Creating a Home for Your Herd –

Creating a Home for Your Herd –
Facilities, Fences, Pasture Layouts & Nutrition
2
Facilities
 Adequate feeding/lounging
space important
 3-sided building facing
south/east adequate for
males
 Breeding females require full
enclosure due to cria needs
 Overhangs greatly increase
“living” space
 Alpaca like to be outside
unless it is extremely cold
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
3
Facilities
 Inexpensive
 Innovative
Heritage Farm Suri Alpacas
3/23/2016
4
Facilities
Heritage Farm Suri Alpacas
3/23/2016
5
Facilities – Inside layout
 Options
 Permanent
 Flexible
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Facilities – Storage
 Storage Needs
 Grain & Supplements
 Hay
 Equipment
 Medication
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
7
Facilities – Workflow
 Weighing Scale
 Catch Pens
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
8
Stocking Density
 Depends of pasture quality
 Generally, 4-5 per acre
 If more, supplement with hay
 Barn/Shelter Space
 18-20 sq. ft./alpaca
 If building new, increase
size by 25% for work area/
storage
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
9
Fencing
 Many Fencing Options
 Woven Wire
 Chain link
 Farm fence
 No-climb horse or goat fence
 High Tensile strand
 Vinyl or Board Fence
 One or more electrified wires
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Fencing
 Most Secure Option
 Woven-No Climb
 4-5 foot high
 Wood and/or Metal Posts
 Most Expensive ($2-3/ft.)
 Justification
 Perimeter Predator Control
 Males next to Females
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
11
Fencing
 Electric Netting Quick Fence
 Sub-dividing pastures
 Portable
 12” gap between bottom
strand and ground
 Less Expensive ($1/ft.)
 Caution: make sure it’s
always charged
 If not, alpacas can get
entangled
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Fencing
 Bottom Line –
 What risk level are you willing to take
 Predator prevalence in your area
 What’s your budget?
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
13
Pasture Layouts
 Plan for enough pastures to rotate alpacas
every 3-4 weeks
 Design with small catch pens near barn
 Rectangular pastures make it more difficult to
herd animals to the barn
 “Wagon Wheel” layout is very efficient
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
14
Pasture Layouts
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
15
Pasture Layouts
“Wagon Wheel” Layout
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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How to Create Your Own Layout
 Find your property on Google Maps
 Select the satellite view
 Right Click and select Print
 Choose orientation as appropriate and print
 Using a copy machine, adjust setting to Light and make test
copies until the map is light enough to draw on top of but dark
enough to see detail.
 Once you have the correct setting make several copies and
begin laying out your new farm!
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Nutrition
 “Anyone can feed but nutrition
requires some effort” Dr. Norm
Evans
 Healthy immune system=healthy
alpaca=healthy fiber
 Testing hay and forage is
important
 Feeding should be based on
body condition score, frame size,
exercise, use and age
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
14
Nutrition
 Find a good source of forage/hay
 Know what you’re feeding
 Test your hay and pasture
 Supplement with grain
 Fomulated for alpacas
 Other supplements
 Mineral Blend
 Fiber nutrients
 Vitamin A,D,E for crias
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
15
Nutrition
 How much to feed?
 Forage – 80% of diet
 Alpacas will consume daily 1.6% of their body
weight of dry matter
 150 pound adult – 2.5 pounds per day
hay/forage
 Males consume slightly less, nursing dams more
 Grain supplement
 ½ pound daily
 Nursing dams may need up to 1 pound daily
 Cold weather increases need for more calories
 Take body score into consideration
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Nutrition
 Sources
 Hay/Forage and water testing
 Holmes Labs – www.holmeslab.com
 Grain Supplement
 Kent (Blue Seal) – Maintenance and Growth
Formulas
 Mazuri – Maintenance and Growth Formulas
 Hubbard and Others
 Minerals/Fiber Nutrients
 Llama Wellness – Alpaca Minerals “E” & Fiber
Nutrients (also available through Kent)
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Forage
 Pasture and Hay make up total
forage
 Testing is a necessity for alpaca
health
 Need good drainage
 Spring lush pastures
 Controlled grazing time 3-4 hours/day
 Can lead to obesity
 Always use endophyte-free seed!
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
18
Forage
 Ideal Properties for Hay/Forage
 Protein
10-13%
 Total Digestible Nutrients
55-63%
 Relative Feed Value
97-104%
 Calcium:Phosphorus
2:1 or less
 Potassium
1.75% or less
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Forage
 Orchard Grass
 Ideal for alpacas
 Good for pasture and hay
 Mixes well with other grasses & alpha
 Seed at 10-15#/acre
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
20
Forage
 Brome Grass
 Used in pasture and hay
 Cool season grass
 Highly palatable
 Seed at 15-20#/acre
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Forage
 Kentucky Bluegrass
 Pasture only
 Tolerates close grazing
 Mixes well with Orchard and
Brome
 Seed at 10-15#/acre
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Forage
 Timothy Grass
 Hay only
 Use at 20% or less with other
grasses
 Sensitive to heat
 Seed at 2#/acre
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
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Forage
 Alfalfa
 Perennial Legume
 Pasture and Hay
 Very Palatable
 High Protein 17-20%
 Limit feed
 Use at less than 20%
 Seed at 2-4#/acre
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
24
Forage
 Forage “No-No’s”
 Perennial rye grass – can contain
a neurotoxin
 Clover – can cause excessive
salivation which may lead to
ulcers
 KY-31 Fescue – contains
endophytes
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
25
Forage
 Midwest Hay Mix
 Orchard Grass 60%
 Timothy
10%
 Brome
20%
 Alfalfa
10%
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016
26
Forage
 Midwest Pasture Mix
 Orchard Grass 60%
 Timothy
15%
 KY Bluegrass
20%
2016 AOA National Alpaca Show
3/23/2016