I had been hoping to tell you about something exciting...about our first Timbertop CT Goldmine cria...I have decided that it is going to be a white male..but Adelle isnt for revealing if I am correct. She is 351-days gestation today. Apart from the anticipation, we really needed a safe arrival before I go away for a couple of days from tomorrow. Looks like Robyn, Amanda and Hettie will be on midwife duties. I use an average gestation period of 340 days to work out expected dates, but I think I need to review this, I have just worked out this year's average and it is 347 days...lazy Beck Brow girls!
Last Monday Viv Darcy (nee Cook) came to do some alpaca assessment before the next stage of her judge training. Whilst we were fleece rummaging and making plans to head off to Greenside Alpacas for some Suri assessment; Renatta presented us with a lovely white Explorer boy (Adelle and Renatta were mated on the same day). Thus our latest arrival has been named Beck Brow Mr Darcy. Mr Darcy has joined the Explorer club, they are so cute always sticking together.
Last week I started to let the dams and cria have access to what was the hay field. As you can see from the photos below they have plenty of lush grass (yes in October!). Unfortunately Ep Cambridge Stargazer rather over did the grazing. when she came in to feed late afternoon, I noticed her showing signs of colic and she was enormous. I wish I had thought to take a photo, she was swollen to twice her normal size...she really looked like she could explode...thankfully all was resolved with some Buscapan and Funixin...I expect it would have been rather breezy standing behind her that evening!
Whilst on the topic of bowels: One of the cria on livery was showing signs of constipation the other day. So a soapy enema was administered...but all we got were a few bubbles...I gave a little more and held down the tail expecting the soapy water to squirt out...but nothing. The cria (6 weeks old) goes and sits down...then all of a sudden from a sitting position he fires out poo so hard it travelled six feet, causing Paul and I to jump, before disolving into fits of laughter...what is it about poo!
Last Monday Viv Darcy (nee Cook) came to do some alpaca assessment before the next stage of her judge training. Whilst we were fleece rummaging and making plans to head off to Greenside Alpacas for some Suri assessment; Renatta presented us with a lovely white Explorer boy (Adelle and Renatta were mated on the same day). Thus our latest arrival has been named Beck Brow Mr Darcy. Mr Darcy has joined the Explorer club, they are so cute always sticking together.
Kitty (fawn), Adventurer (head down), Trendsetter, Mr Darcey (in coat)
Last week I started to let the dams and cria have access to what was the hay field. As you can see from the photos below they have plenty of lush grass (yes in October!). Unfortunately Ep Cambridge Stargazer rather over did the grazing. when she came in to feed late afternoon, I noticed her showing signs of colic and she was enormous. I wish I had thought to take a photo, she was swollen to twice her normal size...she really looked like she could explode...thankfully all was resolved with some Buscapan and Funixin...I expect it would have been rather breezy standing behind her that evening!
Whilst on the topic of bowels: One of the cria on livery was showing signs of constipation the other day. So a soapy enema was administered...but all we got were a few bubbles...I gave a little more and held down the tail expecting the soapy water to squirt out...but nothing. The cria (6 weeks old) goes and sits down...then all of a sudden from a sitting position he fires out poo so hard it travelled six feet, causing Paul and I to jump, before disolving into fits of laughter...what is it about poo!
Prima Sebastian (sire: Viracocha Black Sabbath) enjoying the new grass
Last Sunday Paul went on a bit of a tour; delivering four alpacas and coming back with two. Kingwell Alegria (pregnant to Goldmine) was delivered to Nottingham, before Paul continued to Furze Park Alpacas for collection of Sputnik and Elvira. Whilst he was there he met up with Jo from Hillyridge who took delivery of her new boys and girls, including Anzac Almost Illegal (Almo). We wish you well with him Scott and Jo, we miss him.
Sputnik and Elvira are super cute, but unfortunately I dont have a photo and it is raining today. I tried to take a photo of his shorn fleece but I dont think I have done it justice. It is so organised with tiny micro staples. It is very like the fleece belonging to Beck Brow First Edition (pictured bottom). I am so excited to see what Sputnik can do over our Explorer daughters, hopefully he will reinforce that same style.
Furze Park Sputnik's Fleece (sire: Furze Park Telstar)
Furze Park Sputnik
As I havent got a photo of him, how about his family tree...
Sputnik's dam Furze Park Bodacia
Bodacia's sire: Rural Alianza Wiracocha (now deceased) thank you for the photo Tim Hey
Beck Brow First Edition's fleece (sire: Beck Brow Explorer)
Beck Brow First Edition (Eddie)
Hopefully some excitement for the next blog...we are waiting to hear the results of screening in Australia this week...another addition?
