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Shearing time is upon us.
Make sure your fleece is long enough, and that it is clean prior to
shearing. The fleece cleaners are great - their electrostatic force flicks
the debris out of the
fleece on the alpaca. Take a mid side sample and get you microns tested.
Weigh your total
fleece weight and record it.
We
recommend that older animals that do not grow enough length for decent use in a
12 month period, are shorn anyway. This for animal health reasons.
We
are finding that modern day youngsters have fleece perfectly long enough to be
shorn at 7 months, and are "over-fleeced" at 10 months. Consider shearing them
young. The second fleece will be far better for it.
And
whilst you are shearing, get those other animal maintenance jobs up-to-date,
like toe nails and inoculations. Some people like to do it while the alpaca is
strapped down for shearing.
Birthing is the other summer happening. Keep a close
eye on your pregnant females. Most alpacas will birth in the daytime and will do
it all themselves. We like to keep an eye on them to help any who may need it.
Mating follows, with summer mating giving summer births. Most alpacas are ready
to get pregnant two weeks after giving birth.
Young
females can be mated at 12 months of age. But if your female is smaller, or is
not emotionally mature, or is resisting the male in the mating pen, then wait.
You will get a far better productive life from her by waiting later to mate her,
than by forcing the mating.
