On the face of it, this is a fun debate about which alpacas poop in the shelters and which don't! But there is much more to learn about this in terms of what the alpacas are doing and how it might affect parasite control. I've opened the conversation with a short PDF highlighting a little of the science and research around grazing choices. If this is of interest, download the PDF and have a quick read, it's FREE.
So you think a hard frost will kill the parasites on your pasture and give you a 'reset' for the spring?
Winter doesn't end the parasite story; for some species, it's just the beginning!
This short video reveals how freezing conditions don’t affect all gut worms equally — killing some, sparing others, and activating those that will shape parasite risk in the year ahead.
What happens in winter quietly determines what emerges in spring.
FYI
You will have heard that a sugar solution is preferable to a salt solution for floating camelid parasite eggs.
There are numerous side discussions required to explain why.
But let's start with the simplest. Sugar solution has a higher specific gravity than salt solution, so, at its simplest, it floats more stuff!
Specific gravity controls both flotation and egg appearance, both of which are crucial to successful analysis.
Having created your solution, how long can you leave it before analysis? 5 minutes, an hour, a day? Now we are venturing into the realms of osmotic potential, which, forgive me, is another can of worms!
The short answer is, make up your solution, mix your sample, fill your slide, wait for flotation (5 minutes), then analyse.
If you've ever asked yourself these or similar questions to make parasite identification accurate & effective, and would like some simple, easy-to-remember, scientifically accurate explanations, take a look at the Introduction to Parasitology Online Course.
It's all explained, and anything you don't understand, I'm here, ready to help.
FYI
I'm sure the seasoned alpaca owners know the answer to this but there are lots of alpaca newcomers viewing these pages so I thought I'd drop this in.
I've been told many times that fruit is bad for alpacas, but not all fruit is to be avoided. Apples? They love 'em!
The main food source for alpacas should always be grass and hay; I’m not suggesting changing to a fruit diet! But variety is....
Any new additions to the diet should be introduced in small quantities, very slowly, over weeks rather than days. That way you won't upset the very delicate microbiome that exists in the fermentation vat (C1), where you are feeding the microbes not just the alpaca.
I've found that alpacas enjoy occasional apples and get very excited when I bring a basket to their field. Most people cut the apples into small pieces and remove cores and pips. I have to say I don't but clearly they could pose a choke hazard. My girls chomp at apples from my hand as you see in the video, great for bonding opportunity and fabulous enrichment for the alpaca.
The lady in the video (not me) is 22 years old and has been eating apple treats from our orchard since we purchased her aged 18 months, so it's can't be all bad!
Todays Mythbuster is all about the H's, Hedgehogs and Haemonchus contortus, what do they have in common? This short narrated presentation takes you into the world of more H's, HIBERNATION and HYPOBIOSIS. The two terms are explained and we explore why this make Haemonchus contortus so successful. The parasite we love to hate has fantastic survival techniques, but with regular feacal egg count testing and monitoring you can regain the high ground, and predict how eggs counts will change with season. Understanding life cycles goes hand in hand with egg count testing. If you wouild like to learn how to perform your own testing, on-farm take a look at the Introduction to Parasitology Course - Online, you'll find it in the about section!
FYI
This is what the literature tells us, alpacas don’t lick.
This alpaca has a tongue, which she uses to push out and press against a salt block.
Call me pedantic, but in my book that’s a lick!
The literature and many websites inform us that they have an anatomy that makes licking difficult, so they don't lick themselves or mineral blocks.
Just another example of 'don't believe everything you read.' This alpaca loves a salt or mineral block, as do many of her herdmates. They seem to enjoy the licking process and gain enrichment from chasing the salt block into submission.
FYI
Yes, alpacas do spit, but generally more at each other than at humans. It's their way of communicating.
They spit when they are exerting dominance, say at the feed trough, they're saying "back off, it's mine".
If another alpaca gets too close they might give a quick warning shot.
If a mother is with her cria and another alpaca, animal or a human gets too close, that may also call for a quick spitty shot.
When you don't know how to handle alpacas and inadvertently treat them roughly, restrain them for too long or startle them, again, there may be a spitshot.
Handled correctly with routine and compassionate care, alpacas learn that humans are not a threat.
And if you are unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire, remember, it's not aggression, it's simply green, liquid, body language!
Understand your herd, inside and out