The postmortem and happier times.

 I promise that this blog will end more cheerily that the last, but I will start by sharing the results of the postmortem on Clould Nine. The cause of death was peritonitis secondary to a ruptured abscess in the third stomach. The presentation of her illness now makes perfect sense. The abscess was causing the pain and the colic, when it initially burst she felt rather better for a short while. However, after that the infection took hold, and she became seriously ill very quickly. Knowing the facts I am pleased that she did not suffer long. RIP beautiful little Clould x

Now to happier times; we have another little Explorer boy who we have named Beck Brow Hot Shot. I love him, he is so adorable, beige with light fawn on his ears and back of his head (Explorer had fawn on his ears and head which disappearred as an intermediate)

Beck Brow Hot Shot (sire; Beck Brow Explorer)

All these little Explorer cria do look very alike. They even have the same personalities. As someone who has a couple of Explorer offspring said to me recently...you wouldnt need to DNA test them...just squeeze them and they all quack like a duck!

One particulaly cheeky one is Adventuerer, who obviously isnt getting quite enough milk from his own dam, so steals from Bozedown Celestrial. He and Trendsetter (Celestrial's cria) are best buddies, and he sneaks in for a feed at the same time as she does. I have noticed if he goes on his own Celestrial wont allow him, yet she sniffs both bottoms when they feed, so she knows he is there.

 Beck Brow Adventurer (left)

and again

Beck Brow Explorer is proving himself to be a prepotent male, with his offspring having a similar fleece style and look about them. This very much seems to be trait from his dam Cambridge Camilla, whose cria and the resulting off spring (grand cria) all have a look of her. Below is Beck Brow High Five, who is full brother to Beck Brow Explorer (dam: Cambridge Camilla. sire: Ep Cambridge Navigator). The next photo is of Explorer at a similar age...they do grow in to swans!!!

Beck Brow High Five (full brother to Explorer) 

 

Beck Brow Explorer at a similar age

 Perfecting the grumpy look with dam Cambridge Camilla

 

 Beck Brow Trendsetter (dam;Bozedown Celestrial. sire: Beck Brow Explorer)

 Beck Brow Kitty...also looking grumpy (she quacks too)

 

 Beck Brow Prime Suspect (sire: Viracocha Black Sabbath). 

We are still waiting for our first and only 2014 Timbertop CT Goldmine cria. Easter-Wood Adelle is 343 days today. I was hoping this late in the year she might have got a move on...my guess is it will be tomorrow (I say that every day!)

 

Easter-Wood Adelle

Bad times...

For me one of the most important things about writing a blog, is the sharing of experiences. Yes, it is lovely to share the births of our cria, to share our successes in the show ring, our sales and purchases...but the most important thing is... it has to be honest...well today I can honestly tell you I am not sure that I am equipped to be an alpaca breeder. I am exhausted through lack of sleep and worry...where does one purchase a thicker skin?

On Saturday morning Paul volunteered to do the six am rounds. As in the norm, all of the females had come in to the barn, but he noticed right at the top of the paddock, a cria lying alone (thankfully he has better eyesight than I). Finding Cloud Nine showing all the signs of colic and in obvious distress we brought her in.

We gave her Buscopan, Flunixin, and vitamin B1. Being at two months of age, we also considered internal parasites so gave oral Cydectin and Vecoxan. We also gave her a soapy enema (feacal sample tested and negative for parasites). No anaemia, no weight loss, no diarrhoea. Both Lambivac injections already given. Although she didn't have a temperature I gave her long acting Amoxypen cover. We then got some oral electrolytes into her.

So what to do next, she was still really flat after a couple of hours, so I rang the vet to ask if they would consider intravenous fluids. However, after examination it was decided she wasn't especially dehydrated and to continue orally (this is my intensive care nurse background...give iv in cases of severe abdominal abnormalities as absorption compromised...but I agreed). We did manage to get a reasonable amount of goats milk in orally. 

