- Alfalfa
- Apples – remember to cut the apple up into bite-sized pieces!
- Bananas
- Beet shreds – this is a favorite for pregnant or nursing alpacas.
- Broccoli stalks (but NOT the broccoli)
- Carrots – shredded is best.
- Chicory
- Clover – not all sources agree that this is 100% safe, depending on what else is growing in with the clover. ...
- Dandelions
- Grains – this is a favorite for all alpacas, but especially nursing and pregnant females. Just be careful with the quantities and types of grain. ...
- Green Beans (fresh is best – alpacas will likely turn their noses up at thawed, previously-frozen green beans)
- Lettuce (iceberg and romaine)
- Mint
- Plaintain
- Pumpkin
- Radish greens
- Raisins
- Strawberries
- Tree leaves or needles Mulberry Pecan Pine Spruce Sweetgum Weeping willow
- Thyme
What can I Feed my llamas and alpacas?
Since hay is dried grass, it’s a great way to feed your llamas and alpacas when the pasture has little to no grass, such as in the winter or during drought. Here are some of the most common hays to feed llamas and alpacas: However, like most dried foods, hay often doesn’t have the same level of nutrients as fresh grass.
How much does an alpaca eat?
The typical alpaca weighs about 125 pounds and eats about three pounds of grass, hay, vegetation and feed daily. In this article, we discuss alpaca feeding and provide sound tips for success.
How long are alpacas pregnant?
Alpacas are pregnant nearly a year, so we calculated approximate due dates, and realized we would be having babies in the winter. Not an ideal time! The closer it got, the more I watched, and each day I was sure I saw another baby move inside a pregnant belly, or so I thought.
How to take care of a baby alpaca?
Weigh each alpaca periodically. The use a livestock scale is recommended, but you can also “body score” your alpaca by placing your hand on its back. This is a quick and easy method to determine your alpaca’s body mass. You will need to give worming medications every 30 days.
What is the best food for an alpaca?
They particularly love carrots, apples, broccoli stalks and turnips. But you need to cut the fruit and vegetables into small pieces to stop the animals from choking.
What alpacas should not eat?
In addition to the above, here are some foods that can be toxic to alpacas:Animal products of any kind.Avocado.Cherries.Chocolate.Kale.Nightshade vegetables.Potato.
What do alpacas like eating?
Feed and water Alpacas should be pasture fed at all times. They do well on native pastures, however alpacas can be supplemented with good quality hay and/or various grains. Like other livestock, alpacas can also be affected by perennial ryegrass toxicity, annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) or phalaris toxicity.
What nutrients do alpacas need?
The basic requirements for alpacas are water, energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is essential that requirements of the first four essentials (water, energy, protein and fibre) are satisfied before assessing vitamin and mineral status.
What is poisonous to alpacas?
The standard poisonous plants databases don't normally list alpacas in the animals that are considered, but there is a specific database, Plants that are Poisonous to Alpacas, that lists Juglans nigra (black walnut) and Acer rubrum (red maple) as toxic.
Is corn good for alpacas?
Pasture grass is one of the healthiest food sources to offer your alpaca and they love it. Domestic alpaca can easily grow fond of human foods such as bread, corn, and cookies and they might favor these foods over natural green grass. It is however not good to feed your animals on human foods.
Can you feed alpacas bananas?
While Alpacas are primarily herbivores, they also love treats. Some of the best treats you can feed them includes raisins, pumpkins, iceberg lettuce, carrots bananas, watermelons, strawberries, and apples.
Can alpacas eat grass clippings?
The alpacas will come along and eat up the cut grass, and fresh nutritious shoots will start to grow, which they will also enjoy.
Can alpacas eat lettuce?
Alpacas like a varied diet and we feed ours on a variety of items in addition to grass – mainly vegetables and fruit such as chopped carrots, apples, celery and even pineapple, lettuce, cabbage, parsley and brussels sprouts.
Should alpacas eat alfalfa?
Forages such as grass or grass hay should make up the majority of the diet for llamas and alpacas. Additionally a small amount of alfalfa hay can be fed to growing, pregnant and lactating camelids. Alfalfa hay should only be fed sparingly to non-pregnant females and males.
How do you fatten up an alpaca?
