Where did 2010 go? It just began, and it's already nearly over. We hired a young man this week to help us with the multiple tasks of taking care of so many animals. Robert is very hard working, a quick learner, and is very good with the animals. Yesterday, we gave all of the babies and some of the yearlings their vitamin A&D shots and trimmed most of the boys' toenails. Last night we bought a dremel, since the "toothamatic" tooth trimmer doesn't seem to work anymore, and trimmed the worst of the teeth today, with some help from Bill, a fellow breeder and Robert, who is quickly becoming very skillful at animal maintenance. We're taking a break for Christmas, but Monday we'll continue trimming the girls' teeth and toenails. Then we'll have to start all over again. Not really, though. If we can keep ahead of it, it won't be such a huge a daunting task. I wasn't able to do much for most of the year because I needed a hip replacement for the first half, and was recovering from same for the second half. I'm now feeling good, and can keep ahead of everything. I'm hoping that Robert and I can begin halter training the babies soon and get them ready for the GWAS and Nationals. That will be a big job, but I want to show about eight animals this spring. I think the tough part will be deciding which ones to show! More about that in subsequent posts.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
It is now December, and much has happened at Arroyo Seco Alpacas. We had fifteen healthy babies this summer-- eight males and seven females. All beautiful, with the kind of fiber I've been aiming for since I began breeding alpacas.
Our gray female, Viccoyo, who has given us the majority of our saleable crias, died last week. She was so brave, but she couldn't get up. We gave her a respectful end, and I cried a lot when the vet came, but I felt that she had a fitting demise and a happy last ten years. Unfortunately, the next day we found Hedwig, our llama, dead. Did she have some mystical connection with Viccoyo that we didn't know about?
The alpacas have secrets that they don't tell us, try as we might to tease them out. They are so curious about us, that we don't remember what we wanted to know about them in the first place.
Our gray female, Viccoyo, who has given us the majority of our saleable crias, died last week. She was so brave, but she couldn't get up. We gave her a respectful end, and I cried a lot when the vet came, but I felt that she had a fitting demise and a happy last ten years. Unfortunately, the next day we found Hedwig, our llama, dead. Did she have some mystical connection with Viccoyo that we didn't know about?
The alpacas have secrets that they don't tell us, try as we might to tease them out. They are so curious about us, that we don't remember what we wanted to know about them in the first place.
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