Alpaca passengers...

Had to whizz a client's cria off to the vets yesterday for a plasma transfusion as it's protein levels were low suggestive of failure of successful passive transfer. Hilux was away so it's into Shirley's IQ (half a car) with trainee herdswoman Freya holding onto the cria in the passnger seat. 

Unfortunately it was a Friday and we got caught in a traffic jam on the M1 not 20 mins after leaving. What should have been 30 mins turned into an hour 3/4 of an hour for the plasma infusion and then 30 mins back to get the wee girl back with her Mum ASAP. All well, no problems and the wee one was strutting around with her red 'scarf' all evening as testimony to the days events. What else would you do on a sunny Friday afternoon?

Perfect pic of those alpaca fighters...

Alpaca fighting teeth.

So we describe the vestigial reverse canines which appears in male alpacas around three years of age. Once in the wild, many thousands of years ago, these would have grown formidable and aided a dominant male to defend his harem. 

Nowadays we nip them off set shearing with a rope saw, preventing any of our males inadvertently developing an armoury. 

Tip for new owners- make sure your shearer checks and sorts these fighters in your mature males every year.  If they refuse find another shearer- it's a must!

And yes -they still grow even if they are castrated!

That's the way to do it....

Obviously to get a half decent photo of a black alpaca one needs to place a white one behind to provide a bit of contrast. This young new born male cria from Du Prem alpacas managed to oblige me last night after I chased this wee shadow around the paddock for ten minutes!

Toft Crias getting to the hard stuff early...

It doesn't take long for the alpaca crias to start copying their mothers and each other. The young dark fawn alpaca female in the foreground is being bottle fed and of necessity is getting onto grass and hay very early. Never an animal to be left behind the other cria of course join in. 

True to type Alpacas work very much on the principle of- 'What's good for one is good for all!

Fab ears on the 2013 girls.

Flying lessons wouldn't be out of place for this young elite alpaca female. A lot of our superb females are exhibiting these accessorised ears to die for. Must come with the fleece! 

Mind you  what else do you do when you are adolescent except groom oneself to attract the boys!

Film crew on the Manor

Busy week last week on the Manor when the BAS film crew turned up to shoot footage for a husbandry video. Toft were asked to host and supply the alpacas for the project as the film crew are all local. Two absolutely stunning days meant that all ran to schedule. 

Our alpacas were exemplary, performing like they'd been trained at RADA. Garry Naish performed as hands on expert and shearer. Alex McSloy from the Royal Veterinary College supplied the veterinary expertise and performed as presenter. BAS Board members- Nigel Beckwith and Peter Roisetter were the hands on help and we all had a lot of fun.

Next week, if the weather holds, we'll get a couple of alpacas and some chariots and have a crack at remaking Ben Hur!  

PS. we shear on a table not the ground. The ground gets further away from me year on year. The fleece is a lot easier to manage shearing off a table when your knees aren't aching!

Our alpacas went to the pub...

The White Hart Inn at Ufton joined the alpaca fraternity yesterday when they took possession of two lovely pet alpacas from Toft. 

The pet boys hadn't been there 5 minutes and they were dragged into a random family photograph to add interest. There is no doubt that these pet alpacas will soon be the stars of the show and a major attraction at the White Hart Inn.

Jan and Terry of  'White Hart Alpacas' were so taken with their new charges they came back today for a lovely mid brown pet male to balance the picture. We wish them lots of great alpaca moments and just know that the regulars and visitors to the White Hart at Ufton will get as much pleasure from these Toft  Alpaca Pet males as we do. Enjoy