Marty McGee Bennett
08-07-2005, 08:39 PM
Hi Marty,
Can you help or give suggestions on this one?
My partner bought a young pregnant female about 18 months ago who has subsequently birthed 2 cria and has rejected both of them. We'd really like to reverse this!
This female was purchased and transported (about a 5 hour trip in a horse truck) about 6 weeks before the birth of her first cria. From arrival she displayed anisocial and abnormal behaviour (my sister describes her as autistic). She did not appear to relate to the herd in any way, often grazing and resting at the far end of the field. If the herd moved, or was driven, away from her, she would continue grazing as if she hadn't noticed. No, she is not deaf, but she certainly behaved as if she was.
She is a bit of a panicker, but when calm, is quite capable of learning - she can be easily haltered although she has not yet grasped the idea of being led, and is generally co-operative once she knows what is required of her.
A couple of incidents occurred in the first year she was her which alarmed, and following each we noted a marked difference in her attitude to the herd, to the point where she is now "almost normal", she generally notes what is going on, and has started taking an interest when we work out on the farm, which she never used to do, she sticks with the herd (generally), and has even started eating alpaca nuts and coming when called - both of these are firsts! So as you see, she is not impossible!
I was not present at either birth, so what I am relating hereafter is what I have been told, not my own observation.
Her first cria was born approx. 6 weeks after arrival. She was in a smallish field, together with other members of the herd. She birthed easily, and immediately wandered off to have a roll. She was later placed in a pen (20'x12') and left alone with her cria for several hours (about 5, I think). She utterly refused to let the cria drink, kicking her away and eventually becoming quite aggressive, so we stepped in and bottlefed the cria. We also attempted to draw some colostrum from this female and at that point discovered her udder was sore and enflamed. A vet was called, who diagnosed mastitis. He thought she had probably had the infection for 2-3 weeks before birth. He recommended she be dried off and gave her antibiotics. We subsequently handreared her cria, with both cria and mother remaining with the herd, however, this female took no further interest of any sort in her cria, other than to be aggressive if she approached closer than about 4 feet.
This year, as soon as she began to dilate, this gal was placed in the above pen, together with an older experienced alpaca, whose own cria was due in a few weeks. When the cria was born, she showed great interest in him, repeatedly sniffing at him - quite different to her behaviour with the first. However when the cria attempted to feed she simply neck wrestled him to the ground. By this time, the pen had divided into 2, with experienced mum in one half and the problem alpaca and cria in the other. She contined over the next few hours to refuse to allow her cria to suckle, first by neck wrestling and then by becoming more aggressive. Cria was bottlefed to help him keep his strength up but it soon became apparent that any interest she had in him was past, so we have another bottlefed baby.
Do you have any suggestions we could try? This female's next cria is due in February next year.
I sure can. I would wait to see if there is going to be problem and if there is I would immediately give her a seditive. The best one is Torbugesic. It is a controlled drug but for this sort of circumstance most vets will draw up a couple of doses for you to give. Give it in the muscle and then leave her alone with her baby. I would recommend putting them together in a pen that has open sides like the panels they use at shows... with other animals around so she won't be worried about being alone and then let the baby figure out how to nurse. With Torbugesic she will just stand there. You may have to give her a couple of doses but I bet that once the baby knows where the food is and she has been nursed as the sedative wears off she will accept the baby. I have had people tell me that this works great. The drug is very safe and won't affect the baby I am told. She won't fall down or anything she just won't care.
Unfortunately this didn't help at all - barely slowed her down! At best it reduced her unprovoked aggression toward her cria. So we have another handreared cria!
Can't win 'em all. I still think this is a good idea to try with most females who have this issue. The other thing is to work with maidens a bit before the baby comes with abalones up under the flank. Offer a bowl of grain while you are working... a second person can help balance while you work. It should be as non-threatening and pleasant as you can make it. But a bit of preparation for something nosing around under the belly couldn save a lot of grief later on.
