South Central Llama Association Winter 2015 • Number 101
Photo Courtesy of Ali Marie Elderfield
Winter 2015 Contents General Interest THE VERSATILITY LLAMA................................................................................. 7
SCLA OFFICERS (Term 09/2011- 09/2014)
President: Sean Price • 281-830-2368 • figranch@flash.net Vice President: Bill Simpson •(409) 625-0309 OR (972) 978-6229 • N5YA@N5YA.com Secretary: Adryce Mathisen, •682) 551-7799 (cell); (817) 866-4368 • adryce@att.net Treasurer: Bob Lyons • 210-497-3151 • boblyons1@satx.rr.com
THE MAN...................................................................................................................11 . MAKE YOUR OWN FELTED SOAP......................................................................15 CAMELIDYNAMICS................................................................................................21 LLAMA MANURE....................................................................................................19 HUNTING SEASON.................................................................................................21 WINNING AT LLAMA PUBLIC RELATIONS.......................................................24 COLD WEATHER MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR CAMELIDS..................................29 SKIN DISEASES AND EATING DISORDERS......................................................35 DO CAMELIDS GO DEAF......................................................................................38
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Always Inside
A quarterly publication of the South Central Llama Association.
www.scla.us/scla.html
Region One: (Area codes: 210-361-512-737-830-956) Susan Leslie (09/2011-09/2014) (830)401-0819 leslielanellamas@gmail.com Region Two: (Area cades: 214-405-430-469-479-501-580903-918-972) Bob Carroll (903) 229-8029(Term: 9/2013-9/2016) rcranch1@yahoo.com Region Three: (Area codes:254-325-432-682-817 806-940-915-505) Deborah Ignacio (09/2012- 09/2015) 817-454-8882 deborah.ignacio@yahoo.com
President’s Statement............................................................................................4 . Editor’s Note..............................................................................................................4 New Members........................................................................................................... 6 Dates Ahead.............................................................................................................. 6 SCLA Library............................................................................................................41 SCLA Membership Form.....................................................................................44
Region Four: (Area codes: 281-318-346-409-504-713832-936-979-985) Trisha McKaskle (281) 414-3584 (Term: 9/2013 - 9/2016) hitekllama@aol.com Director-At-Large: Jim Doyle (Term: 9/2011 - 9/2014) 940-482-3192: cell 940-391-1862 JDoyle@marikollamas.com
SCLA COMMITTEES
Activities.................................................... No chair at this time Membership..............................................................Karen Conyngham Nomination . ............................Marcie Saska-Agnew-chairperson Property.....................................................................Sean Price Fund Raising..................................................................... Open Youth................................................................ Christie Stewart Finance - Budget..............................Bob Lyons • Dan Johnson Librarian.............................................................Barbara Welch Conference................................................ No chair at this time National Lama Intervention & Rescue Coordination Council Scholarship........................................ .........Mary Nell Doyle - Chair .............................Susan Boblyanski, Adryce Mathisen, Brenda Gilmore SCLA Booth............................................... No chair at this time Web site......................................................... Sharon Bramblett By-Laws.............................................................Jim Doyle, Bev Johnson
SHOWS - Thanks For Volunteering Your Time!
Teresa Brruening..........................................State Fair of Texas-Dallas Jim Doyle............................Southwestern Livestock and Rodeo-Fort Worth Stephanie Clark.........................................West Texas Fair & Rodeo-Abilene Di Collins..........................................................San Angelo Livestock Show- San Angelo Trisha McKaskle...........................................Houston Livestock Show
EDITOR/DESIGN/LAYOUT
Ruby Herron 17102 Mueschke Rd., Cypress, TX 77433 713-249-8523 • HummingHerald@FigmentRanch.com
The views expressed herein are those of the authors. Before undertaking any new regime with your llamas, you should always consult with your veterinarian. Only they can tell you what is best for your situation. We invite submission for unpaid articles and photographs. Email to HummingHerald@FigmentRanch.com or mail to: Ruby Herron, c/o Humming Herald,17102 Mueschke Rd., Cypress,Tx., 77433
President’s Statement
Sean Price, President
I wanted to start my letter to you by asking each of you for some help. Our South Central Llama Association, SCLA, is not getting the membership renewals like we need. In order to keep our local SCLA going, we need your support! Please reach out to all of your llama friends even if they are no longer involved with showing, or their kids are grown and out of the house. Remember, membership is only $40.00 which will go a long way to help educate the public and keeps our llama industry thriving. Unless we get this support,
our organization will not be here. One of the benefits of joining the SCLA is helping the llama industry and the llamas! Llamas don’t have a voice for themselves, but they give so much pleasure to people. Please help! Other benefits of membership in SCLA includes the right to run for office, the right to vote, a copy of the Humming Herald, (the SCLA newsletter), the right to use the SCLA obstacle trailer, being updated by email on many of the current events in the llama industry, youth eligibility for the Jim Graham Memorial Scholarship, and access to the SCLA library. I also wanted to make sure that each of you is aware that I am here for you. If you have any concerns or suggestions for SCLA, feel free to contact me. I hope you see you soon. Sean 281-830-2368 sean@figmentranch.com
