Monday 31 December 2012

Happy New Year

Thank you for your comments on my last blog; they did make me laugh and the pills seem to be working Shirley!

2012 looks like it is going to go out in the same manner as it maintained for much of the year; blowing a gale and pouring with rain. I did pop out at 5am this morning ( well I was awake!) to check that the weanlings were in their shelter...they were! Despite the heavy rain we did manage a little halter training on Saturday. As Carole and Clyde, from Prince Bishop Alpacas in County Durham, had arranged to call in to see their two weanlings ( Lullaby and Topaz), it seemed like an ideal opportunity. Unfortunately, what started as a little drizzle, turned into a torrential downpour when we were half way down the lane. The mud and rain is impeding training this year...but Sox halter trained at 3 months is a record for us...although she has to be in the lead all the time and pushes her way to the front...she is going to one with an eye on that red rosette that one!p

Carole and Clyde have five of their females already and are really enjoying watching the herd dynamics develop within the group. They have a great mix of females with a good range of genetics from males and females that we have chosen to be in our core herd. When we had our herd assessed by Dr Jim Watts from Australia (SRS) and Tim Hey (Inca Alpacas) in the Spring ; two female lines scored especially well: Blueberry Samauri Bahati and Morden Hall Honaria and it is offspring from these lines that are forming the base of their core herd. And with Beck Brow Explorer (dam Cambridge Camilla and star of the herd assessment) also in the mix; Prince Bishop Alpacas will be one to watch.

Taking of Bahati, I have been getting a little worried that she has not held her pregnancy (it took numerous attempts to get her pregnant when she normally takes first time ) and as one of our top females, this would be especially disappointing. Bahati has been coming over and actively seeking out being stroked....she even puts her head on my shoulder. Now, this is normal for Chaska for example, but not Bahati, who used to be liable to catch you out with a good kick when she first arrived. She has got much friendlier over the years, but this cuddling in is new. Could it be a lack of pregnancy hormones?  So she has been spat off ...Explorer got it...yes she spat (pregnant). My theory is that she knows that we saved Lullaby for her...I have seen it before...they are amazing animals...who cares if I am obsessed!

Well I am VERY excited about 2013...could it be that we are going on holiday (good but not a very)...we will get to see Cambridge Stargazer when she comes to the UK from Australia (exciting yes)...we have the potential to have 30 births (getting close)...BECK BROW EXPLORER WILL HAVE HIS FIRST CRIA (I am to be a grandmother!!)...either that or it's the pills but I am certainly EXCITED!

I will leave with one of my favourite photos of 2012...Beck Brow Snooty Boots...newly shorn and looking rather shy!

Beck Brow Snooty Boots

Wishing you all a Happy, Prosperous and Dry 2013...have a good one!

7 comments:

  1. And a cracking New Year to you and Paul too. Could we have Sox over here to lead our babies please?

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  2. Enjoy yourselves! Shirley & Robbie

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  3. Lovely photo!
    A very happy and dryish New Year to you!

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  4. Happy New Year to all at Beck Brow! Sox just gets better and better, so...remember to keep a close eye on her next time she joins you in the M&S Food Hall!

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  5. All the best from far flung lanehouse.

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  6. Happy New Year from Tasmania Barbara, :) Lisa

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  7. Happy New Year to you. I look forward to seeing how things progress in 2013 - and here's to hoping for far easier births this year. :)

    Enjoy your holiday!

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