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 Thank you for stopping by. Maybe someday we can meet in
person, but for now I will introduce us via the wonders
of the Internet. I am Cynthia and my partner’s name is Joe.
I have been raising alpacas for 9 years. Joe has been raising
alpacas for 4 years. We met each other years ago at an alpaca
event. Who would have known then that we would later become
business partners, friends and more? Life is good. But,
you came by to learn about alpacas, the business and the
people who actually raise (and make a living) with alpacas.
I could give you the “rose” version of life on an alpaca
farm, but I am going to give you the information that really
matters here. Follow along on this seasonal tour of our
alpaca farm and;
How to Scoop Alpaca Poop.
Winter: Alpacas have this wonderful trait
of going “potty” in the same place. It is referred to as
the communal poop pile. I kid you not, these wonderful animals
do not poop as they walk (like a sheep) or poop whenever
and wherever they want (like a horse). Alpacas make a neat
pile and they all keep going back there. In the winter,
we clean up the poop piles and create a large “manure pile”
outside of the pastures. This pile grows until spring when
we will spread the stuff on the hay fields and garden as
fertilizer.
The only issue in winter is that everything is frozen.
Also, the females think creating a poop pile inside the
barn is much more convenient than going outside.
Alpacas love winter. At this time of year, they have a
grown a thick (dense), long (staple length) soft winter
coat. They are walking around with more warmth on their
bodies than I can ever gather in Carharts, sweaters and
long underwear. A great winter day for alpacas is when it
is below freezing, there is snow on the ground and the winter
sun is shining. All the alpacas are in the fields enjoying
the day. As for me, I am watching from the window of the
warm farm house.
Other than feeding the alpacas and cleaning the poop piles,
there is not much to do outside. All the breeding females
are bred, so the males have calmed down for the winter.
The spring crias (baby alpacas) have been weaned and they
are enjoying playing with all their buddies in the snow.
The fall crias are still nursing at their mammas side and
all is calm.
As for us (the people), we plan and project what we will
accomplish on the farm for the year. We decide which alpacas
will be shown in the spring shows and what shows we will
attend. We work on marketing plans, breeding plans and farm
projects plans. Notice how I say “plans”. On a farm, a plan
is crucial, but flexibility is imperative. When raising
livestock anything that can happen will happen and success
comes for people who look at every turn in the road as an
opportunity, not an obstacle.
Spring: Now the manure pile has grown
into a small mountain. Before (and even after) it thaws
it is a good idea to remind your children that the new mountain
IS made of poop. However for a young farm boy, that fact
does not make a difference. In northern Indiana farm country
where the land is flat, a mountain of poop is a mountain
that must be climbed.
 Did
I tell you that alpacas love hills? If you do not have hills
in your pastures, then move some dirt around and make at
least one little hill. This is necessary because with even
a small hill your alpacas can play “king on the mountain”.
The crias are a kick to watch…they still think it is a game.
The big adult males are rather serious about this game and
as for me; watching the big male alpacas knock each other
off the mountain has helped me gain a better understanding
about men and football.
OK, scooping poop in the spring. Spring is the best and
worst time on a farm. It is the worse because of mud. City
folk just do not get to experience the true nature of mud
like country folk experience it. Mud in the spring takes
on a life of its’ own. As the snow and ground thaws, the
ground becomes mud; deep mud. The type of mud where your
boots better be tied tight or you find yourself taking a
step and when you lift that foot up, the boot stays stuck
in the mud and with the next step your foot lands (and sinks)
in the mud. And guess what? That mud is mixed with poop.
Trying to keep plain mud and poop mud separate in the spring
is a challenge to difficult for mankind. Those frozen pellets
of poop that looked like good-sized marbles in the snow
are now a mush of mush.
The other issue is the mud on your beautiful alpacas. The
white alpacas are various shades of mud. And it is show
season. The great part is that once the mud dries, the dirt
seems to fall out of the alpaca fiber. Their fiber truly
is amazing.
And spring is an amazing time of year. Crias are born.
Every cria born is a gift. The mothers make giving birth
look easy. Most crias are born before noon. And like all
animals (and teapots), nothing will happen if you are watching.
I have walked into the barn or in a pasture simply to greet
a new alpaca that appeared while my back was turned.
 Not
to say that all crias are born without difficulty. Raising
livestock means educating yourself about breeding, births
and newborns (among other topics). Fortunately, the alpaca
industry has all the resources for learning the “hows” and
“whys” of caring for the animals. I learned (and still learn)
from books, attending seminars and working with other alpaca
breeders. This is an industry of people who actually share
their knowledge. If you have never raised livestock before,
you can learn how to raise livestock from other breeders.
Most, not all, of the people want you to succeed and healthy
alpacas are success. So ask questions and keep learning.
Ok, on to another spring topic; shearing. Shearing alpacas
is done once a year in the spring. It is important to get
that heavy fiber off of the animal before the hot weather.
In Indiana we shear in the beginning of May. (for more information
on shearing and fiber check out the Shearing and Services
pages of our website).
Later in spring, the mud dries and the poop piles and the
mountain of manure have disappeared (compliments of your
husband who loves to drive the tractor). Crias are born,
all the alpacas have been sheared, the breeding females
have been bred, and show season is winding down. Summer
is near.
Summer: Summer is when you find your animals
will poop faster than you can get the scoop to pick it up.
The problem is not the smell because alpaca poop does not
have a strong odor. The urine smells, but not the poop.
The smell of poop is not the issue in the summer, the issue
is the fly. The best way to keep the fly population down
is to keep picking up the poop. Did you know that a fly
bites? I do not remember this as a child. But I can tell
you that farm fly’s bite.
Keeping cool in the summer is critical for alpacas. That
short fiber growth since May is heavy and warm during the
heat of summer. We run huge fans in the barns to keep the
alpacas cool. Our 4 Great Pyrenees dogs, which live with
and protect the alpacas, enjoy the fans more than the alpacas.
On a warm summer day the dogs have front row seats in front
of the fans.
Even with the heat and flies, summer is a sweet time on
an alpaca farm. The fields are green, the alpacas are grazing
and all is well. The best time of day is right before sunset.
The crias play a game called “cria races”. As the sun is
setting, the crias run through the pastures chasing each
other. Even one cria will race through the fields as if
preparing for the Kentucky Derby. They do this all year
long, but watching crias run during a summer sunset is always
a gift. After the crias race, they settle down with their
mammas for the night. Even the flies have gone to bed.
Autumn. Autumn is my favorite time of
year. This is another busy season with crias being born
and shows to attend. However, the cool evenings and the
fall colors are perfect for alpacas and me. Even cleaning
poop piles does not seem as much of a chore. There is plenty
of work to be done in preparation for winter, but I find
the excitement of the season’s change and winding down the
year another joy of life on the farm. My birthday falls
in autumn and my gifts always include a new pair of boots,
a new pair of gloves (because at this point, I can only
find one glove) and a brand new shiny poop scoop.
Copyright 2008 Cynthia Mustaine
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