Editor’s Note Hello everyone. Well the cold weather is here. I am not a cold weather person and it is not my favorite season. I really get tired of putting on and taking off baby blankets. We are looking forward to the show season and being able to visit with all of our llama friends. We had a great time at the ALSA Grand National. SCLA had a great showing and brought some beautiful animals. I was so happy to see all the different things that are going on with the llama community. It looks like there are a lot of the breeders getting involved in fiber. There was some awesome entries at the ALSA Grand Nationals. We are very happy with the response we have gotten with our llama rugs and saddle blankets. I have seen several articles about what the youth are doing with their llamas. They are all becoming great llama handlers and a great representation of the llama community. Blessings, Ruby Editor 713-249-8523 hummingherald@ figmentranch.com
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Creating Champions Leslie Lane Llamas
Susan Leslie and Ana Reese LaVernia, Tx 830-401-0819 www.leslielanellamas.com leslielanellamas@gmail.com
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New Members August 17, 2015 - November 15, 2015 Compiled by Karen Conyngham, Membership Secretary. Current member information is always available on the SCLA web site: http://www.scla.us SCLA Address: PO Box 163654, Austin, TX 78716 New Members: Diana Lynn Caswell True Blue Acres 3930 Maranatha Dr. Sugar Land TX 77479-9663 (281) 750-5142 nmsdiver@aol.com 2015 membership sponsored by Kathie & Rick Schatz Rebecca & Rebeca Rose Jean Craig Carty Farm PO BOX 36 Frost TX 76641-0036 (903) 682-2199 craigyard23@windstream.net
Dates Ahead January 20, 2016 Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Llama Show Will Rogers Memorial Center Ft. Worth, TX http://www.fwssr.com Entry Deadline: November 15, 2015 Send photocopy of entry form, ILR certificates and ALSA card to: Jim Doyle 8165 Jackson Rd. Krum, TX 76249-6626 Llamas arrive: January 20, 2016; Release: January 22, 2016 Judges: Allen Davis - Halter and Performance Barbara Harris - Performance Full details in the premium book: http://www.fwssr.com/pdfs/2016LivestockPremiumList.pdf ------------------------------------------------------------------February 6-7, 2016 San Angelo Livestock Show & Rodeo Llama Show 200 W. 43rd St. San Angelo, TX 76903 http://www.sanangelorodeo.com/ Diana Collins, Superintendent Entry Deadline: January 15, 2016 (postmark)
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Llamas arrive: February 5, 2016; Release: February 7, 2016 Judges: Bill Feick & David Allen Full details in the premium book: http://i.saffireevent.com/files.ashx?t=fg&f=Entire_Catalog%285%29. pdf&rid=SanAngeloRodeo ----------------------------------------------------------------------March 17-20, 2016 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Llama & Alpaca Show NRG Park NRG Arena - Hall B Houston, TX https://www.rodeohouston.com Danette Mars, Superintendent Entry Deadline: February 5, 2016 Late Entry Deadline: February 15, 2016 Llamas & Alpacas Arrive: March 17, 2016; Release: March 20, 2016 Judges to be announced.
The Versatility Llama by Maryan Baker
One of the most positive attributes of the lama is the "versatility" of this exquisite animal. This year LANA wants you to think and promote the Versatility of the Llama.
As the famous Johnny Mercer song lyrics proclaim:
"You've Got to Accentuate the Positive" Llamas produce outstanding fiber. If you haven't previously engaged into the fiber arts, this may be the time to take a class and learn about what outstanding fiber our llamas are producing. Make this the year you promote your llama's fiber. Enter a Llama Fleece Show. The llama's fiber is produced through several building blocks. Genetics are a vital component; however, proper nutrition and environmental factors are all part of the equation. Do something creative with your llama's shorn fleece. Show off and promote llama creations from socks to blankets. Hats, yarn, felted embellishments, knitted, crochet, woven; and don't forget the batting for the quilts or the stuffing for pack gear or pillows. Llamas are excellent pack animals and trail companions. Even if you are not an avid camper, there is nothing like hiking with llamas and letting them carry the load. Llamas are excellent pack animals and are relatively easy to train. It is important that you use the proper equipment (pack saddle and gear) that fits 7
your llama's body, and that the equipment is properly utilized so that the animal is comfortable. If you need help learning to pack with your llama there are private and group training classes available. The Alpaca and Llama Show Association (ALSA) offers Novice Pack, Advanced Pack, Master Pack and Open Pack where the llama can earn Recognition of Merit points. Additionally, the Pack Llama Trial Association (PLTA) offers "Pack Trials" at various locations where you can earn levels of achievement by competing against a standard. Llamas can earn a Basic, Advanced, Master, Extreme and Pack String Llama titles. Llamas are beautiful and elegant in Halter. Nothing is more beautiful and breathtaking to watch then a structurally correct, elegant llama moving gracefully in the showring during a halter class. If you are not sure of what the judge is looking for, take a training class or clinic. There is no greater investment then education. In the 19th Edition of the ALSA Handbook, the Llama Halter Judging Criteria are listed as follows, 'Judging is to be done on a comparative basis using the lists of positive and negative traits and the list of serious faults " The positive and negative traits are listed on pages 49,50 and 51 of the 19th Edition of the ALSA Handbook. For a more in-depth analysis of 8
Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
positive and negative structural traits read Medicine and Surgery of the South American Camelids, by Murray E. Fowler, DVM.
