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Sedgeberrow, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Breeding and Selling Quaility Huacaya & Suri Alpacas.

Wednesday 29 June 2011

Naughty BG's

Well I have just got to tell you about those naughty BG's, up to no good again!!

I went to put the dogs in the barn while I went shopping, something caught my eye up on the roof of our tack room!! It was the BG's!! they had heard me talking to the dogs and started calling. They had only escaped from the pen and gone up the stairs to the tack room roof!!

I didn't have chance to get a photo of them looking down at me, but did get them coming back down the stairs, like a pair of naughty children, calling to me!!



They are so funny they make me chuckle all the time. Wonder what they are going to get up to next??

The Naughty BG's (who still havn't got names and happily come to the call of Billie Billie lol

Ginnie

They have arrived!!!!

Yes Millie's puppies have arrived (in the end) after a very fretful night followed by a fretful day the first little one entered the world at 15.40, Millie had not liked me moving even a couple of feet away from her and the minute I left the room she promptly jumped onto my sweatshirt!! She definitely wasn't going to use her whelping box, it was the settee or nothing, so out came all the old towel and the settee was covered by several layers!!. And that was me set for the day.

Late afternoon she started to have strong contractions (and just like when the alpacas are in labour everything goes through your head, is it ok? is it stuck? is it going to be alive? should I call the vet??!!! then after about 20 minutes the first one was born and it was a little boy.

Millie was the perfect new mum, licking and cleaning him, and chewing the cord and eating the placenta (yuk didn't like that bit!!) its amazing how they know what to do, the only problem was I had to keep an eye on her as she was getting a bit keen on chewing the cord and I knew if she chewed it too short it could cause a problem and maybe even infection. He was a strong little man and within minutes was making his way to the milky bar, finding it with no trouble at all (not like the frustrating time you have watching the cria trying to find the right place and at the same time as trying to manage to stand on its new wobbly legs!!)

She had about 40 minutes rest, again after about 20 minutes the next little one arrived another little boy. Which again she pay plenty of attention to and he was soon settled at the milky bar with his brother.

She seem to settle down and had a lovely happy proud look on her face. Was that it??

No, about two hours later it all started again and out popped a lovely little girl. Millie started licking, cleaning her and chewing away at the cord, I went to shout to my husband to tell him she had just had a little girl, less than a minute and disaster struck!! Millie had done exactly what I was worried about, she had chewed the cord too short and there was blood pumping out!! I shouted for my husband to come quick, he held the pup while I put some cotton around the cord trying to stop the bleeding, it was very difficult to tie the cotton around such a little cord and the puppy was wriggling around all the time, eventually I managed to tie the cord off and it seemed to do the trick. With a quick spray of antibiotic spray to stop infection and Millie doing any more chewing!! disaster was averted and all three pups were happily having their fill at the milky bar.

So here is proud mum Millie with her three little babies, and they are so cute even if I say it myself.



Thankfully non of the alpacas gave birth, not quite sure what I would have done!! But its now back to cria watch and the wait for the new arrivals to the herd.

Ginnie



Tuesday 28 June 2011

Puppies today??

Well Millie our Jack Russell is fast approaching her due date, and think today maybe the day she has her first litter!! I am shattered, had a really bad night with her, lots of fidgeting, panting, licking and whimpering!! (not had puppies before, kittens and cria but not puppies so this is a first for us, I understand the first stage of labour can be 6 to 18 hours long, so after the night we have had I wouldn't be surprised if they are on their way.

Problem is she wont stay in her whelping box and keeps getting on the settee with me, oh well as long as she is happy she can stay and once she starts delivering we can transfer her back into her box.



Millie on her cushion with her cuddly toy.

Am on my own today so just hope we don't have any cria arriving today as-well!!

After a really bad night I had an even worst start to the morning, my daughter is on holiday so along with all our cats & dogs, we also have her cat (FIFI) holidaying with us, she is our cats kitten from last year (although you can see they are related by looks, Tinky being a brown tabby and her daughter being a silver grey tabby - they do not like each other at all!!)



