Three more cria have arrived over the last couple of days. All boys which isn’t exactly as planned but much the same happened last year and things soon levelled out. So in photo order we have Dino,  a brown huacaya and the first born but still the smallest as he shouldn’t have been born till next month!

Next in the line up is Stonker1, so called because of the way he arrived on Monday. a typical Matador cria and a lovely light fawn suri. ( Don’t worry the name won’t stick). Next in line is a white huacaya boy sired by Navigator. Looks pretty good but early days yet. His mother is our resident spit fountain ( to coin a Patou phrase) so we can’t get very near him without needing a shower.

Then we have one of yesterdays arrivals. A ? dark fawn/light brown huacaya sired by The Commandante ( did I hear someone say they think he’s definitely dark fawn). Finally we have Stonker2, named for similar reasons as above and another light fawn Matador suri.

So that is the line up so far. Where are all the girls!!

I had today all planned. Firstly I was going to top a few fields in the sunshine, then harrow a few fields in the sunshine. That would have taken me to about lunchtime when i was going to make a quick trip to Mole Valley Farmers (via the pasty shop) and spend a happy hour or so stocking up on supplies etc.

However other things had other ideas.  As I passed the alpaca birthing field I noticed Pandora had something sticking out of her rear. Over the years Felicia has trained me up into a finely tuned midwifing machine and I flew into action almost instinctively. All alpha brainwaves now. Iodine, lubricant, towel, colostrum, scales. The list of things was flying through my mind as I charged to the shed at the same time as trying to phone Felicia for advice. Whats the point of having a mobile if you never answer it. I collected the birthing gear together and raced back to Pandora by which time it was all over. On the ground was a stonking great suri cria. He was very lively, in fact too lively and as I administered the iodine he kicked the bottle out of my hand so my fingers now look like they belong to a 100 a day smoker. In no time he was in the cush and shortly afterwards up and looking for milk.

If only it was always that easy. Most of the rest of the morning was spent admiring him and I never did make the pasty shop. Our other cria who we have called Dino( only just confident enough to name him yesterday) is doing very well.

We had a major alarm with our premature cria yesterday. All has been going well but Felicia noticed his conjunctivas had become very red and inflamed. A sure sign of septicemia so it was straight of to the vets. Hannah this time was brilliant and agreed with Felicia and immediately treated with I/V antibiotics and another tube of plasma. Thankfully he seems fine in himself and even started the “cria evening gallop” last night so once again fingers crossed but I’m not sure we’re out of the woods with this one yet. Hannah did bandage him with camouflage coloured plaster which seems quite appropriate!

I am pleased to say that the Leader of the Mighty Patou herd has taken up my challenge for a one off heavyweight rumble in the Jungle match next year  at the SWAG Spring Show. See his rather curious response at http://patoutalk.blogspot.com/

He has even let me know his possible candidates for the show down including their breeding. One he is obviously very proud of called Patou Ruby May is a great granddaughter of Highlander. Now why he should be proud of this I don’t know. Here in Cornwall we breed alpaca to alpaca not alpaca to immortal Scottish warriors!!

Anyway his team does look good (check out the pictures on his blog taken with a Canon camera (snigger)) and you will see what Popham have pitted themselves against.

As to my team well most of them have yet to be born but I do have a possible in the form of the little fellow in the barn at the moment. He is doing very well. His IgG was up last night after the plasma given at the vets. I will check it again shortly. He is very well in his appearance and has started taking milk off mum so fingers crossed.

I read on a pretty insignificant alpaca blog recently about an attempt…I repeat attempt… at world domination. A so called MIGHTY HERD from somewhere in the hinterland ( that’s somewhere pretty unimportant eg. Wiltshire) is planning an attempt to secure and monopolise the alpaca market. HA….He is so confident in his ambitions he has even had the audacity to publicize his breeding plans. Well I tell you this is a typical example of  spin and funded as he is (between you and me I hear its Russian?Tasmanian Oligarch money) he probably feels he’s got a good chance. Sorry pal…you underestimate the independent STATE OF CORNWALL. We don’t need outside help from Russian Oliogarchs   money, we’ll do it our own way ….pure Cornish.

So I therefore would like to make a challenge to this MIGHTY (sic) HERD. I have a brown alpaca that will beat your brown alpaca…..in the junior classes …..easily at the first show next year that you dare show your face while I AM PRESENT.

The prize, well as you are so sure about your world domination perhaps(as you will be the loser) a BBQ hinterland style at the venue of your choice.

Do you accept my challenge?

We took the young fellow up to the vets this afternoon for his dose of plasma. Miranda, our most estemed vet, wanted initially to give the plasma I/V.  This didn’t suit me as I wanted to learns how it was done I/P so a quick phone call to Chas at Classical convinced her that this was the route to take and , thankyou Chas, she is now converted to your method.

The IgG this evening was up to 254 so another test in the morning and hopefully we will reach the target area of 800mg/dl. The I/P route appeared very easy and I will have no qualms in doing it myself. Easier than tubing as long as you know how to sterilise etc.

