It has been an alpaca filled weekend...without any shifts at the hospital or trips out in the Lake District...but we still have managed to mix work and pleasure.
On Saturday we took a trip down to York to visit Jenny and Graham at Fowberry Alpacas. We had a great day; lots of fleece rummaging and a lovely lunch (thanks Graham!). It was absolutely non-stop alpaca chatter without any need to make any apologies! With two of our elite girls pregnant to Top Account, we were interested to see his cria from this year...and we certainly weren't disappointed. I have the feeling that The Futurity is going to be setting some high standards this year!
Today has been about routine tasks; Everyone got their dose of Fasinex as protection against liver fluke. We do live in a low risk area but generally give it twice during the winter months as a prophylactic. All good as gold again...what's going on!
Robyn and Craig popped round so we took the weanlings out on their halters in two groups of four. They all seemed to enjoy the trip out to the lane end and back. They really have it pretty much perfected now. So no challenges at all today?...well not with alpacas...
Paul and I have been having a debate/difference of opinion/disagreement about how to divide up the latest piece of our land, now ready for fencing. This has been simmering away for some time but the fencing is due to start (well if the ground thaws out) so a resolution was required. Today it ended up with us both making a detailed drawing of our plans...and submitting these...along with an explanation... to the Beck Brow board...i.e each other!
We both are in agreement that we need to create more areas for quarantine; We have a number of females (from the same farm) booked in for matings with St. Patrick in the summer, which means that not only will they need to be kept separate but Legacy (who will be used as a spit off male) will also need to be quarantined. In addition we also need to be able to quarantine our show team and and any purchases that we may make.
Lots of logistics...the engineer was probably always going to win...although I would like to say that I conceded rather than lost...both systems worked perfectly well...it was just that mine required 10 more gates and two more shelters!!
Taking of separations; we are left with a small dilemma. Having sold all of our boys this year, with the exception of Explorer (who will be staying), Gorgeous is going to be in need of some new buddies (poor souls!). I think that the final decision is that he will go in with Nimrod and Julius (our two wethers). We are also considering moving Anzac Almost Illegal (pictured below...in the summer). He is due to work this Spring, but since the arrival of St. Patrick he has lost some of his ranking...he is now at least third in command...we have decided, after a discussion that we had on Saturday, that it may be better if he were to be placed in a paddock where he is of a higher rank, if we are to get him ready for working that is.
Anzac Almost Illegal (s Cambridge Storm Trooper)...born Nov 2008...due to start work in the Spring
Iam sure Julius and Nimrods devotion to each other will soon include their young charge.
ReplyDeleteThe Georgeous One will be humming some new tunes! Brothers in Arms?
Very nice boy indeed !.....he is very handsome .....nice to see that there is a truse on the fencing debate !.......Jayne
ReplyDeleteYou knew the fencing debate was never going to go your way but at least your had your say and proved it would work!
ReplyDeleteAt the rate of the weather I think it could be summer before the ground is thawed.