There are quite a few options for feeding up alpacas, it's lucky that they're not too fussy. Lucerne hay or chaff is a hay that alpacas love. It is quite easy to get and costs between $5 to $15 a small bale although quality can vary. Lucerne chaff can also be bought at stock feed stores at around $20 for a 25 kilo bag.
What supplements do alpacas need?
Vaccinations, Vitamin Supplements and Worming Alpacas need a Clostridial vaccination and worming twice a year in the Spring and the Autumn. A Vitamin D injection is required every one to two months over the winter months. Vitamin D supplementation is required for proper growth in young stock and pregnant females.
Can alpacas eat bananas?
While Alpacas are primarily herbivores, they also love treats. Some of the best treats you can feed them includes raisins, pumpkins, iceberg lettuce, carrots bananas, watermelons, strawberries, and apples.
What grass can alpacas not eat?
Additionally, alpacas should avoid fescue and perennial rye. These grasses were designed to include endophytes to help control insects.
Can alpacas eat lettuce?
Alpacas like a varied diet and we feed ours on a variety of items in addition to grass – mainly vegetables and fruit such as chopped carrots, apples, celery and even pineapple, lettuce, cabbage, parsley and brussels sprouts.
Can alpacas eat oranges?
“Alpacas mainly eat grass and hay, but they also like to eat carrots and oranges,” he said.
What should I feed my alpaca?
Whether you are an experienced alpaca farmer or you are looking at welcoming a pet alpaca to your family, the key to feeding your alpaca well is fairly simple – essentially an alpaca’s diet should include mostly grazing, with additional forage where needed and a small amount of concentrated feeds or minerals.
How much water do alpacas drink?
Access to Drinking Water. Alpacas drink on average between 5% and 8% of their body weight in water every day, and as much as 18% in hotter weather or when lactating. Make sure there is a constant supply of fresh drinking water and that it is kept at the right temperature – between 7⁰ and 18⁰ C is a good guide.
Do alpacas need vitamin D?
Because the UV sunlight levels in Britain are not enough to give your alpaca the vitamin D it needs you will also need to supplement with vitamin D especially during the winter months (and particularly when it comes to growing crias).
Do alpacas need concentrated feed?
Although concentrated feeds should not form the major part of your alpaca’s diet, alpacas do have high mineral needs and so these additional feeds are important for ensuring your animals are getting the nutrients they need, particularly during the winter months and for pregnant and lactating hembra.
Is camelibra good for alpacas?
This is not ideal for the alpaca’s digestive system and overall health. Camelibra has been specifically formulated from the ground up to provide a very concentrated feed to meet the unique nutritional requirements of alpacas and other camelids, without impacting on their forage intake.
Is goat mix toxic to sheep?
Unfortunately, most of the available feeds on the market today are simply standard livestock offers (such as goat mix, which is already toxic to sheep) or mixes formulated for other species and tweaked for camelids, and such require a high feeding rate.
Do alpacas choke?
This means their diet should be predominately forage based, with the use of concentrates kept to a minimum. The alpaca is also particularly susceptible to choke so it’s important to always keep this in mind when it comes to your feeding regime and the feeds you choose.
How to feed an alpaca?
How to Feed Alpacas (Treats or Food) Treats can be fed to an alpaca like they would be given to a horse: put the treat on a flat, extended palm with the fingers and thumbs tucked in close . Offer the treat to the alpaca and let them nibble it up off of your hand.
What do alpacas eat?
Alpacas love bite-sized treats of apples, berries, broccoli stalks, carrots, pumpkin, raisins, turnips, and other safe-to-eat fruits, vegetables, and plants. Treats must be cut up or shredded to prevent choking in this herbivorous animal, as they only have lower teeth for tearing, not chewing.
What are some good treats for an alpaca?
Here is the complete, alphabetical list of alpaca treats. Just remember to make sure they’re safe and bite-sized for your alpacas. Oh, and to feed your alpacas their treats in moderation. Alfalfa. Apples – remember to cut the apple up into bite-sized pieces! Bananas.
Where do alpacas get their food?
The bulk of their food should come from plants and roughage found grazing, so getting their food should be pretty easy if you’ve got sufficient pasture for them. However, if your alpacas don’t have enough pasture space, then you’ll need to provide them with hay or commercial feed, too.
Can alpacas gain weight?
One last quick treat tip for when you want your alpacas to gain weight, like if they’re young, pregnant, or nursing: focus on treats of alfalfa, shredded beet, and even calf manna. Many alpaca ran ches say calf manna is totally safe for alpacas, and that it helps them get to a healthy weight.
