Paca Porridge-

One tablet of Rumex, cut in half with a sharp knife.  Use half the tablet in the morning porridge, and the other half tablet in the evening porridge.  This boosts the activity in the digestive tract – more effective than Fastrack in alpacas not passing urine/feces.

Dissolve one-half Rumex tablet in one ounce of very warm water in blender.

Let it stand for about fifteen minutes, then blend a bit to help it dissolve.

Add 1 cup pellets – calf manna pellets

 -- or Equine Senior horse pellets are very good. 

      -- or any pellet  that is at least 18% protein.

Pour about 2.5 cups of hot water over pellets and let stand several more minutes   so that the pellets soften.

Blend a bit.

Add one cup rolled oats.

Blend a bit more.

Keep adding hot water so that consistency stays like thick porridge.

Add 1 tablespoon of ketamalt.

Add 2 tablespoonsful of molasses.

Add 2 teaspoonsful of baking soda.

Add 2 teaspoonsful of Red Cell or Liquid 747 (horse vitamins)

Mix all in blender. This formula should be thick enough that it’s like a thick pancake batter.  If it’s too runny, it’s hard to administer. 

Feed to sick alpaca with a plastic turkey baster.  You will have to make the opening in the end of the turkey baster larger, by cutting a bit off the pointy end.  We did this with our Dremel drill.  Always have a spare plastic turkey baster on hand, in case of emergency.    

It takes some time for the digestive tract to adjust, if this girl has not been eating much for an extended period of time.  So - - GO SLOW - - don’t rush her into eating too much too soon. 

It will be a 2-person job to feed her at least the first few times, until she figures out what you are doing.  One person holds the porridge and the alpaca.  The other person operates the turkey baster.

I have found that if you use a syringe that is purchased from medical supply stores (used to flush out J -Tubes etc) it works very well, and you can feed by yourself without any help.

It works! 

Please share this with other breeders who at some point may need to feed their alpacas...good luck.

The Worst Part of Farming

One of the most questions asked of me and my farming lifestyle is "What is the down fall of the alpaca industry". When I look back over the 10 years we have been in this industry, it has all been good, for the most part. I think one of the worst things about farming...when you have livestock, you also have dead stock. It is devastating when an animal you have cared for has taken a turn for the worst, and dies in your care. I put my heart and soul into my herd, and like to think they are all healthy and happy.  But things happen out of my control and nature does take over.

One particular devastating case was with a girl by the name of Dezi.  I loved this alpaca, she was friendly, gentle and had the softest face as well as fibre.  She was a girl that I had purchased from a reputable breeder, and I just loved Dezi.  It was May 26th, 2010 when she went into labour.  Everything seemed textbook, until a few hours later she was still straining.  I decided to provide Dezi with a pelvic examination, and found the baby breech.  He was totally backwards, and though I have read all the manuals, taken courses, I still could not get the rear hind legs out to deliver the cria.  The vet was on the way, but I still tried to help Dezi. I also had a experienced sheep farmer staying with me at the farm, and as hard as we tried could not get the cria's hind legs to pass the birth canal.

Moments later, our vet appeared and showed us how to deliver a breech baby that was in this particular position.  Not hopeful that the baby was even alive, we hoped for the best.  As our veterinary pulled the beautiful chocolate brown boy, and what a relief when he started to breath, cough and sneeze.  Tears came to my eyes as life was saved for this guy.  After providing mom with some medical care, we cleaned up the nursery and let the new mom and baby alone. We called him Trooper, and watched as mom and baby began to bond.

Swollen Rear end

Sally and Garth Feeding Dezi

When I went back to the barn to check on baby and mom, I began to notice swelling in her rear end.  Only natural after the trauma she had been through.  This is when she went down, and would not stand.  We milked her for feedings for Trooper and making her as comfortable as possible with blankets, straw, fresh water and food.  She was enjoying the fresh grass that my husband would go pick for her. But she would not eat the hay or pellets....after talking to the breeder where I purchased Dezi from, she provided me with a recipe for Paca Porridge to help Dezi get back on track.  But at this point, Dezi would not stand for Trooper to milk.  We exercised and massaged Dezi's legs to help with the circulation. We rigged up an apparatus so Dezi could periodically stand with some assistance. We continued to milk her, so Trooper would be able to get milk from momma.  I had some blessed friends come to my assistance and help try to get through this ordeal.  My life is blessed with so many good people in my life. 