Can you help or give suggestions on this one?
My partner bought a young pregnant female about 18 months ago who has subsequently birthed 2 cria and has rejected both of them. We'd really like to reverse this!
This female was purchased and transported (about a 5 hour trip in a horse truck) about 6 weeks before the birth of her first cria. From arrival she displayed anisocial and abnormal behaviour (my sister describes her as autistic). She did not appear to relate to the herd in any way, often grazing and resting at the far end of the field. If the herd moved, or was driven, away from her, she would continue grazing as if she hadn't noticed. No, she is not deaf, but she certainly behaved as if she was.
She is a bit of a panicker, but when calm, is quite capable of learning - she can be easily haltered although she has not yet grasped the idea of being led, and is generally co-operative once she knows what is required of her.
A couple of incidents occurred in the first year she was her which alarmed, and following each we noted a marked difference in her attitude to the herd, to the point where she is now "almost normal", she generally notes what is going on, and has started taking an interest when we work out on the farm, which she never used to do, she sticks with the herd (generally), and has even started eating alpaca nuts and coming when called - both of these are firsts! So as you see, she is not impossible!
I was not present at either birth, so what I am relating hereafter is what I have been told, not my own observation.
Her first cria was born approx. 6 weeks after arrival. She was in a smallish field, together with other members of the herd. She birthed easily, and immediately wandered off to have a roll. She was later placed in a pen (20'x12') and left alone with her cria for several hours (about 5, I think). She utterly refused to let the cria drink, kicking her away and eventually becoming quite aggressive, so we stepped in and bottlefed the cria. We also attempted to draw some colostrum from this female and at that point discovered her udder was sore and enflamed. A vet was called, who diagnosed mastitis. He thought she had probably had the infection for 2-3 weeks before birth. He recommended she be dried off and gave her antibiotics. We subsequently handreared her cria, with both cria and mother remaining with the herd, however, this female took no further interest of any sort in her cria, other than to be aggressive if she approached closer than about 4 feet.
This year, as soon as she began to dilate, this gal was placed in the above pen, together with an older experienced alpaca, whose own cria was due in a few weeks. When the cria was born, she showed great interest in him, repeatedly sniffing at him - quite different to her behaviour with the first. However when the cria attempted to feed she simply neck wrestled him to the ground. By this time, the pen had divided into 2, with experienced mum in one half and the problem alpaca and cria in the other. She contined over the next few hours to refuse to allow her cria to suckle, first by neck wrestling and then by becoming more aggressive. Cria was bottlefed to help him keep his strength up but it soon became apparent that any interest she had in him was past, so we have another bottlefed baby.
Do you have any suggestions we could try? This female's next cria is due in February next year.
I sure can. I would wait to see if there is going to be problem and if there is I would immediately give her a seditive. The best one is Torbugesic. It is a controlled drug but for this sort of circumstance most vets will draw up a couple of doses for you to give. Give it in the muscle and then leave her alone with her baby. I would recommend putting them together in a pen that has open sides like the panels they use at shows... with other animals around so she won't be worried about being alone and then let the baby figure out how to nurse. With Torbugesic she will just stand there. You may have to give her a couple of doses but I bet that once the baby knows where the food is and she has been nursed as the sedative wears off she will accept the baby. I have had people tell me that this works great. The drug is very safe and won't affect the baby I am told. She won't fall down or anything she just won't care.
Unfortunately this didn't help at all - barely slowed her down! At best it reduced her unprovoked aggression toward her cria. So we have another handreared cria!
Can't win 'em all. I still think this is a good idea to try with most females who have this issue. The other thing is to work with maidens a bit before the baby comes with abalones up under the flank. Offer a bowl of grain while you are working... a second person can help balance while you work. It should be as non-threatening and pleasant as you can make it. But a bit of preparation for something nosing around under the belly couldn save a lot of grief later on.