Tuesday 4 November 2014

Back from blogging hibernation


Anyone who follows us on Facebook will know that we are alive, and that all is well. My blogging has been rather neglected, partly because I haven't had time to take any photos, and partly because I have forgotten what we have been up to, its been so long. I think that we all end up having a little blog hibernation after the births are over.

Firstly after all the waiting, Adelle had our long awaited Timbertop CT Goldmine cria on the 9th of October. A white male whom we have called Bond 007 (there is a bit of a tale to that one!) We have been extremely lucky with the weather and he has come on well, gaining 3 kilos in three weeks. Early impressions are that he is very fine and dense.

He is now on weekly weighing. We weigh our cria (using a sling and balance scales) every day for the first 5-7 days at least. It then depends on how they are thriving, but they go on to a minimum of weekly weigh-ins after that. This means we pick up any weight loses quickly, and we have a recent record of weight, so if any one looks off colour we can assess weight gain/loss fairly accurately.

Thus it was a bit of an anxious time when our large Salter P2000 scales went on the blink. Well more than went on the blink...they went kaput...£750 and four years old! It took over a week for it to be decided that they were not repairable, and another week or so for a new set to be delivered. In the meantime we had 32 cria to weigh with Paul holding a cria and standing on a  set of bathroom scales.

We ended up with 13 females and 10 male cria after the start of 9 girls in a row. We also had 6 males and 3 females born to agisted alpacas on the farm, so pretty even in the end.

Yesterday I completed the registrations of our 2014 cria. With the BAS National Show entries commencing in less than a month's time, I thought I best have them ready to enter. With only 360 spaces I expect entries will close early again this year...be warned!


Easter-Wood Adelle with Beck Brow Bond 007 (24 hours old)

We did manage to have an amazing break in Oman. It was sheer luxury staying at the Shangri La Al Husn, an adults only hotel (adults only as in no children...rather than x-rated) where we really did have a chill out holiday. Paul returned to head straight off to Spain with work. leaving me to prepare for the North West Alpaca Group Workshop which was held on the farm. Tim Hey shared his knowledge and expertise with 40+ members of the group, and everyone agreed, lots had be learnt
 


 Members and guests of NWAG enjoying the workhop with Tim Hey of Inca Alpaca.

As I said earlier I keep meaning to write a blog but never like to be short of photos. However my efforts have been poor. I did think that I would  get some action shots of the females with cria running in at feed time, but I had the camera on the wrong setting so that they were too quick!

I have marked out High Five in the first photo...


Can you spot High Five reving up...


here he has swung round the outside to gain position

he is so fast I havent managed to run backwards quickly enough!

Today set off murky and has progressed on to drizzle. My plans to get photos of some of the yealing boys, and to get them on to Alpacaseller, have thus been delayed again. It might be Spring at this rate!

3 comments:

  1. Good to catch up as I am not involved in the world of Facebook so often miss out on everyone's news! We are all allowed to hibernate from time to time when our other stuff just takes over all our time!

    We too use the "bathroom scales method" for weighing our crias as we just find them too wiggly for the sling and balance! After daily for the first month, we carry on until we just can't lift them any more and as we get older that period is shortening!!

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  2. Welcome back to the real world, great pictures as always!

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  3. Send your scales to Patou - he has an elf workshop and can fix anything!

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