Alpaca Articles

Nic and Linda keep up-to-date with the latest in alpaca information, by reading widely, being a member of the New Zealand, Australian, British and American alpaca associations, and attending conferences worldwide.

They share this knowledge with others through holding industry training days and workshops, writing articles for industry magazines in New Zealand, Australia, UK, and USA and also through articles on this website and other websites.

every 6 months
 
 
 
 
 





2-3 x  year
late April, June, August, birthing
 
 










  2 x year or
when needed
 
 
 
 
 




annual
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
annual
 
 
 
 

annually minimum

5 in 1 colosterid injection
or later 10 in 1 products
(volume not weight related)
Use sheep dose for adults and cria


Do not use 10 in 1 on cria
Do not use selenised drench
Do not use dual purpose drench
 

ADE injection 
(vitamin D supplement)
(volume as per lambs/sheep) 
(volume weight related)







see our Vitamin D article


 
Drenching
Dectomax injectable,
1ml per 33kg (pig dose)

 

 


Shearing
spring - clean up paddocks


shear prior to summer
guidelines in NZ Alpaca  Fibre Manual
 
 
 
 


Tipping  (optional)
use hand shears to take the tips off 
fleece of young cria 
(just body, remove 1cm length)


Toenails

sharp snips needed
watch for the quick 
 

do every six months

do pregnant females around 30-45 days prior to birth to provide immunity to cria


do young cria at 6 weeks, and then every 6 months 
 



At 6 weeks age for a cria
(use VETADE)

In April, June and August (winter months) for the first year of life. 
(use VETADE for younger cria, and HIDEJECT for older alpacas)

When entering birthing paddock
30 – 45 days prior to birthing (HIDEJECT).

Also any alpaca looking as though deficient in Vitamin D



do faecal egg count 6 monthly, if not run with other stock, and not farmed intensively
3 monthly otherwise
cria are most vulnerable, faecal check them
drench if egg count warrants, which can be as often as 6 weekly
Monitor conditions (heat and wet) and drench when conditions most likely for parasites


to get detritus out of paddocks
to help shearing

do working stud males early
reduce heat stress on testes

watch timing and shows - 
minimum length for animal judging and need to keep fleece for shows
book shearers early ! 
 

to get cleaner fleece on cria
 
 
 

do them when shearing
lighter nails grow faster and need doing more often
watch specifically for toe nails that curl inwards
 
 

annual
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  at birth
 
 

watch them
 
 
 
 
at birth
weekly after
 
   

Mating
 

pregnancy check
Spit off at 14 days

Progesterone test
(vet taken)

Scan
(vet taken)
 

 Cria Check  New Crias
 
 

ensure drinking from mum
de-wax teats if needed
put cria to teats if  necessary   
 

Weigh Crias
 
 
 

14-17 days after birthing unless a difficult birth 
 

do 2 of these to prove pregnancy, 14 days apart


 blood test for pregnancy 
 

60 days and 90 days from mating
 
 

 iodine navel
ensure not premature 
(no floppy ears, can stand,  has a suck reflex)
 
must drink in first 3 hours
 
 
 

 should be at least 5.5kg
until 20kg