"Eliminate the Negative" Let's be positive about our industry. For all of us that are committed to our llamas, nothing is more important then to be focused positively for the future. Breeding with a purpose is important, and the llamas of North America are now being bred for a variety of uses... thus the importance of versatility in marketing of our llama industry. "Llama Versatility" receives the most acknowledgeable validation in the show ring when judging is done on a comparative basis. In Versatility, the llama must compete in a combination of classes designed to accurately evaluate scores in Halter, Fleece and Performance. Just as Versatility Champion horses and dogs command increased value, so should our llamas. What a great way to positively promote our industry through promotion of the "Versatility Llama."
"Latch onto the Affirmative" Start promoting the versatility of your llamas. Now is the time to "Latch onto the Affirmative." This year LANA is helping to promote formal recognition of the "Versatility Llama" by sponsoring the Llama Versatility Jackpot Championship Awards at the ALSA Grand National Llama Show. Halter, Fleece and Performance are all important aspects of the llama's versatility and broad spectrum appeal. Llamas are highly intelligent animals. What more wonderful way to promote llamas, our industry and have a wonderful time doing something fun than to compete with your llamas in Versatility. You have plenty of time to start preparing your llamas.
Reprinted from the Top Line, newsletter of the Ohio River Valley Llama Assoc., vol. 23, #4, November 2010. 9
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
“The Man” Did you ever look at your babies and say “that one will be a Champion”; well that was not B’mer. He was stubborn and when you put a halter on him all he did was lay down. With his big ole’mule head, he definitely was not a Halter Champion. Each year the Figment Girls (Paula Harman, Rachel Tyler, & Betsy Rahman) would pick the llama they wanted to show and train, and all of them tried B’mer but they all decided he was a hassle. With nothing better to do, I took B’mer and just went for walks. First we just walked, then we started finding obstacles to go through as we walked. We would go upstairs, under tree limbs, jump over stumps, go up and down steps, and walk down the creek bed. After a while, B’mer decided everything was good and he began to look forward to our walks. We decided to take him to a show, and since he was used to me, I showed him. We did O.K. but nothing great. He was not real sure about all the noise and the crowds. His future as a performance llama was still in question.
B’mer”s First Show
Sean worked with him for a while but he seemed to work better with a female handler. They just did not flow and were not consistent. As fate would have it, Paula’s performance llama passed away and Paula did not have a llama to show. She decided to try B’mer and the magic began. They were a match made in heaven. They worked together, like a well-oiled machine and they were the team to beat. Together B’mer and Paula won everything possible. He became known as “The Man”. Paula and B’mer in San Antonio
Then the day came when Paula left and went to college
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Then the day came when Paula left and went to college and B’mer was left in the hands of Sean. B’mer had only won in youth classes and according to ALSA rules, B’mer was still considered a novice performance llama. But by no means was B’mer a novice. He went straight into the advanced class and he and Sean became a team.
B’mer was left in the hands of Sean.
B’mer worked with Sean but I think he always missed Paula. Together Sean and B’mer won everywhere they went, including winning three times ALSA Grand National Performance Champion in both Advanced and Master classes. Sean and B’mer became a team B’mer is just not a performance llama but an all-around great llama. He will cross country pack, pull a cart, and is the best public relations llama ever. Over the years he has made so many people happy. It goes to show you can’t always pick out who will become a champion.
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We decided to retire B’mer and that 2015 would be the last year that we would show him. We figured he had earned the right just to stay home and enjoy the rest of his life. As if he knew that the 2015 ALSA Grand Nationals would be his last show, he won the Master Grand Champion in performance.
He really is “The Man”
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Make Your Own Felted Soap! by Emaly Leak
In the last newsletter I talked about the science of felting, and some of the cool things that you can do with it. This time I’m going to share a quick and easy felting project that just about anyone can do: felted soap.
This is a wet felting project, so you’ll want to set up
in an area that can get a little wet. If you’re careful, you can keep it from getting too messy, but a towel or two comes in handy. (If you’re doing this with kids, it is helpful to work outside.)
All you need is a bowl of hot water (just cool
enough that you can stick your hands in it without being uncomfortable), a bar of soap, and some carded fiber. You can use batts or roving.