Auntie Elaine Nursing Trooper

Auntie Karen taking her turn with feeding Trooper

This mixture helps with stress, tummy upset as well as providing them with vitamins and minerals to help increase their appetite.  This recipe did work, infact Dezi started opening her lips for this mixture as we spoon fed her. This recipe is available on the blog site for those interested in the recipe.  It works well, and I have used this concoction on other animals who turn off eating.

  Hay and pellets were looking better and better for her each day.  Trooper took to his make shift milk bar (literally) and was eager to feed from his substitute moms. Things were looking up for both mom and baby and I was so hopeful that all would be getting better. 

 We were so hopeful that both mom and baby would be fine...and then 3 days later, we lost Trooper.  Even providing him with mouth to mouth resuscitation, I could not bring this little boy back to life.  I was devastated, deflate and so upset.  We all tried so  hard.  Why is this happening???  It just does not seem fair.  But life is not fair, and the lessons we learn along the way help deal with the next incidents.

As we laid little Trooper to rest, we paid our full attention on Dezi.  Her appetite was increasing, her eyes were bright, she was alert.  On May 31st we set out to feed Dezi and get her comfortable for the evening.  We exercised Dezi and massaged her legs to aid with circulation.  After propping her on some nice blankets and straw, she rapidly started declining.  Right before our eyes. She was fine the first minute, dead the next.  It was instant, it was quick, it was devastating...again.  There was a blood clot in her leg that took her life.

As a farmer, I find it difficult to say good bye to these beautiful creatures.  You can beat yourself up for "not trying"  harder, or take what you have learned to give to others.  I still hate this part of farming, and I will continue to hate this part of farming, but this lifestyle is one that I enjoy with all my heart.

I have learned from all my experiences while farming, and will continue to learn.  I am blessed with all the support that is around me, I am blessed to have such amazing animals in my life.  I am blessed to have loved some really amazing animals in my life.  I have some amazing friends in my life that are dedicated to my animals, I love them for this. Thank you Sally, Elaine, Karen and everyone else behind the scenes who have supported all our trials and tribulations.  I am grateful to you all.


"If there is a heaven, it's certain our animals are to be there. Their lives become so interwoven with our own, it would take more than an archangel to detangle them." (Pam Brown)

The Hardest Part Is Letting Go.....

As the weekend comes to the end, we have to come to a decision....to let go. Our 14 1/2 yr old Canadian Bitz is at her final stages of life. We, as owners have the ability to decide that her life will end on July 25TH . This may sound cruel, but in fact it is a privilege. As humans, we have to undergo undue suffering when it is the final days of our lives...pet and pet owners have the option to let their loved furry family members go with dignity, go in peace.

As I write this blog, tears stream down my face. I am not looking forward to letting Lucy go, it is such a hard decision to make, but when I look into her eyes, she tells me she is ready. Ready to relieve herself of the pain, ready to go to Rainbow Bridge to be with her buddy Samantha.

This weekend has been a tough on on both myself, my husband and the rest of the pack. They sense that there pack leaders are unstable, and can sense something is wrong. But we need to shed tears, we need to let them know how upset we are to let our good ol' gal leave us.

Lucy was a extraordinaire dog...as we reflect on her life, and boy was it a good one. She lived in the city for just a couple of months and had her buddy Samantha to show her the ropes. Only to find a nice move into the country with property and a pond. The pond was a place she loved to cool down on hot summer days. If we could "peek" into her passion, swimming, sauna, liver, beer, coffee and her daddy were her passion. She swam in almost every one of the Great Lakes, she swam on the St. Lawerence River and even swam in the Atlantic ocean...she loved to swim. I think the Northern Lakes Desbarats and Upper Island Lake and Maki Lake were dear to her....she would swim for hours, chasing after flying gulls.

As we reflect...we remember every one loved Lucy....she smiled for anyone who would greet her, she did her duty of therapy dog in hospitals and classrooms, all animals came to Lucy as she was so calm and assertive. She knew what she wanted. She was a gentle soul. Kind and passionate to every two legged human, every 4 legged furry sole.

Garth and I have not realized that our real Lucy has not been with us for a few months...she no longer came prancing to Garth's vehicle when he came home, she couldn't, she no longer plays with Winni, but whacking her with her paw to get play started. Lucy no longer smiles, but her eyes do light up when spoken to and a slight tail wag.

This past weekend was spent with heavy hearts, as we have reached our decision to let Lucy go to Rainbow Bridge. This weekend was spent doing all of her favourite things...swimming, sauna, eating a special liver dinner and any treat she wanted. I think she especially enjoyed hanging out with her pack filled with love and devotion.