So we are in a mobile with a dog due to give birth and two cats which really don't want to be in the same room together (and FIFI not being used to the dogs!!) So for safety reasons we were putting FIFI in the dog cage over night so she didn't get beaten up over night by Tinky!! And plus Tinky likes a window open at night so she can come and go as she pleases (so we didn't want FIFI to escape as-well.)

I didn't really like her being shut in the cage, so though it would be nicer for her if she had the run of the 7.5t horse lorry (her own little living area) first night was good, but this morning I went to bring her back in to the mobile, and couldnt find her anywhere!! I thought she couldnt possibly have escaped as all the windows were shut - except the ones in the horse area which had bars on, she couldnt possibly have got through them!! or could she? well Tia our German Shepherd puppy was very interested in something under the lorry!! So I shut the dogs in, got on my hands and knees (not a pretty site!!) and called!! low and behold there was a tiny cry, which got louder and louder and from under the wheel arch crawled FIFI!! omg she had escaped but thankfully she hadnt gone far and was very happy to see me (my daughter would have never forgiven me with we had lost her baby!!)

So what a night and what a start to the day, but alls well that ends well, FIFI is now safe in the mobile, and now its a waiting game to see if Millie produces her puppies today.

Phew I need a cup of tea now, and will then sit, knit and observe and maybe play doggie midwife.

Who knows I may have more news later, just watch this space!!!!!

Ginnie





Monday 27 June 2011

Naughty BG's

These little goats have got to be the funniest little things out, they certainly have some tricks up their sleeves lol.

Last night they managed to escape into the main field, but instead of heading out into the field they got in with a tree that my daughter and Son-in-law had planted for our Grandson Callum, under the stock fence they go and are happily munching on the grass, not interested in the tree at all (not sure if it was to escape the alpacas or not?, as the alpacas had spotted them and were moving in!!)



Again this morning they were back out in the main field!! They are very easily encouraged back to the yard with a scoop of mix!! Tummies over comes everything lol

So I watched to see how they were getting out, using my phone to video. Takes a few minutes, but just wait and watch!!



Caught in the act!! Sorry BG's the hole has now been blocked up.. They are so funny, they do make me chuckle to myself.

Ginnie

Saturday 25 June 2011

Wide Alpacas & Brilliant Display

Well the girls are getting very wide, they seem a lot wider than last year and their not due till July!



Dayna 335 days on 9th July, but looks like she could pop now!



Pip who is not 335 days until 13th July 11



And Ana - not 335 days until 10th Aug 11 (had to double check her dates) be very surprised if she manages to go that long!!

But hey we all know alpacas, they wont come until they are cooked, but am on cria alert already.

Had a bit of up and down day, first a joint on the lorry air breaks broke and air was coming out all over the place, then had a very frustrating time with RAC breakdown!! couldn't find us on the system!! What the hell!! we been on breakdown for over 5 years - systems!! Eventually got it sorted and back home safely (got to say no animals on board just steel for the barn lol

Then off to Local Kemerton Country Fayre with my sister in order to put leaflet on cars re: our open day on 10th July 11, don't really like putting things on windscreens but needs must. But was a great Fayre lots going on and lot of things to see, with a good turn out.

Then back for a cup of tea on the decking, with hubby, Sister, Brother & Sister-in, BG's were making a lot of noise so hubby went to see what all the fuss was, one girly kept come over and calling to us, not unusually as she is very sociable and wants to join in all the time, but this time she was extra loud, he found the other BG with her head through the stock fence and her horns hooked on so couldn't get out, so her little sister was obviously trying to tell us, animals never failed to amaze me.

Then an amazing air display, Sadly everyone had left and missed it, it was an amazing air display over our fields from a RAF spitfire, not sure where is was displaying to, but felt like it was a private display as was dipping and diving over our fields (and the alpacas and horses didn't bat an eye-lid just carried on munching!

Well quite a full and exciting day, so its supper, bit of telly and then bed.

Night all

Ginnie

Friday 24 June 2011

Blog Comment Testing

I still appear to have been having problems with people commenting on my blog!! I tried to sort this out and think (fingers crossed) its sorted.

Please can someone place a comment so we can test it?

Thanks

Ginnie

Friday 17 June 2011

Fleece Samples

Can anyone tell me what I should be looking out for in the fleece sample reports? Not sure what I should be looking out for!!