By Sunday afternoon, with continued Buscapan and vitamin B1 she had improved to the point of drinking from her dam (Chaska) and appeared neurologically to be back to normal. We made the decision, as Chaska didn't like being locked in, to leave them with the rest of the herd. Cloud was rugged up and looked fine.

Monday morning 6am and we find Cloud in the paddock again, kushed but not looking great. This time I was sure that she was dehydrated, and being Monday I was able to request our 'alpaca vet'. Cloud was given intravenous fluids and definitely brightened up, but we were back to Buscopan, vitamin B1 and continued antibiotics (still apyrexial). Although she could stand she looked severely depressed. The vet was called back late afternoon, when her temp was up to 40.5 degrees and her heart rate and respiratory rate had increased. Intra venous plasma, Marbocyl, and further fluids were administered, and again she seemed brighter once hydrated. 

However, it was not to be, and we lost her in the early hours. We left Cloud with Chaska until morning. I think Chaska knew on Saturday that things were not good, she kept leaving her, and we kept thinking "Chaska look after her for goodness sake" but she is obviously upset and searching for her. She stood for a hug, I am not sure Chaska was actually crying, but the rest of us were. It doesn't get any easier, but I hope we will end up wiser. Cloud has gone for a post mortem. Unfortunately we have rarely found any reason for the loss of cria at this young age. We will see. One thing I do think is alpacas do not fair well with any significant level of dehydration...do not be fooled by the idea that camelids can cope without adequate fluid levels for any time. 

Sadly we lost two young cria between 4 and 8 weeks of age last year. It is so heart breaking when you get them delivered safely and away, to lose them at this stage.

                             

                                                             Cloud Nine the day she was born

The latest additions to the Beck Brow herd

 A lot has happened since my last blog, not least that my addiction to alpacas seems to have been supassed by my addiction to scallops...

On Friday afternoon I headed off on the five hour trip to Reading for the Alpaca Classic, taking a little detour via Furze Park Alpacas in Buckinghamshire. The original plan had been to take a look at Furze Park Telstar's progeny, with a view to purchasing some stud services. But of course it was always going to happen, I ended up purchasing two fabulous Telstar yearlings.

I was so impressed not only by the quality of the alpacas on the farm, but also by the amount of information provided by owner Bob Hyde. Furze Park Sputnik is a stunning young male, but it is always a slight risk buying a potential stud at this young age. However, this is substantially reduced when the sire, grand sire, dam, grand dam, and other related alpacas are all in pens, and available for inspection. We also bought Furze Park Elvira who is out of Sputnik's grand dam.

 Furze Park Sputnik

Sputnik's fleece

 

 Sputnik centre and Elvira back (Lulu front astutely bought by Ashwood Alpacas)

I had a great time at the Alpaca Classic, great lectures, lots of food and drink, and good company. It was a first for me...I didnt actually do any bidding...but plenty others did, with the lots bringing good prices.

 On Sunday night everyone headed off home and I was left in the hotel by myself. Deciding just to enjoy relaxing, I dined out on the hotel terrace over looking the Thames. The treat of the evening being;  my perfectly cooked scallop starter with a glass of chilled white wine. On Monday I headed back up to Furze Park to do some further rummaging on behalf of some friends...then headed back to the hotel...to have scallops again.

Tuesday and Wednesday was the judge's calibration clinic with Cheryl Gehly. I was very fortunate to be able to attend as an apprentice judge, and learned so much. Having changed hotels I managed to avoid the scallops and had king prawn broth for starters instead.

I arrived home on Wednesday night at 8pm, after a good run home with no stops. Next job was to get the show team in ready for Westmorland Show the next day. I have to admit the alarm bleeping at 4.45am the next day was not a welcome sound. It took a couple of hours before I was worth speaking to. However the show went well, with glorious sunshine all day. Rob Bettinson was our judge and Shirley Bettinson kindly helped out with the commentary, keeping the crowds entertained.

