tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83085649223123479322024-03-09T18:45:46.373-08:00Vermont Llama and Alpaca AssociationVermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-51566214488685232642012-05-10T19:00:00.002-07:002012-05-10T19:00:50.556-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-81873598094514410942012-05-10T18:58:00.001-07:002012-05-10T18:58:33.857-07:00Taking a (Much Needed) Break from the Farm!!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Karen Nicholson of Stepping
Stone Farm Alpacas, Stowe, VT</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Farming is 24 / 7 / 365
and often physically, emotionally and mentally demanding. Perhaps more than any
profession, farmers need a break; a vacation away from the farm for two days, a
month or even a year. The benefits of taking a vacation from such work are
indisputable. A vacation is a must have, not a luxury. And there are countless
creative ways to make it possible.</span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Indisputable Benefits
of Taking a Vacation</span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Live Longer!</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Everyone
needs to recharge their battery; thereby keeping stress levels lower and
keeping you healthier physically and emotionally.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Improve your Mental Health and Creativity!</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Taking time to relax makes you less prone to experience
burnout, making you more creative in your life and work.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Strengthen your Relationships!</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Uninterrupted time away with loved ones nourishes
relationships. Stronger relationships provide the foundation for increased life
enjoyment in the good times and provides the strength you need to get through
the stressful hard times.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Find Creative Inspiration!</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Taking
yourself out of your routine and surroundings spurs you to look at things and
think in a different way, often resulting in great creative inspiration.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Become more Productive!</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> The
mental and physical benefits of vacationing lead to increased quality of life,
and that can lead to increased quality of work on the job.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Creative Ways to Have
the Farm Looked After</span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Employees</span></u><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">if you have employees, make it a part of their contract that
“<i>x”</i> number of days/weeks per year you will be away and they will be
expected to cover for you. Train them far in advance to do tasks that you
normally do.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Hire a Professional Farm Sitter</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – there are professionals who advertise this service. They
can either come by the farm a certain number of times a day or live in your
farmhouse to watch over the farm. Prices vary greatly based on the scope of the
work and the individual doing it. For the professional you might expect to pay
from $36 per day for two farm visits to a smaller farm up to $100 for a larger
farm. To find a farm sitter: ask another farm of a name, look in your local
newspaper, put a wanted listing on the farm page of Craigslist or in Vermont’s
Agriview.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Train a Competent Person to Be Your Farm Sitter</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> - there are many trustworthy, competent people with no
experience that can easily be trained. What you need is someone with a strong
work ethic, a strong sense of responsibility, who is resourceful and motivated.
Price could range from no charge (internship, barter) to $20 per day (neighbor
teen) and up. Who could you train? A very enterprising, trustworthy high school
student; a pre-vet student from a nearby college; a vet tech from a nearby
small animal vet office; an employee of a friend or family member who is
motivated and trustworthy; a person who grew up on a farm; a person who
recently lost their job; a person who needs a temporary place to live; a young
person who lives with parents and would welcome the get away; a retired farmer;
a friend or relative; get creative – the list of potential people is endless.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Farm Sitter Exchange</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> –
these types of cooperative groups have been used forever and successful for
many different situations: babysitting, dinner exchanges, house swaps, etc. You
exchange no funds. When you use a farm sitter you get negative points in your
account. You work off your negative points by sitting for someone else’s farm
but not necessarily the people who cared for your farm. It is a ledger of
points and you are free to use anyone in the network you trust. Where to find
one? Join the established Northern Vermont Farm Sitter Network <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/farm-sit"><span style="color: #0000fa;">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/farm-sit</span></a>;
start your own regional network or; create your own exchange with a few nearby
farms.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Neighbor/Friend Barter </span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">–
maybe there is something you can offer a trustworthy neighbor in exchange for
farm sitting. If you sell goods you could provide them with goods (eggs, milk,
fiber, etc) at no charge in exchange for a week’s worth of farm sitting.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Boarding</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – for a
more long term vacation you may want to consider boarding your animals at a
qualified farm. You could then rent your home to generate income.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">How to Fund the
Vacation</span></b></div>
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</div>
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<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Savings</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> –
Regardless of income, everyone has the ability to forego something in their
daily life in order to set aside a fraction of their income. It is a
time-tested solution.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">House Exchange</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> –
You can vacation all over the world doing a direct house exchange. You live in
their house, drive their car and they yours. You hire a farm sitter to come by
a few times a day to do chores and look after the animals. Google “house
exchanges”.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Agri-tourism / Rent your Farmhouse</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> - A farm vacation is New England is a sought after
experience. With the rent you generate it can pay for your vacation plus a farm
sitter. (Advertise on VRBO, Criagslist or through a local agency)</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Inexpensive Vacation</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> –
the point is to get away. Go visit relatives, go camping, or go farm sit for
someone else to get a new perspective.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Combine Ideas</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – use the
farm sitter exchange and rent your house too for a no cost vacation.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Other Considerations</span></b></div>
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</div>
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<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Peace of Mind</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> -
Essential to the success of your vacation is that you have peace of mind that
your assets are secure and well cared for. For each individual farm this will
mean finding the right person/people at a price (or barter situation). Know and
articulate your expectations. Have a contract with the farm sitter to make
things black and white.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Insurance</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – You may
wish to consider insuring valuable animals to further protect your assets while
away.</span></li>
<li><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Provide Detailed Information</span></u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> – Always leave detailed instructions on how to care for the
farm. Make sure vet and other contacts are easily accessible. For longer
vacations you may even want to send a note to your vet(s) that you authorize
vet care and specifics about the extent of care.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">What Others Say About
Getting Away<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“Our family goes on a
camping trip for 1 week every summer. Either our college age son, if he's home,
or neighbors take care of our farm. We connected with them by being friendly
neighbors. We did pay them a little but we help each other out a lot, so what we
paid them would not be typical. We had written instructions, simplified our
routine and also double-checked for safety issues. We also leave a list of
people to contact for each potential type of problem and are available by cell
phone. We value our annual vacation because of the uninterrupted time with the
family and we come home with a renewed appreciation for our farm and animals.”
• Nancy Kish of Agape Hill Farm</span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“The Northern Vermont
Farm Sitter Network works very well in my area and has enabled the people
involved to have a competent and experienced sitter take care of things while
they're gone, without feeling like you have to pay someone or feel bad about
convincing them to take care of an overwhelming about of animals. Most of my
friends have a cat or a dog, not llamas, goats and chickens.” • Lee Findholt of
Wicked Good Farm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Karen
Nicholson, of Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas in Stowe, VT, has a herd of six
alpacas, four French Alpine dairy goats, 6 Indian Runner ducks, several laying
hens, two dogs and two cats. Over the years, her family has been able to get
away for a few weekends and a week each year with farm care from professional
farm sitters, farm sitters they have recruited and trained or relatives. They
are now living away from their farm for six months while farm sitters live in
their house rent free in exchange for caring for the farm. Any comments or
questions can be directed to: Karen@stowealpacas.com</span></i></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-89108243080484223142012-05-10T18:48:00.004-07:002012-05-10T18:48:42.072-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-mIMxgF6zA3hVQOpvyH4Z99ud4R5m5VsSiFItWk-fQjDbpypx1pjj6IFiG2uWX-rEJkLsBbU_1PmvabqVPwudpUmBEHC6stYwdVnuVv-FD8F6SEanlIR5iGbpG79P4V6ssvXbWnUa0k/s1600/Woody+McGee+frontal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj398gut3WEo531aDOSwnafjWCbDxJIG8k0W6UZQLTjilEyUOp0Ie8xwKD1qNtLC3CYJDm1P3Aw-n9H9QJSGrHuZjeSp4Rk1eUyFA-eIEBjXjyG-osYng8RlU18Px3Ty8aNRPMch0yUeYM/s1600/meeting+new+cria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj398gut3WEo531aDOSwnafjWCbDxJIG8k0W6UZQLTjilEyUOp0Ie8xwKD1qNtLC3CYJDm1P3Aw-n9H9QJSGrHuZjeSp4Rk1eUyFA-eIEBjXjyG-osYng8RlU18Px3Ty8aNRPMch0yUeYM/s320/meeting+new+cria.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-41502934481063911922012-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:002012-05-10T19:02:25.018-07:00Our Amazing Camelid Creatures – Stories of Camelid Behaviors<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Karen Nicholson of Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas, Stowe, VT</span></h2>
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLRYS-_TxfXQ4NANppEz8vEVz3Jg2gAt1cROiRqr9zC1L0T3gCPlmFgjIymDJoKP4Q5CPG74S_hWG2TsfhdT99ce26tQSfjWmGNBpwdbswCtzeXO4qfCTQ6Uf_1ZlmcjJi1Fyw-R0vG0/s1600/4-H+kids+w_+lily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLRYS-_TxfXQ4NANppEz8vEVz3Jg2gAt1cROiRqr9zC1L0T3gCPlmFgjIymDJoKP4Q5CPG74S_hWG2TsfhdT99ce26tQSfjWmGNBpwdbswCtzeXO4qfCTQ6Uf_1ZlmcjJi1Fyw-R0vG0/s320/4-H+kids+w_+lily.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Eric
Hoffman, in his book, The Complete Alpaca Book, writes: “Understanding how
alpacas communicate is both entertaining and an extremely valuable management
tool. After 6000 years of domestication, alpaca behavior has been modified by
human management and breeding, but communication among alpacas is still rooted
in their ancestral past. A look at behavioral research gives us insight into the
amazingly broad repertoire of communication alpacas have inherited.” (2<sup>nd</sup>
edition, pg. 33)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Below
are a few stories where llamas and alpacas exhibited interesting communication
and behavior:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beyond
Survival Instinct<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Brad
Kessler in his book Goat Song tells an amazing survival story of a ram and his
protector, a llama, living in the wilds of Vermont.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">A
neighboring farm had a dozen or so sheep and a guard llama. The owner’s
interest in the animals was to trim their fields. For fencing they had a few
strands of rusted barbed wire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The
llama did his job well until one summer a pack of coyotes began to take the
sheep one by one. By September, all that was left was an ewe, a ram and the
llama. The llama had a haggard look. The ram never left his side. The ewe was
doomed with fear. Sure enough by frost, only the llama and ram were left. Then
one day – gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Hunting
season came and went, winter, and early spring passed. One day, late spring,
the llama and ram were spotted nearby. The owners of the animals were
contacted, the llama and ram caught and put tight in a barn. Somehow they still
managed to escape twice until finally, the barn was so secure that they no
longer could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reproductive
Instinct<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">One
day I put one of our breeding male alpacas in the pasture with two females
(with crias at their sides) that needed to be bred. This has and continues to
be our preferred method of breeding. In that pasture there was also a maiden
female gestating at 11 ½ months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The
sire went over, sniffed the manure pile to see who was receptive and then went
to check the females against his findings at the pile. Then he began chasing
one of the females. I left the pasture to go do other chores and would check
back to see if any breeding was taking place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Minutes
later, my son came running to tell me that the sire was breeding the very
pregnant female! My son explained that he saw this female approach the sire and
cush. He then mounted her. Concerned for her well-being and the unborn cria’s,
I ran to get a halter to get him off of her! I put him back in his pasture and
then examined the pregnant female. She remained cushed, like a receptive female
would. I inspected her vulva and observed her for a while. All signs were that
she was fine – ears forward and an overall relaxed body posture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I
took the opportunity to do fence clipping so I could keep an eye on her. About
an hour later I saw a pair of feet dangling out. She had an easy delivery, a
vigorous cria and she passed a healthy placenta.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">In
hindsight I believe she cushed for him because she knew it would help to bring
on labor. In humans and other species, intercourse is thought to help bring on
labor. The sperm contains prostaglandin which can help soften the cervix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Exceptional
Guarding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">We
have a small herd of four females plus crias. In the warmer months they rotate
on pasture with access to a 3-sided barn. There is no question that Opal is the
herd guard and we hear her warning calls from time to time when an unknown dog
walks by or wildlife lurks in the forest beyond their pasture. She’s discerning
with her alarm and only alerts the herd when there is true danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">One
day, she was alarming. I went to investigate and for the first time ever she
was facing the house, not the forest nor the logging road where neighbors walk
their dogs. She went on and on and I could not figure out what she could be
alarming about in the direction of the house. The rest of the herd had banded
behind her staring intently in the same direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">After
about 10 minutes of this, suddenly there was a great cracking sound and half of
an old maple tree came crashing across the driveway, exactly the direction she
had been facing and alarming. After the tree was down, she discontinued her
alarm and went back to grazing. Two weeks later she delivered a male cria. We
named him “Timber”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mothering
Instinct<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Stardust
is our ‘star’ when it comes to reproduction - exceptional crias and ability to
nurture her young. In her 5 years of production, she has had 5 flawless births,
all vigorous crias and they grow strong and healthy. This spring she surprised
us with a cria one week before 11 months of gestation. Just after birth we
usually stay back and give the cria the opportunity to walk and nurse
independently and bond with its dam. This little one did not get up and did not
sit prone position so we intervened. Upon investigation we found her
temperature to be 4-6 degrees below normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">After
a couple hours we were able to get her temperature up and then hold her up to
get her nursing. For the next 30 hours we had to check her temperature, hold
her up under the dam to attempt to nurse, and syringe small amounts of goat
collostrum into her mouth. At one point in the middle of the night she appeared
dehydrated and assumed the death position so with no 24 hour vet available we
injected IV fluids under her skin and tube fed her. All the while, Stardust
allowed us to do all this to her cria. She stood perfectly still while we tried
to get the cria nursing and hummed calmly to her baby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Just
about 30 hours after birth, the cria was finally able to get up and nurse on
her own for the first time. I was relieved but not secure that she was going to
be fine. I checked on her two hours later and to my great surprise this dam,
who had just hours before let me do anything to her cria, screamed at me as I
approached and covered me with spit from head to toe. Despite my efforts to get
close to the cria, I could not. Finally, in complete frustration, I had to
relent and trust that our star knew she could take it from there and that it
was her time to bond with her cria. Of course, I checked on them a few times in
the night, but from a distance. A week later Stardust resumed her old ways; she
ceased screaming at me and let me near her cria as she has let me near her
others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Communication<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">We
had a male alpaca that came to us difficult to handle and not very trusting of
his human caretakers. After a few months of positive handling, he came to trust
us and greet us when we entered the pasture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> One
day while cleaning up manure in the pasture, he walked right up to me, stared
right into my face, hummed loudly, and then walked over to the pile and
urinated. He repeated this two more times. It wasn’t until the second time he
behaved this way that it occurred to me that he was trying to tell me
something. On the third time I found what he wanted me to find, he was
straining to urinate at the pile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I
called the vet and he indicated that it was most likely a UTI (urinary tract infection)
and that I should treat it. He said it sounded like it was caught early since
he had a fair stream of urine but with obvious straining. The vet said he
should improve within 1-2 days. He was obviously feeling much better on day two
when he stopped coming over, humming in my face and going to the pile. I later
found the source of his UTI. My children had mistakenly given him a whole bale
of alfalfa instead of hay when they were doing chores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cooperation
with Other Species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">On
our farm we have: 2 alpacas, 10 sheep, 2 goat does, 3 Lowline Cattle (bull
calf, cow, steer), 3 Red Wattle Pigs (sow, boar, meat), 1 Maremmma LGD and 25
Guinea Fowl. Everyone eats together without any problem. Everyone sleeps in the
same general area unless there is weather and they all have their distinct
shelter areas that they go to. The sheep all stick together, the pigs and dog
all stick together, and the cattle and the alpacas stick together. The goats
float between the three groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">One
of the alpacas, a bred female, spends most all of her day with the cattle
grazing or sunning. One interesting thing I have come to notice is that General
(our LGD) is on duty at night and sleeps most of the day. Our pregnant female,
Beana seems to take over the day shift. She is on high alert and whenever she
hears something suspicious, she will take off running toward it. Her alarm
alerts General (LGD) and he wakes up and takes over while she herds everyone
together. It is very neat to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">We
used to have three LGD's and each had a job. General was the baby of the group
and was the herder. Now that it is just him, he seems to work in cooperation
with Beana, the alpaca, and has given the herding role to her. They seem to
work very well together. I'm not sure how often the perceived threat is an
actual one, but there have been instances of coyotes in the area. We kind of
have a three-pronged security system as the guineas or Beana, the alpaca, seem
to sound their alarm first, and General (LGD) takes over the investigation
while Beana herds the animals together. It is fun to watch and perhaps as a
result we are a predator-free farm for the most part!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Our
camelids have an amazing array of interesting behaviors to observe: body
postures such as the alert stance, submission, the standoff, or relaxed
position; ear, tail and head signals; vocalizations such as humming, the alarm,
orgling; scent such as flehmen when the male alpaca sniffs a dung pile to
decode the scent and reproductive status of his females; locomotion displays
such as pronking or fighting; herd response such as banding or offensive
aggressive herd response. Every camelid farmer should take time out in the day
to observe their herd, perhaps even keep a diary of interesting behaviors
observed and, for sure, - share your stories!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>Karen
Nicholson, of Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas in Stowe, VT, has a herd of nine
alpacas bred and managed for valued traits including: fiber excellence,
conformation, reproductive vigor, hardiness and temperament. Also on the farm
are: two French Alpine dairy goats, Indian Runner ducks, broiler chickens
and several laying hens all integrated into their farm management program.