Can you give an alpaca a treat?
Many alpaca ranches and owners say that horse treats are generally safe for alpacas. You do need to make sure that they aren’t a treat that’s really a vitamin, though. Horse vitamins are great for horses – but alpacas have different micronutrient needs than horses do.
Can alpacas eat fungus?
Lead toxicity from licking paints, pesticides, fence posts, etc. Fungus – can lead to mycotoxin poisoning. Alpacas don’t usually eat fungus on purpose. However, it can grow in and on some kinds of food, especially if it’s left wet and sitting out for long periods of time.
What is the best food for llamas?
Hay. Forages such as grass or grass hay should make up the majority of the diet for llamas and alpacas. Additionally a small amount of alfalfa hay can be fed to growing, pregnant and lactating camelids. Alfalfa hay should only be fed sparingly to non-pregnant females and males. High percentages of alfalfa in the diet can increase the risk ...
What kind of salt do llamas like?
When feeding a pelleted feed formulated for llamas and alpacas, provide access to a plain white salt block or plain loose salt without minerals. Many llamas and alpacas prefer loose salt instead of blocks.
Can camelids eat sweet food?
Sweet feed should not be fed to camelids, as the high amounts of sugar and starch can cause digestive upsets such as bloat and ruminal acidosis. If grains are fed, they should be fed as a commercial pelleted feed designed for llamas and alpacas.
What to feed alpacas in winter?
What To Feed Alpacas In The Winter When Grazing Is Limited. In the wintertime when grazing is limited, you’ll need to increase the amount of hay you are feeding. Sometimes hay can be in short supply too. This is when soaked beet pulp is especially valuable as a source of fiber.
What do alpacas eat?
The typical alpaca weighs about 125 pounds and eats about three pounds of grass, hay, vegetation and feed daily.
How many stomachs does an alpaca have?
Unlike goats and cattle, which are full ruminants with four stomachs, alpaca are pseudo-ruminants. They have one stomach with three compartments. Like full ruminants, they do chew a cud and produce rumen. This allows them to process small amounts of food very efficiently to get the most nourishment from every bite.
What plants do alpacas not graze?
High lead content in the environment can come from some plants such as dandelions and clover, so be sure that these plants do not make up a large part of your alpaca’s grazing. It’s also a good idea to have your soil tested to make sure that it does not have high lead content.
What is on the top of an alpaca's teeth?
On the top is a dental pad or hard gum. The lower front teeth grow continuously and need to be worn down through grazing. Alpacas use these lower front teeth and the gum pad to shear off food and then swallow it whole.
What are some good treats for an alpaca?
Even though these are all healthy treats, you should take care not to allow them to make up too much of your alpacas’ daily diet. The main part of your animals’ diet should be fresh grazing and hay. Even if your alpaca is a pet, you should not spoil it with too many hand fed treats.
Is grass hay better than alfalfa hay?
For the most part, less rich, grass hay is preferable to protein rich alfalfa hay. Even so, small amounts of alfalfa can be fed. Animals that are in need of extra nutrition, such as lactating and/or pregnant females, can benefit from added vitamin and mineral supplements.
How to care for an alpaca?
Daily nutritional care includes: 1 Fresh water in all buckets 2X daily 2 On extremely hot and cold days, electrolytes are added as an option. Fresh water is always available. 3 1-2 cups of crumble to all 2X daily 4 Late term pregnant girls get 20% cracked corn or crimped oats plus a bit more crumble mixture. 5 Hay should be tested to determine its nutrients. Remember, an alpaca’s health is influenced by it environment and nutrition. 6 Good forage promotes good health. Check your pastures regularly. Your local Extension Office can help you in this area.
What grasses are good for alpacas?
It is a palatable grass for alpacas and nicely balanced in nutrients. Other grasses such as Brome, Bermuda Bluegrass, and Alfalfa work well with alpacas however, quantities must be observed and monitored! Always, always have your hay and pastures tested. Protein levels will vary with in the seasons.
How many crias do alpacas have?
