Late summer/autumn is the danger period for facial eczema. Ensure you have sprayed your paddocks with a fungicide by the end of January, you will need to repeat this mid-March. Start feeding alpaca nuts with a zinc additive at the beginning of February, and continue this through to mid-April. Spore counts are vital if you do not wish to use fungicides. Remove alpacas from pasture immediately if FE spores start appearing. See “Facial Eczema” and “FE supplement” for more information.
Many areas will be experiencing drought conditions in late summer – it is vital to check your animals have a continuous fresh water supply. You should be checking water troughs daily – even if you have an automatic system – remember that pipes can spring leaks, hose joints pull apart, and blockages can occur.
Shade is an imperative in the hot summer months, and trees, either large single trees or shelter belts will bring welcome relief to your alpaca. If you have insufficient natural shade available, consider stacking old hay or straw bales or erecting shade cloth. These are a poor second choice to trees, however, as the summer sun is almost directly overhead during the hottest part of the day. Plan where you can plant trees, and remember you will need to protect them from hungry alpacas until they are well-grown!
If you have unshorn alpacas – get them shorn! Alpacas can suffer heat stress, and the few minutes it takes to get them shorn is far less stressful overall than leaving them to suffer in the heat.
Keep a check on animals body condition particularly if you are running short of feed – see body scoring. If you are low on grass, you may need to start hay feeding early.
Fire risk is high at this time of year – have a contingency plan to deal with fire. Remember water is short, and fire services often a long way away – don’t light fires!
Start planning your autumn fertilizer programme. If taking soil samples, take them from areas your stock like to rest. Clearly label each sample with the location it came from. Discuss methods of taking samples with your favorite fertilizer company, and organize to have the soil tested.
Don’t let up on weeds – many will be seeding now, and once removed from your paddocks should be burnt – but be aware of fire risk before you do so. Ragwort and deadly nightshade can be pulled out of the ground, thistles can be sprayed or grubbed.