Karen writes for three farming journals and keeps a blog: stowevermontalpacas.blogspot.com.
Any comments, questions or stories can be directed to: stowealpacas@gmail.com</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</span></h2>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-39314044665133965442012-05-10T18:26:00.000-07:002012-05-10T18:26:08.870-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyv14zay1Argji3rl-4ddUvymt3MgWd4698poWtcmMFLyRmCJ31mCT_zXRA91x6t1uNx_k1Yv8_tExHnbleqFooH7LVMqXBahyphenhyphenbCw8FpEDC4DwtOlgYO9rqK8SXQg6gBCzWDX_pbqVNo/s1600/PE+as+cria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyv14zay1Argji3rl-4ddUvymt3MgWd4698poWtcmMFLyRmCJ31mCT_zXRA91x6t1uNx_k1Yv8_tExHnbleqFooH7LVMqXBahyphenhyphenbCw8FpEDC4DwtOlgYO9rqK8SXQg6gBCzWDX_pbqVNo/s320/PE+as+cria.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5lpoj0C2GxawxHZ6HZZJAdjjt5ObcqSHFcqDAGZ99mSRwFHJgkEN25Nu_yDH8geLbSYSUomFlTt3GTL3dQASKRKK26e834uUa47ojSxdcJNzsigHmKudDgt04UJMApwDs4DgObo7iKw/s1600/nice+profile+of+PE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5lpoj0C2GxawxHZ6HZZJAdjjt5ObcqSHFcqDAGZ99mSRwFHJgkEN25Nu_yDH8geLbSYSUomFlTt3GTL3dQASKRKK26e834uUa47ojSxdcJNzsigHmKudDgt04UJMApwDs4DgObo7iKw/s320/nice+profile+of+PE.jpg" width="312" /></a>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-16577968591601785922012-05-10T18:16:00.000-07:002012-05-10T18:21:13.570-07:00Composting Your Camelid Manure 101<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Karen Nicholson of Stepping Stone Farm
Alpacas</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Human
society and its agriculture depend on the health of the soil and water. Your
alpaca manure can either be an asset to your farm or a contaminant to the
environment. By employing simple on-farm composting techniques you can easily
turn your manure into a marketable product or integrate it back into your farm
in as little as 120-360 days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Identifying a
Composting Site on Your Farm</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The quality of your composting site will have a significant
impact on the ease of pile management and the quality of the compost produced.
Considerations in choosing your site:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will you be
composting (manure, hay, other?) and where on the farm will that material be
coming from? Obviously, the shortest distance to travel with the materials is
desired. If you are composting materials other than the waste from your farm it
may require a permit.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Will you compost throughout the winter or have an active
summer pile and a winter stock pile?</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will need enough space to begin a pile that is
mountainous in shape with a convex top, 3-8 feet high and 6-15 feet in width at
the base. The pile will be turned over the course of several weeks so that the
entire pile has been turned over itself and is now in a new location.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Will you turn your pile by shovel or bucket loader? If
bucket loader, then you will need space to move about with the equipment.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sunny location speeds up the process. </span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Follow the minimum
recommendations for environmental protection.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Min. distance to bedrock: 3-6 feet</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Min to ground water: 1-1/2-3 feet</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distance to property boundary or public roads: 100 feet
unless permission is obtained.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distance to wells, springs, surface waters or wetlands:
25-100 feet upslope and 300 feet downslope of the pile. (A site should not be
located in an area with potential for flooding.)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Site slope: 2-3% grade is ideal, 1.5-6% tolerable</span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Recipe</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are striving for approximately 60% moisture content and
a ratio of 25-30 parts carbon per 1 part nitrogen (C:N - 25-30:1). This will
create the habitat and diet for your decomposer populations (earthworms,
microorganisms, etc). While it is important to understand how the recipe is
arrived at, I don’t recommend going through a six-page worksheet of
calculations to create compost on your farm. Below is a simplified version of
how the recipe is arrived at followed by a very simplified estimate of what you
want your hay/bedding to manure ratio to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">- Bedding
to Manure Ratio</b></span></li>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manure
– what is the carbon/nitrogen makeup of your manure? You can have it tested or
you can approximate C:N – 16:1.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Bedding
– this is usually a carbon component (paper, hay, straw, cardboard). Again, you
can have it tested or estimate it to be C:N – 45:1.
</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Ratio
of bedding to manure – From the above you can see that your manure already has
a high level of carbon as does the bedding. Now you just need to get the right
mixture. After factoring in moisture content to the above two figures the
calculations would bring you to a ratio of about .32 pounds of bedding to 1
pound of manure (or Bedding:Manure – 32:100) Simplified even further this comes out to be roughly 1 part bedding to
just over 3 parts manure. In the summer months this means you will need to
add (1 part) bedding to (3 parts) manure if scooped directly from pasture
piles. Although it would seem that your winter pile would have too much bedding
and not enough manure, remember that you are adding moisture/urine. The winter mix
will likely be correct but after monitoring it can be amended.
</span></li>
</ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Moisture Content - </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this
is critical to the pile health and a good method of determining if you are
getting your C:N ratio correct. To monitor, dig 12” deep into the pile and grab
a handful of material and squeeze. If it is:</span></li>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dripping
= too moist (about 65%+ moisture content, want 60%)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Damp
and glistening = Ideal 60%
</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Crumbling
= too dry (below 60%)
</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Sniff
– if it has a gassy smell it is too moist or too much Nitrogen (manure)
</span></li>
</ul>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Turning</b>– you should plan on turning the pile about once a week.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Turn pile ¼ at a time by taking
material from the side and dumping it on top. Your pile should, again, be a
mountainous shape with a convex top after you have turned it. Continue turning
¼ at a time until the pile resembles loose crumbly dark soil. It should take
about 3 months in the spring/summer months. An alternative to turning it
yourself would be to pasture pigs with your pile. They’ll be in hog heaven and
you will too as they do the turning for you!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pile Monitoring</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– Ideally you would do this every time you walk by the pile; at a minimum once a week.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Temperature</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> – </b>you want it to reach 130 degrees w/in a few days to a week. It will need to stay at this temp. for several days to kill pathogens and seeds. You can monitor with a 3’ probe thermometer or dig in and if too hot to touch you’re over 120 degrees. If it is excessively hot you are killing your decomposers.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Moisture</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– Look at the pile and reach in and take a handful and squeeze. Is it dripping, glistening, crumbly? Add more bedding if too wet or manure if too dry. Open top to allow rain in if too dry.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Odor</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– smell the pile as you work it and inspect for moisture. It should smell earthy. If it doesn’t it means it is either too low in carbon (bedding) or low in oxygen (too moist or too dense).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Visual Inspection</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– Dry? Damp? Crusting on the surface (reduces available air in pile)?</span></li>
</ol>
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Finished Product<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Curing – After composting is finished, allow your pile to
cure for 1-3 months. Make sure it is covered.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Testing – you can test your finished product so that you
know how you did or what you are spreading on your pastures or to aid in
commanding an excellent price for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ideas for
Selling - </b>Bag it in used feed bags
and sell to local gardeners or place an ad on Craig’s List for someone to buy
and take away the whole pile. Top dress your pastures in the fall and you will
have lush pastures in the spring. Just price a bag of “Moo Doo” (composted cow
manure) and you’ll know how valuable your composted manure is! <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Simplified into 5 Easy Steps</b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.2in; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Recipe</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - Pile your manure and bedding in a mountainous heap with
a convex top in a ratio of 1 part bedding to a little more than 3 parts manure.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Turn</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> – Turn your pile over itself ¼ at a time once a week for 3+
months til done.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Monitor your pile</b> – feel, look, smell to see if you have the right mix.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Harvest</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> – Use or sell this valuable resource generated by your
farm’s waste! And feel good that you “Did the Rot Thing” for the environment by
composting!</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cure</b> – after you have made “dirt”, cover it and let it cure for
1-3 months depending on the time of year.</li>
</ol>
</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Karen Nicholson
has a herd of ten alpacas at Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas in Stowe, Vermont. Any
comments or questions can be directed to: Karen@stowealpacas.com.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
</div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-78895887938986166722012-05-10T18:13:00.000-07:002012-05-10T18:24:26.911-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOI_MY7NbRRYuVdJ8k2I0GDCXKdDUCuMPAvmQ0cIkjmILFByZfpLGBHVXvXrHkzE7YPZfthPdoCE6z6RwIv6B_viaQIppZIzfKKcif-fDYxVTRZ48L-3Qr7H0MvoYlfO62apmmYvGfmo/s1600/Woody+McGee+frontal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOI_MY7NbRRYuVdJ8k2I0GDCXKdDUCuMPAvmQ0cIkjmILFByZfpLGBHVXvXrHkzE7YPZfthPdoCE6z6RwIv6B_viaQIppZIzfKKcif-fDYxVTRZ48L-3Qr7H0MvoYlfO62apmmYvGfmo/s320/Woody+McGee+frontal.jpg" width="240" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHob5qihC53ZUWVmdt_ge0EdJtcJrVNVMlqB5156lLeLEdte7S3Rd06RMcQiVZL4E8syCFODf_oa_QRmPAnXkgiaNRTE8GbBdT5e4hDM_AbPlkB2e_AaHEX28Pr1cMkjcO_n6hyFBwSM/s1600/Timber+&+Opal+front+good.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHob5qihC53ZUWVmdt_ge0EdJtcJrVNVMlqB5156lLeLEdte7S3Rd06RMcQiVZL4E8syCFODf_oa_QRmPAnXkgiaNRTE8GbBdT5e4hDM_AbPlkB2e_AaHEX28Pr1cMkjcO_n6hyFBwSM/s320/Timber+&+Opal+front+good.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-11088391245249607742012-04-30T17:50:00.003-07:002012-04-30T17:50:57.985-07:00Knitting<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The words <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wool, yarn, felt, silk, spin, weave,</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dye</i> all have the same sense today as they did in Old English; this
is evidence of the ancient heritage of the spinners' and weavers' textile
craft. However, the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knit</i> has a
history of varied meanings as it evolved through the centuries. The word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cnyttan</i>, which is the mother of our
textile word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knit</i>, meaning to tie or
join by knotting, is Old English. In 1377, cleric William Langland in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The vision of William concerning Piers
Plowman</i>, used the term in its sense of knotting as he wrote in Middle
English, "To bugge a belle of brasse... And knitten on a colere...And
hangen it vp-on e cattes hals" (To forge a brass bell and to knit [it] on
a collar and hang it upon a cat's neck). In 1607. Reverend Samuel Hieron wrote
an Early Modern English example of this connotation "to tie" in his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A defence of the ministers reasons for refusall
of subscription to the Booke of Common Prayer:</i> Look to the first marriage
that euer was: “The Lorde Himselfe knit the knot."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The term knit as
we know it in the modern textile sense began its evolution in the Middle
English of the thirteenth century; the meaning "to knot string in open
meshes to form a net" began its evolution about 1290: "Ase man knut a
net: i-knut swithe harde and stronge" (As a man may knot a net: knit very
hard and strong). The modern meaning of forming fabric by inter-looping yarn or
thread first appeared in the sixteenth century. For example, in 1591,
Shakespeare wrote in his play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Two
Gentlemen of Verona</i>, "She can knit him a stocke." The specific
sense of knitting in plain stitch, as opposed to purl stitch, appeared in the
1890 pattern directions of Therese de Dillmont's Encyclopedia of Needlework:
"Piqué pattern...1st and 2nd row purl 7, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1. [etc.]."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The knitting
term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">garter</i> as in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">garter stitch</i>, evolved from the Old
French term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">garet</i>, meaning the bend
of the human knee, or the lower part of the leg in animals. This word first
appeared in the written work of the fourteenth century. The earliest Old
English meaning of garter is "a band worn round the leg, either above or
below the knee, to keep the stocking from falling down." For instance, in
1382, English theologian John Wyclif scribed in Middle English, "Fro a
threed of the weeft vnto a garter" (Sew a thread of the weft into a
garter). Garter stitch is a combination word and is a basic stitch in knitting;
it was originally used in making garters and it is also called plain knitting.
The phrase garter stitch first appeared in 1909 in The Daily Chronicle:
"Sixty stitches are loosely cast on, and sixty rows of garter-stitch
knitted." Just as the term purl evolved from the meaning
"decorative" to the name of a specific knitting stitch, the word
garter transitioned over a 7000-year period from the original meaning
"bend of the knee." </span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-14160892338522756782012-04-30T17:41:00.000-07:002012-04-30T17:41:23.385-07:00Clothing Moth Facts<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reprinted from the
Flowerdepotstore.com</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The favorite fabric of the
Clothing moth is wool but it has also been known to feed on many types of
fabric including Silk, Cashmere, and even Fur. So be sure to protect your woven
fabrics, sweaters, socks, gloves, linings of boots, fabric pieces, drapes,
curtains and throws.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remove any stains from garments
as soon as possible. Stains attract moths. Avoid spray perfume or cologne on
your wool garments and knits. Perfume and cologne are best when applied directly
to skin or cotton garments.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vacuum your home and closets regularly
and remove the contents of the bag. Vacuuming is one of the best ways to rid your
home of all types of pests including moths, but the debris in the bag may
contain Moth eggs and larvae, so be sure to remove it form your home after
cleaning.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry clean your clothing regularly
to kill any new egg deposits. Wool garments and accessories are best stored in
airtight drawers or containers that include moth protection of some type, such
as; Lavender, Cedar, Herbal Sachets or Prozap Strips ion closets.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hanging Herbal Moth Sachets from
hangers that have your Moth-Favorite garments, or store in cedar lined closets
and chests. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-70712410424737168772012-04-30T17:33:00.000-07:002012-04-30T17:35:04.008-07:00Moth News Update<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reprinted from The Flower Depot</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Are Moths? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At The Depot, we receive dozens
of calls each month from individuals searching for information on how to get
rid of flying insects, most notably flying moths, in their homes and
businesses. The moths are seen in and around their pantries, wild bird food,
pet food and clothes closets. Many report seeing moths around dried flower
arrangements and in dried flowers in storage.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf_PJ19RKZYaseFOYiUiE7WNQWX8Aft-GPt22TMf0WcGMoU0Mu2X8HzO2_4bfItNAz-sCg3tIwzx5LyrCoyLVya5qciqnRT6XPv6hN3Y_4N6lYh1yS3WuPiR6iNvPvG4W2SdMqNqgGEk/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf_PJ19RKZYaseFOYiUiE7WNQWX8Aft-GPt22TMf0WcGMoU0Mu2X8HzO2_4bfItNAz-sCg3tIwzx5LyrCoyLVya5qciqnRT6XPv6hN3Y_4N6lYh1yS3WuPiR6iNvPvG4W2SdMqNqgGEk/s320/Picture+1.png" width="134" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The moths the
callers are describing are almost always Indian Meal Moths. But the moths they
see are only the tip of the iceberg. It's the larvae (worms) of these moths
that are responsible for the destruction of everything they infest. Damage is
caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and craw, webbing food
particles together. Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole
grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods such as dried fruits,
powdered milk, cornmeal, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolate, candies,
health food and seeds, birdseed, dog and cat food, fish food, and pasta. In
addition, dried flowers used in wreaths and arrangements are a source of food
the larvae find attractive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes
mistaken as clothes moths, homeowners first notice small moths flying in a
zigzag pattern around kitchens, pantries and other rooms in the home.
Occasionally, the larvae or "white worms with black heads" crawl up
walls and suspend from the cling attached to a single silken thread. Other
times, larvae are found in a food package along with unsightly webbing. It is
repulsive to the homeowner and costly to the manufacturer. Packages of whole
wheat, flour, and corn meal are often infested. Some moths do fly into
buildings during summer months through open doors or windows, but most
"hitchhike" inside packaged goods and groceries. Not only homes, but
restaurants, grocery stores, warehouses, pet stores and stores that sell wild
bird feed or dried flowers can become infested. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to Avoid Moths <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be certain, you want to avoid
having a moth infestation. Avoiding this problem is easy, inexpensive and
effective, and boils down to one word: PREVENTION. That's right, taking steps
now to prevent a problem in the first place will save you a lot of time, money
and grief. It is MUCH more difficult to get rid of an infestation than
preventing one in the first place. Prevention starts with education, and
anticipation that a future problem could occur. By taking a few simple
preventive measures, you are unlikely to experience an infestation of moths.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kitchens and pantries:</b> Keep stores
foods such as cereal, grains, nuts, cornmeal and pasta in sealed containers.
Even in sealed containers these products can become infested because Indian
Meal Moth eggs may have been present in the product at the time it was
purchased. Containers and packages of stored food should be inspected
periodically, at least every month or so. Any food that appears to have signs
of webbing should be discarded immediately. Purchase foods that are seldom used
in small quantities to prevent long storage periods of a month or more.
Susceptible material stored for six months or more, especially during hot
summer months, has the possibility of developing into serious infestations.
