Alpaca Care

Upon request, we will expand with more information on any of the points shown below

Paddock cleaning is of utmost importance to us here @ Thistledown, we 'Poover' the

paddocks every day, ensuring the Alpacas are always in a clean environment

General Husbandry Adults

• Worm every six months

• Vaccinate every six months

• Toenail trimming as and when (check bi-monthly)

• Shearing annually (around May), also check teeth at this time

• Check all livestock at least twice a day

• Ensure clean, fresh water is available every day, check more often when it is hot

• A cria coat (suitable size) should always be available if a cria is born in bad weather
• First vaccination @ 4 weeks of age
• Second vaccination @ 8 weeks of age (then join in with rest of the herd, every six months)
• First worming @ 6 months of age (then join in with rest of the herd every six months)
• Toenail trimming as and when (see adult care)
• We don't shear cria in the year they were born.  Our cria are shorn the following year (around May) with the rest of the herd
• Vit AD&E given around end of September, then again two months later.  Recommendations to our clients is that all Alpaca under 2 yrs of age (or older animals that are pregnant) be given Vit AD&E end of September
• Weigh cria weekly from birth to establish growth rate
• Wean between 5 to 6 months
• Weanlings remain away from herd for 3 months.  Females can return to herd, males are kept in separate paddock

Fencing & Shelter

Food          

• Simple Stock fencing will suffice with one strand of wire above.  NEVER use barbed wire.  Alpacas don't challenge fences

• Although Alpacas can stay out in all kinds of weather, provision of some kind of shelter for them from the sun and bad weather should always be available.  To see 12 Alpacas inside a small field shelter looking out is delightful, they do require field shelters or a shelter of some kind

• Their main diet is grass
• Hay supplement in winter if required (when weather doesn't permit grazing)
• A small amount of suitable Camelid dry food supplement containing the necessary minerals and vitamins, twice daily.  (We use Carrs Billington Camelid Mix), especially for expectant females and lactating females.  Our boys also get their daily Camelid ration and subsequently we are building Champions
• Suggested grass supplement, we recommend Grasstrac (purchased from Farming Suppliers).  It's easily sprinkled onto the grass and puts back the Copper, Selenium, Iodine and other trace elements that Alpacas require (and is possibly deficient in our soil in the UK)

Recommended Reading and also Books For Sale @ Thistledown

The three books below are for sale and in stock

Alpaca Breeder's Reproduction Handbook

Ewen McMillan B.V.Sc(Hons), M.A.C.V.Sc, Allan and Carolyn Jinks  

Introduction and ready reference for new and experienced Alpaca breeders, a 28 page booklet with colour photos.  Anatomy, physiology, behaviour, pregnancy, reproductive problems, embryonic loss, rebreeding after birthing, reproductive problems in male, ultrasound scanning photographs, etc.  

£13.50 ea plus P&P £1.00

ABC - Antenatal Birthing & Cria Care 

Dr. Ewen McMillan B.V.Sc. (Hons), M.V.St. M.A.C.V.Sc. M.R.C.V.S. and Carolyn Jinks, Benleigh Alpaca Stud, Victoria, Australia  

Carolyn's well awaited latest book, 54 pages, 28 coloured pics and is loaded with information e.g. management of female following mating, maternal problems prior to birthing, cria birth weights, responses of the newborn cria, complications following delivery, nursing procedures for caring for a premature cria, supplementary feeding etc etc.. 

£20.00 ea plus P&P £1.00

Alpaca Breeder's Birthing Handbook
By Ewen McMillan B.V.Sc(Hons), M.A.C.V.Sc and Carolyn Jinks  

24 page booklet with colour photos.  Ewen McMillan lectures in alpaca medicine at Melbourne University Veterinary School and Carolyn Jinks run one of the largest and most successful alpaca stud farms in Australia. Intended to be both an introduction and a ready reference for the new and inexperienced alpaca breeder offering good hands on information on all aspects of birthing. This will not only increase confidence but give guidance as to when help might be needed. 24 page booklet with colour photos.  This book has been our field bible!

£12.95 ea plus P&P £1.00

Any 2 books purchased above, P&P total £1.50.  Any 3 books purchased, P&P total £2.00

The three books below are Highly Recommended Reading (not stocked)

Caring For Llamas And Alpacas

By Clare Hoffman, DVM and Ingrid Asmus  

Basic information for prospective, new and experienced owners with quick identification for emergencies.  An absolute must for owners and also Vets caring for Alpacas.  

Recommended reading only, we don't stock.

ISBN 0-9622768-0-4  

Synthesis of a Miracle

Michael Safley

A must, covers the history and future and all about Accoyo.  We highly recommend this book for any breeder, or anyone wanting to know more about alpacas and their genetic history.   

Recommended reading only, we don't stock.

ISBN 0-9709687-0-1  

The Complete ALPACA Book

Eric Hoffman (& 12 contributing authors)

Behaviour, Diet, Fibre, Genetics, Husbandry, Medicine, the ultimate Alpaca book, highly recommended, for new & experienced owners and breeders.

Recommended reading only, we don't stock.

ISBN 0-9721242-0-9