To start, wrap
your fiber around the bar of soap. Make sure to cover the e n t i r e b a r, even the corners. Wrap length-wise and widthwise, overlapping a few times. Don’t be alarmed if the fiber is very thick, it will compress during felting.
Now it is time to wet the fiber. Dunk it in the bowl
of hot water and squeeze until all of the fiber is soaked. THE GALA NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Then start rubbing! Remember that wet felting works because the hot water opens barbs on the fibers, and agitation locks those barbs together. Rub every bit of your fiber bar, occasionally dunking it back in the hot water to keep it warm. If you have a textured wash board (or something similar that you don’t mind getting wet), that can speed up the process. Rub and rub until the fiber sticks together and is hard to pull apart
When
you are satisfied with the texture of your soap bar, rinse it in cold water. Obviously you can’t rinse out all the soap like you would with a traditional wet-felted project, but rinse until all the hot water is gone.
Lay it some where to dry, and then you can start
using your felted soap bar! The soap will slowly wear away, just like it would without the fiber. When the soap has been used up, cut a slit in the fiber and use it as a bowl or pouch!
Emaly Leak has been raising and breeding llamas for show and ber since 1999. Her farm, Autumn Hill Llamas & Fiber, is located in Norwich, NY. She blogs about the llamas and ber-related topics (www.autumnhillllamas.blogspot.com), and sells handmade ber items on Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop/autumnhillllamas).
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Marty's Corner Camelidynamics, Computers And Camelids By Marty Bennett Like it or not I spend as much or more of my time at a computer these days as I do working with camelids. Based on many conversations I believe I am not alone. Computers are a fact of life, our vocabulary is peppered with new words that didn't exist even twenty years ago. People often come to camelids from disparate walks of life many with no previous livestock experience, but with a wealth of life experience - much of it on the computer. In my work, teaching, training, and handling techniques I often think in and use metaphors and analogies as a way of helping people relate to the concepts I am teaching.
I began to think about how the problems and solutions we encounter on our computer screens hit the handling nail right on the head (metaphor intended)! Who hasn't been caught in "screen saver' 'mode with mouth hanging open and eyes a bit glazed? How many boomers are feeling like the sum total of their life experience is leaving their brain/hard drive a bit full and in need of "defragging"? While struggling with a computer issue the other day, I made the decision that I was not going to fix the problem and could live with a "work around". Later that day I was having lunch with a friend and alpaca breeder. We were discussing a male alpaca she owns - we will call him "Oscar". Oscar has been to several sessions of Camelidynamics Camelid Camp. Camelids come to camp for four days with their name clearly marked on their undies and their favorite snack. 15
The human students work with the assembled animals and amazing transformations take place with both four and two-legged. The last day is "parent's day" and the owners arrive in the afternoon to pick up their animals, learn about what we have been working on and how to continue where we leave off. While Oscar has made progress in many areas, his basic issue of extreme halter resistance persists. It occurred to me that a "work around" was not only practical, but also the best and safest course of action. Tackling a problem like this head on (pun intended) with repetition is akin to picking a scab or, to use the computer metaphor, is just exactly like the endless loops we find ourselves in when the same warning window appears each time we execute the same set of commands. It is no more logical to assume that an animal will magically change with rote repetition than to think that a computer will fix itself just because we are frustrated and want it to. Just as with a computer, if you don't like what you get when you hit a key, don't keep hitting that key. The more we humans insist on getting a halter on by wrestling and fighting, the more we unwittingly teach the alpaca to resist more effectively. Oscar is an animal that is determined that he will not wear a halter unless he has no other choice. He is a big male, is very strong and agile, and is extremely frightened. My guess is that he is a victim of a particularly unpleasant early haltering experience - perhaps innocently forced into a halter that didn't fit with a disastrous first leading experience or tied. A young animal in a halter that doesn't fit, that panics on a lead, is tied to a static object, or can easily pull the halter off of the nose bone. In this case the halter can compress the cartilage and partially or fully block the airway. When animals can't breathe they panic and struggle, ironically needing even more of what they can't get - AIR. When this happens accidentally it is unfortunate, however the deliberate training practice of haltering weanling alpacas or llamas and tying them to a fence to let them "sort it out" is not a safe training shortcut in my opinion. The downside risk is creating what I call a "drowning victim". Drowning victims are petrified of "THE HALTER" and will hurt themselves and anyone
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
that tries to make them wear one.... and, just like Oscar, they are often very reasonable with other aspects of management. Once haltered Oscar is a dream to lead, easy to trim toenails and, surprisingly once in balance, he will accept the TTouch all over his face, nose, and mouth. Issues that involve haltering or surprise movements around his head will cause this fellow to react suddenly and violently and he has connected more than once with the head of a person working with him. We can't simply decide to never touch this animal again - it is time to accent a work around! (options below) • To put a halter on and leave it on. In some cases the best way to do this may be with a sedative. Once haltered we must periodically check the safety and comfort of the halter and make sure that the pasture is as safe as it can be ... no hooks or wire left sticking out, etc. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a good option for an animal that must be shown or transported and a halter is not optional. • Use a different way of managing that doesn't involve a halter. As it turns out, this is a perfectly fine solution for Oscar. I firmly believe that this and many issues can benefit from a "work around". For example, when alpacas or llamas become absolutely unreasonable and determined that they will not allow a human to touch their legs, I teach people to trim toenails while the animal is standing on them. Simply use the nippers to trim off the overgrown part of the toenail without picking the foot up at all. Trimming toenails on the ground is a compromise to be sure, but a perfectly fine "work around" and a perfectly acceptable alternative to a knock down drag out fight. Using a sedative when doing things that animals cannot tolerate without high levels of restraint is another "work around" that is absolutely reasonable and can be far safer in the long run. In order for a camelid to let go of "looped behaviors" we must figure out a way to get the job done without doing things that reinforce the behaviors we wish to eliminate.
