Sunday, May 16, 2010

Big Boys Shearing Pictures

Not all the boys were very cooperative with pictures. Since I wanted to get these posted as soon as possible, I took what I could get. Most often I take neat pictures, then blog about them, so this one is sort of backwards. But given shearing was this weekend, I just have to blog about it.

Before and after shearing pictures:

Our Peruvian Navigator (4 years old): Navigator weighs 155 post shearing. He had a total of 5.6 pounds of fiber shorn off, with a 3.4 pound blanket.





My Peruvian Georgio (3 years old): he weighs 125.4 post shearing. He had a total of 7.6 pounds of fiber shorn off, with a 3.2 pound blanket.





Apollo's Griffon (3 years old): Apollo weighs 229 post shearing. He had a total shearing weight of 5.2 pounds of fiber, with a 2.2 pound blanket.





SA Peruvian Greyt Exxpectations (2 years old): Greyt weighs 122.6 pounds post shearing. He had a total of 9.8 pounds of fiber shorn off (this is impressive! He is the biggest fiber producer on our farm, in a compact package). His blanket was 4.4 pounds.







Sancha's White Lightning (2 years old): Lightning weighs 130.4 pounds post shearing. He had a total of 7.6 pounds of fiber shorn off, with a 3.4 pound blanket.





Snowstorm (gelding): he weighs 180 pounds. We did not weigh any of his fiber because his fiber is very coarse (this is why he was gelded). Snowstorm is an important figure in the field and keeps the peace at the boys' barn. This is his job.



4 comments:

Lou Harmon said...

Great pictures. We were in Kentucky these past few days attending some events. One of them was the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival. It as their first one and it wasn't too shabby. After going through all of the vendors and iron chef cookoff, I mosey-d (how do you spell past tense of mosey-lol) I strolled over to the educational building and there were the alpacas......cute cute. They are SO cute. They had three 8 month old little ones that were for sale, but already purchased (praise the Lord) before I got there. They weren't show material and they needed to thin their herd. They were selling them for $150.00 each and I was assured one or two would fit in the back of my Explorer for the trip home. lol
So.......again I say....some day I will have at least two, because one gets lonely, right?
So, anyway, I enjoy your blog a lot. I might pop up to Ft. Wayne Saturday to see the show, but not sure yet.

oak haven alpacas said...

Please do look me up if you end up making it to the show.

Fiber boys are really easy to care for, just some nice grass hay and a yearly shearing, and they do well. I would suggest getting at least 3, as they are herd animals and like to have at least 2 friends. Alone or even in pairs they can be scared and act up more. We have one fiber boy right now that we are trying to nice home for. Sometimes that can be hard to do. But we have 4 more babies coming this year, so need the room, and I have enough fiber so don't really need a fiber only male.

We have transported babies in our car once (Taurus) but he was only a couple weeks old (sat on my lap). I've seen people put grown ones in mini-vans.

Mother Robinson said...

We have transported adult alpacas in both our Explorer and the back of our pick up truck (with a cab). The most we got in our Explorer was 2 or 3. I would like to get a mini van to transport for quick trips instead of hooking the trailer up.

oak haven alpacas said...

I hear you. We've talked about renting a mini van for going to shows (if we are only taking a couple). The trailer and truck really eat up gas. And for a drive by breeding, a mini van would be really nice. I've heard you just put down a tarp and let them in the back. Plus, then they get the a/c too :) Vet visits too, that would be so nice.

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