Alpacas naturally don't like to be handled and it can be a stressfull experience for both Alpaca and owner so it is important to make it as stress free as possible for all concerned.

Alpacas are intelligent animals and will get used to a routine quickly.

We have a small paddock which we feed the alpacas in daily. They come into the paddock of their own volition for their daily feed. We let them feed and then relax for a while.

Within this small paddock we have a small handling area made from close boarded fencing. This is again divided into four increasingly smaller pens. The alpacas are easily rounded up into this area where any husbandry can be carried out. Animals that need specific treatment can be separated out but still remain close to the herd so that they are less stressed.

The more thought and planning you put into your husbandry area the easier it is to carry out husbandry tasks and the less stress there is all round. We will happily offer advice on the best set up for your husbandry area, it is important to get it right.

Alpacas are susceptible to the same worms that infect our native animals such as sheep and they need medicating accordingly.

We worm our alpacas for the first time in the year in March. For this worming we use Eprinex pour-on which is a cattle wormer. We administer it to one spot on the head and along the spine in the following dose:.

Large adult - 10ml; Small adult - 7.5ml; Weanling - 5.0ml; Cria - 2.5ml.

Provided there are no outward signs of worm infestation we don't medicate again until September. Keeping the fields/paddocks clean by regular removal of dung undoubtedly helps to keep the worm burden down.

In September we tend to use an injectible wormer such as Ivomec (adult dose 1.5ml; Weanling 1.0ml, cria 0.5ml). However, following a recent talk with our vet he would be just as happy if we used Eprinex for the September worming as well. If in doubt consult your vet for advice.

We also use Eprinex as a first wormer for cria at 1 month of age.

Mite treatment is something else that we have tackled with a combination of Eprinex and Frontline (available from your vet) which we have found to be very effective, although expensive on a large scale.

Vaccination against the clostridial diseases is important although there is little hard evidence that it is effective in alpacas. Our vet said that it is better to vaccinate that not to. That was good enough advice for us.

We use Lambivac at a dosage rate of 2.0ml per alpaca regardless of size and age. The injection is given sub cutaneously.

We vaccinate the whole herd in March. We also like to vaccinate pregnant females a month before unpacking so that the cria will benefit. Cria are then vaccinated at 1 month old, two months old and then every 6 months with the rest of the herd.

Vitamin A D & E is something that we give to our alpacas during the winter. This is due to the lack of sunlight in this country. In their native South America alpacas living at altitude get a healthy dose of strong sunshine all year round which produces their natural vitamins. In the UK we need to supplement the alpacas with vitamins A D & E. Failure to do so, particularly young cria may lead to rickets and ultimately death. We use an injectible A D & E which we administer sub cutaneously from November to March. We also give it to cria at 2 months of age. The dosages we use are as follows: Cria 0.5ml; Weanlings 1.0ml; Adults 1.5ml.

If in any doubt about any medication it is best to seek advice from another alpaca breeder or your vet, simply ignoring the situation and doing nothing is the wrong thing, your alpacas rely on you.

Toenail clipping

Alpacas have soft toenails very similar to our own and on the rocky plains of the altiplano they are worn down naturally. On the lovely soft pastures that we put them on the nails don't get worn down and therefore to prevent injury and deformation of the toes we have to trim them.

The fequency of this varies from one animal to the other. We find that alpacas with black toenails require trimming a lot less frequently than those with light coloured nails. A rough average is 3 times a year although some may need trimming more frequently.

It is easily done with minimal instruction. We use sheep foot rot shears which seem perfectly designed for the task.

Shearing is required once a year in early summer. We usually try to get ours sheared at the beginning of June, and hope for dry weather before, during and after! The fleeces can then be sorted and sent to the mill etc.

There are various shearers around in the summer and it is best to book them early as they do get busy!

The most important thing about keeping alpacas and monitoring their health is to know your animals. Alpacas hide illness very effectively, it is a bult in instinctive defence mechanism. A weak or unwell alpaca will be singled out by a predator.

If you observe you alpacas daily and get to know how they move and how they behave you can hopefully pick up any subtle differences that may indicate that something is not quite right.

If you do that and investigate when you do notice a change in behaviour you will be doing the best thing for your alpacas. If in any doubt seek advice quickly.

PATOU ALPACAS

You don't have to be big to be mighty.

Mark & Sue Steele, Park House, Chicksgrove, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6NA. Tel: 01722-717920 / 0788 054 2260. E-mail patoualpacas@aol.com