In the case of Oscar (and many more drowning victims that I have had the opportunity to work with) he is easy to lead and very cooperative. My suggestion for this fellow is to manage him using containment. Oscar can be led using a long lead rope attached to a collar placed as high on his neck as possible. This provides a reasonable amount of leverage and control. He can also be wormed, receive injections and be shorn without using a halter. If he is to be used for breeding, the female can be brought to him or the owners can use a laneway to herd him to a neutral breeding pen or use a combination of a lead rope attached to the top of the neck offering a reasonable amount of leverage and laneways to get him where he needs to go. There are other computer metaphors that can help us understand our decidedly animate companions. SYSTEM FREEZES: Ask an animal for too much too soon or to do too many things at one time and we over load the system (think high strung weanling at a huge show) and it freezes. It is more efficient and safer to do periodic maintenance and ask for less ... but when the system freezes there is nothing to be done but shut down and begin again. Backing up to much easier tasks with an animal can help to re-boot. When working with animals that are very resistant to having their toenails trimmed, I will often ask the animal to pick up and IMMEDIATELY put the foot down. I repeat this 15-20 times per foot before asking the animal to allow me to hold the foot up for even a second or two. Repetition of this SUCCESSFUL behavior will build lost confidence in the handler and reboot the behavior. FIXES: When attempting to diagnose a problem, it maybe better to address one thing at a time instead of the more scattershot approach we often take to problem solving. Trying too many fixes at the same time may result in a system crash or if you do manage to fix the problem you won't know which fix or combination of fixes did the trick. USER ERROR:
Computer problems are just about always a result of user error, but we humans love to swear at and blame the machine. The same thing is true of our relationship with our animals ... handler error is the cause of 99.9% of the difficulties we have with our wooly buddies and, just like a computer, animals don't loose any sleep over our decision that isn't their fault! The sooner we realize that we bear the responsibility, the sooner we can set about figuring out the solution. GARBAGE IN/GARBAGE OUT: As wonderful as a computer is, the quality of the output is only as good as the input. Handle your animals well and you train them to do good things, handle your animals badly and you train them to do bad things. Using methods that are unkind and disrespectful seldom result in a truly good solution. INCOMPATIBILITY: Load a MAC program on a PC or try to use a program that is too big for the capacity of the RAM and incompatibility becomes a problem. Some animals and some owners are just not a good fit and there is no shame in making that decision. One person's bane can be another's blessing. Some animals do better in a large herd, others in a small herd. Some camelids are not cut out for the show ring regardless of how lovely they look. Some males are too aggressive to live in company, others are too easy going to be good breeders. Some females are not good mothers. Some animals are not appropriate for new owners. Recognizing and then accepting that you have an incompatibility issue can give you peace of mind. That just about exhausts my list of computer comparisons. I think I will say so long, happy handling and go outside on this beautiful day to spend some quality time with my llamas and alpacas! Ceck out Marty's web site at http:/www.camelidynamics.com Reprinted from Llama Living, the newsletter of the Michigan Lama Association; vol. 13, #4, December 2008. 17
White Rose Ranch Llamas
Grandview, TX bbbs@swbell.net (817)343-7072
Jan and Rebekah White
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Llama Manure Sometimes ca l l e d “ L l a m a B e a n s ”
Llama manure, sometimes called “llama beans,” is used as a potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous-rich soil enhancer in gardens and flower beds. Unlike fertilizer sprays and sticks, llama manure is earthy-friendly, and reduces your carbon footprint by recycling a part of nature; it has the added benefit of being odor-free. You can either gather llama manure yourself from your own llamas, or order it from a llama farm, then use it as-is to 19
improve your soil and provide plants with much-needed nutrients.
OUR “BEAN” RECIPE: “Llama Tea” While you can spread the manure around your plants like little time release capsules, we have found that you get faster and more effective results by mixing it with water, creating a “tea”. Simply place about a cup of llama pooh in a gallon of water and let it sit for a day or so. Then use this “tea” to water your plants. Keep adding water as you use the mix until the water no longer turns a nice “tea” color. Then dump the sludge from the gallon jug on your plants and start all over again. One cup of beans makes 8 to 10 gallons of “tea”. That’s a lot of healthy plant growth for the dollar. We water our plants once or twice a month. It takes about two weeks for the results to really show.
