Weaning

Autumn is a good time to wean crias born last spring. We like to wean before the weather turns too cold and wet. Weaning time is quite stressful for crias so you don't want it getting cold and wet.

Before weaning we make sure all injections are up to date. We give injections of Ivomec, 5 in 1, and vitamin D. We usually try to have a small paddock with good fencing just for the weanlings. We start them on our feed mix to make sure they start eating straight away. Being in a paddock with other weaners means they don't have to fight their way past mature alpacas to get to the feed.

We usually have a few crias to wean at once so they tend to form new relationships with their new buddies. In some circumstances there may only be 1 or 2 to wean as was the case last week. A young boy was weaned and put into our show paddock with the young show boys, and green grass to eat. He didn't like it at all. He kept getting out of the paddock and going back down the lane to his old paddock. The solution was to take him back to his old paddock so he could be in a familiar place with alpacas he knew, and then take his mother out and put her out of sight. It worked very well.

Don't forget to ear tag before, or at weaning time. Weaning is also a good time to start halter training. The weanlings seem to accept the halter and close contact with a person when mum is not around.

Alpaca Maintenance - More information on alpacas

Putting weight on thin alpacas
Fencing for alpacas
How to determine signs of a sick alpaca
Basic first aid kit for alpacas
Alpaca body temperatures
Can cold and wet weather affect alpacas?
Making sense of the alpaca fibre analysis
Rye grass staggers
Taking the perfect alpaca photograph
Facial abscess
Berserk male syndrome
Vitamin D
Weaning
Constipated crias
Preparation for Winter
Keeping alpaca records
Alpacas need head-space
Testing for parasites
Birthing help
Cutting Toenails
A Working Dog's Guide to Alpacas
Paddock Maintenance
Alpacas for Pets
Alpacas as Sheep Guardians