Highly susceptible foods, such as spices, can be kept in the refrigerator, and
other foods in the freezer. Always use older packages first, and inspect
frequently to avoid any spillage, which might attract insects.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pet food and birdseed</b> should also be
stored in airtight containers and regularly inspected for signs of moth
infestation. Discard any product that shows signs of infestation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moth Detective <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thoroughly inspect wild bird feed
and pet food at the time of purchase. Some food becomes matted with silken
webbing. The larval stage is the feeding or "pest stage." In stored
grains, feeding is done at the surface. In bulky materials, stored in boxes,
feeding may be done from the bottom of the box. When ready to pupate, mature
larvae leave their spun, tunnel-like case of frass and silk, then spin a silken
cocoon. You should also be looking for fecal matter, which may appear to be
gritty particles of dust that is often the same color as the infested product.
To inspect bulky materials such as dried flowers, gently life the flowers out
of the storage or shipping box and carefully inspect the debris in the bottom
of the box. Under the bright light, it is helpful to use a small magnifying
glass to do a thorough inspection; you should also be looking for live adult
moths and their larvae. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pheromone Traps</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIL4ycICVCi93lcS2Hj7Buj1cgQg7WuYKKA8zsZzfWPUXjasJpuFDREoS0S6WfZrgWFuhbSlGY7OsepmZkz-3N3G6vpMTHsci7ezMFAe33RgUIYfj8uvRQ7yCcrRPWtUiRghnSXLRtJuc/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIL4ycICVCi93lcS2Hj7Buj1cgQg7WuYKKA8zsZzfWPUXjasJpuFDREoS0S6WfZrgWFuhbSlGY7OsepmZkz-3N3G6vpMTHsci7ezMFAe33RgUIYfj8uvRQ7yCcrRPWtUiRghnSXLRtJuc/s1600/Picture+2.png" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another very important preventive
measure is the use of pheromone traps. Pheromone traps are used for inspection,
monitoring, and pinpointing infestations of adult Indian Meal moths. Insects
use pheromones to communicate with each other, and are natural compounds
created in the insect body. Many have been isolated in the laboratory and are
now used to lure insects into sticky traps. Adult moths live only five to seven
days with their major function to reproduce. Male moths are attracted to a
pheromone scent (sex-attractant). Traps can be located indoors next to the
ceiling, behind shelves, etc. to capture moths on a sticky surface. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clothing Moths <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Non-toxic, odorless trap that
attracts and captures Clothing Moths. Traps use a special Clothing Moth
Pheromone that will draw male moths into the sticky inner trapping surface.
Each package contains two Clothing Moth traps and lasts for two months. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foggers <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Foggers automatically
"release' all of their contents at once, creating a dense fog of
insecticide that fills the air and settles on virtually everything that is
exposed to. They are best used for instant knock down of moths as well as
cockroaches, fleas and many other insects. A complete selection of foggers are
available to provide instant knock-down of moths. Foggers are effective for many
situations. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to Identify Moths <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Indian Meal moths have four
life stages: egg, larva, pupae and adult. Eggs are ovoid, .5 millimeters in
diameter and whitish, or yellowish-white. Pupae are contained within silken
cocoons. Newly formed pupae are yellowish-brown. Moths are 5 to 10 millimeters
in length with a wingspread of 16 millimeters. Upon emergence, moths are very
colorful (head and thorax are reddish-brown; abdomen grayish-brown; front
one-third of fore wings is silvery-white or gray).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life Cycle<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indian Meal moths are sexually
mature and capable of mating immediately after they emerge from pupae. Female
moths live up to 2 weeks and are capable of depositing up to 400 eggs each.
Eggs are deposited singly or in clumps on or near potential food sources. Newly
emerged larvae begin feeding immediately. There are 5 to 7 larval stages.
Mature larvae either pupate where they are feeding or wander about before
selecting a hidden or protected site (crack or crevice) in which to prepare
silken cocoons within which they pupate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Under indoor
conditions, where temperatures are "comfortable,” Indian Meal moths are
capable of continual development. With ideal temperatures and relative humidity
(86 degrees F and 60 percent, respectively), development from egg to adult
requires 3 to 4 weeks. In indoor situations, 7 and 8 generations per year have
been reported by various authors. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to Get Rid of Moths <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be sure to read and follow all instructions on the label of all
pesticides. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you see moths flying around
inside your home or business and you think you may have an infestation, you
should take immediate steps to get rid of the moths. First, find the source of
the problem. Locate the food source where moth larevae is presently feeding. In
home kitchens and pantries, carefully examine all packaged food items mentioned
earlier, both opened and unopened. Often unopened food contains moth eggs at
the time of purchase. Inspect all cracks and crevices in pantry cabinets and
shelves, including the shelf bracket holes drilled inside of wood cabinets.
Often the larvae will seek out those kinds of places to pupate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discard any and
all foods where signs of moths or larvae are present. Remove all items from the
cabinet or pantry. Vacuum the surfaces of shelves, walls and floors. Pay
special attention to cracks and crevices, no matter how large or small.
Thoroughly wash all containers that will be reused. Place pheromone traps in pantry,
and throughout house. The traps will help you locate additional infestations.
The same steps should be used for areas where pet food or wild birdseeds are
stored. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place "Insect Guard"
pest strips where appropriate. Pest strips emit a vapor that will kill adult
moths and their larvae. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is a Pest Strip?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An Insect Guard pest strip is an
insecticide impregnated plastic strip, housed in a white plastic cage. It is
not a sticky type trap. An Insect Guard pest strip is an insecticide. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do Pest Strips Have a Strong Odor?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no strong chemical odor
associated with pest strips. They do have a slight sweet smell if you are very
close to them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are Pest Strips Messy or Hard to Use?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insect Guard strips are not messy
and they are very easy to use. Just remove the strip from its foil wrapping and
hang the strip where you want to kill and eliminate moths, flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches
or silverfish. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do Pest Strips Really Work?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes. Insect Guard pest strips
kill adult moths and their larvae. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where Can Insect Guard Strips be Used?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Closets, wardrobes, and storage
spaces. Insect Guard pest strips also protect clothes from moths and leave no
smell. Garbage cans and dumpsters to control flies. Animal buildings--controls
flies, mosquitoes, and gnats in horse barns and dog kennels. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How Long Do Pest Strips Last?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once an Insect Guard strip is
removed from its foil wrapping it will continue to be effec-tive for at least 4
months, and if unopened, will retain effectiveness for several years.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-38401991312437585742012-04-30T17:04:00.000-07:002012-04-30T17:04:30.922-07:00Pest Problems and Fiber Storage<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An excerpt from <u>“The<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Spinner's Companion"</u> by Bobbie Irwin</span></i></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mildew<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warmth and humidity promote
mildew (fungus)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mildew primarily affects
cellulose fibers, especially cotton; some fibers are only susceptible when
damp.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mildew is rarely a problem with
protein fibers unless they are stored damp.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bacteria</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bacteria primarily affect cotton
and can affect fiber subjected to prolonged dampness.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silk is relatively bacteria
resistant, but can rot if subjected to prolonged dampness.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insects - Incidental Damage</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clothes moth larvae will eat
through cellulose and synthetic fibers to get to the protein fiber they want to
consume.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insects may feed on the finishes
of some fabrics or yarn, especially sizing (starch).</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insects - Direct Damage</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crickets, silverfish, roaches,
and termites may chew fabrics or fibers, but not as a primary food source; some
are attracted to starch.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silverfish and firebrats look
similar, but firebrats are speckled and have longer appendages. Both prefer
dark places. Silverfish prefer warmth and dampness, and firebrats seek heat.
Immature silverfish and firebrats resemble the adults, only smaller.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clothes moths (family Tineidae)
are small (1/2 inch) and tan. Adult moths do not eat fiber; only larvae eat
fiber. Females are relatively sedentary; most of the moths you see flying
around are males. Cloth moths are not attracted to light.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A female moth lays 100-200 eggs
at a time; eggs laid directly on fiber, yarn or fabric are tiny, pearly ovals
that hatch within one to three weeks.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clothes moth larvae seek the
protein keratin found in animal fibers (wool, hair) as well as leather, skin,
horn and feathers. They may stay in the larvae state for six weeks to almost
three years (warm, humid weather promotes their development).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The larvae are very small,
off-white naked caterpillars with dark heads that eat holes in animal fibers,
yarn, and fabric. They will eat the protein fiber in a blend.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carpet beetles (genus Anthbrenus
and others) are small (less than 1/2 inch), hard-shelled beetles, mottled or
black. Females lay eggs in dark, dusty places, including carpets and crevices
of upholstered furniture. Adults do not normally damage fiber or fabric.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carpet beetle larvae are broad,
small (1/4 inch) bristly, and stay in the larval state up to several years.
They eat protein fiber, including silk.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moths and carpet beetles prefer
darkness, dirt, and cramped conditions.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Detecting Insect Infestations</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if insects are not present,
you can tell if they've been in your fiber or yarn.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you see adult insects, inspect
your fiber/yarn/fabric for damage.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insects chew holes in fabric and
cut through yarn or fiber.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small, scattered holes are
typical of moth damage.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carpet beetles leave large holes.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cloths moths leave behind a mass
of cobweb-like threads or silky tubes, mixed with fecal debris. Carpet beetles
do not leave debris.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be alert for egg clusters.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inspect fiber, yarn, and fabric
frequently. Untwist yarns skeins periodically.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you find damaged fiber or
active infestation, destroy all pests and eggs, and sort the rest of the fiber.
Unaffected areas may still be used, but it's a good idea to freeze or wash the
good fiber even if it has been washed before.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remedies</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chemical Controls<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mothballs and crystals containing
paradichlorobenzene (PDB) or naphthalene evaporate to form fumes that kill
larval and adult insects and may also repel them. They are effective only in
closed areas where the vapors can't dissipate, and they are toxic to humans.
PDB is probably carcinogenic.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chemicals such as Eulan*,
Edolan*, and Mitin*, designed for industrial use, make fibers permanently
unpalatable to insect larvae. They are not safe for home application.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dry cleaning solvents kill
insects but are too toxic for home use.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most home and garden insecticides
that kill insects are not recommended for use on fiber or fabric.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boric acid (2-4%) combined with
imidazole (1%) provides moth protection that persists through dry cleaning but
not washing. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Natural Controls<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Physical Methods</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Submersing fiber, yarn, or fabric
completely under water for at least 12 hours will kill larvae and eggs.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freezing fiber, yarn, or fabric
for several days at OF/ -17.7C kills larvae, eggs and adults.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat above 106F/ 41C for four
hours kills moth eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. Excessive heat may damage
fiber (e.g. prolonged exposure of fiber to sunlight while it's sealed in a
plastic bag is not recommended.)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiber-damaging insects dislike
light and may leave the fiber source if exposed to strong sunlight and air for
a few hours. Prolonged exposure to sunlight damages fiber.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flypaper and other sticky traps
are effective. Soak cotton balls in fish oil and attach them to the flypaper to
help attract insects.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Layer fiber between sheets of
printed newspaper or brown (Kraft) paper. Newspaper ink may have some repellent
effect (although the new soy-based inks are said to be less effective), and
brown paper is a physical barrier that the larvae won't eat. Acids from the
paper will eventually damage fiber, however.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Biological Controls<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
(BT) attacks moth larvae of all types and may be effective against clothes
moths. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Herbal Controls<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insecticides<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Natural' does not always mean
`safe'- some plants and plant extracts, such as concentrated nicotine, kill
insects, but are also very toxic to humans and are unsafe for home use.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Effective herbal insecticides
which are relatively safe include Rotenone and Pyrethrin.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insecticidal soaps are safe, but
their effectiveness on clothes moth or beetle larvae have not been reported.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Repellents</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some strong-smelling herbs may
mask the sulfur scent that attracts moths and beetles to fiber food sources.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be handled with care; many
will kill insects as well as repel them. Soaps scented with herbs make
effective sachets. Dried plant material from the following sources, alone or
combined, may deter pests, especially in confined areas where the vapors are
concentrated: Balsam Fir, Bay, Camphor Basil, Cedar, Cinnamon, Cloves, Geranium
(scented), Lavender, Wormwood, Painted Daisy (Prethrum), Pennyroyal, Rosemary,
Southernwood, Sweet Marjoram, Sweet Woodruff, Tansy, Tarragon.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raw plant material including wood
(such as cedar) releases acids that can hasten the deterioration of fiber and
fabric; avoid direct contact and prolonged exposure.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not all strong-smelling plants
repel insects; clothes moths are attracted to some of them. The following are
not considered effective: Allspice, Angelica Root, Black Pepper, Cayenne
Pepper, Ginger, Hellebore, Horseradish, Eucalyptus, Red Cedar Leaves.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citronella and camphor are effective
repellents derived from plant sources. Camphor is poisonous, but less so than
chemical mothballs.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prevention</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carefully examine all new fiber
for evidence of insect infestation; destroy affected fiber. Keds (sheep ticks)
that are obviously dead will not harm your fiber, but since some ticks spread
disease, don't handle them with your bare hands.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skirt fleeces well and discard
dirty, matted areas that won't wash clean.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clean fleeces and textiles
thoroughly before storing them.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spin fresh fiber whenever
possible and avoid keeping fiber over long time periods.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoid compressing fiber.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inspect fiber periodically and
allow it to air in the sunshine.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vacuum crevices, carpets, and
upholstery regularly.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check the underside of rugs and
the back side of wall textiles.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Storage</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clean fiber, yarn, and textiles
thoroughly before storage.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiber, yarn, and textiles must be
completely dry before storage. Wool may feel dry even though it holds some
moisture, so don't store it for several days after you wash it. In a humid
climate it will absorb some moisture from the atmosphere, but that is probably
safe.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ideal storage temperature is 65-
68F, relative humidity 45-50%.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoid direct contact with
unfinished wood.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place insect repellent in cloth
bags, out of direct contact with fiber, yarn, or textiles.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoid contact with polyvinyl chloride
plastic (PVC), use inert plastics labeled acid-free or "archival".
Safe containers include those made of polyethylene, polyester, and
polypropylene.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paper or cardboard in long-term
contact with fiber, yarn, or textiles must be acid free.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoid compressing fiber; allow it
to breath.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Store protein fibers in indirect,
low light to discourage insects.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Store cellulose fibers in dark
places to protect from sunlight.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use sealed bags and containers to
create a barrier to insects and make repellents more effective. Plastic storage
boxes are good, especially in regions with low humidity.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clean fiber, yarn, and textiles
that are hung in airy, open spaces rarely attract insects.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air fiber, yarn, and fabrics and
check for pests every few months.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This article is an excerpt from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Spinners Companion</i>, by Bobbie Irwin,
a quick reference guide designed for both beginners and experienced spinners.
For more information on Bobbies work, you can contact her at <a href="mailto:irwin@rmi.net">irwin@rmi.net</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Editor's note: I found this article in the Camelid Quarterly,
September 2005)</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-65467084003378453632012-04-30T16:23:00.000-07:002012-04-30T16:23:48.545-07:00Safe Fiber Storage<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bugs! Everywhere! If you have
lots of fleece hanging around, eventually the moths will find it... and then
invade. I found moth casings in Martin's closet, upstairs where I do not have
any fleece. Others have found the evidence in their favorite wool sweaters and
suits. How did they get there, and where do they come from? I don't have a
clue! But if there is fleece, they will come.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last issue, we
discussed preventatives for moths. Remember: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Clean, Bright, Air</u></b>.
Store clean fleeces in a bright area and with air movement. If you don't
have an area like that, periodically, pull out the fleece, check for bugs, and
leave in the light. So now, you start working with that favorite fleece that
you have been saving, and you either see a flitter of white out of the corner
of your eye, or you discover that your fleece dissolves in your hand. If you
look closely, there may be tiny tunnels through the fiber, and grit falling
out. I rarely see moths, but often see the little white casings (pupa stage),
about ¼ inch. If they are flat, the critter is gone. If they are round, you can
squeeze the critter inside. It sounds "gross," but after your
favorite fleece is ruined, it's not so bad! If the casings are empty, there are
probably eggs still in the fleece.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what do you
do? I always heard freezing works well. Leave the fleece outside in the cold,
or throw it in the freezer. But... as reported by Susie Smithers in Wooly notes
(reprinted from ORVLA Topline), "A controlled experiment was completed by
Judith Mackenzie. Judith had access to chemists and entomologists as part of
her research on textiles for the Canadian government. She had commented that
the temperature needed (-30 degrees Celsius or -40 degrees Fahrenheit) is
beyond the scope of home freezers. 'Freezing in a home freezer will kill the
larvae -(but) the eggs are the problem. Freezing increases the percentage of
eggs that will hatch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If freezing
doesn't work, then let’s use heat. Bringing the fiber to a boiling and simmer.
This will kill all stages. Boiling isn't the best for the fiber, but it is a
way to save it. Another heat method is to take the fleece, put it in a black
sealed bag, and let the sun bake it. Once again, the fleece needs to be heated
up in order to kill the bugs and eggs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A chemical
method is No Pest Strips. These are found in hardware stores and home centers.
If these are added to a sealed bag for 10-14 days, they will kill all stages.
For those of us that have moths, you will often find a pot boiling away on our
wood stoves, full of yarn or fleece. We are also making an effort to go through
the fleeces, and get them clean, then storing them with the no pest strips.