The female alpaca has only one cria per year. Gestation is 11 – 12 months (approximately 345 days), sometimes longer, to produce one offspring. The alpaca neonate is called a cria. Dams deliver their crias usually in a standing position during early daylight hours. Alpacas are “induced ovulators.” This means that owners can breed at anytime of the year and do not have to wait for an animal to go into “season” or monitor the estrus cycle to successfully breed. If you expose a mature female to a male and she is not already pregnant, she will usually ovulate within days. If she is already pregnant, she will refuse to breed with the male and “spit him off.”
How do alpacas communicate?
They communicate by expressive humming, a tonal language quickly understood by their owners. Body language, such as neck posturing, ear and tail positioning, and head tilt also have meaning.
What is a forage n alpaca?
Forage and Grain#N#Alpacas are modified ruminants with three-chambered stomachs. This allows them to very efficiently convert food into energy and so they require much less food than most livestock. They need only 1 ½ % to 2% of their body weight in good quality hay daily and a constant availability to fresh cool water. Supplemental feeds, vitamins, and minerals are also provided to maintain good health. Even with these additions, alpacas cost far less to feed than most traditional domestic animals.
Do alpacas graze in the shade?
Alpacas spend much of the day grazing or sitting (cushing) beneath whichever tree offers the most shade. Regardless of the chosen activity, from bathroom time to birthing time, to alpacas it is a group venture. Like most herd animals, “safety in numbers” is the fundamental method of survival for alpacas.
Do alpacas have safety in numbers?
Like most herd animals, “safety in numbers” is the fundamental method of survival for alpacas. Thus, they are much more comfortable and in better health when surrounded by the rest of their “herd”. Working with alpacas is relatively unproblematic.
What to feed llamas and alpacas?
If you don’t have a pasture that’s sufficient in grass, there are a few things you can do to feed llamas and alpacas: Provide them with pruned branches and leaves from trees. Supplement the missing amount of grass with hay. Plant more grass seeds at the start of the season.
When to feed llamas hay?
Since hay is dried grass, it’s a great way to feed your llamas and alpacas when the pasture has little to no grass, such as in the winter or during drought.
What grass do llamas eat?
Perennial and Annual Ryegrass. –. Common grasses for llamas and alpacas, source: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As mentioned, the majority of a llama’s and alpaca’s daily diet should be from grasses and leaves from shrubs, bushes, and trees.
Where do llamas get their protein?
While llamas and alpacas normally get the majority of their protein from young, tender leaves and quality hay , there are some exceptions to feeding them grains (in the form of pellets) to supplement their protein.
What to feed hay with?
One way to supplement protein levels while feeding hay is to supplement with legumes such as alfalfa and clover (more on calculating protein content later).
How much does it cost to feed a llamas?
Generally, the yearly cost of feed is $150-$200 for llamas and $75-$100 for alpacas. However, this can vary greatly depending on the amount of grassy pasture and the market price of hay. If your pasture has little to no grass, the price of feed can be as much as $400 per year per animal.
Do llamas need fresh vegetation?
While fresh vegetation can provide llamas and alpacas with the majority of what they need, sometimes it won’t be a complete balance of nutrients. Nutrient supplements can help llamas and alpacas achieve the proper levels of nutrients and minerals.
Birthing
The foretelling signs of imminent birth vary from dam to dam, but can include frequent cushing then standing, hanging around the dung pile, dilated vulva or any change in behavior. A normal unassisted birth usually takes about 45 minutes once started. It begins with the cria’s nose peeking through the vulva. Next, the fore paws should emerge.
Cria Care
A healthy cria will be up and on its feet in less than an hour after birth. It’s important for the cria to begin nursing on its own, so many breeders will separate other alpacas from the new mother and cria and minimize other distractions. Most mothers and crias work it out on their own, but ocassionally will need help.
IgG Testing
Blood is sometimes drawn from crias at 24 hours; the results will indicate the amount of antibodies absorbed by the cria during the passive anti-body transfer from the dam during the first few hours of nursing.
Weaning
Weaning can be stressful for cria and dam. Ensure both are in optimal health at this time. Although cria has been grazing on hay and pasture, the rumen is not functioning 100% until about 3 to 4 months of age. Weaning can begin anytime after about 50 pounds but not before 3.5 months. Hopefully, cria has shown an interest in feeding on the pellets.
Breeding
Female alpacas are ready to breed when they reach 75% of their adult weight which usually occurs between 12 and 24 months. Sexually mature females are induced ovulators and do not exhibit estrus cycles typical of most domesticated animals. If not pregnant, a mature female is almost constantly “open” or receptive to breeding.
