Georgia is Kicking
Actually, Georgia isn't kicking. Her cria (baby alpaca) is.
Georgia is pregnant. She's due June 26 which means it's about time for the cria to start getting active. Said cria is getting active and it's making Georgia uncomfortable. It's rather odd to see Georgia walking across the pasture when suddenly her side bulges out a little. She'll stop walking and turn to look at her side -- possibly even nuzzle or bite at it as if scratching an itch.
In about a month, Georgia will start to be very tender with humans and she'll play kissy-face with us on an almost daily basis. She's usually sweet and easy to handle -- although she gave us unexpected problems trimming toenails recently. Right before she gives birth, and while the cria is very young, she will nuzzle us in the face and nibble lightly on our cheeks. Pam insists we ended up buying Georgia because she nibbled at my face when we first saw her. In any case, it was a good decision because Georgia has proved to be an excellent mother and a wonderful alpaca for us.
Georgia's due dates seem to conflict with Black Sheep Gathering. Last year, Donovan was born on Wednesday before Black Sheep Gathering -- with setup on Thursday and the show Friday-Sunday. This year, Georgia is due on Sunday of BSG. Hopefully, the cria will arrive early and healthy. If not, Pam will be home on cria watch and I'll be running the store at BSG. I'm really hoping Pam can help out at BSG because it's a lot more fun if I'm free to wander the show from time to time.
Alpaca gestation is 345 days plus or minus about thirty days. Females are re-bred two to three weeks after giving birth -- that's when they're most fertile. What this means is that unless something goes wrong, females end up giving birth about the same time every year. We could wait to re-breed Georgia, but July through early September in this area is very hot. Delivery in extreme heat is hard on alpacas and the cria can die from dehydration very easily. If we wait to re-breed Georgia, we get into the hot months -- or we wait until fall. So, even though it's problematic for Black Sheep Gathering, we will probably breed Georgia in early July an expect her cria in late June 2006.
At some point, we will rest Georgia by leaving her open (unbred) either into our fall breeding season or possibly for almost a whole year. Financially, it's hard to leave a female alpaca open for an extended period of time, but it's good for their health to do so occasionally and it can extend their productive lifespan.
Georgia's cria is kicking. Stay tuned for updates.
Georgia is pregnant. She's due June 26 which means it's about time for the cria to start getting active. Said cria is getting active and it's making Georgia uncomfortable. It's rather odd to see Georgia walking across the pasture when suddenly her side bulges out a little. She'll stop walking and turn to look at her side -- possibly even nuzzle or bite at it as if scratching an itch.
In about a month, Georgia will start to be very tender with humans and she'll play kissy-face with us on an almost daily basis. She's usually sweet and easy to handle -- although she gave us unexpected problems trimming toenails recently. Right before she gives birth, and while the cria is very young, she will nuzzle us in the face and nibble lightly on our cheeks. Pam insists we ended up buying Georgia because she nibbled at my face when we first saw her. In any case, it was a good decision because Georgia has proved to be an excellent mother and a wonderful alpaca for us.
Georgia's due dates seem to conflict with Black Sheep Gathering. Last year, Donovan was born on Wednesday before Black Sheep Gathering -- with setup on Thursday and the show Friday-Sunday. This year, Georgia is due on Sunday of BSG. Hopefully, the cria will arrive early and healthy. If not, Pam will be home on cria watch and I'll be running the store at BSG. I'm really hoping Pam can help out at BSG because it's a lot more fun if I'm free to wander the show from time to time.
Alpaca gestation is 345 days plus or minus about thirty days. Females are re-bred two to three weeks after giving birth -- that's when they're most fertile. What this means is that unless something goes wrong, females end up giving birth about the same time every year. We could wait to re-breed Georgia, but July through early September in this area is very hot. Delivery in extreme heat is hard on alpacas and the cria can die from dehydration very easily. If we wait to re-breed Georgia, we get into the hot months -- or we wait until fall. So, even though it's problematic for Black Sheep Gathering, we will probably breed Georgia in early July an expect her cria in late June 2006.
At some point, we will rest Georgia by leaving her open (unbred) either into our fall breeding season or possibly for almost a whole year. Financially, it's hard to leave a female alpaca open for an extended period of time, but it's good for their health to do so occasionally and it can extend their productive lifespan.
Georgia's cria is kicking. Stay tuned for updates.
posted by Upper Alpacas | 6:47 PM
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