Having moths invade is a disaster, but it also makes you take care of your
fiber and products. So think about your fleece, and as stated in the last
newsletter, USE IT OR LOSE IT!</span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-64078296713263671242012-04-29T17:37:00.000-07:002012-04-29T17:37:56.294-07:00Charge To All Northeast Llama Packers et al!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
By Viv Fulton<br />Reprinted from The GALA
Newsletter, February 2010</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
"Falling for Camelids"
was the theme of the November 2009 GALA Conference. Held in Ithaca, New York,
it was the annual conference fulfilling the Greater Appalachian Llama &
Alpaca Association bylaw's directive to educate members of the public. Charlie
Hackbarth of Mt. Sopris Llamas (now Sopris Unlimited) in La Vela, CO was the
keynote speaker sharing his views on where the llama industry has been and
where he felt it was heading. This being Charlie's first ever keynote address,
we were all just as excited as he was to hear what he had to say. We were not
disappointed. Sure, it wasn't the smoothest talk or the most organized we'd
ever heard (in spite of his wife Sandy's best efforts), but you couldn't deny
the intensity and sheer joy that Charlie has when talking about llamas, llama
packing, and for that matter, the whole entire camelid industry. Charlie's
focus was really a wake-up call to everyone, and not just llama packers in the
Northeast. In essence, the Nike® commercials shout it too -- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just
get out and do it!<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
The whole point
of having llamas and alpacas is to enjoy them. It doesn't matter if you're
going packing, or going to shows, or going for a picnic with the neighborhood
brownie troop. We got them to be with them, to just sit in a chair with our
coffee by the campfire listening to them peacefully chew their cud and watch
the sun go down. So many people get their first two llamas and do all this, add
multiple babies, and suddenly wake up to realize they better hurry up and turn
this into a business, as it's costing them money, they haven't sold anything,
and they have no time to enjoy them as they had when they got their first. Life
takes its toll and the next thing you hear is that there's another bunch going
through the local cattle auction, the rescue organizations are getting calls
about the animals that owners didn't have time for, and those beautiful bedroom
eyes are no longer soft and stress-free.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
GALA is made up
of not just llama owners, but alpaca owners as well. Charlie's even made
scaled-to-size pack systems that are perfect for lunch hikes for these smaller
llama cousins. His keynote address, and his and other’s workshop sessions, were
purposely targeted to both critters. And so too is the message: we ALL must get
out and DO something with our camelids. To not means we will lose wonderful
opportunities to connect to something that can only benefit our mental and
spiritual outlook on life. As we wind down the calendar year, take the winter
months to rejuvenate, and prepare for the next packing season / spring renewal
/ decade, we should take Charlie's advice and include llamas and alpacas in our
plans. Those plans (and subsequently "we") can only be better with
their involvement. And this involvement, this connection and joy of ownership,
is what Charlie was saying will keep the llama industry strong. It's not the
big breeders catering to individuals that expands the industry. It's all of us
talking to others in the grocery line, at a parade, at the barbershop or beauty
salon, showing by example, our joy in living with those animals that will
expand and grow the llama industry. We need to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just get out and do it!<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
The GALA
conference this year was relatively small -- over 125 but less than the 200+
we've seen in other years. However, it WAS one of the smoothest run, more
intimate, certainly friendlier, and generally more relaxing than many others
I've attended and that's not just my opinion, but a whole lot of other folks'
who were there. I was pleased to give a couple talks at this conference, as
well, and had the opportunity to speak with many of the attendees. And I was
pleasantly surprised to see not only long-time llama owners in the audience,
but to see and speak with many who had never swerved from their stay-at-home
"business plan" of breeding llamas to sell or from their show
schedule, to now hear they were interested in trying llama packing or some
other activity with their llamas. Could Charlie's message have really gotten to
them? Only time will tell of course. Sadly here in the Northeast, the
llama-packing season tends to go dormant as the snow, bitter cold, and adverse
weather conditions tend to discourage participation. Will these folks remember
their renewed sense of anticipation when the spring weather returns? I
certainly hope so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
As the country
continues to market real estate in the rural areas to those in the cities,
there are fewer and fewer areas open to llama packing, or for that matter, open
to hiking with any large animal. Unless the llama hiker has purchased enough
property himself to set up interesting trails, or adjoins a like-minded
neighbor, those who want to hike with their animals are forced to either travel
long distances or to give up the idea entirely. Many llama owners who purchased
the animals initially as hiking companions, changed their direction to the show
circuit and substituted the performance classes for the natural world. Now, the
economy, the subsequent drop in the number of llama shows and other events, and
the realization that camelids are not really a get-rich-quick road to financial
security, has made many people reassess their reason for having the critters in
the first place. Will Charlie's message of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just get out and do it!</i></b> find a
resonance with these people? Will those that bought the animals as hiking
companions want to resume that intent? Are they even capable? Some of us still
have our first llamas, but they, like us, are getting older too. The last few
GALA conferences have had questions about arthritis; the first conferences did
not. Is hiking with llamas (and alpacas) still an adequate or viable reason to
have them? Can the walk around a farmette's five acres (as the realtors call
them) provide enough justifiable joy?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
This short
commentary is intended for both the GALA and PLTA (National Pack Llama Trial
Association, Inc.) newsletters, so my audience automatically includes both the
"choir members" and the 'congregation." To those of you who don't
know about PLTA, let me tell you a little of how that organization can help you
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just
get out and do it!</i></b> with your camelid friends. The PLTA started out as
an organization whose primary intent was to set up and document participation
in events called pack trials that were tests of a member's llama's packing
abilities. Starting in the West, the organizers looked at the typical llama
packers out there to see what attributes needed measuring. The trials utilized
pre-determined elevation gain, distance, weight to be carried, and a series of
obstacles that could be standardized, theoretically at least, across the
country. This was all fine for a number of years; if you didn't have the
elevation gain in your part of the country and still wanted to evaluate your
llama, you traveled the extra distance to where there was a trial with the
requirements.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
But times have
changed, and so, too, has the PLTA. The organization is no longer made up of
just "serious" llama packers, but others who want to hike with their
llamas. PLTA has recognized that its membership needs to be made up of everyone
who hikes with a llama, whether or not they do it over a mountain range or on
the flat area around a lake or along the seashore. The organization is national
in scope; so too must their membership be, and subsequently, the services
provided to that membership. We need to address the feasibility of running pack
trials in areas with minimal or severe elevation gain, with no water obstacles
available, or other conditions not typically found across the country, but that
are "typical" of a given region. Some adjustments have been made in
the regulations; others need individual study.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
And what about
those that just want to hike with their llamas without the testing regulations
of the formal pack trials? Well, PLTA has addressed that with their new Mileage
Club. This new service was spurred on by the Southern States Llama Association
who, in turn, were interested in setting up a camelid hiking club similar to
the American Volkssport Association® walking clubs. Basically the Mileage Club
recognizes the mileage that a member hikes with their llama, irrespective of
elevation gain, weight carried, or obstacles negotiated. Here's a justifiable
excuse to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just get out and do it!</i></b> It's a great opportunity for those
handlers and llamas who may not be the most physically fit, whether due to age
or health conditions, and for those on the other end of the spectrum -- the
younger and beginners. PLTA provides pins, certificates, and recognizes the
successful completion of Pack Trial accomplishments. They do so also for
Mileage Club achievements. Go to the website <a href="http://www.packllama.org/">www.packllama.org</a>
for more information. And Charlie's message? Let it be your new mantra for the
new year. It's not just a charge to the GALA community in the Northeast. But
bring back the enjoyment and just plain fun reason for having your llamas,
regardless of where you live. And if hiking with them is at least some part of
that, then all the better. As Charlie would say -- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just gel out and do it!</i></b></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-51702374083488135002012-04-29T17:15:00.000-07:002012-04-29T17:15:45.273-07:00Interview with Nancy Kish, Agape Hill Farm, Hardwick, VT<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Karen Nicholson</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nancy, tell me about your farm – what animals do you have?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYUCyFblp0Atp0QFjF1JpNSuWaSyEAGoTXYInoaq6uxr4DnXblv-MyEn8gNk0jBCBxa0zyDk3V3PR2cw0TluIbW0j2dM71gmXaynVDlpb4nbt7MuRJZP88YjgfYrD6ZW5wSQEclA1k64/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYUCyFblp0Atp0QFjF1JpNSuWaSyEAGoTXYInoaq6uxr4DnXblv-MyEn8gNk0jBCBxa0zyDk3V3PR2cw0TluIbW0j2dM71gmXaynVDlpb4nbt7MuRJZP88YjgfYrD6ZW5wSQEclA1k64/s320/Picture+11.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While our primary animals are
llamas (we currently have 20), we also have 7 Angora rabbits, 3 Icelandic and 1
Dorset sheep, 2 Angora and 2 Pygora goats, 3 horses, 2 cows, chickens, turkeys,
pigs—and 3 dogs and 2 cats (and one fish!).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A successful business has a niche, what sets your farm and herd apart
from others in the industry? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We run an interactive farm. Our
primary focus is not on breeding or showing or even fiber. Our farm motto is
"An Adventure for Everyone." We want to be a place where people can
come and try something new. Visitors to the area can schedule a farm tour or
llama walk on our trails. Several young adults with autism come regularly for
llama walking. School children visit for field trips and also for behavioral
interventions. We have an afterschool llama club where children work with their
"own" llama, learn fiber art and other farm activities. We also do
off-site visits such as to a local nursing home and libraries. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is your greatest achievement or favorite memory since you started
raising camelids? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It would have to be seeing
individuals relax and grow while working with the llamas. One of our weekly
walkers has an issue with keeping his hands tightly closed. He has learned over
the past year to feed his llama which entails holding his hand open flat—and he
loves it! We have also seen a young girl in the llama club who cried the first
time she walked a llama. She has grown in confidence to the point where she has
begun training one of the yearlings to go on trail walks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What advice would you give to those just getting started with camelids?
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find what you love to do with
your animals, get good at it, then find a way to make that a business. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where do you see your farm and camelid business going over the next 5
to 10 years? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We would like to add a workshop
room and farm store in the barn. Other than that, we would just be expanding
the trail walks and workshops. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What has been your biggest lesson learned? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take one step at a time and don't
try to learn everything all at once. It can be very overwhelming when you feel
like you need to learn to care for animals, train, shear, card, spin etc. all
at once. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you see the industry developing in today's economy? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Local and natural products and
services are in high demand—especially in our area. We need to capitalize on
that! Look for new applications for fiber art (i.e. someone recently asked me
if I could make a laptop cover for them!). Offer a local, reasonably priced
activity like a farm tour or workshop. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you like best about your llamas? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love their intuition and
ability to connect. They just seem to know what a person needs. I'm amazed at
how differently a llama can act in different settings and with different
people. A llama who never seems to stand still will be like a statue when someone
who is tentative is petting them. The most dramatic example I have of this
comes from a recent nursing home visit. There was a lady who was unable to
communicate or reach out at all. I went over to speak to her and hold her
tightly fisted hand. As I approached, Whoopie Pie (my llama) walked up and
gently "kissed" her forehead (llama style). He is not a
"kissy" llama and hasn't responded that way to anyone else. I lifted
her hand so she could touch him and she smiled. When I went back to the nursing
home 2 weeks later, I looked for the woman again and was told she had passed
away shortly after my last visit. I was so thankful that we had spent the time
with her and that Whoopie somehow "knew" what was needed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This interview was conducted by Karen Nicholson of Stepping Stone Farm
Alpacas in Stowe, Vermont. Her family has a small, integrated farm raising
broiler chickens and laying hens for food and pasture fertilization; Indian
Runner ducks for Meningeal worm control; 2 French Alpine dairy goats for milk
and brush clearing; and a herd of 8 colorful alpacas for fiber and their
offspring for sale. Karen writes for VLAA, NEAOBA and other livestock
publications. If you have comments about this interview contact: <a href="mailto:Karen@stowealpacas.com">Karen@stowealpacas.com</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-85648932416081552612012-04-29T17:04:00.000-07:002012-04-29T17:04:01.448-07:00Winter Fun With Llamas<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Bev Henry</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The packing season is over and
the high country is buried under several feet of snow. This is no reason for
your llamas to get fat and lazy. The winter months provide a welcome rest for
hard working commercial strings of llamas. Most of us, however, do not have the
opportunity to work our llamas all that much, and the critters welcome a little
exercise to break the monotony of winter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crisp blue and
silver days, with bright sunshine and fresh powder snow, provide a perfect
opportunity for a little fun. Llamas seem to enjoy frolicking in the snow as
much as we humans do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we lived in
northern BC, winter occupied about eight months of the year, so we learned to
make the most of it. Our home, on the shores of a small lake, was across the
water from about fifty miles of little-used wilderness trails. These trails had
been constructed by the local ski and snowmobile clubs years before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any time after
Christmas, the ice was safe to walk on; we always waited until the first
snowmobiles had crossed. On sunny weekends we'd fix a lunch, take a few llamas
and bike across the ice and up the mountain trails. Packed snowmobile trails
were perfect for winter hiking. The llamas seemed to have good traction with
their flexible footpads and sharp toenails for gripping.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We often turned
the llamas loose for a little fun. The trails were a welcome change for them,
as we had limited space at home for our first few geldings. Once we had crossed
the ice, we would turn the llamas loose. It was a very safe area with no roads
nearby, and we rarely met other trail users.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The boys loved
to go blasting off at a gallop, exploring the route ahead and then racing back
to see what was taking us so long. I often thought they were like a bunch of
kids let out of school for Christmas holidays.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One bright and
sunny New Year's day we were heading up the mountain and had turned the
youngster, Rowdy, loose to burn off some energy. He was somewhere ahead of us.
We heard a snowmobile approaching and hoped Rowdy had enough sense to get off
to the side. The snow was deep and trails were narrow, wooded, and uneven, so
snowmobiles never traveled very fast. We came around a bend to see a young man
on his machine at a dead halt, face to face with Rowdy, who wasn't about to
yield an inch. The look of stunned disbelief on the man's face was priceless.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was expecting
moose, he said. For a few brief seconds, he had feared he was still suffering
the aftereffects of wild partying the night before. We all had a good chuckle,
shoveled out a passing lane, and continued on our way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another favorite
winter pastime for the llamas and us is sledding. My carting team took to this
like ducks to water. A child's sturdy molded plastic sled, a few lengths of
plastic conduit pipe, a few fittings, and Voila! A llama open sleigh. Often
we'd have a lineup of neighborhood kids waiting for a turn when we hitched up a
llama and sleigh. It was a great way to meet the neighbors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So don't let
winter slow you down. Put on your thinking cap, look in the garage at the kids'
old winter toys -- maybe something could be put to use. Or get out the
packsaddles and panniers, the camp stove, hot chocolate and cookies. Dig out
your winter long johns and hit the trails for a day of adventure. Even
overnight camping trips can be a delight with proper winter equipment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hushed
silence of the woods after a fresh snow; the startling rifle crack of freezing
pitch pockets in the tall sentinel pines; the sudden flurry of a grouse
exploding out of the powder snow -- wonderful ways to refresh your spirit after
a hard week at work. The sparkling rainbow prism of hoarfrost on wild rose
hips, mysterious tracks through the bush and the llamas' quivering noses and
ears thrust keenly forward at every bend in the trail all add a little spice to
those long dreary winter months. There's a whole new season out there just waiting
for you and your llamas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmmm… just think
what fun you could have with a two rope and skis...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bev Henry has been involved with pack llamas since 1997 and is now
breeding athletic pack stock along with husband Barry in Barrier, British
Columbia, Canada. Bev and Barry are focusing on preserving the old style Ccara
llamas. Bev comes from a background of a lifetime training and riding
performance horses, is an amateur outdoor photographer, and an artist who
interprets her images in pencil and watercolor.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-21298788769763673382012-04-29T16:51:00.000-07:002012-04-29T16:51:48.949-07:00Let Me Count the Ways<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Julie Sines</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSHPrM8HoFhoVAM4bNfK1c2yghnAHp5fU_5fyPR14TqddVaf2h7MbX2i1jV5Ko_JpzPpA2ICcLhstghl6bNeHalI7-64CcdFqJJLpHPZlopthMxFULqaicpEWhKgI3JGdRDOim3ThKFw/s1600/Picture+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSHPrM8HoFhoVAM4bNfK1c2yghnAHp5fU_5fyPR14TqddVaf2h7MbX2i1jV5Ko_JpzPpA2ICcLhstghl6bNeHalI7-64CcdFqJJLpHPZlopthMxFULqaicpEWhKgI3JGdRDOim3ThKFw/s1600/Picture+9.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a day and age where gas and
groceries, not to mention hay and grain, are high priced, why would anyone want
llamas? Have any of you experienced that question from people who know you
lately? I have. It stops and makes you really think about why you do have them
and why you put your extra hard-earned cash towards them. When asked the
question of why llamas are so important in my life, I say, "Let me count
the ways of why I love them...“ See if any of these ways ring true in your life
too:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Their eyes</i></b> - I'm not sure
there is any species on the earth that has the eyes and eyelashes of a llama.
