Sunny Times...

We have sunshine at last...and how good does it make you feel...pretty good...especially if someone had stripped you naked whilst it was still just a bit nippy! Yes, the alpacas as well as the humans are loving it.

On Friday I had girlfriends over, and for the first time this year we were able to enjoy a glass of  late afternoon wine in the garden. But not before Beck Brow Explorer had greeted his two visiting girlfriends. Despite them having their clothes on he was happy to do the deed. Although, he is much happier working now that he has his fleece off. However, you may recall me mentioning that he had a five minute (maximum) encounter with EP Cambridge Aria a couple of weeks ago, before deciding it was too much effort with both of them having their clothes on. Well, she spat off at her pregnancy spit off...surely not? We didnt use Explorer for the spit off so maybe she just didnt like the offering?? Anyone had a pregnancy with such a short breeding?

We at last seem to be catching up with some of the outside chores. On Sunday Paul actually allowed me to do some tractor work...I am not allowed to dive with the poo sweeper on as he doesnt believe that his fences will be safe...however I was given the task of chain harrowing the hay field to break up the clumps of alpaca poo that had been spread back on a couple of weeks ago. I know... all this work sweeping up poo... then we spread it back on again...recycling poo what fun!

On Monday we had to have the vet out to Hazel. I had found her in the paddock laid flat out, with a respiratory rate of between 55-60 per minute and flaring nostrils. Her temp was 39.1 (just high side of normal) and her membranes weren't especially red, but her tummy felt hard. So deciding that it didnt look like an infection was the cause; I tried a Fleet enema, but to no avail. Being only a few days old we decided to take no chances and asked the vet to assess her. Hazel was given Buscopan and pain relief intravenously and gradually improved over the next couple of hours. Colic does seem to knock the little ones for six.

I have been trying to get some photos of Beck Brow Bespoke for a few days, but his mum keeps such a close eye on him and always calls him over when I arrive. His mum is Bozedown Celestrial one of the females that we purchased at the Alpaca Classic elite auction last year (sire Bozedown Patriot). I managed to get one of him sitting by mum who you can see is watching back...and quickly has him on his feet.

Beck Brow Bespoke with mum

Beck Brow Bespoke...mum is calling!

Our alpacas all enjoy sunbathing and lazing in the dust bath, but Beck Brow Fine Romance (Roma) does it on a level all of her own (she is in the fore ground below). We decided to spit off Roma as she looked a bit doubtful for being pregnant...we had only mated her once as she had a September birth last year (Beck Brow Foxy Sox whom she rejected) and we had immediately regretted it... as if she didn't bond with her cria again we would have been bottle feeding all winter again. So she was mated with Explorer a couple of days ago...much better to aim for a summer birth. So not bad 28 out of the 29 are pregnant.

Beck Brow Fine Romance (Roma)...sunbathing

Bozedown Magic Charm is still hanging on...spending most of the day in the dust bath...but who is that on the edge?

Poor Beck Brow Foxy Sox doesn't really know how to behave properly within the group (having been rejected by her mum, she hasnt been socialised properly) and often oversteps her position in the herd. She has been told that she is not allowed in the dust bath (as aren't any of the weanlings) but she likes to push her luck...just my head!

And finally a couple of photos that Facebook followers will have seen already...

The herd sunbathing; Morden Hall Honaria who is due the first Beck Brow Explorer cria in the foreground...note Roma on her back again on the end of the row, with Celestrial watching me as always!

A shot of Cat's Pyjamas' fleece as she slept in the sun...looking very Shirley Temple!

Beck Brow Cat's Pyjamas at 4 weeks old.