Creating a Home for Your Herd - Alpaca€¦ · Creating a Home for Your Herd ... Mixes well with Orchard and Brome Seed at 10-15#/acre. 3/23/2016 22 2016 AOA National Alpaca Show

Creating a Home for Your Herd –Facilities, Fences, Pasture Layouts & Nutrition

Facilities

Adequate feeding/lounging space important

3-sided building facing south/east adequate for males

Breeding females require full enclosure due to cria needs

Overhangs greatly increase “living” space

Alpaca like to be outside unless it is extremely cold

3/23/20162016 AOA National Alpaca Show

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Facilities

Inexpensive Innovative

3/23/2016Heritage Farm Suri Alpacas

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Facilities

3/23/2016Heritage Farm Suri Alpacas

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Facilities – Inside layout


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OptionsPermanentFlexible

Facilities – Storage

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Storage NeedsGrain & SupplementsHayEquipmentMedication

2016 AOA National Alpaca Show

Facilities – Workflow

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Weighing ScaleCatch Pens


Stocking Density

Depends of pasture qualityGenerally, 4-5 per acre If more, supplement with hay

Barn/Shelter Space18-20 sq. ft./alpaca If building new, increase

size by 25% for work area/storage


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Fencing

Many Fencing Options Woven Wire

Chain link

Farm fence

No-climb horse or goat fence

High Tensile strand

Vinyl or Board Fence

One or more electrified wires


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Fencing

Most Secure Option Woven-No Climb

4-5 foot high

Wood and/or Metal Posts

Most Expensive ($2-3/ft.)

Justification Perimeter Predator Control

Males next to Females


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Fencing

Electric Netting Quick Fence Sub-dividing pastures

Portable

12” gap between bottomstrand and ground

Less Expensive ($1/ft.)

Caution: make sure it’salways charged If not, alpacas can get

entangled


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Fencing

Bottom Line – What risk level are you willing to take

Predator prevalence in your area

What’s your budget?


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Pasture Layouts

Plan for enough pastures to rotate alpacas every 3-4 weeks

Design with small catch pens near barn

Rectangular pastures make it more difficult to herd animals to the barn

“Wagon Wheel” layout is very efficient


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Pasture Layouts


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Pasture Layouts


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“Wagon Wheel” Layout

How to Create Your Own Layout

Find your property on Google Maps Select the satellite view Right Click and select Print Choose orientation as appropriate and print Using a copy machine, adjust setting to Light and make test

copies until the map is light enough to draw on top of but dark enough to see detail.

Once you have the correct setting make several copies and begin laying out your new farm!


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Nutrition

“Anyone can feed but nutrition requires some effort” Dr. Norm Evans

Healthy immune system=healthy alpaca=healthy fiber

Testing hay and forage is important

Feeding should be based on body condition score, frame size, exercise, use and age

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Nutrition

Find a good source of forage/hay Know what you’re feeding Test your hay and pasture

Supplement with grain Fomulated for alpacas

Other supplements Mineral Blend Fiber nutrients Vitamin A,D,E for crias

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Nutrition

How much to feed? Forage – 80% of diet

Alpacas will consume daily 1.6% of their body weight of dry matter

150 pound adult – 2.5 pounds per day hay/forage

Males consume slightly less, nursing dams more

Grain supplement ½ pound daily Nursing dams may need up to 1 pound daily Cold weather increases need for more calories Take body score into consideration

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Nutrition

Sources Hay/Forage and water testing

Holmes Labs – www.holmeslab.com

Grain Supplement Kent (Blue Seal) – Maintenance and Growth

FormulasMazuri – Maintenance and Growth Formulas Hubbard and Others

Minerals/Fiber Nutrients Llama Wellness – Alpaca Minerals “E” & Fiber

Nutrients (also available through Kent)

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Forage

Pasture and Hay make up total forage

Testing is a necessity for alpaca health

Need good drainageSpring lush pastures

Controlled grazing time 3-4 hours/dayCan lead to obesity

Always use endophyte-free seed!

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Forage

Ideal Properties for Hay/Forage Protein 10-13% Total Digestible Nutrients 55-63% Relative Feed Value 97-104%Calcium:Phosphorus 2:1 or less Potassium 1.75% or less

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Forage

Orchard Grass Ideal for alpacasGood for pasture and hayMixes well with other grasses & alpha Seed at 10-15#/acre

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Forage

Brome Grass Used in pasture and hayCool season grass Highly palatable Seed at 15-20#/acre

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Forage

Kentucky Bluegrass Pasture only Tolerates close grazingMixes well with Orchard and

Brome Seed at 10-15#/acre

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Forage

Timothy Grass Hay only Use at 20% or less with other

grasses Sensitive to heat Seed at 2#/acre

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Forage

Alfalfa Perennial Legume Pasture and Hay Very Palatable High Protein 17-20% Limit feed Use at less than 20% Seed at 2-4#/acre

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Forage

Forage “No-No’s” Perennial rye grass – can contain

a neurotoxinClover – can cause excessive

salivation which may lead to ulcers

KY-31 Fescue – contains endophytes

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Forage

Midwest Hay Mix Orchard Grass 60% Timothy 10% Brome 20% Alfalfa 10%

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Forage

Midwest Pasture Mix Orchard Grass 60% Timothy 15% KY Bluegrass 20%

Documents

Creating a Home for Your Herd - Alpaca€¦ · Creating a Home for Your Herd ... Mixes well with Orchard and Brome Seed at 10-15#/acre. 3/23/2016 22 2016 AOA National Alpaca Show