When you gaze into them it is like looking into their inner souls. After a hard
day at work, I love nothing better than to catch one of my minis and look her
right in the eyes. The gentleness and calmness in them just soothes all the
aches in my shoulder and makes my world right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Their Hums</i></b> - Standing
among my girls during feeding time and listening to them communicating to each
other is a real treat. I think because they are so silent most of the time, it
makes me really stop and listen to them and take heart. It's just another way
my minis speak to my soul. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKrlyzBHvHHlKJXFCipbpJArloF6VzcYM_Mgk9U0N_ZAsz4POzT0JELEOhvhUAQsV4XtT5ALDVbQsLejFVfgrlOISZmx3fuIIaJUEiOQ_9zBbfdmn_qTf5e4g5p2-e6FK4OS3hYDC0NI/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKrlyzBHvHHlKJXFCipbpJArloF6VzcYM_Mgk9U0N_ZAsz4POzT0JELEOhvhUAQsV4XtT5ALDVbQsLejFVfgrlOISZmx3fuIIaJUEiOQ_9zBbfdmn_qTf5e4g5p2-e6FK4OS3hYDC0NI/s1600/Picture+10.png" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Their Fiber</i></b> - There is
nothing like giving a hug to a walking sweater. I especially enjoy this in the
dead of winter when it is so cold out. Nothing makes my heart warmer than a
huge hug from one of my heavy-wooled minis. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Their Friendship</i></b> - Can
anything be more special than a majestic creature coming into our space to say
hi? Or how about that llama that you bought who was standoffish and suddenly
one day he decided to trust you? Even if nothing in your life is going right,
that one gesture of trust can make your day seem a little bit brighter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Their Presence</i></b> - Llamas
are not arrogant, but have a confidence in life. Whether they are walking in
their pasture or into a show ring, they seem to know there is something special
about them and they need to be noticed. It is one of my very favorite
attributes about my minis. I call it their "star quality."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope my list rings true in your
own experience with llamas. Each and every one of us that owns llamas will all
have that "something special" we love about them the most. If the
poor economy has you feeling down and you start to wonder why you are feeding
the hungry mouths out in your pasture, just go out and stand among your llamas.
They'll have you counting the ways you love them!</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-55824508740811800642012-04-29T16:37:00.000-07:002012-04-29T16:37:17.613-07:00Camelid Stories<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Karen Nicholson, Stepping
Stone Farm Alpacas, Stowe, VT</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eric Hoffman, in his book, <u>The
Complete Alpaca Book</u>, writes: "Understanding how alpacas communicate
is both entertaining and an extremely valuable management tool. After 6000 years
of domestication, alpaca behavior has been modified by human management and
breeding, but communication among alpacas is still rooted in their ancestral
past. A look at behavioral research gives us insight into the amazingly broad
repertoire of communication alpacas have inherited." (2nd edition, pg. 33)
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are a few
stories where llamas and alpacas exhibited interesting communication and
behavior: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beyond Survival Instinct <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brad Kessler in his book, <u>Goat
Song</u>, tells an amazing survival story of a ram and his protector, a llama,
living in the wilds of Vermont.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A neighboring
farm had a dozen or so sheep and a guard llama. The owner's interest in the
animals was to trim their fields. For fencing, they had a few strands of rusted
barbed wire. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The llama did
his job well until one summer a pack of coyotes began to take the sheep one by
one. By September, all that was left was a ewe, a ram and the llama. The llama
had a haggard look. The ram never left his side. The ewe was doomed with fear.
Sure enough by frost, only the llama and ram were left. Then one day — gone. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hunting season
came and went, winter, and early spring passed. One day, late spring, the llama
and ram were spotted nearby. The owners of the animals were contacted, the
llama and ram caught, and put tight in a barn. Somehow they still managed to
escape twice until finally, the barn was so secure that they no longer could. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reproductive Instinct <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day I put one of our breeding
male alpacas in the pasture with two females (with crias at their sides) that
needed to be bred. This has and continues to be our preferred method of
breeding. In that pasture there was also a maiden female gestating at 11 ½
months.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sire went
over, sniffed the manure pile to see who was receptive, and then went to check
the females against his findings at the pile. Then, he began chasing one of the
females. I left the pasture to go do other chores and would check back to see
if any breeding was taking place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minutes later,
my son came running to tell me that the sire was breeding the very pregnant
female! My son explained that he saw this female approach the sire and cush. He
then mounted her. Concerned for her well-being and the unborn cria's, I ran to
get a halter to get him off of her! I put him back in his pasture and then
examined the pregnant female. She remained cushed, like a receptive female
would. I inspected her vulva and observed her for a while. All signs were that
she was fine — ears forward and an overall relaxed body posture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I took the
opportunity to do fence clipping so I could keep an eye on her. About an hour
later I saw a pair of feet dangling out. She had an easy delivery; a vigorous
cria and she passed a healthy placenta.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In hindsight, I
believe she cushed for him because she knew it would help to bring on labor. In
humans and other species, intercourse is thought to help bring on labor. The
sperm contains prostaglandin, which can help soften the cervix. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exceptional Guarding <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a small herd of four
females plus crias. In the warmer months, they rotate on pasture with access to
a 3-sided barn. There is no question that Opal is the herd guard, and we hear
her warning calls from time to time when an unknown dog walks by or wildlife
lurks in the forest beyond their pasture. She's discerning with her alarm and
only alerts the herd when there is true danger.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day, she was
alarming. I went to investigate and for the first time ever, she was facing the
house, not the forest nor the logging road where neighbors walk their dogs. She
went on and on and I could not figure out what she could be alarming about in
the direction of the house. The rest of the herd had banded behind her staring
intently in the same direction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After about 10
minutes of this, suddenly there was a great cracking sound and half of an old
maple tree came crashing across the driveway, exactly the direction she had
been facing and alarming. After the tree was down, she discontinued her alarm
and went back to grazing. Two weeks later, she delivered a male cria. We named
him "Timber". </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mothering Instinct <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stardust is our 'star' when it
comes to reproduction - exceptional crias and ability to nurture her young. In
her 5 years of production, she has had 5 flawless births; all vigorous crias
and they grew strong and healthy. This spring, she surprised us with a cria one
week before 11 months of gestation. Just after birth, we usually stay back and
give the cria the opportunity to walk and nurse independently and bond with its
dam. This little one did not get up and did not sit prone position, so we
intervened. Upon investigation, we found her temperature to be 4-6 degrees
below normal. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a couple
hours, we were able to get her temperature up and then hold her up to get her
nursing. For the next 30 hours, we had to check her temperature, hold her up
under the dam to attempt to nurse, and syringe small amounts of goat collostrum
into her mouth. At one point in the middle of the night, she appeared
dehydrated and assumed the death position, so with no 24 hour vet available, we
injected IV fluids under her skin and tube fed her. All the while, Stardust
allowed us to do all this to her cria. She stood perfectly still while we tried
to get the cria nursing and hummed calmly to her baby.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just about 30
hours after birth, the cria was finally able to get up and nurse on her own for
the first time. I was relieved, but not secure that she was going to be fine. I
checked on her two hours later and to my great surprise, this dam, who had just
hours before let me do anything to her cria, screamed at me as I approached and
covered me with spit from head to toe. Despite my efforts to get close to the
cria, I could not. Finally, in complete frustration, I had to relent and trust
that our star knew she could take it from there and that it was her time to
bond with her cria. Of course, I checked on them a few times in the night, but
from a distance. A week later Stardust resumed her old ways; she ceased
screaming at me and let me near her cria as she has let me near her others. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Communication <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a male alpaca that came to
us difficult to handle and not very trusting of his human caretakers. After a
few months of positive handling, he came to trust us and greet us when we
entered the pasture.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day while
cleaning up manure in the pasture, he walked right up to me, stared right into
my face, hummed loudly, and then walked over to the pile and urinated. He
repeated this two more times. It wasn't until the second time he behaved this
way that it occurred to me that he was trying to tell me something. On the
third time I found what he wanted me to find, he was straining to urinate at
the pile.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I called the vet
and he indicated that it was most likely a UTI (urinary tract infection) and
that I should treat it. He said it sounded like it was caught early since he
had a fair stream of urine but with obvious straining. The vet said he should
improve within 1-2 days. He was obviously feeling much better on day two when
he stopped coming over, humming in my face and going to the pile. I later found
the source of his UTI. My children had mistakenly given him a whole bale of
alfalfa instead of hay when they were doing chores. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooperation with Other Species <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our farm we have: 2 alpacas,
10 sheep, 2 goat does, 3 Lowline Cattle (bull calf, cow, steer), 3 Red Wattle
Pigs (sow, boar, meat), 1 Maremmma LGD, and 25 Guinea Fowl. Everyone eats
together without any problem. Everyone sleeps in the same general area unless
there is bad weather, and then they all have their distinct shelter areas that
they go to. The sheep all stick together, the pigs and dog all stick together,
and the cattle and alpacas stick together. The goats float between the three
groups. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the
alpacas, a bred female, spends most all of her day with the cattle grazing or
sunning. One interesting thing I have come to notice is that General (our LGD)
is on duty at night and sleeps most of the day. Our pregnant female, Beana
seems to take over the day shift. She is on high alert, and whenever she hears
something suspicious, she will take off running toward it. Her alarm alerts
General (LGD) and he wakes up and takes over while she herds everyone together.
It is very neat to watch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We used to have
three LGD's and each had a job. General was the baby of the group and was the
herder. Now that it is just him, he seems to work in cooperation with Beana,
the alpaca, and has given the herding role to her. They seem to work very well
together. I'm not sure how often the perceived threat is an actual one, but
there have been instances of coyotes in the area. We kind of have a
three-pronged security system as the guineas or Beana, the alpaca, seem to
sound their alarm first, and General (LGD) takes over the investigation while
Beana herds the animals together. It is fun to watch and perhaps as a result,
we are a predator-free farm for the most part!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our camelids
have an amazing array of interesting behaviors to observe: body postures such
as the alert stance, submission, the standoff, or relaxed position; ear, tail
and head signals; vocalizations such as humming, the alarm, orgling; scent such
as flehmen when the male alpaca sniffs a dung pile to decode the scent and
reproductive status of his females; locomotion displays such as pronking or
fighting; herd response such as banding or offensive aggressive herd response.
Every camelid farmer should take time out in the day to observe his/her herd,
perhaps even keep a diary of interesting behaviors observed and, for sure, -
share your stories! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Karen Nicholson, of Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas in Stowe, VT, has a
herd of nine alpacas bred and managed for valued traits including: fiber
excellence, conformation, reproductive vigor; hardiness and temperament. Also
on the farm are: two French Alpine dairy goats, Indian Runner ducks, broiler
chickens and several laying hens, all integrated into their farm management
program. Karen writes for three farming journals and keeps a blog: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://stowevermontalpacas.blogspot.com/">http://stowevermontalpacas.blogspot.com/</a>.</span>
Any comments, questions or stories can be directed to: <a href="mailto:stowealpacas@gmail.com">stowealpacas@gmail.com</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-73169634165032709172012-04-29T16:20:00.000-07:002012-04-29T17:16:19.817-07:00Regarding the Emotional Needs of Llamas<h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Chela Grey, Stillpointe
Sanctuary</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reprinted from LANA News, Issue
109, Winter 2010</span></div>
</div>
</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the many years I have been
blessed to work and live with llamas, it has become more and more obvious to me
that these creatures have very real emotional lives and are capable of feelings
and a certain reasoning power. For those of you who are already poo-pooing this
line of thought, please read on. You may not agree, but you may learn a way to
look at the animals in a different light. I’m not out to convince anyone that
what I say is "right"; I am only putting forth some interesting
observations that may lead to spirited discussion and good thought exercise… and
just maybe, better treatment of all animals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some
anecdotes that support my contention that llamas are feeling, caring, thinking
animals who form true "families" with many of the hierarchical rules
contained in human families: Recently, I placed two female llamas (a mother and
daughter) as a team of sheep guards, believing from their behavior with their
herd that they would be perfect for the task. The fact that I was quite mistaken
about them being good candidates for guard duty is fodder for another
article/discussion, so I'll stay with the emotional side of things for this
one. Not even an hour after we had left them, I got a call from the new owners
that the mother llama had jumped the fence and was running around the
neighborhood, an approximately two-square mile area, with access to deep woods
on two sides and several well-traveled roads in the vicinity. After an
exhaustive three-hour search, culminating with a call from an observant
neighbor and a slow "chase" ending in blackberry bushes, the llama
lady was haltered and led back to her trailer, where her daughter was awaiting
the trip back to their original home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon returning
to their herd, they were greeted by all the other herd members with the high
pitched "keening" sound we often hear between moms and crias and
among herd members who have been separated from one another for periods of time
ranging from half an hour to weeks or months. A note about these two girls:
they have been on the same farm from the time the mom was two years old and the
daughter from the day she was born. The herd has remained almost completely
intact, with only one animal being sold away and two dying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another anecdote
involving this same pair and a friend of the daughter: one of the other females
born on this farm suffered from megaesophagus and had to be euthanized. She and
the daughter were best buddies, so when I took the ill girl to the hospital, I
took her buddy along for companionship. The buddy stood right next to her
friend, watching her every move and exchanging hums with her during the exams.
When the x-rays showed beyond a doubt how far down this girl had come and the
decision was made to let her go over the Rainbow Bridge, I took the two of them
to a stall so that we could all have some time together. They seemed to
communicate on a profound level, staying very close together and looking at one
another. The vet came in and gave the initial tranquilizer; the companion girl
watched this, and when the other girl relaxed and kushed, and I held her head
in my lap, the companion gave one last sniff at her, turned her back and kushed
right next to her back. She did not watch the vet do the final injection and
did not look back when we left the stall. When we arrived back at their farm,
it was quite dark. As we opened the trailer door, the mother came running out
of the dark, making that same keening sound and was greeted in kind by her
daughter. They ran off together into the dark pasture. No other llama came to
meet us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A final example:
The task of picking up a young male llama from his birth farm, where he was
with his mother and four other llamas, fell to me, as I had, for two years,
managed the farm and knew the animals. The youngster (10 months old) was to be
given to another farm. When we arrived, it was obvious that the mother and son
were very attached to one another and were, in fact, being kept together in one
small pasture. After haltering the mom, the son was haltered, and we led them
both to the trailer. An aside—no one had handled the llamas since I had left
approximately two years prior, and I was the only one who could halter them.
The mom was actually glad to see me, as she had always been. We enticed the son
into the trailer by putting mom in first (dirty trick); then removed her. As we
drove away, mom was running up and down the fence humming and keening. The son
was doing the same inside the trailer. When I went back to the farm
approximately three months later to do toenails and shots on the mom and the
other llamas, the mom all but attacked me. She spit, kicked and crowded me,
refused to be haltered, and just generally raised a terrific fuss. She had
never done that with me before and has not done it since. She was, in my
opinion, very angry with me for taking her boy away. We have since made our
peace, but our relationship is not the same.</span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-8487276959080031642012-04-29T16:13:00.000-07:002012-04-29T16:13:21.908-07:00Gaining an Insight into Alpaca Herd Activity<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Cathy Spalding</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Historically, alpacas have never
been a wild species. To date, no rogue herd of wild alpacas is known to exist
anywhere in the world. It is thought that over the many years, alpaca behavior
has adapted itself to a domesticated life with humans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is important
to gain a basic understanding of the general dynamics of alpaca herd activity,
as well as the dynamics specific to any one particular group of alpacas. This
understanding can make it much easier to recognize the more subtle cues that
may be cause for pause and further investigation. Without it, we have little to
no solid foundation upon which to base an assessment. There are many
generalities that could be noted as the more common behaviors in any random
group of alpacas. There might also be behaviors specific to a particular group.
