CASTRATION CLINIC INITIATIVE Horrified by painful castration case histories on social media experienced breeders at Alpaca Evolution decided to hold a castration clinic – the first held in the UK. Shirley Isseyegh of Alpaca Evolution explains why it is essential that this routine husbandry task is carried out correctly. > Local anaesthetic given
> Quick health check before starting
S
ome of you will find yourselves already having had males born on farm; or maybe you are about to plunge into the wonderful world of alpacas by buying your first ever alpacas opting for males because they are “easier” to look after. Either way you have boys and now have to deal with the male psychology.
Why is it important to castrate alpacas?
The ability to have a harmonious group of males is the first reason for castration, having of course established that they are never going to make stud status. This is in itself a very important decision and one that you should thoroughly research through attending courses. At the moment the rage seems to be via Zoom but if you can, then a hands on one is always better to reinforce your knowledge so that you know what you have in your paddock. Alpaca Evolution offer a variety of courses both through our Alpaca Interactive© facility and on farm that can assist you with every aspect of alpaca ownership. As youngsters, you never dream for one minute that these cute fluffy or indeed silky little darlings are going to grow up and mature into little thugs but sadly like the majority of the male species they can and do, with the exception of only a few. Their playtime tussles which were once cute to watch can turn into full on fighting as they mature and seek to assert themselves in the group’s pecking order which is just as Mother Nature intended. Understanding herd dynamics though is the
32 Alpaca #86
key, along with recognising its equilibrium within established groups that can change literally through the introduction or removal of a single alpaca. So it’s not always about castrating the teenagers you may need to consider this for older males. Avoiding physical injuries – hopefully you will already know about fighting teeth and the potential damage these can do and as an owner you need to know that if these have not been dealt with or monitored, males can do some serious damage to their “play mates” anything from ripping an ear to castrating the other and usually this is brought about by there being too much testosterone involved!
When do you castrate alpacas?
While alpacas are often likened to sheep, when it comes to castration you do not follow the same procedure which is to ring them between one to seven days, or at any other age. Alpacas need to be given the opportunity to mature for a variety of reasons. Firstly they need their testosterone to be able to grow and strengthen into a healthy adult. Secondly it is well documented that their fleece attributes and qualities do not stabilise until they are at least a couple of years old so it is important to make sure that you are giving them enough time for all these factors to take shape and that you aren’t in fact about to castrate the Supreme of Supreme Studs! Make sure you are making an informed decision and if castration Continued on the next page >>
