Pasture Perfect Alpacas

by Cindy Lavan, Chase Tavern Farm Alpacas, Bowdoin, Maine

Ask 5 alpaca owners what they feed their alpacas and you'd probably get 8 different answers. We can't even begin to count the numerous possible feed combinations and qualities available in the alpaca marketplace today.

 

When we began 14 years ago, we feed the alpacas a sheep grain. Made some sense and it was available. It worked but then we had to supplement the supplement certain times of the year. Because there is always a better mouse trap, we gave up on that and switched to a 'home-made' mixture. That worked pretty well too but took more time to prepare and made quite a mess of our shoes and pants in the process.

Today, go to the feed store you are confronted with many options. A few products have already been 'improved' and re-formulated. Some have been around for years now with no additions or subtractions to their original formulas. But we are just talking supplementation here. What about the quality of the largest percentage of an alpaca's diet - it's forage. How is that shaping up and what should it be in the first place?

 

Location can dictate type of forage but not necessarily quality of forage. Geographical regions can dictate type and growing seasons but quality is dictated by us - the humans, the owners.

 

Fall is a perfect time to take a look at the fields. How did they do after a summer of forage? Better than last year? Worse? Did herd size increase? Decrease ? Did the pastures dry up faster? Stay wetter in some areas more than last year? Weather conditions of course will help play into these answers but if you look now at the forage and take notes on condition, you can assess what you need to do to improve for next year's grazing season.

 

Without question, if you haven't done one in 2-3 years, soil test your fields. Many State Extension offices offer soil sampling kits. Many State Universities will do the testing. Check with your local field office and or feed store for al list of private soil testing and fertilizing companies. Many private companies that will come out and take samples. Once your test results come back, interpret the results. Spread fertilizer according to your specific needs. Each pasture may require something different based on its condition. We have had fertilizer milled specifically for our needs. This way we aren't over feeding our pastures and are supplying the right nutrients to keep them capable of supporting our alpaca herd's needs.

 

This ounce of prevention goes a long way. There is an investment involved to have the testing and fertilizing done if you wish not to do it yourself. However, you have already invested in your alpacas and isn't providing them with the proper care and proper pasture worth their forage in gold?

 

Equate your pastures to the scalp on your head. Don't you want a thick lustrous head of hair? Don't you want it groomed and well managed? If its thin, don't you want to volumize it? If it's patchy, don't you want those patches covered? Why waste money on hair plugs if the scalp isn't in condition to hold them properly in place. Feed your scalp and it will create the hair for you. Feed your pasture's and your alpacas will create the follicles and better fleeces for you!

 

There are many resources available for pasture management on the Web.

For example:

http://www.umaine.edu/umext/mgfn/ - Maine Grass Farmers Conference

http://www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/product.htm#growth  - Forage Growth and Yield

http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/forageresearch/ - Forage Research, Texas

http://www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/5016.htm - Definition of some minerals

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages/publications/ay263.htm - Forage information - Perdue University

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/coos/Forage/index.html - Oregon State University - western forage

Soil  testing -

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1652.htm - How to take samples

http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/soiltest.html- Soil testing, UMASS

 

 

 

Cindy along with her husband Tim, an AOBA Alpaca Judge and Judge Trainer and their two sons, Charlie & Petey have been breeding and raising Championship alpacas since 1993 on their coastal farm in Maine. They maintain a herd of over 100 alpacas and have over 15 working herdsires, 10 of whom were born on their farm producing the next generation of prize winning alpacas. Their son, Charlie, also runs his herd of suri alpacas under the name, Chickadee Ridge Alpacas.

To learn more about the Lavan’s, visit their websites at www.chasetavernfarm.com and www.chickadeeridgealpacas.com.