Each group naturally consists of individual alpacas with individual
personalities and traits. This unique, and often random, mix can also create
behaviors that are specific to a particular herd or grouping.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most alpacas are
very herd oriented. They normally prefer the company of other alpacas as
opposed to that of another species. In a mixed herd of suri and huacaya, it is
not unusual to find the suri alpacas moving or sleeping together as a group and
the huacaya alpacas together as a separate group. While they definitely do well
together in a mixed group, it appears they may clearly see a difference. Social
interaction is ongoing between individual alpacas and entire groups. Group
security and support can even allow for a compromised alpaca to appear
"normal." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvNG-NjcdP-KuoBqGfhqg86Tax5T-uo1v_xeJ9n-tNrK2wOeoeYJvSh_2F3qzZX8DKEMAiY2Y_cf8ktiSd1f5HKHDLPpFILgqhX7CbnOyqrY343XaIIH0dwdnRwJjvkqVyA82DSTBO1Y/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvNG-NjcdP-KuoBqGfhqg86Tax5T-uo1v_xeJ9n-tNrK2wOeoeYJvSh_2F3qzZX8DKEMAiY2Y_cf8ktiSd1f5HKHDLPpFILgqhX7CbnOyqrY343XaIIH0dwdnRwJjvkqVyA82DSTBO1Y/s320/Picture+5.png" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A single herd or
herd groups (as shown) have an intricate social structure. Alpacas have social
as well as health and welfare needs. Through observation of body language and
various behavioral cues, you may be able to note pieces of the social order in
a particular herd. There may be specific family groups, ones who are good
friends, some that do not get along well, leaders, followers, guards and even
“baby sitters." Mothers teach their babies a great deal about appropriate
alpaca behavior, as well as warn them of potential dangers-- including possible
humans. Some mothers are very attentive and constantly keep track of their
cria. Others are much more casual in their attention and care. The herd will
take an active role in raising and disciplining young alpacas. Growing
youngsters often receive a quick spit from elders as they learn boundaries and
appropriate behavior. Sometimes specific family lines hold a higher or lower
place in the herd.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anytime dynamics
in the social structure are changed, there is a period of adjustment and
reorganization. Many alpacas will visibly mourn the death of a fellow alpaca
and certainly that of their own offspring. Exchanging herd members through
buying and selling can be stressful for a herd. It can create momentary
difficulties and shifts. Is it possible we have just sold the guard in a
particular group and another must step into that role? Have we sold another's
close companion? A new alpaca coming into a herd will often struggle for a time
as it tries to gain acceptance, make new friends and find its own place within
this "new" herd social structure. While it would not seem possible to
eliminate these disruptions, it is important to notice any obvious difficulties
and to mitigate them where possible. There have been instances wherein a new
addition to the herd is not readily accepted, resulting in ill health and even
death. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Possibilities For Concern <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To consider what may not be
usual, we must first have a basic understanding of what is the ongoing norm
within a particular group of alpacas. It is important to know the animals, both
as a herd and as individuals. What are the usual groupings? Are some close
pasture mates while others may not get along well? Are some at one feeding
station and never at another? Is anyone a loner? What is the seeming social
structure? Who seems to rule the pastures and who might seem to cling to that
last rung? What is the usual activity for the alpaca holding those positions
and what is the usual activity for those in that range in between?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTXZRqLdtUpYN5rjMbsIBKoPEFDIgeJ5XHmUMVUyBQtFPVtnv5nSUV2pDGLCaDkXvto0G55D5H9B0V1rR0REk_FG7-C7NfBtBNozf7_DEz2-j8Z1V-Juonwe5XddwYCE3XCwLlw7nUUw/s1600/Picture+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTXZRqLdtUpYN5rjMbsIBKoPEFDIgeJ5XHmUMVUyBQtFPVtnv5nSUV2pDGLCaDkXvto0G55D5H9B0V1rR0REk_FG7-C7NfBtBNozf7_DEz2-j8Z1V-Juonwe5XddwYCE3XCwLlw7nUUw/s200/Picture+6.png" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a general
understanding of the dynamics within any specific herd or group of alpacas, it
becomes much more obvious when something may require further investigation. Is
one who is not normally a loner now off by himself? Is the herd queen suddenly
seen to be weaker, receiving spit from much more neutral herd members and
backing away? When moving the herd, is one who is normally out front or in the
middle of the group now one of the stragglers? Is the entire herd up and about
grazing in the morning sun while one remains kushed in a shelter? A more subtle
question: Is the entire herd up grazing and only one is kushed right there
amidst the grazing group?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This group of
alpacas is grazing in the morning </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sun </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with only one member kushed. It is a
gorgeous day </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the herd has moved all together, out to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pasture. Seeing
this positioning from a distance, it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">might be easy to assume this lone kushed
alpaca </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is simply resting...enjoying the warmth of the sun. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is right there
amidst the group. Though her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">neck is a bit forward and not as upright as would </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be the norm, she is kushed upright and her ears appear to be resting at
half-mast. Might she just be enjoying a lazy summer morning?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this
instance, the strong behavioral cue that something may not he right is that she
would be kushed at all when the remainder of the herd is up grazing. This cue
is supported by the subtler cue that she is holding her head and neck more
forward than the norm. Taking a closer look will help determine whether she is
fine or whether there might be a potential problem. As a side note, I have
received many calls and letters from alpaca owners around the world who have
become aware and acted on this very cue. More often than not, they have
discovered a problem. They have expressed sincere appreciation that notice of
this specific behavioral cue made it possible to discover an issue in the
earlier stages, thus potentially life saving.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNxMPMFO3R_03C518r0G_iyUZ9sVv7OzkVXQKllJZelbDSHyfn101mMifwtrNY_M74AKY0w2N3TL75FsR53ehFFQVVpbcgPW5F-z0pqs6RmCE1C5kYHEAAjrIXVgV42iHBqzHqB84cUQ/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNxMPMFO3R_03C518r0G_iyUZ9sVv7OzkVXQKllJZelbDSHyfn101mMifwtrNY_M74AKY0w2N3TL75FsR53ehFFQVVpbcgPW5F-z0pqs6RmCE1C5kYHEAAjrIXVgV42iHBqzHqB84cUQ/s200/Picture+7.png" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Upon closer
inspection, this little gal may not be well. Her head and neck are held farther
forward than normal for the usual upright kushed position. Her body is somewhat
hunched with her legs appearing uncomfortably hugged in beneath her. Notice the
outline of her face. The lower lip is clearly pulled back, indicating a tensing
of muscles in the face. While shadows make it difficult to tell in the photo,
the obvious tensing of facial muscles, indicated by her lower lip, would have
likely caused drooping of the eyelids.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An
often-repeated phrase throughout the alpaca community is, “Alpacas are very
stoic. It seems that by the time they truly show they are ill, they are really
ill." As keen observers of alpaca behavior -- the subtle behavioral cues
expressed as individuals, as well as in relationship to a herd group -- we add
an important dimension to our skills as herd managers, handlers and trainers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The behavioral
cue of only one alpaca kushed while all the other herd members are grazing is
quite subtle, yet very significant. Does what we observe or think we observe
mean that it is? Perhaps. And then again, perhaps not. What is of serious
importance is that we have noticed something and acted upon it. In addition to
the notice of specific cues or indicators, it is important to consider the
positioning and surrounding circumstances in which any cue is noted. Behavioral
cues can mean different things with different animals at different times in
combination with different accompanying cues. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About the Author <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cathy Spalding and her family
live in Olympia, WA where they enjoy their herd of 18 llamas and alpacas. With
over 20 years experience, Cathy has a wealth of expertise in camelid behavior
and training. She has written numerous articles, produced publications including
the camelid behavioral textbook on CD-ROM, "Llama Talk" and
"Alpaca Talk."</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-42701556885830213772012-04-29T15:41:00.000-07:002012-04-29T15:41:06.154-07:00Understanding Animal Motivation<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Temple Grandin, Ph.D.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Camelid Quarterly, March 2007</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Training a horse, mule, ox, or other animal is easier if you first
figure out what motivates the animal. These four basic drives motivate horses
and other animals to do things: Fear, Aggression, A Learned Response, and
Instincts.</span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr9yiL3U_fKpbJd2XoR8pkYdhNzBan_3PHYs2fh4jjDzTgSGRQtu1GE-9nfTHYTFLLdA3rO39l8l5OpcCP8PeEMipZVXT1uWGEy62jHkgFB2aK4Rso4IZaMPYEn6f-IXbJkZ7bJksRvU/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr9yiL3U_fKpbJd2XoR8pkYdhNzBan_3PHYs2fh4jjDzTgSGRQtu1GE-9nfTHYTFLLdA3rO39l8l5OpcCP8PeEMipZVXT1uWGEy62jHkgFB2aK4Rso4IZaMPYEn6f-IXbJkZ7bJksRvU/s320/Picture+3.png" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear and aggression are often
misinterpreted. Did the horse kick because he was fearful, or did he kick
because he was aggressive or bad?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neurologically,
fear and aggression are different emotions that may result in similar
behaviors, such as kicking or pinning the ears back. Determining which emotion
motivates the kicking is important because punishing the horse for kicking will
make a fear-based behavior worse. If kicking occurs during a training exercise,
it is likely to be fear-based.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear is also the
likely motivation if an animal becomes agitated when it is alone, tied up, or
held in a squeeze chute. Another factor is genetics. A horse or ox with a
nervous, high-strung temperament is more likely to have a fear-motivated
behavior than an animal with a calm, placid temperament. It is unfortunate that
some breeders select for hot - blooded draft horses. This pattern of selection
is likely to result in more problems with fear-motivated behavior.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An animal with a
hot temperament is more likely to blow up when it is suddenly confronted with a
scary novel experience. Many people have said to me, "My horse behaves
well at home, but goes berserk at shows." This behavior occurs because
shows have many scary things an animal never sees at home. A flighty horse must
be accustomed to flags, balloons, and fast moving bikes long before he goes to
a show. A safe way to introduce a horse to balloons and flags is to put them in
a large pasture and allow the horse to explore them. A dangerous practice is to
suddenly confront a horse that has a flighty temperament with a scary object,
such as a flag, when he is in a confined space where he cannot move away. Flags
and balloons are scary because they make rapid movements and have bright
contrasting colors. Bikes are frightening because they move rapidly and can
silently sneak up on the horse. If the horse is allowed to voluntarily approach
these objects, however, they may become attractive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eliminating Learned Bad Behavior<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An animal often learns bad
behaviors because people inadvertently reward the behavior. One common problem
behavior is a horse pawing and striking the stall door at feeding time. The
horse acts this way because he thinks it will speed up being fed. If feed is
given while the horse is striking the stall door, his undesirable behavior will
be reinforced and rewarded. He learns to associate being fed with pawing the
door. To eliminate the behavior, drop feed into the manger at the precise
instant the horse stops pawing at the door. The timing must be right so that
the horse will associate keeping his foot still with getting fed. To stop
pawing behavior, reward the horse for keeping his foot still.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True Aggression<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True aggressive behavior occurs when
an animal views a person as a herd mate that needs to be dominated. This
problem occurs especially with bulls. Castration will reduce aggression in
adult animals, and, if done at a young age, mostly eliminate it. In grazing
animals, an orphan male raised away from its own species may be imprinted to
people and think he is a person. The resulting behavior is cute in a young
animal, but when the male becomes fully mature, he can be dangerous. At full
maturity, he may turn on his caretakers to prove that he is now the dominant
male in the herd.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raising young
bull calves in a social group helps prevent aggression towards people. Young
bulls and stallions must learn they are not people. Orphaned male grazing
animals should be either castrated or placed in a social group with their own
kind by six weeks of age. When they grow up with their own kind, they learn who
they are, and any aggression is more likely to be directed toward their own
kind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The male
aggression problem is not due to the animal being tame. It is due to mistaken
identity. Social behavior in grazing animals has to be learned. Grazing animals
must learn the normal give and take of social behavior. Horses or cattle that
are reared alone will often be vicious fighters when mixed with other animals.
A young stud colt reared alone may constantly fight other horses because he has
never learned that once he has become dominant, he doesn't need to keep
fighting. Stallions will be easier to manage when they are mature if they are
reared as young colts on a pasture full of other adult horses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instinctual Behavior <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibshZIIDSNGmnE9dGnI5IAP6y4ba7AT-WmosW5SYMZQnETJdZ6C8HHZ6AfjngeTRVaVPN4xPuFf_PDdwfYHt0YJVWCpTSmY4CWFFv9DLb8XXPt5s9HpNanMRZTZs9_zRv4i09RK5ciGx8/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibshZIIDSNGmnE9dGnI5IAP6y4ba7AT-WmosW5SYMZQnETJdZ6C8HHZ6AfjngeTRVaVPN4xPuFf_PDdwfYHt0YJVWCpTSmY4CWFFv9DLb8XXPt5s9HpNanMRZTZs9_zRv4i09RK5ciGx8/s1600/Picture+4.png" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instincts, or so-called fixed
action patterns, are behavioral patterns that are hard-wired into an animal
like computer programs. These innate behavioral programs are not dependent on
learning. The behavioral program runs when it is triggered by certain specific
stimuli that animal behavior specialists call sign stimuli. Birds have many
more instinctual behavioral patterns than mammals. The mating dance of birds is
a good example of instinctual behavior. In stallions and bulls, the flehmen lip
curl is an example of an instinct. Smelling a female hiestrus will trigger it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many
reproductive behaviors are hard-wired and instinctual. Pressing on a calf's
forehead may trigger butting, which will become dangerous when he grows up. A
calf should be stroked under the chin or on the withers to encourage it to take
a submissive posture. Never play butting games with calves. An instinctual
behavior often interacts with learned behavior. Breeding behavior is
instinctual, but who is bred is learned. Ram lambs nursed by nanny goats will
attempt to breed goats when they mature. To establish normal breeding behavior,
orphan animals should be reared in a pen with their own species.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bottle-feeding a
baby for a few weeks will usually not cause cattle to imprint to people if they
are penned with their own species. Understanding the motivating basis of
behavior makes it easier to deal with that behavior and improve an animal's
performance. Punishing fear may make it worse, but some force may be required
to stop true aggression. When dealing with aggression, imitate the animal's
natural instinctual behavior patterns. A bull that is ready to attack will make
a broadside display to show how big he is, facing sideways toward the one he
plans to dominate. The broadside threat is an innate instinctual aggressive
threat behavior. A bull that displays it toward people can be dangerous indeed.
Some bulls will submit and move away when a person makes an imitation of the
broadside threat by making themselves look big. If the bull will not submit and
move away, he should be culled before he kills somebody. Any bull that charges
people in an open pasture is potentially dangerous and should be culled.
Aggression toward people must be pre-vented by rearing bulls in social groups.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smaller animals,
such as pigs and alpacas that become aggressive may be dominated by using
species typical aggressive patterns. I have successfully exerted dominance on
more than one young pig by shoving on its neck with a board, in the same
location where a dominant pig would bite. Rearing animals in social groups,
however, is the best way to avoid problems of mistaken identity. Exerting
dominance over an animal does not mean beating it into submission. During
training, all animals respond to positive reinforcement such as feed treat,
stroking, or a kind voice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trainers should
use positive reinforcements to train horses, cattle, and other animals to do
tasks. Next time you watch a pulling contest, note how the loggers' horses
usually pull better than horses that have been motivated to pull by whipping.
Positive rewards make a better motivator than fear.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-36746138635243057702012-04-29T15:13:00.000-07:002012-04-29T15:16:03.640-07:00Thinking the Way Animals Do<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Temple Grandin, Ph.D.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From
International Camelid Quarterly Volume 5, Number 4, December 2006</span></span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unique insights from a person with a singular understanding.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a person with autism, it is
easy for me to understand how animals think because my thinking processes are
like an animal's. Autism is a neurological disorder that some people are born
with. Scientists who study autism believe that the disorder is caused by
immature development of certain brain circuits, and over-development of other
brain circuits. Autism is a complex disorder that ranges in severity from a
mild form (such as mine), to a very serious handicap where the child never
learns to talk. The movie Rain Man depicts a man with a fairly severe form of
the disorder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have no
language-based thoughts at all. My thoughts are in pictures, like videotapes in
my mind. When I recall something from my memory, I see only pictures. I used to
think everybody thought this way until I started talking to people on how they
thought. I learned that there is a whole continuum of thinking styles, from
totally visual thinkers like me to the totally verbal thinkers. Artists,
engineers, and good animal trainers are often highly visual thinkers, and
accountants, bankers, and people who trade in futures markets tend to be highly
verbal thinkers with few pictures in their minds.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people use
a combination of both verbal and visual skills. Several years ago, I devised a
little test to find out what style of thinking people use: Access your memory
on church steeples. Most people will see a picture of a generic
"generalized" steeple. I only see specific steeples; there is no
generalized one. Images of steeples flash through my mind like clicking quickly
through a series of slides or pictures on a computer screen. On the other hand,
highly verbal thinkers may "see" the words "church steeple"
or will "see" just a simple stick-figure steeple. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A radio station
person I talked to once said that she had no pictures at all in her mind. She
thought in emotions and words. I have observed that highly verbal people in
abstract professions, such as trading stocks or in sales, often have difficulty
understanding animals. Since they only think in words, it is difficult for them
to imagine that an animal can think. I have found that really good animal
trainers will see more detailed steeple pictures. It is clear to me that visual
thinking skills are essential to horse training, but often the visual thinkers
do not have the ability to verbalize and explain to other people what they
"see." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Associative Thinking <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX96grwqIERp6j-Gf6ox4JcDjrn7A3j0ox_rHWAue7cpPhWmy1AcatBJgTH9QO1Z1Hr8jbAtLJt5G7woGAaVYF8bvNzBAp3itH7B-cDyGwNRMaykhTBJqRwbwfj03lq0HIcN6DgRyWhlo/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX96grwqIERp6j-Gf6ox4JcDjrn7A3j0ox_rHWAue7cpPhWmy1AcatBJgTH9QO1Z1Hr8jbAtLJt5G7woGAaVYF8bvNzBAp3itH7B-cDyGwNRMaykhTBJqRwbwfj03lq0HIcN6DgRyWhlo/s320/Picture+1.png" width="242" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A horse trainer once said to me,
"Animals don't think, they just make associations." I responded to
that by saying "If making associations is not thinking, then I would have
to conclude that I do not think." People with autism and animals both
think by making visual associations. These associations are like snapshots of
events and tend to be very specific. For example, a horse might fear bearded
men when it sees one in the barn, but bearded men might be tolerated in a
riding arena. In this situation, the horse may only fear bearded men in the
barn because he may have had a bad past experience in the barn with a bearded
man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animals also
tend to make place-specific associations. This means that if a horse has bad
prior experiences in a barn with skylights, he may fear all barns with
skylights, but will be fine in barns with solid roofs. This is why it is so
important that an animal's first association with something new is a good
experience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years ago, a
scientist named N. Miller found that if a rat was shocked the first time it
entered a new passageway in a maze, it would never enter that passageway again.
