April 2009
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Harvest Time
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Date: Tuesday April 28, 2009
Shearing day comes every year, if you are a smaht alpaca farmer in the northeast, that happens in the early spring. For us, we schedule with our shearer, Mr. Malcolm Cooper, a year in advance. Malcom tends to arrive the evening before the shear so we can wake up first thing, eat a hearty breakfast, and head out to the barn for set up.
Both Malcolm and Farmer Steve took turns shearing this year. We had a total of 12 alpacas to rid of their valuable fleeces. We prepared to collect three of our perceived best fleeces for show preparation. The rest of the fleeces were collected with standard storage in a grain or clear plastic bag. Our choice here depends upon the quality of the fleece. Another story for another day.
Volunteers are always needed on shearing day. We need alpaca handlers, shearers, wool gatherers, record keepers, a coach, a referee, traffic cop, director, rope pullers, halter putter-on'ers, alpaca huggers, and snack givers. Steve and Malcolm pretty much never leave the mats. So we all do our best to make sure they have snacks and beverages. At this point because we only have 12 alpacas, things aren't too crazy. It's constant hard work, but being organized and the help of fantastic people really helps keep the day manageable. I cannot thank you all enough. Round of applause for the volunteers.
Meghan Greenwood [The Shriners' Daughter]- she was our floater that would be anywhere doing anything I asked...not an easy task, her ham strings were killing her the next few days as she was mostly on the barn floor picking collecting and qualifying fleeces by cut [roughly 1st, 2nds, and 3rds] - then running those full bags to Louise;
Louise Myer [Farmer Steve's mother] - Primary Record-Keeper. Louise has a list of of animals to be shorn and a clear checklist of the plan for each animal. I try to identify in advance how each animals fleece will be prepared. Is it a show fleece? Should it be bagged or boxed? Will we want a fleece sample? If so, how is that sample being collected? Then she has to collect information about the fleeces. She catalogs the weights of the fleeces and properly labels all the fleeces;
Kevin Merrill [my dad] - is responsible for all the photos documenting this part of our alpaca farming journey. Thanks Dad. Many of these photos will be cherished family heirlooms;
Douglas Myer [Steve's Father]- our alpaca wrangler. Doug was in charge of single-handedly catching each alpaca and haltering it for its moment on the mat, Doug is Farmer Steveıs father;
Fran Merrill [my mom] - Was responsible for giving alpacas re-assuring pats while they waited on-deck, ready to be placed on the mat. While giving them re-assuring pats and kisses she pulled out the larger pieces of vegetation, part of the pre-skirting process. She also made a fantastic cake and added to our basic needs for nourishment;
Farmer Steve, well as I mentioned before, he was a shearer and holder;
Me, awe heck, I didn't do anything. I sat back drinking some home brew.
Here is a picture gallery of our shearing day. Thank you Dad!
Doug in the paddock. He had just spent some time catching Nebis.
Doug really has a way with our critters...its called reward! A little hand-fed grain can go a long way to making friends with an alpaca.
Here Fran and Doug are working together to convince a reluctant youngster onto the mat.
Mammattegwa on Deck. Farmer Steve stretching out his back while looking at the results of his and Malcolmıs handiwork...
This is the beginning of the process. Here you see Steve restraining the animal while Malcolm places the front feet into the ropes. The back feet are already roped in. This helps us to restrain the animal, keeping it safe and secure during the shearing process.
Steve continues to restrain the animal while lowering him to the ground. I am on the left, pulling on the ropes to stretch out Wawiobwan (roughly Wa-wee-o-bwan AKA 'Ben').
Now that Wawiobwan is fully restrained, Steve removes his halter. Here he seems quite calm while I am evily laughing at his misfortune, most likely it is because of one of Malcolm's wisecracks...
Malcolm examines Wawiobwanıs fleece prior to beginning shearing.
We are all staged. A box is slid underneath Wawiobwan. This box is used because I will be showing Wawiobwanıs fleece in the future. I have found using these large boxes keeps the fleece intact and itıs easier for me to skirt. Malcolm is starting up his shears.
Malcolm obtains a fleece sample which will be sent to a lab for histogram analysis. The analyses tells us many things about the quality of the fleece.
Wawiobwanıs fleece is shorn right into the box. Although it may look like Steve is really holding Benıs head down with all his might, he is really just holding it still. Ben did not struggle at all.
As the fleece is shorn I am gently guiding it onto the box. Attempting to retain its character, just so I can mess it up later during skirting...
As Malcolm works his way across Wawiobwanıs topline, the animal is lifted and rotated [by Steve] to the opposite side. Malcolm is shearing the whole time and I am concentrated strictly on managing the fleece. Everyone has a very specific job. We are all watching each other closely to ensure we are working as a well choreographed team.
Steve continues to rotate the animal, while Malcolm continues to goof off...a happy shearer makes for happy alpacas!
The most desireable fleece on an alpaca, also called Prime fleece. I am simply trying to gently gather it all within the box top for storage.
Another nice shot of the shorn part of the alpaca [left] up next to the staple that has yet to be shorn [right]. I wish I had better lighting for this shot. It was a test shot I was doing while Dad was taking a break.