So far I have tried the lancets underneath the tail with little success so have used the jugular to take the sample. One of the girls who works with us, Sarah, her main job is in the micro-biology labs at Plymouth University. I am going to get her to check my procedure this weekend and then today our vet is hopefully coming to show how to administer I/P and I will get her to check my sample collection techniques.

The crias IgG level is up to 150 this morning from 103 yesterday so we must be doing something right but not enough.

Lets hope it does work, he is a smashing brown colour and most of all a grandson of Jolimont Warrior. The best aussie herdsire in my opinion. His dad is Camouflage, so thats two spotties out of white females and two solids out of coloured females. Could be interesting.

We got back last night at about 8.30pm after 3 very busy days at Royal Cornwall. The crowds were amazing on the Friday and Saturday. It was a bit more sensible on the Thursday. Our new gazebo arrived on time and looked very smart though I forgot to take a picture of it. I lost count how many times I was asked whether the alpacas were llamas or do they spit etc etc…..

When we got back last night we had to deal with a “at risk” cria born yesterday. A lovely solid brown boy born a bit early and a bit weak. The first thing we did when we got back was to milk mum and thankfully she has been a real angel about it and has loads of milk. We repeated the process at midnight before collapsing into bed. I didn’t even hear Felicia get up at 5.00am this morning to feed him again.

I have checked his IgG levels today and they are low so we have given him some plasma but if that doesn’t improve things I’ll have to the vet to give him some through the intra-peritoneal route.

Well thats the busy show period over. Starting with the Devon County followed by the French show at Terralies. Then the Bath & West and finally the Royal Cornwal. So what does next week hold, oh yes back to work. Ho hum !!!

Four days at Bath & West really took their toll yesterday and we sat around like zombies unable to raise the energy to do anything. Four days is a long time but made even more tiring because of the glorious weather. It was scorching.

However their was a great atmosphere at the show and every one got on well, helped by the Tim Hey Aussie BBQ at lunch times and the close proximity of the Pimms bar.Also great to see the smaller breeders claiming their share of prizes. West Dorset and Patou had excellent results.

Competition in the suris was fierce on the Wednesday with Popham up against the likes of Moonsbrook and Alpaca stud. We only took 5 juniors  and Popham can proudly announce their junior team bagged 3 firsts, one second, one third and the junior male Championship. Not a bad start.

The Thursday brought out the junior huacayas. Our big hope was for our little star Thunder who is unbeaten in the black juniors this year. First though we had Alfonso in the junior brown. Unfortunately he came up against the same old Classical male that has beaten him into second twice already this year and I’m afraid it happened again. Maybe next year Alfonso. The Colonel didn’t fare so well in the junior fawns and had to endure the walk of shame when the  cut was made. Oh well can’t win everything. Then next the big one, black junior male and bingo Thunder strikes again. 1st place ahead of Inca. That’s the one we wanted.

On Friday we didn’t have any showing and Victoria joined us and we took a trip to Stourhead to look at the gardens. What a wonderful place it is especially at this time of year with all the flowers out. We even climbed King Alfreds tower.

Saturday was adults and seniors. Here we had Joshua up against his Nemesis from Classical again. The renowned Paris. Yet again it wasn’t to be and Paris won the Adult male with Joshua in second. Always a close thing. Paris went on to take Supreme and round off a very impressive show for Classical.

The next few days are busy with preparation for the Royal Cornwall Show. Only a trade stand this time. The weather doesn’t look to promising so hopefully my fancy new gazebo will arrive in time. I’m beginning to worry. I also going to count the numbers of times somebody asks me ( when looking at the alpaca sign) are they llamas!!!!

I’m knackered again!!! I’m also not sure these french trips are very good for my health or my waistline. Especially this last one. It was the close proximity of the alpaca marquee to the food hall that was the problem. Far too close. And the beer tent could have been alot further away as well.

The show was well organised by Robin Hodge. I know from experience it takes an awfull lot to arrange these shows and the one I do is only half the size. The judging, or more to the point the oral reasoning dragged on a bit as it had to be translated but they got through the classes in plenty of time and the weather held off kindly. A great success.

Our boy Columbus didn’t take the big one this time and could only manage reserve champion white huacaya. He was beaten by a lovely young female from Alpagas Sologne with a very advanced fleece. ( I don’t think the phrase “advanced fleece” had been invented when Colombus was born)!! Anyway he will be retired now from the show ring and hopefully will enjoy the busy time he has ahead of him.

Steve and Jayne from Quelvehin had a great show. Their black boy was Champion again, and they sold a brown female at the show only to have another brown girl born at home on the same day! Hows that for planning.

Today we have delivered a pair of young ladies to their new home at Mount Tamar Alpacas. Unfortunately I forgot my camera as it is one of those places where you quite envy the alpacas their new home. We are now in the process of packing up for the Bath & West show which starts tomorrow. Another four days of alpacas and another four days of the food hall……oh dear!!!!

Then next week we’ve got Royal Cornwall…….I’ll explode!!