The same may be true for horses. For example, if a horse falls down in a
trailer the first time he loads, he may fear all trailers. However, if he falls
down in a two-horse, side-by-side trailer the 25th time he is loaded, he may
make a more specific association. Instead of associating all trailers with a
painful or frightening experience, he is more likely to fear side-by-side
trailers, or fear a certain person associated with the "bad" trailer.
He has learned from previous experience that trailers are safe, so he is
unlikely to form a generalized trailer fear. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear Is the Main Emotion <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear is the main emotion in
autism, and it is also the main emotion in prey animals such as horses and
cattle. Things that scare horses and cattle also scare children with autism.
Any little thing that looks out of place, such as a piece of paper blowing in
the wind, may cause fear. Objects that make sudden movements are the most fear
provoking. In the wild, sudden movement is feared because predators make sudden
movements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both animals and
people with autism are also fearful of high-pitched noises. I still have
problems with high-pitched noise. A back-up alarm on a garbage truck will cause
my heart to race if it awakens me at night. The rumble of thunder has little
effect. Prey species animals, such as cattle and horses, have sensitive ears,
and loud noise may hurt their ears. When I was a child, the sound of the school
bell ringing was like a dentist drill in my ear. A loudspeaker system at a
horse show may possibly have a similar effect on horses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People with
autism have emotions, but they are simpler and more like the emotions of a
vigilant prey species animal. Fear is the main emotion in a prey species animal
because it motivates the animal to flee from predators. Neuroscientists have
mapped the fear circuits in an animal’s brain. When an animal forms a fear
memory, it is located in the amygdala, which is in the lower, primitive part of
the brain. J.E. LeDoux and M. Davis have discovered that fear memories cannot
be erased from the brain. This is why it is so important to prevent the formation
of fear memories associated with riding, trailering, etc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a horse that
has previously been fearful of trailers to overcome his fear, the higher brain
centers in the cortex have to send a fear suppression signal to the amygdala.
This is called the cortical over-ride, which is a signal that will block the
fear memory, but does not delete it. If the animal becomes anxious, the old
fear memory may pop back up because the cortex stops sending the fear
suppression signal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear-based
behaviors are complex. Fear can cause a horse to flee or fight. For example,
many times when a horse kicks or bites, it is due to fear instead of
aggression. In a fear-provoking situation where a horse is prevented from
flight, he learns to fight. Dog trainers have learned that punishing a
fear-based behavior makes it worse. When a horse rears, kicks or misbehaves
during training, it may make the trainer feel angry. The trainer may mistakenly
think that the horse is angry. But the horse is much more likely to be scared.
Therefore, it is important for the trainer to be calm. An angry trainer would
be scary to the horse. There are some situations where a horse may be truly
aggressive towards people, but rearing, kicking, running off, etc., during
handling or riding is much more likely to be fear-based.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Effects of Genetics <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all animals, both genetic
factors and experience determine how an individual will behave in a fear-provoking
situation. Fearfulness is a stable characteristic of personality and
temperament in animals. Animals with high-strung, nervous temperament are
generally more fearful and form stronger fear memories than animals with calm,
placid temperament. For example, research on pigs conducted by Ted Friend and
his students at Texas A&M University showed that some pigs will habituate
to a forced non-painful procedure and others will become more and more fearful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pigs were put in
a tank where they had to swim for a short time. This task was initially
frightening to all of the pigs and caused their adrenaline level to go up.
Adrenaline is secreted in both people and animals when they are scared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over a series of
swimming trials, some pigs habituated and were no longer scared, but others
remained fearful throughout the trials. In the pigs that did not habituate,
adrenaline stayed elevated, which showed the pigs were still afraid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is likely
that horses would respond to different training methods in a similar manner.
Horses with calm, placid dispositions are more likely to habituate to rough
methods of handling and training compared to flighty, excitable animals. The
high-strung, spirited horse may be ruined by rough training methods because he
becomes so fearful that he fails to learn, or habituate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand,
an animal with a calm, non-reactive nervous system will probably habituate to a
series of non-painful forced training procedures, whereas a flighty,
high-strung, nervous animal may never habituate. Horses who are constantly
swishing their tails when there are no flies present and have their heads up
are usually fearful horses. In the wild, horses put their heads up to look for
danger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Effects of Novelty <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cGFtpkkapkZdk4juz_X2_6B7Y8fU4TVrpak9uARYiHBL5EitsyqdzGe3qzj0CPMfMREKreLI65HbK18uQPQVv3GIofSIPzmkRYlZURwRjh8m7Xkun0-LQSxBPNO2Lc7lBdywFe4Mr6I/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cGFtpkkapkZdk4juz_X2_6B7Y8fU4TVrpak9uARYiHBL5EitsyqdzGe3qzj0CPMfMREKreLI65HbK18uQPQVv3GIofSIPzmkRYlZURwRjh8m7Xkun0-LQSxBPNO2Lc7lBdywFe4Mr6I/s1600/Picture+2.png" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a creature of flight, how a
horse reacts to novel or unusual situations or new places can be used to access
his true temperament. French scientist Robert Dantzer found that sudden novelty
shoved into an animal's face can be very stressful. A horse with a high-strung,
fearful nature may be calm and well mannered when ridden at home. However, his
true temperament has been masked because he feels relaxed and safe in a
familiar environment. When he is confronted with the new sights and sounds at a
horse show, he may blow up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is the more
high-strung and fearful horses who have the most difficulty in novel
situations. At the show there are many unusual sights and sounds, such as
balloons and loud address systems, which are never seen or heard at home. An
animal with a nervous temperament is calm when in a familiar environment - he
has learned it is safe - but is more likely to panic when suddenly confronted
with new things.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The paradoxical
thing about novelty is that it can be extremely attractive to an animal when he
can voluntarily approach it. A piece of paper lying in the pasture may be
approached by a curious horse, but that same piece of paper lying on the riding
trail may make the horse shy. People working with horses and other animals need
to think more about how the animals perceive the situations we put them in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Relationship Between Training Methods and Temperament <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animals with a nervous, excitable
temperament are more fearful than animals with a calm, placid temperament.
Flighty, excitable, sensitive animals such as antelopes or Arabian horses are
more fearful of new experiences than calm, placid animals such as Hereford
cattle or Suffolk sheep. If an excitable animal is frightened during training,
it is more likely to develop a fear memory, which can interfere with future
training. An animal may become so afraid of something such as a trailer or a
squeeze chute that it may be extremely difficult to train the animal to enter
it willingly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is extremely
important that an animal's first experience with something new, such as a horse
trailer or a squeeze chute, be as pleasant as possible. A pleasant first
experience will help prevent the formation of a fear memory. This is especially
important with nervous, excitable animals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animals with a
calm, placid temperament will habituate if they are repeatedly made to enter a
NON-PAINFUL restraint device. Their cortisol (stress hormone) levels will
decline after repeated trials of non-painful restraint.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the
flighty, excitable animal may never habituate. It may become increasingly
fearful and more stressed with successive trials. Fear is a very strong
stressor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Horses with a
calm, placid temperament can be broken to ride by somewhat forceful methods
where they are tied up and have rags and other objects placed on them. The
calm, placid animal will habituate as long as no part of the procedure is
painful. Animals with a calm temperament learn that what they are being asked
to do does not hurt, and gradually get over their initial fear. Animals DO NOT
habituate to painful procedures.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same
training method may ruin a sensitive, high-strung animal by causing permanent
fear memories. Instead of habituating, the animal becomes increasingly more
fearful. The situation becomes so scary for the animal, it can not overcome its
fear.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In flighty,
excitable animals, many problems that occur during training are due to fear. In
calm, placid animals, fear can also interfere with training, but it is less
likely to be the sole cause of a training problem.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All animals are
fearful of novel situations. Recognizing fear, working calmly and persistently,
and never allowing an animal to become so scared that it panics and hurts
itself and/or others is the responsibility of everyone who trains animals on
any level. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About the Author<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Temple Grandin</i></b> is an
associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She is the
author of the books <u>Thinking in Pictures</u> and <u>Animals in Translation</u>.
Television appearances include 20/20, CBS This Morning, and 48 Hours. Dr.
Grandin has autism, and her experiences have helped her to understand animal
behavior. She teaches a course in livestock handling at the university and
consults on the design of livestock handling facilities. Dr. Grandin does not
accept e-mail correspondence but may be contacted via: <a href="mailto:CherylMiller@ColoState.edu">CherylMiller@ColoState.edu</a>. </span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-57492027762093770372012-04-29T14:31:00.001-07:002012-04-29T14:34:42.528-07:00Reducing Animal Stress: Thinking the Way Animals Do<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By Judith M. Powell, Farming,
August 2006</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The end of the growing season
means that the time has arrived to move livestock from pasture to marketing.
Animals that have enjoyed the freedom of self-sufficient grazing over a long,
pleasant season are inclined to not respond easily to producers who face the
task of moving them. Since they haven't been bothered by people much, livestock
are not hep on the idea of getting pushed along into a corral or truck. Wanting
as little stress as possible and a safe delivery to market destination,
producers approach handling calmly and gently, yet the moving and loading often
turns out to be not so fun for either party.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Temple
Grandin, Colorado State Associate professor of animal science, specializes in
animal thinking and in visualizing the way that animals do. Grandin suggests
that there are simple things producers should do that will make a tremendous
difference in the handling experience. Her insight comes from spending decades
watching animal behavior and in dissecting the situations that humans put
animals though. Her focus study over 30 years provides valuable payoff to
producers interested in minimizing animal and human stress. She has achieved a
true specialty in understanding how loading beef, pigs, sheep, goats, and
horses respond to situations humans create.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grandin urges
producers to look for signals that their animals see by "taking an
animal's view of the world." Take your blinders off, she challenges, and start
to think sensory - based, like you're an animal. Start by paying careful
attention to the little details that seem unimportant to the handler, but are
so important to the animals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Vision is
a dominant trait of all grazing animals," Grandin explains, and an
important key to self-protection. Handlers should be watchful and be aware.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She advises
producers to be thoughtful about when to work animals. Pick a day that is
overcast and avoid the shadows caused by a sunny day, she says, and look for
sharp differences in contrasting light and shadows. "Scan your setups.
Don't expect animals to move into chutes or buildings with blasts of sunlight
pouring into their eyes from gaps in sidewalls. If you have separations where
sunlight gets in, cover them and get rid of them. Don't expect animals to walk
from shadows into a doorway filled with bright sun. Don't load at sunset or
early morning, and don't ask animals to look directly into the sun. Rather,
work in the middle of the day. Position chutes so that cattle are headed toward
a neutral light at the end - a door opened with quiet natural light the animals
will head toward," she says. Working at night is also a good idea, Grandin
suggests. When the lights are on, animals are attracted to the building when they
see light at an end point, and they'll move in toward the light.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grandin suggests
that chutes be designed so that there is never a dead end. "An animal must
be able to see a place ahead to go toward, and the handler needs to move them
quietly through. Watch their eyes and ears. Calm animals point their eyes and
ears at something that concerns them. You want ears pointed forward and not
back and down. Flat-backed ears signal scared or aggressive animals," she
warns. In explaining what she terms "the startle response," Grandin
is clear in saying not to threaten or challenge. “Keep a safe distance and
don't try to dominate by staring directly into their gaze. Turn your head away
and give them a break." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Horses and
cattle have poor depth perception," Grandin explains. Give the leaders
time to put their head down to examine what's in their path, like a puddle.
"A reflection on the ground looks like a shadow, and a shadow looks like a
hole in the ground, so let them take the time to look, especially the
leader," she says. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because cattle,
pigs and sheep are herd animals, isolation of a single individual should be
avoided, she suggests. "Allow the livestock to follow the leader and do
not rush them. If they bunch up, handlers should concentrate on moving the
leaders instead of pushing from the rear. Use animals’ natural behavior to
exert influence over the group," she explains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pay attention to
what is around your chutes and buildings when you work the animals, and don't
load them on gusty days. "Stuff blowing around is the worst distraction.
Look around for things that move in the wind," she advises, like flags and
flapping coats, and remove them. Don't move cattle near a highway where cars
and trucks are going by, and keep the area quiet. "No dogs. And no
bikes," she points out. "No bikes when you're loading. Did you ever
wonder why your animals seem calm and trained at home, and then you take them
to the fair and you can't do anything with them? Get them used to things
they'll be faced with beforehand. Decorate the pasture with the stuff they'll
see at the fair - balloons, loud music, people passing by, kids on bikes. Let
them sniff and walk past this stuff when they're not confined and can flee, and
have the kids ride by them on bikes," she says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grandin has
designed livestock handling facilities across the nation and in Canada, Europe,
Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Her work appears in over
300 scientific journals and livestock periodicals. Her published research
examines cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark
cutters and bruises in cattle, bull fertility, animal training procedures and
effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs in meat plants. Her books
include "Livestock Handling and Transport," "Genetics and the
Behavior of Domestic Animals," and "Animals in Translation," a
New York Times best seller. Grandin describes how she processes information and
learns visually as a person with autism, in her book "Thinking in
Pictures." "When I put myself in a cow's place, I really have to be
that cow and not a person in a cow costume," she writes. "A great
deal of my success in working with animals comes from the simple fact that I
see all kinds of connections between their behaviors and certain autistic
behaviors. Being autistic has helped me to understand how they feel."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Excerpts from
her research, as well as handling tips and chute and facility designs, are
available at her web site, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.grandin.com/">http://www.grandin.com/</a>.</span></span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-57378069231330302032012-04-22T17:23:00.000-07:002012-04-22T17:23:01.811-07:00Camelidynamics, Computers and Camelids<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Marty McGee Bennett<br />Reprinted from the Llama Living
Newsletter, December 2008</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like it or not, I spend as much
or more of my time at a computer these days as I do working with camelids.
Based on many conversations, I believe I am not alone. Computers are a fact of
life, or vocabulary is peppered with new words that didn't exist even twenty
years ago. People often come to camelids from disparate walks of life, many
with no previous livestock experience, but with a wealth of life experience – much
of it on the computer. In my work, teaching, training, and handling techniques,
I often think in and use metaphors and analogies as a way of helping people
relate to the concepts I am teaching.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I began to think
about how the problems and solutions we encounter on our computer screens hit
the handling nail right on the head (metaphor intended)! Who hasn't been caught
in "screen saver" mode with mouth hanging open and eyes a bit glazed?
How many boomers are feeling like the sum total of their life experience is leaving
their brain/hard drive a bit dull and in need of "defragging?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While struggling
with a computer issue the other day, I made the decision that I was not going
to fix the problem and could live with a "work around." Later that
day, I was having lunch with a friend and alpaca breeder. We were discussing a
male alpaca she owns — we will call him "Oscar." Oscar has been to
several sessions of Camelidynamics Camelid Camp. Camelids come to camp for four
days with their name clearly marked on their undies and their favorite snack.
The human students work with the assembled animals and amazing transformations
take place with both four and two-legged. The last day is "parent's
day" and the owners arrive in the afternoon to pick up their animals,
learn about what we have been working on, and how to continue where we leave
off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Oscar has
made progress in many areas, his basic issue of extreme halter resistance
persists. It occurred to me that a "work around" was not only practical,
but also the best and safest course of action. Tackling a problem like this
head on (pun intended) with repetition is akin to picking a scab or, to use the
computer metaphor, is just exactly like the endless loops we find ourselves in
when the same warning window appears each time we execute the same set of
commands. It is no more logical to assume that an animal will magically change
with rote repetition than to think that a computer will fix itself just because
we are frustrated and want it to. Just as with a computer, if you don't like
what you get when you hit a key, don't keep hitting that key.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The more we
humans insist on getting a halter on by wrestling and fighting, the more we
unwittingly teach the alpaca to resist more effectively. Oscar is an animal
that is determined that he will not wear a halter unless he has no other
choice. He is a big male, is very strong and agile, and is extremely
frightened. My guess is that he is a victim of a particularly unpleasant early
haltering experience — perhaps innocently forced into a halter that didn't fit
with a disastrous first leading experience or tied. A young animal in a halter
that doesn't fit, that panics on a lead, is tied to a static object, or can
easily pull the halter off of the nose bone. In this case, the halter can
compress the cartilage and partially or fully block the airway. When animals
can't breathe, they panic and struggle, ironically needing even more of what
they can't get – AIR. When this happens accidentally, it is unfortunate,
however the deliberate training practice of haltering weanling alpacas or
llamas and tying them to a fence to let them "sort it out" is not a
safe training shortcut in my opinion. The downside risk is creating what I call
a "drowning victim."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drowning victims
are petrified of "THE HALTER" and will hurt themselves and anyone
that tries to make them wear one and, just like Oscar, they are often very
reasonable with other aspects of management. Once haltered, Oscar is a dream to
lead, easy to trim toenails and, surprisingly, once in balance, he will accept touch
all over his face, nose, and mouth. Issues that involve haltering or surprise
movements around his head will cause this fellow to react suddenly and
violently and he has connected more than once with the head of a person working
with him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can't simply
decide to never touch this animal again — it is time to accept a work around!
