# Alpacas!!



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

I am really thinking about adding alpacas to my ranch! I have a male and female babies (what are they called?) already picked out! I nee to know everything about them! I already know ahow to clip their feet, because I believe they are much like goat feet correct?

I need to know how/what to feed them, housing, breeding, parastes, Fiber care, basic care, good books, gestation/pregnancy, conformation pretty much EVERYTHING!!! I think the ones i want are surris??

@ksalvagno I beleive you used to have alpacas... Could you possibly help me?

I am super excited to learn about these fluffy little guys!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

I also might want to show them, when I get my goats to the showing point, which may be in a year or so...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Only trim the nails. 11-12 month gestation. Kids are called crias. You would treat them like sheep as far as minerals. You'd want to keep males and females separated. Just keep stalls fairly clean so dirt and stuff doesn't get into the fiber. Shear once a year like sheep. Crias stay on mom for a good 4-6 months preferably 6 months. You don't want to bottle feed unless you absolutely have to.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> You would treat them like sheep as far as minerals.


OK, so do you feed them grain or just free choice coastal hay? Alot of the videos I have been watching say that they don't need alfalfa unless they are nursing, and you should only feed it in small amounts. Is this correct? As of now, my goats are on whole oats and barley along with free choice coastal and alfalfa, so I am wondering if that would be a good diet for them, or do they need a better diet?


ksalvagno said:


> Shear once a year like sheep


 I know how to shear a goat, and have all of those supplies, but I dont know if I could use that, or if i should even do it myself or should i have a profesional and/or vet do it. i want to use the fleece, but I will have to figure out how to make stuff. Maybe I could just sell some fleece and have somebody else make things?



ksalvagno said:


> Only trim the nails.


Oh, ok! How will I know if their feet are overgrown? What should I restrain them with when I am trying to trim nails?


ksalvagno said:


> You would treat them like sheep as far as minerals.


So would they need loose sheep minerals, or do I just supplement them with selenium, zinc, etc? Does this mean if I eep hem with the goats, it wouldnt be safe for me to have the goat minerals out that have copper in them? (sweetlix and cargill onyx)



ksalvagno said:


> You don't want to bottle feed unless you absolutely have to.


Just curious on the reasoning behind this... Do they get aggressive? Or is it because it is just for so long?

How old can the crias breed? (both genders)
How often should I breed a female (what are they called?)

Thank you so much for putting up with all of my questions! I am so excited!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

OK, so do you feed them grain or just free choice coastal hay? Alot of the videos I have been watching say that they don't need alfalfa unless they are nursing, and you should only feed it in small amounts. Is this correct? As of now, my goats are on whole oats and barley along with free choice coastal and alfalfa, so I am wondering if that would be a good diet for them, or do they need a better diet?

It has been a while but I fed a grain mix and a mineral specifically for alpacas. You would have to go with a sheep mineral and then supplement copper for the goats. Alpacas don't need as much calcium. You would have to research the grains.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I know how to shear a goat, and have all of those supplies, but I dont know if I could use that, or if i should even do it myself or should i have a profesional and/or vet do it. i want to use the fleece, but I will have to figure out how to make stuff. Maybe I could just sell some fleece and have somebody else make things?

You have to have sheep shears to shear alpacas. If you want to use it or sell it, have a professional alpaca shearer shear. At least initially so you can see how they need to be sheared.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Oh, ok! How will I know if their feet are overgrown? What should I restrain them with when I am trying to trim nails?

The feet don't grow. Only the nails.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Just curious on the reasoning behind this... Do they get aggressive? Or is it because it is just for so long?

How old can the crias breed? (both genders)
How often should I breed a female (what are they called?)

Look up berzerk male syndrome. There is a way to bottle feed and they don't get aggressive but you need an alpaca to be a surrogate mom and you need to do nothing but give a bottle and walk away. You feel very hard and cold and it breaks your heart.

The should be over a year old before breeding. Males can start earlier as long as they aren't breeding a huge herd.

Since their gestation is 11-12 months, it is only once a year. They can be bred about 2 weeks after giving birth.

Everything is very different from goats.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

ksalvagno said:


> Look up berzerk male syndrome. *There is a way* to bottle feed and they don't get aggressive but you need an alpaca to be a surrogate mom and you need to do nothing but give a bottle and walk away. You feel very hard and cold and it breaks your heart.
> 
> Everything is very different from goats.