Our six yearlings taken to the show came away with 5 firsts and a second, and three colour championships. It was just as the judging was finishing, that I received a call from dad, who was looking after the farm to say that Pebbles was in labour. Thus, Robyn, Hettie and myself headed home, leaving Paul and Craig to pack up. Now, it should have taken us under an hour to get home, but we managed to get stuck in traffic going the wrong direction, and during this time dad called to say "head no legs". Fortunately our neighbour was able to come to the rescue again...phew.

So it was, we arrived home to a sweet little Beck Brow Explorer daughter. And very exciting it was too...a mid fawn Explorer daughter. Up until this point Explorer had only ever been mated to white females, but late last year we decided to try him over Pebbles. Pebbles is brown with a black sire, she is not one of our top elite girls, so we decided to experiment with her. Unfortunately Kitty Kat has arrived so late in the year, that I have only mated Explorer over whites again!

 

Beck Brow Kitty (she reminds me of a cat) with Pebbles

  

 Kitty

Kitty Kat again

After the show Rob and Shirley stayed with us, and we went down the local for some food. No scallops on the menu so another mollusc free day. However, on Friday Paul and I dined out at the Four and Twenty (great food) where I had scallop and mussel broth for starters (yum). Then last night we had a family night out to celebrate Paul's brother's 40th birthday. It was off to Bijou for the tasting menu...yes you guessed...course number four...scallops! Today we have been out for Sunday lunch where I had confit of duck leg with orange and walnut salad for a starter, just for a change. After working so hard over the summer we have enjoyed having a little leisure time.

Photo Call for Jimmy Choos

So, you decide to write a blog (please note I have started this sentence with 'So'...I have just found out that this annoys Mark from Patou, so please expect this to be a regular feature! Writing in the third person...so annoying!)

Anyway I decided to take some photos especially for blog content, this never works, blogs need to evolve, need to be based around the activities on the farm, to feature photos taken without intent...well, as you can see from the results, it wasnt a good idea.

I was going to show you the fleece belonging to Beck Brow Jimmy Choos. The best I can offer are the two shots below...the first is blurred...the second obscured

Beck Brow Jimmy Choos (sire: Viracocha Black Sabbath)

Beck Brow Jimmy Choos

I then decided to get a shot of his dam Beck Brow Snooty Boots (sire: Waradene St Patrick), but having the wrong lens on, I missed....

                                         

 So, (got it in again!) I though I would get a shot of Jimmy himself. Finding him in the sand pit, I though he looked rather cute...but he has been blurred out by those whites (what else would you expect from the Explorer-looki-likies)

 

Far right in the photo is Beck Brow Trendsetter. My favourite white female so far (dam: Bozedown Celestrial, sire; Beck Brow Explorer). You are going to have to believe me that she is white, I keep checking, as she certainly looks beige...obviously all the time she spends in the pit.

Beck Brow Trendsetter

 

Beck Brow Adventurer (just because I love him)

So, more effort required with the photography, although I expect it might be a while before the next blog. On friday I am travelling down to the Alpaca Classic, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday. On the Monday I am visiting a farm to look at a stud male and progeny. On Tuesday and Wednesday I am attending a judge's clinic (as apprentice)at Bozedown Alpacas. Then I travel back for Westmorland Show on Thursday. On Friday I collapse in a heap!

Paul gets a new squeeze

Apart from the fact that I am in love, and Paul has a new squeeze, there's not not really much to report

A quick photo catch up...

We have had a few cria born since my last blog, but on Sunday I fell seriously in love. I know you probably cant see it, but he is the cutest cria ever, he is the spitting image of his sire, hence the bias. He even makes the same grumbling noises...Welcome Beck Brow Adventurer. His dam Beck Brow Lucie (sire: EPC Top Account of Fowberry) is a pretty girl, so he is easier in the eye than Gorgeous was at the same age! However he was being coy for the camera today...