Now they set to work on the neck, chest, and hips, typically referred to as ısecondsı, then the legs and belly ıthirdsı. I try to consider not just where the fleece came off the animal, but more the actual quality of the fleece.
Toward the end of the shearing session, the front legs are removed from the stirrups so that Malcolm can get to those hard to reach armpits. At this point it is critical for the person restraining the animal to be in tune to the animals movements. One quick jerk could result in those incredibly sharp shears digging deep into flesh. I am just off camera also on standby to help restrain the animal if needed.
Meghan and I bagging the fleece.
Fran, my mom, bonding with Pep who is ıon-deckı waiting for her turn on the mat. (This is my favorite photo of the day.)
Malcolm showing his fine form, while I trim toenails.
Sig with his handler Doug, waiting for his turn...
Sigıs fleece being boxed.
Once their shearing is done, they are removed from the ropes and a halter is placed back on. Each critter is given a gentle pat and a little love by me or Steve as we coax them to get up off the mat to join their herd.
Farmer Steve trying his shears on Bobaliwi while Malcolm looks on. Notice how little effort is required for restraining the animal.
My little cousin Laura with Doug and Giles (pronounced Jiles).
Giles is so darn sweet. Here he is just hanging out while Steve shears him up.
Malcolm holding up Gilesı large head while Steve shears the neckline, I restrain Gilesı back end, and Meghan collects the fleece.
Ahhh, its over. Giles gets hosed down before being sent out to pasture to dust bathe and scratch all those itchies generated by the shear.
July takes a dip in the pool after her hair cut.
YAY! Everyone made it through the experience safe and sound. We have tens of pounds of fleece, the samples have been shipped to the lab and everyone is used to their new cuts.
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North American Alpaca Show Recap
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Date: Wednesday April 08, 2009
Well, as I mentioned in the last post, we just returned from the North American alpaca show. I feel as though I need to apologize for not posting much in March. Things were just crazy. Seems the first show of the season is a rush for most alpaca farmers. Time to get all your stuff out of storage, god forbid you didn’t put it away correctly at the end of the season. The last two weeks of the month we were just out straight 24/7 trying to get things together and ready. Ready for me to be on the road by myself for at least two days, then for the farm manager to take over while Steve and I are away, finish up those taxes, then get things ready for Steve to hit the road and join me in Springfield.
I left early Thursday morning with the RV and Ben in tow in the trailer. We arrived in Springfield around 1130 a.m. I dropped the trailer, with Ben, in the Trailer parking area. Then moved the RV into its berth. Went back to the trailer where Ben was anxiously waiting to be in the company of other alpacas.
We made it through check in and color check no problem. Color check is the process through which a show steward uses a fleece color card to confirm that your animal was registered under the appropriate color. There are over many standard alpaca colors. The stewards use a card that has fleece samples representing each of the recognized alpaca colors. Ben was registered as a white. Although his fleece tips were quite dingy beige, they dug down to his skin and could clearly see he was a white alpaca. We have run in to problems with checking in our beige animals (Peboona and Nebis insert hyperlink) historically. There have been occasions where maybe the color check card may have been dirty, thus putting our beige animals in to a white class, or vice versa. Luckily those instances are few and far between. We are now aware of this possibility and I carry my own clean color card with me in the event I ever have to dispute something.
Once we were checked in we get our pen assignments and stall arrangements. I brought Ben and settled him in with some food and water. Then set off to find my in-laws. They planned to meet me at the show to help me unload our display and set it up. I was so grateful to have Louise and Doug there to help. I probably could have eventually managed to do without them, simply by bartering services with fellow attendees, but it was amazing to have the two extra hands. Besides, I forgot to bring some basic supplies. Without a car to drive around downtown Springfield, well going to get them was impossible. That is where Louise and Doug really stepped up.
After set up, I spent a little time checking in with other farmers I was hoping to see. It was a long winter and we all tend to hibernate. Going to these events allows you to catch up with all your farmer friends and share stories of winter. One of those is Carol of Hidden Hill. Several of our females are bred to K2, so I was anxious to let her know all the breedings had taken. She and I had dinner and cocktails at the RV that evening, catching up on all things from politics and animal husbandry to the latest technologies for composting manure. Just before she headed off for the evening, I took one last check on Ben and his stall mates (from HaSu’ Ranch). It is then that I noticed the left lower mandible of Ben’s jaw was quite swollen. I immediately ran to my first aid kit to get the thermometer. His temperature was high normal at 101.7. Not high enough to indicate an infection. He was eating fine, chewing his cud, drinking okay, otherwise completely normal.
Needless to say, I did not sleep well that first night. I went out to the stall several times to take his temp again. I was concerned that an abscess or tooth infection had suddenly developed. I was terribly worried about how I could have missed such a thing. Gosh, what a dolt! Luckily these shows employ the services of an emergency camelid veterinarian for instances such as these. As Ben did not show any symptomology I decided I could wait and panic quietly to myself until morning.
