Fleece Rummage and Inspection !!

Pacosha, she is one of my older girls !

Duke....standing over Zullulah, before shearing.

Zeto....in full fleece...

Zakhura, having a rest.

Yesterday I decided to treat myself to a day rummaging through the fleeces that were shorn a couple of weeks ago. Up until now I just haven't had the time to sort and weigh the fleece. Every year I like to make a list of who gave what so to speak, its also a good way of seeing what changes have been from year to year.

I had a little guess with myself to see who was the highest yielding animal(s) for this year, its no surprise....I was right for most of them, just goes to show how much you get to know your individual animals....

So, no surprises there....guess who was the highest yielding baby !! I thought it would be close between Barnacre Duke and Zanzibah Zeto !!.......Duke was just under 12 months of age at shearing time, Zeto was just 8 months ! I know Debbie will be interested to find out who won, Duke yielded 1.75kg's and Zeto yielded 1.80kg's, so Zeto just pipped the winning spot !!

Zorba(White) is my highest yielding male, he usually gives 3.5kg's but this year he was down to 3.00kg's. Zerquo (Multi Brown/White)and Zanubis(Rose Grey)are my second highest fibre produces....at 2.20kg and 2.10kg's.

The girls, at the top is Zakhura(Black) she yielded 2.10kg's then is a close second and third..with Trienza and Tremona both giving 1.40kgs.

I wont bore you any further, only to say that I had a lovely time, checking out the fleeces of this years shearing. I enjoy the hands on experience rummaging through the bags of fleece. I have put aside a selection of fleeces, I'm hoping to enter fleece shows later on in the year. I have just over 30kgs of lovely alpaca fleece to keep me busy for the year ahead !!

Today, I had to bring the girls in for some injections, after a close inspection, I noticed that Pacosha has a lump under her jaw !...after a good feel I decided that it was either a calcified lump or a jaw abscess....however there is no swelling or pain/heat. I decided to give her an antibiotic injection just to be on the safe side.... I shall be watching it very closely over the next couple of days....to see if any thing comes of it. She is happy and eating as normal so it doesn't seem to be bothering her. Mind you, in an attempt to get away from me..she managed to fling herself on the floor...!! thankfully she did not hurt herself.....and I managed to give her the injection. I have two girls who go mad, at the prospect of any-thing being put over their nose, she is one of these..and Tremona is the other one.....!! No chance of a halter..going on them !! So I just had to hold her and inject her all at the same time...thankfully I managed...some how !!....sometimes you could do with being an octopus !!!!