Posted on 03/08/2017 5:51:19 PM PST by GRRRRR
My Lady Jean and have a nice little ranch near Denver. On our tender little 35 acres, we have ten alpacas.
They belong to the Camelid family, llamas, vicuña and the true humpty humpers. They're cute too, so Lady Jean is happy.
We're expecting a baby "cria" in May. Our first breeding try.
We have all females except one old gelded male, Andy. You don't keep the boys and girls together as the boys will go through a fence if he gets the right wink!
We have two years of fleece, they get shorn once a year and yield around 3 to 5 lbs of quality fleece and can get $5/ounce of top quality! We're not there yet.
This year, we took in three geriatric 'pacas, all over 20 years old. The owner was moving and couldn't take them, so instead of putt them down we too 'em. They are so happy here and are eating like pigs! They can live well into their 20's.
Anyone out there have these fascinating, docile and animals too?
G
We've a fella within 3 miles of us that had all kinds of exotics years ago.When we moved to this area 12 years ago; there were 4-5 llamas and a couple of zebra that wandered his 1/4 sq mi property.
These days I see only one lonely zebra and one llama.
If you have to ask...
Has THAT ever stopped him??
--MRSELSIE(I've got to live with him!)
My second baby was allergic to all the formulas and although I started out nursing him, I didn’t have enough....anyway he was also allergic to cow milk. Then my dad recalled that he heard he was fed goat milk as a baby. So I gave it a try. My baby loved it and thrived.
I’ll be away from the computer for most of the day.
Please keep me abreast of the situation.
Thanx.
Well, I say “thinking” because I’m reading about it and investigating.
Do female goats have to be milked every day?
Are they susceptible to disease, or are they a hardier species?
Do male goats have to be de-horned?
I have heard goats don’t like to be/get wet. Being in the Northwest, I wonder what kind of shelter they need.
I have heard they are very, very social animals. My next door neighbor had a couple goats for about two days last summer. One was CONSTANTLY bleating/grunting. When my friend went outside to where the goats were, they would shut up and eat. When he got tired of watching the goats and went inside, the one would start his moaning and groaning again! Do they imprint in this manner and what do you do to prevent it?
How much can a goat reasonable expect to eat in a day?
I probably have many more questions, so if you want, stay tuned!
Sheep are more trouble but goats get in more trouble.
Either that is a nice photo shop or there are parts of that movie I missed.
:) That’s true. Still, if you’ve ever heard them humming, its the strangest thing. You hear it, you can’t figure out where its coming from.
My wife’s aunt, north of Ft. Worth, has alpacas. Expensive ones.
Coyotes kept eating the babies, so she got guard dogs: Great Pyrenees, who are big enough to kill a coyote and instinctively imprint on the guarded animals (sheep, goats, alpacas, whatever) so that they consider themselves just part of the family (in this case alpacas).
The dogs just hang out in the field all day with the alpacas, scanning the horizon for threats. They don’t mess with the alpacas, and the alpacas don’t mess with them. They just hang out.
I got one of the Pyrenees’ offspring. He lays on his butt all day in my back yard, scanning the (tiny) horizon, and protecting my cats, who he thinks are part of his family, but who really hate him.
Anyway, if a person gets alpacas, the babies are going to get eaten, and I recommend a guard dog.
My wife’s aunt, north of Ft. Worth, has alpacas. Expensive ones.
Coyotes kept eating the babies, so she got guard dogs: Great Pyrenees, who are big enough to kill a coyote and instinctively imprint on the guarded animals (sheep, goats, alpacas, whatever) so that they consider them selves just part of the family (in this case alpacas).
The dogs just hang out in the field all day with the alpacas, scanning the horizon for threats. They don’t mess with the alpacas, and the alpacas don’t mess with them. They just hang out.
I got one of the Pyrenees’ offspring. He lays on his butt all day in my back yard, scanning the (tiny) horizon, and protecting my cats, who he thinks are part of his family, but who really hate him.
Anyway, if a person gets alpacas, the babies are going to get eaten, and I recommend a guard dog.
Well, that explains the furry steering wheel cover.
wow, a double post all in one post!
I apologize.
It’s just that alpacas get me really excited.
Arizona was 15 when she died. A registered Alpine goat.
Oh dear—I hope the animals lived to old age. Sounds like incompatible habitat could have been an issue. Also, 1/4 sq. mile doesn’t sound like much area for wild, exotic animals to roam.
I don’t know anything about raising exotic animals, and wouldn’t attempt it, but it seems logical that if the animals are placed in a non-native habitat / grazing area, lots of extra effort would be necessary to adjust or compensate, for instance, for their dietary needs.
We get some coyotes that travel through the pastures.
Our little herd will trumpet an alarm and they all gather in one group. Last summer, one foolish coyote decided to approach the herd and as one group they all ran towards the coyote.
He turned tail and ran away as fast as he could.
For our barnyard area, where they spend the night, we have 2 x 4 inch anti-predator fencing 5 feet high and haven’t had any issues with intruders at night.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand your meaning.
I thought GRRRRR’s answer was helpful.
I have 50 acres of land I plan to develop and raising livestock is one option I’m considering.
Do female goats have to be milked every day?
I had two female dwarfs - sisters. One started producing milk; the other didn't. Every two days for her. I'v e heard that they should NOT produce milk unless they've given birth. Didn't work that way for Ellie Mae. The vet said it was due to estrogen found in the grass!
Are they susceptible to disease, or are they a hardier species?
They all get an annual TCE shot. My alpha male, Jack, got an infection once. Source unknown series of shots and he was fine. Ellie Mae had mastitus and needed medication. She later (5 years old) got bloated and I didn't get to her in time and she died. It think they are fairly healthy.
Do male goats have to be de-horned?
They don't have to be, but they can get into trouble with them. All four of mine were dehorned. The males were also (OUCH!) wethered. They sure like to butt each other! It takes NO provocation at all to get one to butt another.
I have heard goats don’t like to be/get wet. Being in the Northwest, I wonder what kind of shelter they need.
What part of the NW? The rain forest side or the dry side?
Mine sure like to stay dry! Any sprinkles and they hightail it to the barn! Mine are spoiled. A big barn area and I even have a heated area 3*3*7 feet. It has a small space heater (where they CANNOT get to it)
I have heard they are very, very social animals. My next door neighbor had a couple goats for about two days last summer. One was CONSTANTLY bleating/grunting. When my friend went outside to where the goats were, they would shut up and eat. When he got tired of watching the goats and went inside, the one would start his moaning and groaning again! Do they imprint in this manner and what do you do to prevent it?
Might have just been the 2 days! Mine used to chatter at each other a lot when young, but it wasn't loud and not bothersome. Be sure that your local governmental unit allows goats. Being in the countryside; it's all farms. I have no close neighbors that might complain anyway.
How much can a goat reasonable expect to eat in a day?
It depends. Their weight, availibility of food in their pasture. I feed mine a lot of processed food. And TREATS!! They'll eat the bark off of your apple trees; nibble your wifes flowers, steal the paper napkin off the picnic table, eat the cardboard box you getting nails out of, mail you've accidently placed in their reach, any cardboard box within range of their climbing ability. Give 'em potato chips, crackers, baked potato skins, cake, bread, rolls, lasagana, you'll have happy campers.
They are MORE curious than cats, will pester you in EVERYthing you try to do near them. Will ignore you when you command them; and go right back to whatever it was that you physically drug them away from doing just seconds before. They react just opposite from what you are trying to do. Pull one to give them a loving hug, and they'll pull away. But PUSH on them to get them away from you and they'll push right back!
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