We have one of the toughest things do as dog owners, that is to bring her to her special place and let her go peacefully. We will be there to hold her and tell her we love her and what a wonderful dog she was. We love you our Lucy Goosy....Loots...TootsyLoosty....Old Fart. It will never be the same without you.....Please know we want you to come back as another sole....we love you so much. Our final love we can show you, by letting you go...the hardest part.

Thinking Outside the Alpaca Fibre Box

This article was printed in Camelid Quarterly in March 2009. Thought it would be good to rethink at shearing time....hopefully it will inspire. Thank you to Karen Childs and team for always making our shearing a pleasurable one. Your table manners are so appreciated :). I do have to mention all the dedicated volunteers who come out to our farm each year to lend a hand and join the fun. Thank you..

Don't miss Fibre Mania May 28th, 2011

Shearing season is an exciting time for most alpaca breeders. We wait all year for this luxurious, soft fibre to grow into a healthy, long staple length so it may be processed for resale. This cash crop brings alpaca fibre producers excitement, stirs the creativity, and provides concrete evidence that our breeding program is working. The fibre is carefully shorn and separated into 1sts (blanket area) and 2nds (neck, rump and upper legs). But what about the 3rds? Does most of this less than desirable fibre get thrown out or left on the ground to be swept up after an exhausting day of shearing? Alpaca 3rds are judged unfairly against the beautiful, soft and lower micron of the blanket and seconds.

When we think outside the alpaca fibre box, we find there is a lot that can be done with alpaca 3rds. Fibre artists have been very creative using 3rds for a variety of projects. At Spinning Wheel Alpaca Farm they are collected and skirted as carefully as the other precious fibre from the animal. Though some may scoff at whether 3rds are worth processing, beautiful items can be created by utilizing this selection of fibre. Spinning Wheel Alpaca does utilize thirds from their alpaca herd, so it is sorted, skirted and sent off for processing.




Some of this fibre is processed into a 4-ply chunky yarn that is then hand woven into rugs; a beautiful swatch of colours to make European designed area rugs.These rugs wear beautifully, look great against hardwood or ceramic floors, and are very therapeutic for the feet. You do not need the finest of the alpaca fibre to create beautiful things.

It is very important to chat with the operators of the mill where you plan to have your alpaca fibre processed. They may or may not want to bother with thirds. Provide all relevant details about your fibre and be specific in describing how you would like your fibre crop to be processed. Some mills will even felt 3rds or kick outs, creating beautiful felted rugs. These rugs stand up to high traffic, feel great beneath the feet and look spectacular as home décor. The best place for this type of antifatigue cushiony rug, is in the kitchen on the floor in front of the kitchen sink. Makes doing dishes heavenly (well, almost). We also use these felted rugs as yoga or Pilate rugs. Great for relaxing and meditation. namaste.....

All alpaca fibre has its use…especially 3rds. By being creative and thinking outside the box, we can design the most practical household items while utilizing all the unique characteristics of the fibre - its warmth, thermal properties, colour variation and strength.

This fibre artist has what it takes to make alpaca 3rds and boiled alpaca yarn look fantastic in a house hold setting; a one-of-a-kind, hand crafted uniquely Canadian Alpaca Tea Cozy.

Warmth is a great characteristic of alpaca, we all know that. The “Butt Buddy” was created to provide warmth and comfort while waiting for our vehicles to warm up. It also helps keep us from getting chilled while we sit on the frozen bleachers watching arena sports or any time we need warmth - from the bottom up. The Butt Buddy works great and looks awesome.
There are other unusual uses from alpaca thirds. Some breeders have used 3rds as a mulch in the gardens. This helps retain moisture in the soil and provides a slow release protein to feed the plants. Some gardeners who have incorporated alpaca 3rds into their horticulture have noted that their geraniums and impatiens do extremely well with alpaca mulch and thrive even in our Canadian summer heat. Other breeders sell their fibre to bird enthusiasts who love to watch the natural nesting behavior of their feathery friends. Alpaca 3rds are a great material for birds to use when building their nests. The fibre also helps keep the eggs nice and toasty while waiting to hatch.

At your next shearing session, think outside the Alpaca Fibre Box, and start creating. It is fun and can enable you to use all your alpaca fibre. Use it to fill your cat’s or dog’s bed, insulating the walls of your cottage, or another small building, there are many uses. Be creative, and for crying out loud ‘Don’t throw out the 3rds!’


The Camelid Quarterly 1 March 2009



Don't miss Spinning Wheel Alpacas' annual "Fibre Mania" held the last Saturday in May. This year our on farm event will be May 28th, 2011, from 10am-5pm. Vendors, demonstrations, learning about alpaca farming, and local producers will entertain everyone. Thank you Pine Ridge Hand Spinners and Weavers for joining us this year. Admission is by donation, with proceeds being donated to Hearth Place Cancer Centre Oshawa,

"Once you go alpaca, you don't go backa"

It's No Fun Getting Old...