And still alpacas are said to make very nice pets. I would like to learn more! How do I make the surrogate mom accept the baby?


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Trollmor said:


> How do I make the surrogate mom accept the baby?


exactly my next question!



ksalvagno said:


> They can be bred about 2 weeks after giving birth.


Is this reccommended?

What do their heat signs look like?
Would they try to lick at a mineral block, or are their tongues too soft? 
Do their teeth need floated? If so, how often?
can a horse vet do this?

I have 3 possible spots to keep them...
With the 10 cattle, who I am afraid might beat up on them.
With the 7 does who I am afraid the alpacas will beat up the goats. 
In the pasture where they would be just with alpacas, but with contact with the cows. The occasional calf may come with them when weaning. The only problem with that is I am gonna have to buy a new lean 2 for the cows, which is expensive. 
what do y'all think?


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

No advice but good luck in your new adventure with the crias.


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## SandyNubians (Feb 18, 2017)

This is so interesting. Makes me want to get alpacas! I had put a deposit on a couple of wethers(I think that's the right term?) a few years ago but it didn't seem right for me to get them at the time. My LGD just passed away and I was getting them for "Protection" but found out they need just as much protection as goat do. So I got my holding fee back and this year got the poor man's alpaca. An emu! Lol.

How exciting for you @Nigerian dwarf goat! I will definitely be following closely along with your crias(if you decide to start an adventure/raising thread anyways) and try my best to learn with/from you as you go! It will be so much fun. Maybe in a few years I'll get a couple of my own.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I can answer about the cows and goats  
The cows are going to be freaked about the alpacas at first. All mine ran, ran far and fast when they first saw them. Of course the alpacas wanted to see what was up so made it 10X worse. They eventually got used to them and now just ignore the female I have left. But I keep her with the goats. She is all leg and neck and if the cows wanted to they could harm her.
Do NOT keep the males with the goats! And do NOT make friends with him. Ksalvagno Warned me about making mine a pet, I didn’t listen and long story short that mean sucker is gone! He molested the heck out of my goats, and I don’t mean just trying to hump them. He would bite the crap out of them and try to hump them.
But my female I have She is with my boers. She doesn’t beat them up. If anything the boers could easily take her on. She will spit on them if they push on her but that’s as “mean” as she gets. I’m not sure if this is normal or not, but she is really easy going.
Minerals I keep the goats minerals in a car port with a board up that allows the goats to go in but not her. Her minerals are on the outside. You can probably rig something up along those lines to keep yours out of the goats minerals. Especially having Nigerians (I assume that’s all you have)
For the shearing I tie her up to a tree and then but a lasso rope on each of her back legs and tie off to the fence. I keep it just tight enough that it keeps her from kicking me but her feet are still on the ground. I can also pick up any of her feet this way Andy check them without getting kicked. So far though I have never had to trim her nails. (I have SUPER hard ground here) This would probably get old doing if you had more then a few. A lot of people around here will hire someone to come in and shear their alpacas.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Jessica84 said:


> The cows are going to be freaked about the alpacas at first.


When I was about 4 or so, our family got a llama, which we named Mr.socks  
My dad had over 20 cutting horses, and i remember when we brought Mr. socks home, all the horses were freaked out and were running from him. Truly, it was hilarious... 
He was a funny lookin' horse, but he soon made friends with a mare who's mom had recently passed from old age. They were very closely bonded.

We got rid of him along with all the horses after a few years, and the only thing I remember was he was black and white.

Thank yall so much for all the help, and I now have alot more knowledge in my head!


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I'm here for the pics lol :7up:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Trollmor said:


> And still alpacas are said to make very nice pets. I would like to learn more! How do I make the surrogate mom accept the baby?


You can't. You have to have one that loves crias. They are like goats, the ones that will let anyone's cria around them are few and far between.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is this reccommended?

What do their heat signs look like?
Would they try to lick at a mineral block, or are their tongues too soft? 
Do their teeth need floated? If so, how often?
can a horse vet do this?

Their gestation is so long that it is normal to breed back after 2 weeks. They are not like goats in that respect.

