Alpaca Poop Happens

Some thought about alpaca manure. After a few years of dealing with alpacas, I have scooped a lot of poop. So I thought we would share some insights.


•Alpacas are helpful. As soon as you start cleaning up their piles, they'll line up to leave more so that you can pick it up while you are still there.

•Alpaca poop IS a gourmet treat to your dog. It will be a race to see who can get it cleaned up first, you or your dog. (Maybe I have a strange weird dog.)

•If you use a shovel and a wheelbarrow to scoop poop, do not push a fully loaded wheelbarrow on the side of a hill. It will tip over spilling all the contents someplace you do not want it to be. It will be a great conversation piece for your wife and kids.

•Your teenage girls WILL NOT pick-up alpaca manure no matter how much money you offer them. It ain't gonna happen, so just get yourself out there and start scooping.

•Beware of small children in your pasture. They will attempt to pick-up the poop, squeeze it in there hand. Do not even ask where it goes after that!

•Alpacas leave their poop in nice piles. Beware of a football game in the pasture, and never play tackle football there!

Probally more than you wanted to know about manure. We did plant a garden last year and used lots of alpaca manure. Everything grew great. We believe the alpaca poop was the key. Give it a try.

How to tie a Slip Knot

One of the first things taught to me after I bought my first horse, and one of the first things I teach kids, is how to safely tie a horse to the hitching rail. The man I bought my first horse from knew that I was a raw beginner, but I can still remember the look of horror on his face when he delivered my horse and saw me tie him up with a solid knot. That was my first important safety lesson. There are probably many ways to safely tie a horse with a knot that is easily undone, but this is the one I learned and has stood me in good stead over the years.

Tying a Horse to the Hitching Rail

When you bring your horse to the hitching rail, place the lead rope over the top of the rail, bring it under the rail, cross it over the rope and then back under the rail.







Take the tail end in both hands with it underneath the part of the rope attached to the halter and hold it so that it looks like a “4.”


Twist your hand holding the section of rope coming from the hitching rail, making a "hole."

Then with the opposite hand, put the looped rope end through that hole.







Holding the rope that is attached to the halter, push the knot towards the hitching rail until it tightens.

This knot is a slip-knot; it is easily undone by pulling on the dangling end of the lead rope. The reason why I cross the rope over itself on the hitching rail is that in case the horse pulls back, that cross-over keeps the knot from pulling so tight that it can’t be undone – I found that out through experience! I also learned through experience to place the end of the lead rope back through the loop because if the horse starts playing around and grabs the end of the lead rope in his teeth and pulls, he can untie himself.

Another thing to keep in mind is the types of lead ropes you use can affect how "slippery" the knot is. Cotton ropes tend to hold more snugly, while nylon lead ropes - naturally a more slippery material - will still remain knotted but the knot can loosen on the hitching rail, making it very easy for your horse to move away from where he was originally tied!

Reprinted from Equine Tips | Horse Training & Care!

Bambi on ice, safe footing for alpacas and us too

WaltWalt Disney’s Bambi provided us with a nearly first hand view of the difficulties many animals can experience negotiating balance on ice. It is important for us to avoid these difficulties when and where we can.

Sand provides traction, grittness causes the ice surface to become rough and physically provides a more stable surface for “grip.” The sand remains where it is placed and is natural to our environment. If covered – not too deeply – most floras will push through it in the spring.

Salt is used for melting the ice. It lowers the temperature point at which water will freeze. The components of salt make it harder for water molecules to join together and form crystals. Unlike sand, salt is not long lasting. As the ice melts, it begins to dilute the salt. It is well known that salt corrodes our cars and roadways. Thus it follows that salt is not particularly good for our environment. Salt will often kill flora and that would include our pasture grasses. It can also be quite harsh on the soft pads of the alpaca foot.

Suggestions have included such products as “Floor Dry” sold at auto stores, granular fertilizers and other chemical and/or oil based products. While these products can be effective, it is most important to consider their risk in relation to our animals and the environment.

There is a product available that is said to be safe for animals called “Safe Paws”. While fairly expensive, it is said to be safe for animals, humans and the environment. Developed by a chemical engineer, the components in “Safe Paws” immediately go to work in destabilizing and melting the ice. For more information, go to: http://www.safepaw.com/

Some folks spread straw, clay kitty litter, barn lime or ashes over the ice for better traction. What ever we choose to use, it is important to be mindful of the longer-term effects on both our animals and the environment.

Let me know what works for you!

How long is gestation in an alpaca?

The average gestation period for an alpaca is 345 days. This is only an average, the actual gestation can vary from 320 to 390 days or more and still result in a normal cria. Early births are more of a concern than late ones because most of the cria's development takes place in the last 3 months of gestation. Our experience has been that births usually occur between 335 and 355 days after the last breeding.

A great resource is a gestational calculator, here is a link to the one I use

http://www.alpinealpacas.com/alpaca-gestation.php