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
HUNTING SEASON —
A SCARY TIME FOR LAMA OWNERS
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TO PROTECT YOUR ANIMALS
by Loretta Radeschi
On Dec. 1, 2014 one of our horses was shot by a hunter. It could just as easily have been one of our llamas. Because she was shot in the knee and at an angle, standing between the llama shed and a tree, a distance of about 30 feet, and in front of a wire fence, we determined the hunter was in a tree stand on a neighbor’s property about 800 feet away from the animals. We believe the hunter aimed at a deer towards our outbuildings, but the bullet missed and hit our horse. Because she remained standing, perhaps the hunter did not realize he had hit her. Friends were kind enough to put her down and bury her. Despite news reports of the incident on radio and in the newspaper, the guilty party was never identified.
After the incident, we spoke with a PA State Trooper and PA Game Commission official, and learned what steps could be taken to protect livestock and property from an incident like we experienced.
The safest thing to do is to keep livestock indoors
during hunting season, but that’s not always possible. Tying orange ribbons on them can help hunters identify that they’re not deer, but that’s not always enough.
Here is what I was told after our horse was killed. Know your state hunting laws and your rights. Every •
state wildlife agency lists the state laws and the agency’s regulations on their website.
Check with your state wildlife agency to learn the •
dates of hunting season. In Pennsylvania, the greatest danger is between October and December when highpowered rifles can be used to shoot turkey, bear and deer. Most damages occur in rifle deer season. More hunters are out the first day of deer season than any other day, and not all of them are responsible, according to Jon Zuck, PA Game Commission Land Management Officer, Bedford and Fulton counties.
If your animal is shot, call your state wildlife agency. •
They can gather forensic evidence and determine the direction and distance of the bullet. They can ask neighboring land owners for the names of those who had permission to hunt their property. If they find the casing, and can identify who was shooting that day, they can get a warrant to check the casing with the gun.
THE GALA NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015
• We called the PA Game Commission and were told, incorrectly, that since the State Police were investigating, they didn’t have to. The dispatcher should have radioed a Game Commission officer who would have come and investigated, Zuck told us.
Delay burying the animal until the wildlife agency •
and/or state police arrive. When we called the police, they couldn’t tell us when a trooper would arrive. By the time he did, our horse had been buried, which hampered his investigation.
Post your property. • If unauthorized tree stands are on your property, • them. remove • Look for signs of four wheelers on your property. Have friends and family hunt your property. • Hunters are required to carry a hunting license. • Some states require each hunter carry a letter from the • giving permission to hunt. landowner If you see someone unfamiliar carrying a gun on your •
property, get a description of the person and his vehicle plate number, and call the wildlife agency, recommends Zuck. “If a person is trespassing, call the State Police. If he’s hunting and trespassing, call the Game Commission.” Zuck advises against approaching a stranger if he has a gun.
Each state has a safety zone in which hunters are
prohibited from shooting. Also, they are not allowed to shoot toward that safety zone, nor walk through a safety zone carrying a loaded gun. Residences and outbuildings are in the safety zone. If there is damage to property including livestock, the hunter could be fined and restitution made to the landowner.
Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, a violation of the safety
zone regulations is a summary offense, and does not go on a person’s record. “It’s like a traffic ticket,” Zuck told me.
I hope this information will help you. We learned too
late to help our horse, but this year we’re better prepared for the hunting season. 9
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Nylon Fixed Ring and X-Style Halters............8.00 Flat Leads........4.00 Round Leads...6.00 Hanging Hay Bags......$15.00 Leather Halters with Silver Trim....20.00 Leather leads ..........10.00 Gifts....(call for prices) Brushes ......5.00 Books 1/2 price Visit www.llamathings.com to see items for sale
Please do not order on the Website.......call 806-867-3423 to place your order or email me at cmyers@lyntegar.com with your phone number 22
Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
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DON'T GET NEAR THEM THINGS... THEY SPIT AT YA! OR WINNING AT LLAMA PUBLIC RELATIONS
fied, he said, "Uh, okay, thanks." He turned around and walked away.