Beck Brow Adventurer and Beck Brow Clould Nine (sire: Lillyfield Jack of Spades of Inca)

and again

Yet to be named, below is a Beck Brow Explorer daughter. She is such a character, always rolling in the dust bath, she is brilliant white underneath (looks like she has gotten some dust in her eye...can you see the tear)

Biba had a Black Sabbath son on Friday. I have named him Banjo (note your name gives you a clue as to whether you are likely to make the show team!)

Biba and Banjo

Somebody who will be making the grade is Beck Brow Bottoms Up...and don't she just know it!

Beck Brow Bottoms Up

Beck Brow Jimmy Choos thinks that he is going to make the stud grade...chasing the girls already...

Bottoms up chased by Jimmy Choos

As you can see in the background we have some big bales this year. We actually made some last year but sold them off the field, but as we then bought haylage in small bales, it made sense to keep some this time. The problem was...how do we move them about...well Paul has bought himself a squeeze for the back of the tractor. Probably cost more than we will save buying haylage, but it will keep him happy!

Beck Brow Honey Bun (sire: Waradene St Patrick of EPC)

Bozedown Celestrial has had an Explorer daughter who has missed the photo call. Next time

Below is a photo of a part of our farm. If you have good eyesight you will see some alpacas dotted in the far field. The shelter in the centre is where Explorer and Goldmine live at present (the only males to live near the girls without fighting). So where are the rest of the girls...did someone mention feed time...

Looks like it...

Leaving Timbertop CT Goldmine wondering where all the girls have gone..

Timbertop CT Goldmine of Beck Brow...our little gem!

Finally some Jimmy Choos!

 Gee whizz...my body is too old for the life that I lead...I thought I would write a blog in order to justify a sit down. Trouble is it's all a little bit groundhog, my blogs are blurring into one; births and matings!

However, we have had a bit of excitement with the birthing. On Sunday morning, wide awake at 5.30 am..I decided to don my pyjamas and check out the birthing paddock. Well just as well I did. All the alpacas were in the barn as usual, but there sitting kushed in the paddock was a little black cria. It took a second or two to register that this belonged to Beck Brow Snooty Boots (sire Waradene St Patrick).

I ran for the birthing box, and such was the excitement that I nearly tripped up when the ribbon of my PJ bottoms came undone, and my bottoms ended up at my ankles (luckily we have no very close neighbours). The cria was cold (33 degrees) so he was promptly brought in and warmed with a hair dryer. By 7.30 am he was suckling and bright as a button. And I went indoors to put on some more suitable attire (by this point I needed warmed with a hair dryer too).

Last year we decided to mate Boots with our black male, Viracocha Black Sabbath, as we knew St Patrick, her sire, could produce black. The trouble was, Boots went berserk at the mere sight of Black Sabbath. So rather naughtily we tricked her, using Explorer (white) to get her to sit, then swapped the males. I did have a niggling concern that if she had a black cria, would she reject it. Thankfully she loves him. She does get a bit confused now and again and goes looking after white cria, but she is very proud of him. A beautiful blue black male from a lovely fawn dam...could be exciting! In recognition of his dam being called Boots, he is to be named Beck Brow Jimmy Choos.

Jimmy and Boots on day one

and again today...Boots always tries to look elegant whatever is going on!

 Earlier last week one of the black female on agistement gave birth to a lovely smoky coloured St Pat cria (above) behind is Prima Sebastian sired by Black Sabbath

Yesterday it was all go, with two births and a farm visit. In the morning Cambridge Scarborough gave birth to a blue black male, sired by Black Sabbath (below). I have yet to think of a name...not sure about Skeggness?

and in the afternoon Ep Cambridge Sparkle (agisted) gave birth to a Beck Brow Explorer daughter (below at 3 hours old). This little female will be going to Switzerland in the spring. I have never seen a cria born as lively as this one. She was trying to stand with her front legs before she was completely out. A proper little character with a very curly fleece.