Is there anywhere I can find a simple and understable explanation for the sample reports?

Thanks

Ginnie

Thursday 16 June 2011

Silly BG's



Oh I do love my new additions, they are so funny and already getting really friendly. They now have a little playground to play in, and a lovely feed bowl to sleep lol.

I did have quite a start when I saw the one in the bowl, I though she was dead!! But no she was fast alseep and didnt even here me coming lol.

Had a bit of a shock yesterday afternoon when I went to check on them, they had only pulled out their ear tags!! Silly billies, one has two slits in her ears now, but the other one has a chunk taken of her ear!! So out come the purple spray, so they now have purple ears, not sure if there much ear left to put the tags back, so may not be able to (dont really like ear tags they never stay in and do so much damage to the animals poor ears if they pull them out.

But I still do love these cheeky little girls.

The alpacas still dont like them, and keep screeming at them, they wouldnt even come down for their tea even though I had shut the goats into the stable, they are so funny anybody think the little goats were monsters!!

Thats all for today, am off to the Warwick races soon, my friends son is riding so that should be fun, not sure if I will place any bets, never been any good at betting, especially as I only bet on the horses I think look nice, not on form or anything lol

Ginnie

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Newest Arrivals



We have added to the Cotswold Vale family, two cute little pygmy goats. Poor little mites seem a bit lost, but hopefully they will settle soon and feel at home.



Mind you the alpacas are not making it very easy for them, they keep screeching at them. I think its because they can see them, but cant get up close.

I have read up about the goats, but if anyone has any hints and tips to make them very happy little goats, all advice will be welcome.

Ginnie

Thursday 9 June 2011

Help!! I cant comment on blogs!!

Can anyone help me, Im having problem adding comments to other bloggers posts and even my own, keeps going to log in page and then back, but is saying Im annoyomous??

And when I go to do a post on my page it wont let me publish it?? I have to save it go out and come back in on edit posts tabs!!??

Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

Thanks

Ginnie

Monday 6 June 2011

Strange & Sad Love

We had a very strange and sad situation. Its not a recent thing but I came across some photos and thought I would write about it. Especially as we lost the alpaca concerned through it.

Along with alpacas we have several horses and one of the horses, a mare, Rica quite often grazed out with the big boys. She's a lovely gentle mare that loves being with any animal.

Well back two years ago one of the cria we had, a little boy called Galaxy (we called him galaxy because he was the colour of the chocolate bar!) took quite a liking to Rica, it started when my daughter used to take Rica across the alpacas field to her paddock, Galaxy used to love to come and say hello to her.



Then it happened when she was riding out in the main field where the girls & cria were grazing, he would come over and wanted to say hello. We though it was so sweet, and he was such a lovely natured boy.


He was weaned at six months with several of the other male cria and a yearling we had kept from the previous year, he seemed to settle down quickly without mum. Then we sold the three boys he had been weaned with and he was left with the yearling. Galaxy was around 18mnths old now and a big boy, he seemed to hold his own, so we then put him and the yearling in with the older two males we had, as they also were very nice natured. They all settled well together, with the occasional play fight and we never saw him being bullied at all.

Several months later we had to move fields around and so we put Rica in with the boys, and they all settled well, where Rica grazed the boys were never far away (especailly Galaxy) Then one day my husband called me and said Rica kept squeeling but he wasnt sure why.

I stood and watched, and couldnt believe my eyes!! Galaxy was trying to feed from Rica! and her squeeling was her way of telling him off. At no time did she kick out at all. He got the message and moved away and all settled down.

The next morning while I was feeding the girls, I heard Rica squeeling again and he was again trying to feed, and looked like he was nearly succeeding.

The next photo is not very good as I took it on my mobile at quite a distance away, as I thought no-one would believe me!




So I had no choice but to move Rica into the paddock next door, I couldnt risk her getting fed up with him and kicking out (although she had never showned any sign of doing so), Galaxy walked the fence a bit and would say hello to her over the fence, but did go off to graze with the other boys, so I though all was ok.

A couple of weeks later, I went to do the evening feed and called the boys into the barn to be fed, but Galaxy didnt come, he was down in the cush position which I though very odd. I went out and he got up and came in, I took his temperature just to check and it was fine.