By Tom Hudgin
"Hey you!" the young man shouted from a distance. "Wait!" Stepping up his pace and frantically waving his arms in the air, he approached us and exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, man. I ain't never been this close to a ostrich before!" I pulled lightly on the reins, quietly said, "Matty, whoa," and our cart driving llama came to an abrupt halt. I leaned toward the gentleman and remarked, "And you still haven't." "What?" "Yeah, man, this ain't no ostrich. They're birds," I said in a language he could understand. "This here is a one hundred percent, pure llama, man." Llama?" he questioned. Yessiree. He's one of them things from South America," I said trying hard not to laugh. "Lives in the mountains ... you know, them big hills." "South America ... yeah. That's in Africa, right?" "Yeah," I said choking back a chuckle. "What do you do with them things?" he asked with heightened interest. "Well, you're looking at it. He pulls a cart," I explained. "Oh." With his curiosity satis24
Tom Hudgin All of us can easily spend an afternoon beneath the shade of a live oak tree and share stories about people who claim llamas are emus, camels, alpacas, a cross between a horse and a cow or perhaps a very fuzzy, long necked horse. Some simply give up and blurt out, "What are them things?" My favorite occurred on a Sunday afternoon in a city park in Wilmington, NC, while Barbara and I were strolling with two of our PR llamas. A young gentleman in his late twenties was walking hand-in-hand with his five-yearold son. As they approached us, he said, "Excuse us, sir, but what kind of animals are those?" Before I could answer him, his son looked up at his dad and said," Daddy, they are llamas." I wanted to rush over and give the kid a hug. "Right on. What's your name?" I asked the kid. "Jeremy," he replied.
Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
"Good job, Jeremy," and I gave him a high five. And then there was the time during the Atlanta Christmas Parade when the announcer said as the llamas proudly paraded in front of the cameras, "...and they spit on you, don't they?" And finally, at the Wilmington, NC, Christmas Parade, the announcer said, after a five second period of silence when our llamas marched before the cameras, "What are those?" after which the station broke for a commercial. The announcer had our written script! And so it goes. Sadly, the issue is that an astonishing number of adults do not have a clue what llamas are, where they come from or what you do with them; yet an amazing number of children do know something about llamas. We spend a lot of time taking our llamas to schools, museums, churches, nursing homes, parades, citizen centers, festivals, packing, camping in state parks, strolls along the beach, etc. to educate the public; and it seems in most instances the kids know llamas. But we still have a long way to go in educating the general public and dispelling the myths and misconceptions about our kind, gentle, beloved friends. As members of the Southern States Llama Association (SSLA), each of us has a golden opportunity to raise the level of awareness and education about what we do and can do with llamas. We basically have
five challenges 1) Educate the public 2) Enhance the sales of llamas 3) Maintain the health, safety and well being of llamas 4) Help those with small llama herds (1-3) who are not members of SSLA 5) Have fun at the shows, pack trials and other organized llama events. We already have the tools and resources to do just that. It requires little or no money ... just a little time, lots of enthusiasm and sincere interest in promoting llamas in our own communities. Every one of us can do this. Here are some ideas for a start. DAILY NEWSPAPERS, WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, LOCAL MAGAZINES, TV, RADIO The news media is hungry for news items ... yes even good news. Once people became aware of our llama farm and our animals, we started getting calls from the local newspaper, weekly papers and other media to come out to the farm and do a story on us. Naturally, we took this opportunity to educate everyone about raising llamas and the fun we have with them. Then the calls came in from other organizations asking us to bring our llamas out to visit and participate in their private functions. And the greatest reward was that this was not a one-time media event. Sometime later, the newspapers wanted to come back and do another story, and another. We did not have to call and beg them for coverage. As we all know, llamas are unique
animals. They draw the crowd. Reporters get tired of covering dog, cat and horse stories, so they jump at the chance to talk about llamas. Just drop them a hint about what you do and wait for the doorbell to ring with cameras and note pads in hand. LOCAL BUSINESSES Local businesses often welcome llamas on their premises to promote sales and give you the opportunity to educate the public. We did a promotion for a local bank where we dressed Matador in a tall stovepipe hat, a red, white and blue banner over his back and a colorful vest, marched him up to the teller line and waited. When it he approached the teller, she handed Matty a loan application. Naturally curious, Matty leaned over, looked at it over carefully and checked the fine print. At that moment, we took the picture. A few weeks later the picture appeared in the Bank's newsletter to its customers with headlines that said, "Anyone can apply for a loan." It got people's attention. Of course, we didn't tell their customers that Matty was turned down for the loan. He didn't have a job and his credit rating was terrible. But anyone can apply. Use your imagination. If you know someone who has a business, go for it. Another opportunity is lurking. PARADES Now we are talking. Everyone loves a parade. We have been invited and participated in
many parades in southeastern North Carolina. It is easy to do. Throw on a colorful blanket, costume, hat or whatever on the llama(s) and march down the parade route. We do the same with Matty and the cart. The fans love it. What a way to advertise and educate the public. Every spring, Wilmington has the nationally famous Azalea Festival and Parade where movie stars and other celebrities attend. Because our llamas are so popular, we have been able to avoid the $300 entry fee and still be in the parade. SCHOOLS Public, private and home school groups often ask us to bring our llamas to their classrooms. Sometimes it is for a special class to tie in with a week's session on South America, and sometimes it is for the whole school. Barbara brings along a spinning wheel, a handful of fiber and some finished woven goods and explains what can be made from the llama. We explain where the llamas originate, what they eat, how to care for them and what you can do with them. The looks and expressions on the kids faces and the knowledge gained as we talk and they watch the llamas in their class room is an event they will remember for the rest of their lives. NURSING HOMES Many nursing homes welcome a visit with the llamas. The tradition of pet therapy for the sick, confined and aged has 25
been accepted for a long time, particularly with dogs. Llamas can serve the same purpose, and we have done this, too. The llamas can go inside to a meeting room, to the private rooms or remain cool, calm and collected on the porch or lawn. We have found there are many ways to allow these special people access to our llamas and the thrill of having someone pet and talk to the llamas is immeasurable. The residents talk about it for weeks before and after the event. It is truly the highlight of their week. And the news media loves this kind of story, so you can get double coverage here.