I never thought that my lifestyle would create such a path on meeting some many interesting people. This week has been no exception....
One of our geriatric furry family member just turned 14 yrs old in February. In dog years, Lucy is 91 and still thriving, until this harsh winter brought out the worst in her arthritic body. The ice patches around the farm did not help either. With a little bit of anti inflammatory, some new raw diet and homeopathic remedies, it was a start on making our precious Lucy feel a bit better.

We have been studying the "raw" diet for our dogs. It has many benefits for our canine family members so the thought was to try our "inside" gang on this new meal plan. With the help from my sister in law and our employee, who were both feeding raw diet to their dogs, we saw long term goals and decided to contact an expert. Sheila is an experienced raw diet guru, and owns "My Dog's Best Friend". She was knowledgeable and fairly inexpensive having raw diet at about $1.40 a pound. Dogs should eat between 2-3% of their body weight. Sheila did tell us that our dogs may turn their noses up at the food at first. Our first feeding, everyone was interested in the meal prep...even devoured the main course. In the past, we would have to call the dogs for their dinner time...Spy our Border Collie is not food intense...until the raw diet.

We have a total of 6 dogs...yes 6 dogs. Three of our dogs live inside and are considered pets. The other 3 dogs (also considered pets) but are of a working breed and live with the alpacas. The outside gang are Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) as they protect our herd of alpacas. This is a breed called Maremma which is an Italian breed, looking like a big white fluffy polar bear. Vito is a 7 year old Maremma (seen infront of Garth in the photo below). Seven is fairly young for a dog, but Vito is considered a geriatric dog as well. We met Colleen Cochrane thru networking. Colleen is considered a "dog whisperer" and has the ability to communicate with animals. She is a very unique and special lady who earns the respect from my animals very quickly. Colleen has an energy about her, that the dogs just seem to gravitate to. With her wisdom and holistic approach (along with my vet) we are working on arthritic issues that Vito has been experiencing. He is much happier these days and has gone back to working full time in the barn yard.

We still were looking for something else for our ol' gal Lucy Goosey. She had begun favouring her leg and we were worried that she may loose muscle tone in her right rear leg. The stars have been lining up for us this past month as we found this interesting business in a little town of Gore's Landing, just 45 minutes east of us. Shari's Quest is enhancing lives of animals and their humans. Shari as I have learned, offers massage and hydrotherapy service for horses and dogs to aid in healing of soft tissue injuries or post surgery. To aid in relief of muscle stiffness in athletic and older animals. A perfect solution for our Lucy, some hydrotherapy as she is an avid swimmer....that is in a lake.

When I spoke with Shari to set up our first session, she explained the process on how our dog would react...but being the mama of Lucy, I thought I knew how my dog would react. Little did I realize that Lucy behaved exactly as Shari predicted.

Our first session was this evening....a little bit of coaxing, some treats and a long ramp, Lucy had her first therapy session. It was great watching her swim in the mineral pool with her therapist, but she just was not sure about the whole adventure. But Shari was awesome. Very calm, very relaxed, which helped our precious Lucy settle down and get to work. Water splashed everywhere and our therapist just smiled. It was a great outing, and for the short period we were at our session, Lucy's session equaled about a 2-3 km walk. Not bad for an old gal.

Lucy seems to be tired this evening, but we will see what tomorrow brings or at least the day after that. We look forward to our next session and helping Lucy get back on all fours.

To learn more about Shari's Quest, visit her on line at www.sharisquest.ca

If you are interested in any information about any of the above people we have met this past few weeks, please email me at alpacas@xplornet.com.

We have some amazing people in our communities, those who are passionate about what they do.

Thank you Sheila, Colleen and Shari....the world is a better place for our furry family members when age is creeping up on them.

All I heard was "You have cancer..."

On June 16th, 2010 all I remember is the words "you have cancer..." and nothing else.

April and May of 2010 have been challenging ones. Kind of nice as it helped keep the focus off of me and my pending results of numerous tests I have been going through. Having farm animals and some times sick animals, you try your damn est to keep them healthy, alive. Your emotions are shattered when you loose one of your precious animals because you feel you needed to do more. But I think things happen for a reason and this past couple of months has helped me focus on the day to day challenges and not the pending future until June 16th when that was all I heard.