They don't show heat signs. They are induced ovulators but have a 2 week cycle. So you would behavior test them daily for 2 weeks. Then you keep track once they are willing to breed. Again, not like goats.

If you buy quality alpacas, they shouldn't need their teeth cut. Sometimes with males you may need to have their fighting teeth clipped. You can do that with nippers. My vet used OB wire to cut bottom teeth. You would want an experienced person to cut alpaca teeth because you have to be careful how much you cut off. My vet did it. She only worked with alpacas.

They probably would try to lick a block. But they have soft tongues.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> When I was about 4 or so, our family got a llama, which we named Mr.socks
> My dad had over 20 cutting horses, and i remember when we brought Mr. socks home, all the horses were freaked out and were running from him. Truly, it was hilarious...
> He was a funny lookin' horse, but he soon made friends with a mare who's mom had recently passed from old age. They were very closely bonded.
> 
> ...


All the horses have excepted her EXCEPT my old mare. I have to put the alpaca in a pasture that she can not be seen if we have to ride the field by the goats. It's kinda funny/ annoying because this is a pretty dang bomb proof horse. She has never freaked out about quads, rattle snakes, when she got tangled up in barb wire she stood there and let me cut it all alway. 
I think I have had the alpaca for 5-6 years now and she still freaks that horse out lol


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I wouldn't put intact males in with goats and that includes male goats. You probably could keep females together but that always depends on individuals.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

We have decided that we are just gonna let them have their own pasture on our place, and we will probably let them spend time in the barn when it gets hot so they can have fans. They will be shorn by then though.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> My dad had over 20 cutting horses


Now, what is a cutting horse? A horse who cuts? Or a horse you have to cut/sheer each year?


Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> Thank yall so much for all the help, and I now have alot more knowledge in my head!


Me too! A very nice thread!


ksalvagno said:


> You can't. You have to have one that loves *crias*. They are like goats, the ones that will let anyone's cria around them are few and far between.


Word not in dictionary.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Males and females will have to be kept separated. It is preferred that they always have access to the barn. They heat stress easier than goats.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cria is a baby alpaca.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> Now, what is a cutting horse? A horse who cuts? Or a horse you have to cut/sheer each year?Me too! A very nice thread!Word not in dictionary.


I a cutting horse is one used in herding cattle to "cut" the herd into smaller easier workable groups. Or even separate out individuals.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Sfgwife said:


> I a cutting horse is one used in herding cattle to "cut" the herd into smaller easier workable groups. Or even separate out individuals.


 - - And the horses were afraid of a lama, in their own pasture?


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> Males and females will have to be kept separated. It is preferred that they always have access to the barn. They heat stress easier than goats.


I will have a huge shade shelter for them to lay in, with ventilation, and i will take them in the barn when it gets really hot out.

Yes, he bred cutting horses, and was doin rodeo for quite a while...
@Trollmor , here is a video.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Thank you,@Nigerian dwarf goat, I will go to the library to watch it!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Cutting horses is probably my favorite horse sport to watch. It takes some major brains from those horses plus being athletic. Not to mention a good rider! Half the time when I watch I’m like yep, right there! I probably would have landed on my butt right there lol but you can tell those horses absolutely love what they are doing


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

What kind of fencing do alpacas need? I'm guessing barbed wire ain't gonna do it?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Woven wire horse fence works well. 4 ft high is fine.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

awesoeme! I have like 3 rolls of that already, so I am set!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> I will have a huge shade shelter for them to lay in, with ventilation, and i will take them in the barn when it gets really hot out.
> 
> Yes, he bred cutting horses, and was doin rodeo for quite a while...
> @Trollmor , here is a video.


Is the rider giving that horse commands when it goes left and right to block the calf? I was just curious because I'm a horse dummy and he isn't moving the reins!


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

If you zoom in on this picture, you can see a cue being given with the reins.


SalteyLove said:


> Is the rider giving that horse commands when it goes left and right to block the calf? I was just curious because I'm a horse dummy and he isn't moving the reins!


Yes, the horses are very well trained! Through subtle weight shifts and leg cues, the horse is following the rider's guidance. The horses do love it and know what to do, being naturally "cowy", but you can see them waiting for the rider's cues in between moves sometimes. The cues are meant to be subtle and difficult to see, like dressage. The horse and rider must work in perfect harmony especially with the split second directional changes.


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