The next morning at feed time, he didnt come in again, again he was down in the cush position, this time I had to get him up and manage to get him into the barn, checking his temperature it had gone up, so I called the vet, he told me to keep him in the barn with hay and water and monitor him, and he would get to me about 2pm. I went out ever hour to check him but he didnt move much and was drinking but not eating. I went back out about 12.30 he was still in the same position, but he had diaraha coming from his back end. I immediaetly called the vet again and he said he would be with me within the hour.

He arrived and examined Galaxy, he told me he suspected an ulcer, and did an ultra-scan which confirmed it. This was a critical situation, we had three option, put him to sleep, treat him with everything we could or try to get him to the vets for surgery.

The vet felt he probably wouldnt make it to the practice as it was about 45 mins away. I didnt want to give up on him. So he was treated with everything the vet could give, including pain killers. He said the next 24 hours would tell us either way.

We got him into a warm stable with a deep straw bed, and left him to rest. I went out a half an hour later, he was on his side and it looked like he was fitting. I immediatly called the vet, he had just got back to the surgery and said he would be straight back. But by time I got off the phone he had gone, we were devastated, my daughter was distraught this was the first animal she had ever seen die and even worst he one that she was very attached to.

The vet took him away to postmortme we needed to know what killed him, I was paranoid it was TB!! It was the worst couple hours to wait and find out, the vet phoned around 7pm to confirm it was a burst ulcer, not a big one and he had a full stomach so it hadnt been going on long, and his heart and lungs were fine, and no
sign of TB. We were relieved it wasnt TB, but devasted we had lost our gorgeous Galaxy, you know what its like you question yourself, had you missed something, if only you knew and had done something sooner.

The vet said, its wasnt an uncommon thing to happen to alpacas, and was probably stressed induced. He said it was usually bullying, but I am convinced he wasnt bullied, I never saw him being picked on. And I am convinced it was the seperation from Rica that caused it, but we will never know.

I feel this experience is worth sharing, and wonder if anyone else has experience anything like this?

RIP Gaxaly, you were a lovely boy.



Friday 3 June 2011

Open Day

Well I have taken the plunge and have book a date for our first ever public open day - 10th July 2011 12pm to 5pm. We have decided it is about time we open the farm up to visitors, we get a lot of interest in the alpacas and are always being asked if we have visitor days.

We are opening up the farm for people to come and see the alpacas, and what we have been doing in the last two years since moving onto site. It will be free to visit but we are asking for donations for "Cancer Research UK" and "Help for Heroes". I think both are very good causes, as I lost my Dad to cancer and my son-in-law is in the forces, I have much admiration and respect for our forces and there are many people effected by death or injury while serving their country.

So everyone will be welcome, hopefully we will get lots of visitors and interest in the alpacas. If anyone wants to get more details, please go to our website

Look forward to seeing anyone who can attend

Ginnie

Thursday 2 June 2011

Shearing

Well the shearing is all done, we had a great day. The shearers were brilliant as always, quick, caring and efficient.

Its not a day I enjoy, watching the alpacas stretched out on the mats, but I know it has to be done and its the kindest way to do it. And once its all over they all seem to settle down very quickly.

Although it didnt rain, we did have a bit of a wind problem (of course thats weather wind not personal wind!!) but being in the barn worked well. It all went a lot smoother with the help of my brilliant Sister Anne and her husband Andy, as it cant be quite frantic at times keeping up with the shearers!!

We also had some lovely people come to watch the big event, some lovely ladies from the Walsall Spinners, who went home with some lovely fleece hot of the alpacas backs lol and some very happy and keen proud new owners of three lovely boys, who also went home with their boys fleeces hot of their backs.

Here's a couple of photos kindly send to me by my visitors, I was so busy, although I had the camera handy, just didnt have time to stop and take photos.

I was a bit worried the next day, as it rained all day!! and the poor alpacas had no coats on!! I wanted to go out and put little rugs on them, but didnt have enough lol.

But on Tuesday, they were all very happy to have no fleece on as it got very hot again.



So thats important date number 1 over, now to important date number 2 - Open day!!

Ginnie