Thank goodness my husband did not listen to me once again...thank goodness. I was getting my results from a biopsy and told him I was OK and that he did not need to attend this appointment with me. When I got to the doctor's office, he greeted me and held my hand.

As we waited for the doctor to call me in, I chatted about the mornings events, who pooped, who had a messy pen, how the baby took his full bottle, how this sick mom looked better today, how the cat made me laugh, all because I did not have a clue what was about to unfold. I am invincible...

In Dr. Belfond's office (a new Dr. for us, and I am really liking him) and plopped myself on a chair waiting to hear the results were good and that I could go home. I had premeditated that I was going to give him a HUGE hug and say Schanks Doc. Not so.....

Once at home I had to ask Garth what was said as I could not remember. The hardest part was calling loved ones...calling people who loved me and letting them know what the doctor said..."you have cancer......". I just could not do this.

My strong husband was the one who made the calls. As I listened to him and by his positive tone I fully believed I would be cured the next day. My energy was draining, my head was hurting and all I could try to think about was the sick mom I had waiting in the barn and her baby I had to bottle feed. What a god send to have something else to concentrate on. A delight to see all the faces in the barn light up when we walked thru the barn yard gates.

That night of June16th an abundance of love and support filled our home. It was the most powerful night, the most positive energy that has ever filled our house. It was amazing. The phone began to ring, friends dropped in, neighbors brought some dinner for us. Everyone was ready to drop everything to help us while we are about to embellish in our next step of this journey. "I can drive you", "Can I do chores" "tell Garth I am here", "what can I do" "you will be ok" were emails of support and offerings of help. I always knew that Garth and I had some amazing people in our lives and this certainly comes true when there is a crisis. The best part of June 16th is the laughter that was brought into the house again. Friends that popped in made me laughed...really hard and boy it felt goooooood. As corny as the jokes were, the doom lifted quickly as I prepared mentally for what was ahead of us.


To everyone THANK YOU. Jenny, the dinner was delicious, the strawberry pie was heavenly. I have been eating both of these when Garth is not looking so I can eat every delicious morsel myself (just kidding). We have the most wonderful support system in the world. The phone calls, the emails, the general prayers.

I am prepared for this fight. I have even came up with my own Cancer song to help me through this part of my life: Remember Cookie monster singing C is for Cookie??? Well here is my song:

"C" is for cancer let's get it out of me,
"C" is for cancer let's get it out of me,
"C" is for cancer let's get it out of me,
Oh! cancer, cancer, cancer starts with "C"! I even have his voice down packed.

More than ever I will only think positive thoughts...only positive thoughts will be allowed in our home. I will surround myself with the love of family and friends who we appreciate so much. I guess we are alright since we have an abundance to people who care for us so much.

Alpaca...it's all in the fibre.

“Once you go alpaca, you don’t go backa”

Alpacas have been around for centuries being farmed in South America and was once reserved for royalty. Since 1984 alpacas have been in North America and the industry is booming with these fibre producing animals. Alpaca is stronger than sheep's wool and warmer. It is one of the finest fibres in the world and has little or no lanolin which makes it allergen free. Another reason for alpaca being hypo allergenic is the processing method. When processing alpaca, we use an Eco scour that is environmentally friendly and non-toxic. Most people who react to sheep's wool do not react to alpaca. Alpaca is a fibre of choice for those who have difficulties with other natural fibres. It is very soft and contains microscopic air pockets which create lightweight clothing and products with great insulation values. Most people can wear alpaca right next to their skin. It is a wonderful lightweight luxurious fibre, almost cashmere like.

Alpacas raised on farms in Canada are relatively "organic". Alpaca farmers do not use any harsh chemicals on the animals to deal with parasites. Our customers enjoy the alpaca products that we sell in at our on farm store The Fleece Station.

Our clients state that when sleeping with an alpaca duvet they experience a healthy, comfortable and restful sleep with 100% natural and organic Alpaca wool comforters. Perfect for those who are allergic to feathers or synthetics? Alpaca fibre is also dust mite resistant. Alpaca fibre will not over- or under-heat underneath you, so on warm nights, you sleep soundly to wake up to a fresh morning. Our customers love the clothing we sell, providing their allergy suffering loved ones an alternative in clothing, while keeping them warm and feeling like royalty. Our motto is "once you go alpaca, you don't go backa".

To learn more visit us at www.spinningwheelalpaca.com. We really appreciate your referrals and very ecstatic that your children and loved ones can happily wear alpaca with no reactions.

Nancy Hutchinson

The Alpaca Lady

Enniskillen (NE Oshawa), Ontario

nancy@spinningwheelalpacas.com

Thank you for supporting local farmers.