At the spring Calpaca (California affiliate of AOA) meeting, U.C. Davis Professor of Equine Medicine and Epidemiology Dr. John Madigan presented new research on the syndrome of dummy foals, and a methodology to reverse it. Equine neonatal maladjustme

How can we uncover any emerging or re-emerging disease in New World camelids unless we look for the cause of death when we lose an alpaca? This dilemma ultimately faces all owners at some point when raising alpacas. Finding the reasons for a death is

Do you have a room exclusively for medications and medical supplies for your herd? In my opinion it is a necessity for any alpaca owner. As a nurse practitioner who has worked in many medical offices and hospitals, I know each has a room to store and

Conventional wisdom says cow or goat milk is a good substitute for alpaca milk. My research indicates neither of those are the most optimum milk substitute. Recently, we bottle fed a cria for two months with a unique formula that produced good result

Did you know there may be times when you can help your adult alpacas by providing them with supplementation of electrolytes? It may be that dam who decides to give birth in the spring during an unexpected heat wave. It could be in a condition describ

This case study is about Moon River, a beautiful alpaca cria that was born healthy. She appeared by all measures to be normal, but lived for only four short days. Moonie, as we nicknamed her, succumbed to an infectious process, the result of insuffic

An EPD is an Expected Progeny Difference (EPD). It has been my experience that when you ask an alpaca breeder if their alpacas have been EPD tested and what are their herdsire's values, I usually get a look of utter astonishment. They have of course,

In 1990, with lightning speed, the means for finding information for the general public went from the library to the Internet. The Internet started by linking universities and quickly spread to its use by the public. Hence came the vernacular "Google

My husband Dave and I started a new alpaca business just like you. We were three months into the business and all I can say is what did people do before the Internet. Thank goodness for the Internet. Of course, it was a recession, right, we couldn't

There is an old saying in medicine, “When you hear hoof beats, don’t look for zebras.” It loosely suggests that, when a doctor, or in this case a veterinarian, sees symptoms of a disease, the most common cause of the symptoms is usu

The cost of veterinary services can be one of the most prohibitive expenses for the alpaca owner and breeder. During this recession, we all know alpaca sales are down, but expenses can be up. During these times, any way to save on costs would be welc