Health & Maintenace for Alpacas

 

Toe Nail Trimming:
What to use: Sharp garden secateurs or similar.

How: Toe nails should be trimmed flat to the bottom of the foot & level with the soft pad. Bleeding will occur if nails are trimmed too short, the bleeding should stop in a short period of time.

 

 

Weight and Body Scores:

• It is very important to keep track of the body condition on both cria and adult alpacas.
   

• Crias can be weighed simply by using bathroom scales. Weigh yourself first and then weigh yourself holding the cria - the difference = the crias weight.
   

• Adults are not as easy, large animal scales can be purchsed but can prove to be costly. The bodyscore method has been developed to assist with this.
   

• Keep track of bodyscores and weights as this will help to pick up on illnesses and when extra feed is needed.

 

 

Eartags:

• Brass eartags with IAR numbers and applicators are available from AAA National Office.
   

• Female eartags: eartags are placed on the right ear.
   

• Male eartags: eartags are placed on the left ear.
   

• The eartag is placed on the lower edge of the ear towards the base.
   

• Two veins can be felt in the ear and the eartag needs to be place between the two.

 

 

Feed & Nutrition -What can I feed?

• Roasted Flake Barley
   

• Gum Nuts
   

• Copra
   

• Alpaca Blend
   

• Lucerne Hay
   

• Chaff - Oaten and/or Lucerne
   

• Oaten Hay

 

When should I Feed:

• Alpaca Blend - All year, varying the amount based on the pasture condition.
   

• Lucerne Hay - Summer & Autumn months when the pasture is wet, full of water and animals are shedded.
   

• Oaten Hay - This is a good food for bulking up the thinner animals or feeding mothers.
   

• Combo Chaff - Good for a supplement feed in the wet months.
   

• Copra - High in protein when the pasture is low in protein.
   

• Vitamins - Used on a regular basis when mothers are pregnant, lactating & when crias have been weaned.