2023 GRAFTON COLOURBRATION

from Alpaca Advocate 2023 Winter

by South Queensland & Northern NSW Region

NLIS / IAR Tag Update

To feed alpacas in the winter, you should…

• Provide a reliable source of food, energy-rich treats (like grains), and plenty of water.

• Supplement the alpacas’ diets with hay, silage, or feed pellets if pastures cannot support alpacas during the colder months.

• Feed them hay, grasses, leaves, and bark.

• Provide clover, wheat straw, oat straw, barley straw, and other grains.

• Ensure they have a variety of different things in their diet to stay healthy tip: If you don’t have a hay rack, you can make one yourself out of a laundry basket. Seriously. Just hang the laundry basket up on the wall with a couple of nails or screws and you’re good to go.

THINK AHEAD Nearer to the winter season, there is a great demand for hay, and it’s also worth bearing in mind that there’s the possibility of a low production season. So if you want to feed hay during the winter make sure you stock up ahead of the trend and ensure you’re well supplied in advance of the season.

As a side note, beware of the risk of hanging hay in nets. While this is an easy storage option, nets can be very dangerous for alpacas, who might be in danger of getting their heads stuck and hanging. Instead, place bales where they can be easily accessed without risk to your herd. Hay racks can be a great choice.

On average, feeding an alpaca in the winter costs about $130 per alpaca. Of that amount, $115 of it is due to feed and grains. And the other $15 is to replace a stepped-in and broken bucket.