Doctor Purdy showed up to the show area around 8 am. Ben lasted the night just fine. Still no temperature, no signs of illness, just that swelling around his lower jaw. By the time I got around to finding Dr. Purdy, of the UMASS Camelid Studies Program, I was kind of panicking outright. I was absolutely consumed with that swollen jaw. After palpating the area and checking the interior of Bens’ mouth, Dr Purdy stated that the swelling was the result of a jaw bone infection. That the soft tissue swelling I noticed can flare up instantly, but the jaw bone infection was around for some time.
Unfortunately for Ben these infections are apparently quite common and go completely un-noticed for most alpacas. They are contained strictly within the jaw bone and other than this occasional swelling show no outward signs of infection. They do not go systemic as Abscesses or other infections will. Which is why I never was able to detect an elevated body temp, he was eating and drinking fine, and mostly a normal stoic alpaca. These bone infections occur as a result of some sort of contaminant, a seed pod, a grain of sand, corn kernel whatever, working its way through the gum line into the bone. Once there it festers and infects the surrounding bone tissue. The bone tries to regenerate itself and grows around this infection site. Often going undetected for a long period of time. It may periodically flare up the surrounding soft tissue, as we noted with Ben. The treatment is oral antibiotics not injectable.
I was told not to rush the alpaca home. Dr. Purdy would bring some antibiotics in the morning. The antibiotics are an oral antibiotic that we are to administer once daily for 4-6 weeks. He did not recommend any invasive treatments, such as surgery or tooth removal. We expect his swelling and tenderness should go down after about a week of treatment. The oral pills were amazingly easy to administer. I simply added the aspirin size pills to some grain in my hand, and Ben gobbled them up.
We didn’t mess with Ben much throughout the weekend. I knew the halter would put some pressure on that soft tissue, so we simply waited to put him on halter until his class was called. He performed as well as could be expected, and farmer Steve did not pull him around much. Farmer Steve was ultimately concerned about how Ben was feeling and acted accordingly in the ring.
Once I arrived back at the farm here with Ben, I called Dr. Nicole. She has had experience with these bone infections before, but had not tried the treatment method prescribed by Dr. Purdy. Dr. Nicole is good about learning new things and adding it to her knowledgebase if it is helpful. She will come on by and check on Ben in about a week to check the status. Hopefully we will be able to prevent any need for surgical or invasive procedures. Dr. Purdy has also asked that we keep him up to speed on Bens’ progress. At this time, Bens’ jaw is still showing signs of swelling. He has been on antibiotics for only a 5 days. I expect things to start to turn around in 7 to 10.
Now that we are all home Ben is trying to reintegrate with the herd. It is difficult. He was traumatized by the whole experience and paces the fencline trying to go see his mom. He is almost 2 years old, but still looks for his moms love. I feel bad for him and what he is going through, the fact that he really isn't much of a macho. But this is part of life on the farm and I just need to let him get through it. I expect it to take a few days.
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'Wowie'-Obwan
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Date: Sunday April 05, 2009
Wowie kazowie. We are freshly back from the North American Alpaca Show and are absolutely thrilled with our "ace in the hole" - Wawiobwan. He did an amazing job in the show ring after being cooped up in a stall for three days with a minor jaw infection. Wawiobwan placed fifth in the yearling white male category and sixth in the Bred and owned light yearling male category.
Both classes were packed with award-winning off-spring of nationally recognized herdsires. We couldn't believe our Ben was able to match up to those boys. Well, I shouldn't say we couldn't believe it. We knew Ben had some amazing fleece. He comes from Hemingway and Accoyo Pachacutti lineage. His crimp is consistent, the luster at the skin, and wow, the fine softness of handle is to die for. A really great fleece with fantastic density on his smallish immature frame. Still, despite what we felt about his fleece, we aren't always sure what the judges will think. Having Jude Anderson judge him in the Yearling White male class was fantastic. She placed the top three animals extermely quickly. Those last three in the class of over 14, well, that was tougher to watch. Just as I thought Ben was going to get the boot, the wave good bye, Jude started to show she was actually interested in him. I sat back down and waited. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he was asked to walk to the front line. In sixth position.
Once everyone was placed the first time, she went back through the line. Checked Ben's fleece again, more thoughtfully and moved him up to fifth position. We were exstatic!
Then there was the bred and owned class. This class is judged by three judges - Amanda VandenBosch, Mike Saffley, and Jude Anderson. To me, this is a great way to learn what the other judges think. It is hard to tell whether or not your alpaca is simply placed because it meets the objectives of the judge at hand. It is even more telling when your alpaca is looked at by three judges and earns placement. Wawiobwan earned a sixth place ribbon in this class, against many show champions and first place winners from that weekends show competition. Once again the judges openly commented on his softness of handle and consistency across his frame. As we were aware, mainly his small stature is something we are struggling with.
Ben just hit his growth spurt this winter. He is slowly maturing, but according to his sires owners Mohican also took a little time to mature. We are sure Ben's currently slight frame will really begin to fill in over the next year.
As for his jaw bone infection, he is being treated and I will blog more about that later in a separate post. Congratulations to BEN Nicely done kiddo!
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Wawiobwan
He is being offered in 2009 at an introductory breeding fee of $500 ...
more info
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