gaurd dog stuff, it is back to the sofa for me...

Football, Alpacas and small children

I love college football, but I think this kid has taken it too far!

As a rugby-mad youngster, Rory Matthews likes to train every day. Unfortunately, he lives on a farm and does not have anyone his own age to play with.

But he's not worried - because he's got Chicky the alpaca. Chicky, a fellow resident at the Children's Animal Farm near Melbourne, has proved a formidable sparring partner for eight-year-old Rory.

"I don't have any brothers and sisters to play rugby with, so Chicky helps me out," said Rory after another tough session with the brown and grey South American animal.

"He's picked up the basic idea - I run with the ball and he charges at me and tries to knock me off my feet. Sometimes I manage to knock him over but that makes him even madder. He's helped me far more than a human could. I can't tackle dad when he's around because he's too fast.

Anyway, I don't think dad likes to knock me over, whereas Chicky thinks it's good fun."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-388715/Alpaca-punch-I-rugby-scrum.html#ixzz0NwFwsEQg

Going Green In Your Barn.

With all the interest in being eco-friendly, going green has taken on a whole new meaning!

There are some simple, everyday changes that we can make around our homes and our barns, that will make us more eco-friendly. Here are a few going green tips that can get you started.

• Replace regular light bulbs with florescent bulbs. They use one quarter of the energy that regular bulbs use.
• Choose green products, like natural fly sprays without pesticides.
• Install skylight panels in your barn roof. This not only adds light, but also helps to heat the barn in those winter months.
• Cut back on pesticides and fertilizers. Try using fly eliminators or fly predators instead.
• Try using straw instead of sawdust or shavings. Straws breaks down into reusable mulch more quickly in the compost pile.
• Use wheelbarrows instead of tractors for moving manure and bedding to the compost pile.
• Collect rainwater for your daily chores such as watering plants and bathing animials.
• Save feed bags for use as garbage bags around the barn.
• Compost organic matter such as grass clippings, manure and food.
• Have a barn cat. He will keep out any unwanted rodents.
• Install bird houses. Some birds will eat several thousand flying insects a day.
• Save hay strings for emergency halters or lead ropes.

These are just a few examples of how you can start to go green at your barn. Eco-friendly farming will help to sustain the long term health of the land and also the animals that live on it.

Let me here your ideas and I will share them with others. Let me know ways you have either 'gone green" or ways you have saved money on the farm! I look foward to your comments and suggestions.