Ban the 'environmentalist' opposition . Live a quiet life?

Hi Drumgerry

I love the look of them but if I told the missus I was thinking of getting one , (in fact getting anything else full stop) I would be in very deep water.
I'm surprised they are brave enough to chase foxes and such like they don't look like tough guys
We have had a fox problem but a £2000 guardian for the chickens might not go down too well with her indoors

also I didn't know they were sheared I just assumed they got combed or something
It must be a fair old job catching and shearing 30 of them

I see some of the alpacas are very valuable is that to do with the quality of their wooly coats ?
I expect it's not all just plain sailing though, do they have a lot of vet checks and health issues like horses

Thanks for the invite to see them
If I ever get over your way that would be great
How have they been getting on with the long winter?

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Originally Posted by marion.orca

Thank goodness it doesn't stand for " Do not feed the Trog " - I'd hate that to happen to one of my near- ish neighbours.

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That's very sweet of you! I hope your area didn't suffer in the recent fires. So glad the rain has come at last (Please don't quote me on that if it forgets to stop!!)

Hi DR - even if you were getting one you'd have to get two I'm afraid! They get very stressed if not in a herd and a minimum of two are needed for that. They have a fiercely protective nature and will do anything to stop predators getting at their young and they'll extend that to lambs as well. We have one female who I dread being pregnant as she goes for me when she has her cria and I have to weigh it etc.

Shearing isn't so much a problem as I don't do it myself. We have an Aussie guy to who tours Europe every summer and does each animal in about 10 minutes (they have to be stretched out on the ground on a mat to do it).

Valuable - yep! As with most breeding stock you have to pay for good quality animals. The fineness and density of the fleece and proper conformation make for an animal for which you can pay anything from £1000 up to £100,000. Non-breeding stock can go for around £500-£750. It's very rare to see animals sell at the very top prices but it has happened.

Cold, dry winters not a problem with that fleece of theirs. They don't much like it but can cope with anything Scotland can throw at them - where they come from is around 14,000 feet and freezes almost every night. The wet's another matter ( their fleece isn't waterproof) so they need a field shelter. Vet fees - yep again! - but no more than you'd pay for any other animal. They're generally very healthy but need to be wormed and vaccinated against Clostridia and have a few specific things of their own you need to watch out for.

Give us a shout if you're ever in my neck of the woods!

Gosh you must be worried about rustlers
These days even a beehive isn't safe

Attachment 1488

looks like butter wouldn't melt :)

Thanks for all the info drumgerry I can see why you are so enthusiastic about them they look great

Drumgerry

Very interesting: thanks.

You missed out one VITAL piece of info.: can you eat them and what do they taste like? :-)

Thanks guys. Haven't tasted it yet but certainly not opposed to. A meat industry will start at some point I feel to make use of all the males as there's only a finite market for them. And in Sth America they are of course eaten.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5BMTCyYPI_...25282%2529.jpg

Some of our gang from a couple of years ago!

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Originally Posted by gavin

I'll be sowing Phacelia and Vipers Bugloss on my allotment within the week. More interested in feeding and seeing bumbles and other bees rather than the Apis variety.

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Phacelia will be great for honeybees. I'm going to scatter loads about the place this weekend as they germinate at quite a low temp. I got lots of nice mixes from Scotia Seeds based in Brechin - great wee company and some interesting mixes.

My wife gave me my belated birthday present yesterday - that newly updated Plants for Bees book. Really impressive. Gives some nice info on what species are good for what bees and how easy to grow etc.

Just need some sodding bees now !

Hi Trog - the fires were close - but not as close as 2 years ago when the police evacuated us from our house - we had only been in it 2 weeks having moved from one end of the village to the other ! Nowhere near the hives, thankfully. I'm not so sure I'm glad the rain came today having just struggled up the hill home in lashings of the stuff - but the ground and lochs certainly needs it - roll on a proper spring !

This fire? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...lands-22158892

No not that one - too far away, but the hills were alight all around Mallaig too.