Then this afternoon Garnet (agisted) decided to give birth in the middle of drive-by matings. Amanda was watching the paddock and alerted me to the fact only one leg had presented. So matings over Explorer was left in the pen as I went to investigate. I couldn't find the room to get it turned. So the vet was called. As the vet was some distance away, we were lucky that our neighbour could come round. He eventually eased the cria out with the knee locked back. Good job, with no tearing. The cria (sire: Lavender Park Tulley) was up and drinking within the hour (below)

I am rather smitten with Beck Brow Stardust (sire: Ep Cambridge Spartacus) she is such a poppet

Beck Brow Stardust

You may have noticed through out this blog, my referring to alpacas on agistement. It has rather got out of hand with 50% of the alpacas on the farm not owned by us. However, after a few delays, one of the herds here will be reducing their numbers, and will be putting most of their herd up for sale. With some top notch Australian genetics...could I resist?...no chance! So having purchased her dam, this little St Patrick female is now ours. Here is Beck Brow Bebop A Lula. This female line is exceptional, thus two of her sisters will also be staying at Beck Brow. The third (2013) female will be for sale pregnant to Goldmine, when I get the time to get her on Alpacaseller .

Beck Brow Bebop A Lula (sire: Waradene St Patrick)

Gorgeous Mark II

Some of you, who have been kind enough to read this drivel for a number of years, will remember that we used to call Beck Brow Explorer...Gorgeous. Now you might have seen him of late and be thinking; well he is rather gorgeous. But the name was meant to be ironic, because believe me, he was no George Clooney as a cria. 

But he blossomed into a swan, and the decision was made, his parents needed to be reunited. So it was, Cambridge Camilla was taken down to Houghton Hall Alpacas for a date with Ep Cambridge Navigator last year.

On Thursday morning, I knew Camilla was thinking of unpacking, and by 1pm I was certain. Amanda was telephoned...this needed an audience. By 3pm we had a head and one leg. I could feel the other leg but couldn't straighten it. I can't pretend otherwise; stress levels were high. Then Paul drove down the lane. Still in his smart clothes, he was supplied with Hibiscrub and lube. Eventually he figured out that the cria was upside down and locked in a position with no room to be delivered. With a 180 degree turn, out he came. Yes, he, but happy on this occasion.

Camilla was given antibiotics and pain relief, and the cria was up and about in no time. He is a proper little character, tearing about at a day old. He looks very like Explorer but rather cuter I think. As this is Camilla's  fifth cria, we have named him High Five.

                                                                   Beck Brow High Five

                                  Beck Brow High Five's fleece at 24 hours. Looking organised

                                         Drinking from mum, Cambridge Camilla.

Cambridge Camilla (sire: Accoyo Remarque) is undoubtably one of our very best females. She has consistently produced show quality progeny from different sires. One of those is Beck Brow Advantage (sire: Waradene St Patrick). Advantage has been rather in the shadow of big brother Explorer, we knew he was good, but had no intention of ever selling him. That was until our good friends Michael and Judith from Cockerham Alpacas approached us about a suitable stud male. A real tough decision, but he is far to good to not be allowed to leave his mark. So it is congratulations to Cockerham Alpacas on securing the first release from Cambridge Camilla.

One her offspring is Beck Brow Rumour Has It (sire: Ep Cambridge Top Account of Fowberry) who had a beautiful female earlier in the week. Sired by Ep Cambridge Mirage of Minster Alpacas, she has been name Illusion...but seems to get called Lilly Lusion!

                         

Beck Brow Rumour a Has It with Lilly Lusion

Snazzy is looking snazzier by the day...

I am going to make more effort to blog as I lose track of what has happened. If I said lots of matings and plenty of good company and wine...that sums much of it up! We had a lovely evening with Liz and Shaun (The Alpaca Farm) and Stuart and Jean (Velvet Hall Alpacas) last week...some were better behaved than others...no guessing which camp I was in!

Lastly here is a photo of Prime Suspect...now if you are wondering where he has come from...it's because he has had a change of name...more on that another time!