2011 Due Dates

Now that we spit tested all the females, I can get a more accurate list of our upcoming due dates for 2011. I love cria season, so these births are something I am very much looking forward to. I put the list of the due dates at the bottom of the blog, so that we can keep track.

Tehya is due 5/11/11
Tehya is bred to Our Peruvian Navigator, who is a fancy rose grey male (he'd be considered a tuxedo, a classic grey). We have a 50% chance of getting a grey cria out of this breeding. We also have a good chance of getting a fawn cria. Tehya is a beautiful fading fawn, we'd love a Tehya clone as her cria. Tehya did great in the show ring, and has wonderful fiber that is always my first to sell out.

Sancha is due 6/4/11
Sancha is bred to our male, SA Peruvian Greyt Exxpectations. Greyt is a modern rose grey and this is his first year breeding. We are so excited and anxious to see what he can produce. Sancha has produced a rose grey in the past, we are really hoping to have a repeat of that! But being she is white, there is always a 50% chance she will pass on her white gene and the cria will be white.

Lucy is due 6/13/11
Lucy came to us this fall, from Straightfork Farm in Ohio, already bred. She is bred to a male, Peruvian Mr Bojangles, a medium brown male who has won many 1st and 2nd place ribbons.

Snickers is due 6/30/11
Snickers came to us bred to Conan. We were so excited about this breeding, only to have her absorb the pregnancy. Alpacas have a high rate of uterine absorption. Typically it is stress induced. We believe moving Snickers to our farm caused her to absorb that pregnancy. We then bred her to Georgio. While I think Georgio is really great and I am excited about this breeding also, it comes with the cloud of disappointment that we lost that Conan cria. I know once I see this cria, we will be just as excited. We have heard from Georgio's owner that his cria from this past year have been the best on his farm. We know Snickers can produce quality, so we have every expectation that this offspring will be amazing.

Kateri is due 7/12/11
Kateri is bred to our own Lightning. Lightning was the first cria ever born on our farm, and this was Lighning's first breeding. We made this match because Kateri has produced all 1st place ribbon winners, she really is the complete package, then add on Lightnings incredible fiber characteristics and this cria should be completely amazing.

Victoria is due 7/20/11
Victoria is bred to Georgio, just like Snickers is. We are eager to see what Victoria and Georgio can produce. Victoria is the perfect phenotype in an alpaca. Her fiber is fine and dense. What Victoria lacks is crimp, but Georgio has plenty to spare. We have found with all of Victoria's offspring, they soak up crimp and all display not only her phenotype, but also amazing fiber.

We are sad that Maddie did not hold onto her pregnancy. Like Sancha, Maddie was also bred to Greyt. We were hoping to get a good idea of what Greyt can produce by having two of his cria on our farm this year. Greyt has been bred to females from other farms, so we will have to make sure to get a look at those cria once they are born.