Monday 29 March 2010

Springtime ..... chores !!

There's always jobs...to do when the sun shines !
The younger boys......can any body spot ........'Norris'

As the weather has been good over the past week....I have managed to catch up on a few thing s that needed to be done, with the alpacas.

I have managed to trim toe-nails....and today it was time for their regular...liver fluke dose. I managed to do the job, quite successfully....without wearing too much on me ! There is always one who is more awkward than the others, today it was Tremona my lighter fawn girl. She is a lovely female, however she is very flighty !

I spent a little time chasing her round the shelter...but I managed to catch her, the last time I tied her up to trim toe-nails..she flung herself on the floor and then sulked....until I had finished, which was good for me. She hates the halter and any thing that goes over her nose. I managed in the end after a couple of attempts.....mind you its not the easiest of task trying to insert the syringe into a permanently moving mouth !

Of course... Norris was also...drenched....after all he thinks he is one of the herd. I thought that he might be a little difficult and I had visions...of me being carried around the barn on his back....but he was ever so good and just stood whilst I dosed him !

It really does make life much easier when your animals are easy to handle.....especially for routine husbandry jobs.....valuable time well spent in my opinion...so the more time you invest in your animals...the more rewards I think you are re payed back with.

3 comments:

Debbie, Barnacre Alpacas said...

I agree, it is so much easier when they cooperate. Although I am still supporting a multi-coloured leg where Willow kicked me almost two weeks ago now!

Apple Vale Alpacas said...

What's your secret for handling, Jayne? Do you use Camelidynamics? We had the vet come and do the first Blue Tongue jabs today - I wanted to be sure they all got it fully. Dave

Shirley said...

Hi Jayne, Great photos of lovely looking alpacas. We like Norris too - especially the 'sticky out' ears! Hope you didn't get too much of a dump of the white stuff this time around. We got off lightly, blizzards yesterday but it didn't stay. Should be a better weekend. Shirley & Robbie