(options below)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To put a halter on and leave it
on. In some cases, the best way to do this may be with a sedative. Once haltered,
we must periodically check the safety and comfort of the halter and make sure
that the pasture is as safe as it can be...no hooks or wires left sticking out,
etc. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a good option for an animal that
must be shown or transported and a halter is not optional.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use a different way of managing
that doesn't involve a halter. As it turns out, this is a perfectly fine
solution for Oscar.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I firmly believe that this and
many issues can benefit from a "work around." For example, when
alpacas or llamas become absolutely unreasonable and determined that they will
not allow a human to touch their legs, I teach people to trim toenails while
the animal is standing on them. Simply use the nippers to trim off the
overgrown part of the toenail without picking the foot up at all. Trimming
toenails on the ground is a compromise to be sure, but a perfectly fine
"work around" and a perfectly acceptable alternative to a knock down
drag out fight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using a sedative
when doing things that animals cannot tolerate without high levels of restraint
is another "work around" that is absolutely reasonable and can be far
safer in the long run. In order for a camelid to let go of "looped
behaviors" we must figure out a way to get the job done without doing
things that reinforce the behaviors we wish to eliminate. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the case of
Oscar (and many more drowning victims that I have had the opportunity to work
with), he is easy to lead and very cooperative. My suggestion for this fellow
is to manage him using containment. Oscar can be led using a long lead rope
attached to a collar placed as high on his neck as possible. This provides a
reasonable amount of leverage and control. He can also be wormed, receive
injections, and be shorn without using a halter. If he is to be used for
breeding, the female can be brought to him or the owners can use a laneway to
herd him to a neutral breeding pen or use a combination of a lead rope attached
to the top of the neck, offering a reasonable amount of leverage and laneways to
get him where he needs to go.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are other
computer metaphors that can help us understand our decidedly animate
companions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>SYSTEM FREEZES:</b> Ask an animal for
too much too soon or to do too many things at one time, and we overload the
system (think high strung weanling at a huge show) and it freezes. It is more
efficient and safer to do periodic maintenance and ask for less… but when the
system freezes there is nothing to be done but shut down and begin again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backing up to
much easier tasks with an animal can help to re-boot. When working with animals
that are very resistant to having their toenails trimmed, I will often ask the
animal to pick up and IMMEDIATELY put the foot down. I repeat this 15-20 times
per foot before asking the animal to allow me to hold the foot up for even a
second or two. Repetition of this SUCCESSFUL behavior will build lost
confidence in the handler and reboot the behavior. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FIXES:</b> When attempting to
diagnose a problem, it may be better to address one thing at a time instead of
the more scattershot approach we often take to problem solving. Trying too many
files at the same time may result in a system crash or if you do manage to fix
the problem, you won't know which fix or combination of fixes did the trick. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>USER ERROR:</b> Computer problems are
just about always a result of user error, but we humans love to swear at and
blame the machine. The same thing is true of our relationship with our animals…
handler error is the cause of 99.9% of the difficulties we have with our wooly
buddies and, just like a computer, animals don't lose any sleep over our
decision that isn't their fault! The sooner we realize that we bear the
responsibility, the sooner we can set about figuring out the solution. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>GARBAGE IN / GARBAGE OUT:</b> As
wonderful as a computer is, the quality of the output is only as good as the
input. Handle your animals well and you train them to do good things, handle
your animals badly and you train them to do bad things. Using methods that are
unkind and disrespectful seldom result in a truly good solution. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>INCOMPATIBILITY:</b> Load a Mac
program on a PC or try to use a program that is too big for the capacity of the
RAM, and incompatibility becomes a problem. Some animals and some owners are
just not a good fit and there is no shame in making that decision. One person's
bane can be another's blessing. Some animals do better in a large herd, others
in a small herd. Some camelids are not cut out for the show ring regardless of
how lovely they look. Some males are too aggressive to live in company, while others
are too easy going to be good breeders. Some females are not good mothers. Some
animals are not appropriate for new owners. Recognizing and then accepting that
you have an incompatibility issue can give you peace of mind. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That just about exhausts my list
of computer comparisons. I think I will say so long, happy handling, and go
outside on this beautiful day to spend some quality time with my llamas and
alpacas! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Did you read the Camelid
Companion and think, "Finally, THIS is how I want to handle my llamas or
alpacas!" Did you come to a clinic and get really excited about the
techniques, but then lose touch with the ideas and your commitment to them
after you got home? Have you had problems with an animal and wanted the counsel
from someone that understands the way YOU want to do things? Do you want to
learn more about kind, efficient, respectful, and fun handling? Do you want to
teach others the Camelidynamics approach? Consider the Camelidynamics Guild!
For more information about Marty McGee Bennett and Camelidynamics visit <a href="http://www.camelidynamics.com/">www.camelidynamics.com</a>.</i></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-70623736722470421322012-04-22T16:59:00.002-07:002012-04-25T11:10:47.082-07:00When to Hold 'Em and When Best to Fold 'Em<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">By Cathy Spalding, Lamalink,
August 2008</span></h2>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgov6_8p1tXgvJ4VrByxzBzQl6T2yEjObc3Pwr2tnvSIFQrTHZ6sfd0ZEhpFd311Siu0cQOWuwOLMQJfBlSjJvzeCdBjEKjNu35htyimyuPH6xbuxT0eRZWM9Z6ardyZDqSQwKj0q66Oqo/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgov6_8p1tXgvJ4VrByxzBzQl6T2yEjObc3Pwr2tnvSIFQrTHZ6sfd0ZEhpFd311Siu0cQOWuwOLMQJfBlSjJvzeCdBjEKjNu35htyimyuPH6xbuxT0eRZWM9Z6ardyZDqSQwKj0q66Oqo/s320/Picture+4.png" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spitting would seem to be among
the higher levels of aggression exhibited within the normal alpaca and llama
behavioral range. Humans often misunderstand or altogether miss the behaviors
leading up to a true stomach contents spit. An alpaca or llama can easily
manipulate our human fear of receiving spit by simply snapping ears back and
very slightly raising the nose. "Oh no...they are going to spit!" As
if by magnetic repulsion, we move hack hoping for the moment to pass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spit is not
something to be given – nor received – lightly. It is serious business. The
alpaca or llama who would spit does not seem to enjoy the doing of it any more
than those who would be on the receiving end. Animals not directly involved in
the exchange will tend to avoid anything with spit on it, and some might even
hang their own lower lip. It is as nasty to the alpacas and llamas as it
appears to be for humans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a good
stomach contents spit, alpacas or llamas will open their mouths to "air
out." This stance is commonly called "bad mouthing." They appear
miserable with bits of greenish stomach contents dripping from their mouth. The
lower lip hangs loosely at half-mast. Nostrils can flare and there may be mouth
and/or irregular breathing. While the lower lip hangs limply downward, the eyes
may appear somewhat dull and distant, showing some disconnect with their
surroundings. There are often signs of tension and tightening in the facial
muscles with a skin wrinkle appearing directly below the eye. In this offensive
and rather disgusting state, they are normally left quite to themselves by the
rest of the herd.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is not
unusual to see an alpaca or llama that has just hurled a good stomach contents
spit wander about his environment looking for anything that might help rid his
mouth of this disdainful mess. In search of a "breath mint," he may
chew on the bark of a tree or wooden fence rail, leaves, sticks, or head
directly for any available fir bow. Some have even been seen picking up and mouthing
rocks. In this state, it is not typical that they will seek out their usual hay
or grain or even drink water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are
different levels of spit. Alpacas and llamas may spit out a large volume of air
complete with saliva. Spit may be composed of whatever was in the mouth at the
time of the incident such as grass, hay, grain or cud. These spits can be
somewhat spontaneous in the midst of an argument or in the form of making a
statement. These spits will also happen with little to no warning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The highest
level of spit aggression--serious and vile--is the stomach contents spit. The
contents of this spit are actually called up from the stomach. Alpacas and
llamas normally go through a series of behavioral warnings prior to actually
spitting stomach contents. Truth be, they would hope to avoid giving this type
of spit as much as any recipient would hope to avoid receiving it. The ears
snap back, the nose rises and if the "offender" does not respond
appropriately, the nose goes higher and the ears move to the pinned position.
If the "offender" still does not respond appropriately, you will see
a significant lump travel upward along the neck. Sometimes that goopy lump is
halted and held in the mouth for just one more warning. Often, however, it is
not halted and the lump is forcefully spewed forth in the direction of the
"offender."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alpacas and
llamas are unable to retrieve and spit fresh stomach contents in one continuous
action unless the nose is raised high, which in turn, allows the ears to be
pinned back (cued) nearly in line with the neck. This physical posturing
effectively diminishes any dramatic curves--particularly at the throat--thus
facilitating a fairly straight path from the stomach, up the esophagus and out
the mouth. Thinking of this physical positioning in human terms, if we were
about to regurgitate and did not stretch out our neck, what would happen?</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrRqVVYTtRWnwTS-j7_TXyOb1v1BmYG6NJrDaJXqIlZN5sSZJOdxFNxvaxyRm7V6sWdJ4fU_oKmC5_-CZOpBiicrWPZWhYhnXLRiHnTEuNhLaTC9l1rM9pd4IGO9hv6vVOaWOFQgQAaY/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrRqVVYTtRWnwTS-j7_TXyOb1v1BmYG6NJrDaJXqIlZN5sSZJOdxFNxvaxyRm7V6sWdJ4fU_oKmC5_-CZOpBiicrWPZWhYhnXLRiHnTEuNhLaTC9l1rM9pd4IGO9hv6vVOaWOFQgQAaY/s320/Picture+5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The photo above (Fig. 1) captures just how miserable an alpaca can feel immediately following a stomach
contents spit. Llamas feel just as miserable. The lower lip is drooping, the
ears can hang at half-mast and the nostrils are somewhat flared. Notice the look
in the eye and the sagging eyelids. There is an appearance of disconnect to the
surroundings as this alpaca seems to focus on how she is feeling at the moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In these two
photos (Fig. 2), a male alpaca has chosen a leaf as a sort of "breath mint"
after a stomach contents spit. In the first photo, he has just secured the leaf.
He still looks miserable. His lower lip is drooping, his nostrils are flared,
his ears hang at half-mast and his eyes are dulled with eyelids sagging. He
appears a bit withdrawn and disconnected from his surroundings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the second
photo of this same alpaca a short time later, notice that he is beginning to
perk up. Still in recovery, he continues to hold the leaf in his mouth. However,
he is feeling much better. His lower lip is beginning to return to a more
proper positioning and his ears have come forward. His nostrils do not appear
flared. His eyes and overall body stance now appear more interested and connected
with his surroundings.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMFZ8i2llIChQrXLLn78U7iIwx0jCVD2D5sC8GlqnmGoxbsLEh8mkF87zFsIhie-2r5ZVI6yHIWD3xfkXWkZ0sUbemWyqFLaxAz-TB5nNnqf-QmKxtwCq6uVXqq786xmNwXkU2kiC4ZU/s1600/Picture+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMFZ8i2llIChQrXLLn78U7iIwx0jCVD2D5sC8GlqnmGoxbsLEh8mkF87zFsIhie-2r5ZVI6yHIWD3xfkXWkZ0sUbemWyqFLaxAz-TB5nNnqf-QmKxtwCq6uVXqq786xmNwXkU2kiC4ZU/s1600/Picture+6.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can learn a
great deal by closely observing a potentially serious stomach contents spit
situation with our animals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The white alpaca (Fig. 3) is quite serious in her statements to the fawn alpaca. So serious, in fact,
that she would appear just moments from backing it up with a hearty spit of
stomach contents. Notice her body language and the combination of cues coming
together for this expression of anger or upset. The neck is out-stretched, the
nose is up, and the ears are nearly pinned. While not looking straight on at
her opponent, she is looking more directly than the recipient. She is not quite
yet lined up physically in a balanced body position for a good stomach contents
spit. She is, however, surely warning that it is a definite possibility.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notice the
recipient of her aggression. She is well aware of the situation, but for the
moment, has decided to lower her head and look away. Her eyes are drooped and
she shows signs of muscle tension in her face. Her body is out of balance. Her
combined behavioral stances come together to give her a softer and more
subordinate look.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl84E1Ob472LG7F6XLoPTPMmXEWJ9TR8NKbH2U98H_DlMekxS7oB3wF3NqiFAXan583kJf2QgaN1SnePtDNPHlBkZJ1fjoKEhbp1Npoa8wBtkbwPyAIGvW9bOAP3DfjJuHoH18H2GRVI/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl84E1Ob472LG7F6XLoPTPMmXEWJ9TR8NKbH2U98H_DlMekxS7oB3wF3NqiFAXan583kJf2QgaN1SnePtDNPHlBkZJ1fjoKEhbp1Npoa8wBtkbwPyAIGvW9bOAP3DfjJuHoH18H2GRVI/s1600/Picture+8.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig. 4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moments later,
the situation has escalated (Fig. 4). The white alpaca has shifted herself to a near
front on position and balanced herself squarely on all fours. She has brought
her neck up, pinning her ears and straightening her esophagus. She has not yet
spit, but is at the ready, needing only to perhaps lift her nose slightly
higher. It would appear the recipient would still hope to avoid an all out confrontation.
While moving closer into a defensive spit position by raising her nose, she
remains off balance. In fact, she has not even moved her feet. While she has
raised her nose, her neck remains lowered in a more submissive position and she
does not make eye contact with her aggressor. Even so, she has escalated and
lost some of her softer, more subordinate look. While certainly aware of the
situation, the other alpacas are not getting involved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is interesting
to consider the so often-heard advice: "Don't look them in the eye."
Alpacas and llamas look at one another constantly. We look at them… they look
back... nothing happens. In understanding alpaca and llama behavior, perhaps we
can take our cue for the instance when it is likely not appropriate for us to
look them in the eye. The recipient in this potential spit match is surely
providing the cues for us. When an alpaca or llama is moving into a stomach
contents spit posturing, it seems wise to soften our body, perhaps turn sideways
to them and, in this particular instance, it seems clear... "Don't look
them in the eye!”</span></div>Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308564922312347932.post-59294826756604483292012-04-22T16:32:00.001-07:002012-04-22T17:00:31.666-07:00Haltering the Untouched Llama<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Gary Kaufman, Roads End
Llamas, Reprinted from the SELR Newsletter, Vol. 2 Issue 3, June 2008</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the hardest processes I
have to deal with is trying to define any given llama's spatial 'comfort zone'
during any training session. If you have the ability to, create a large space,
round, square, or any shape you can create fine. It's not the shape that's
important at this time, just working within a space.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time is your
friend, and llama time and people time are not the same thing. The other thing
that is surprisingly critical is that you keep breathing and BE CASUAL. These
guys live and die by understanding the nature of body language, and anything
that is interpreted as threatening will be. If you move around in your regular
life briskly during tasks, keep that same pace when with him; if you are a
'slow mover' then move slow when you are with him during training. Be
consistent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So... llama is
in big space with YOU in the center. Angled facing towards his head, just
behind his ribcage off his flank and he should walk forward or angle away from
where you are standing. Keep distance and don't chase, just 'move him out' with
your body. Angled facing towards his head a bit but more off his front shoulders
and with the right space between you and him, he should stop moving. Do it all
slowly and from a reasonable distance. The minute he stops moving, start
watching his feet, say a command ["AND STAND"] BEFORE he shifts his
weight or moves a foot, then take a half step backwards, turn around and walk
away. Remember the distance that was between the two of you, go get a cup of
coffee and give him a very small amount of something he likes to eat in a bowl.
Come back after your coffee, but BEFORE he starts stressing about being
confined, and do it one more time. See if that space of his standing can shrink
a bit. If it doesn't, oh well, if it does COOL. Walk away, feed him a bit more
and call it a day, unless you think he is ready for more. Each time, shrink
that space until you think you are close enough to touch him. When you can
reach out and touch him, that is literally all you do; reach out touch him with
a quick stroke and walk away. I wouldn't do it all in one day by any stretch of
the imagination, but I've seen it done in under an hour with some pretty wild
guys. At some point during the process, he will eventually turn into you when
you turn your back and start walking away. That is a good sign. You are
building a relationship of trust and leadership.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you get to
the point where he is willing to let you be within a 10 foot area, you could
certainly shrink the space a bit and keep on going. The objective is to make
him a willing partner in the process of being touched and handled. Then you
deal with the halter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time, time, time
and being consistent are going to be the allies in your partnership. I'm not
sure I would even make this an everyday thing, but every time you have the
opportunity to just "touch him" take it. You aren't trying to do
any-thing. Just walk by, reach out and brush some part of his body without even
stop-ping to breath.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's hard to
explain verbally, but if you ever watch horse training shows, you can apply
this to that process. When you watch, listen or attend a Cathy Spalding clinic,
John Mallon clinic, or Marty McGee-Bennett clinic, the single common thread you
will find in all of them, although they all call it different stuff, is your
positioning and placing yourself in a location of control of the space, AND
using your body to assist the animal in understanding what you want him to do.
That is decidedly different from what you DON'T want them to do. I suggest that
you check out your local llama association. They have a lending library for
members I assume, but will also probably be able to assist you with someone who
is a member and might live nearby.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Vermont Llama and Alpaca Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09007068027044953264noreply@blogger.com0