Happy Easter surprise...

Came across the first Toft Alpaca cria of the season yesterday morning during my rounds. Unexpected to say the least at four weeks early. With a cold wind raking the hill the cria had been on  the ground about an hour when I found him. He was freezing and floppy and struggling to hold up his head. He's a big lad and I have the felling it had been a long labour as he seemed exhausted,as well as cold. A quick run to the shed do get mother and baby out of the wind and the challenge began in earnest. 

An hour later with the hair drier working like a Trojan he perked up a little but not a lot. I managed to get some colostrum down him and a coat on him to keep the wind out. In short bursts throughout the day as he warmed up  I managed to get some more milk down him until eventually  he  managed to stand. Overnight thankfully he started to feed from Mum and today although he's not exactly running around with the joys of spring he is happy on his feet and feeding regular and getting stronger by the hour. Needless to say I didn't get a lot of me 'busy jobs' done yesterday.

 I know it's tempting fate but I think he's over the hump now. However he'll be a touch lonely for ge next few weeks as the rest of his 60 colleagues are not scheduled to arrive for another three weeks.