want to force decisions. Our goal was simply to educate those administrators involved. To our good fortune, however, the Parks Director was indeed familiar with llamas and was receptive to our proposal of a trial run in one of the parks. Since there were no rules for llamas, we had to agree to follow their rules for dogs, i.e. keep them on a lead, clean up after them, keep them out of harms way, not be a nuisance, etc. The deal was for us to bring two llamas to a state park campground for one overnight to see what happens. If all went well, we could go to some others. We would be watched like a hawk.
CITY, COUNTY AND STATE PARKS
To make a long story short, we packed two llamas in a small trailer along with our tent and camping gear and headed to a central North Carolina State Park campground. The llamas behaved extraordinarily well on the hiking trails, at the campsite and with the other campers. The feedback was so positive from the campers and staff that we have been invited to bring our llamas to any N.C State Park any time. In addition, we have been asked to do campfire programs for the Parks on llamas. Our public relations efforts paid off in the state of North Carolina. Now anyone can bring llamas into the NC State Parks. There is one stipulation, however. Since bringing llamas to a state park is a bit out of the ordinary, we agreed out of courtesy to notify the local park ranger in advance that we are coming.
This is probably the most incredible achievement in public relations we have made. The Department of Parks and Recreation in most states will tell you "No llamas allowed in their state parks", especially in the family campgrounds. In North Carolina, we did not accept "no" for an answer. We asked if the rules specifically excluded llamas. Of course, we knew the answer. Llamas were not specifically addressed. Our intent was to contact the director in Raleigh who was in charge of all of the N.C. State Parks and ask for a face-to-face meeting to explore our thoughts about llamas in the state parks and share ideas. We would keep our discussion on neutral grounds ... no pressure, no demands, no requests ... just share thoughts and ideas initially to get acquainted. We did not 26
Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
It is the same for city
and county parks. Just to cover all bases, it is best to contact the local authority and request a face-to-face meeting first to share thoughts and ideas. Do not make the mistake of asking up front on the phone or in person, "Can we bring llamas to your parks?" Often the initial reaction will be, "NO!" It takes a methodical, patient, education process for all parties to understand both sides before you pop the question. It also helps for the decisionÂŹmakers involved to get to know you personally. And this cannot be done at one sitting. MUSEUMS, SENIOR CENTERS Another wonderful opportunity lurks at the local museum and senior centers. In our area, the local museums, especially those that focus on science and history, often have children's events. We have been invited on various occasions to bring our llamas into the museums, sometimes on the second floor, and give a talk about llamas to the children and their parents. We have an open invitation to bring our llamas to the senior center for events that are going on every week. The director of the center loves our llamas so much that he take one into his office and to the other private offices to show the staff "what he found just walking around the streets!" CHURCHES AND SPECIAL EVENTS We frequently get calls from churches to bring our lla-
mas to church events. We have limited our visits to education events, because often these requests lead to just a "petting zoo" activity, and we want to do more than that. But we still get calls for educational activities. We did a wedding once with our cart and Matty. We decorated the cart with traditional wedding garb and dressed Matty in a black silk hat, bow tie and white vest and took the bride and groom for a ride around the church parking lot immediately following the wedding ceremony. We even let the groom drive the cart with his new bride by himself. Matty did a perfect job. They had a blast. Talk about super PR! WOW. They are still talking about it years later. LLAMA SHOWS And now the real fun. We know what the shows are about. But how many of us have taken the time to engage in a real, sincere conversation with the visitor who stops by your stall at a show and has "just a few questions" about what you are doing there? Most of us shrug this off and give them a few short answers until they feel unwanted and move on. After all, we are busy trying to get ready for the show, right? I have discovered on numerous occasions that some visitors to the fair and/or llama show do indeed have a real interest in llamas and want to know more about them ... even to the point of buying some soon ... if only they
could talk to someone about their interest. "Hello, is anyone listening next to the stall or next to the show ring? Can someone please talk to me?" they think to themselves. Yes, this is real. Recently, I met two couples at Perry who came to see the show and learn more about llamas. They had some initial interest, did some research, but had a lot of questions. They were fascinated watching the llamas in the show ring, both performance and halter. During the course of the weekend's events, I stumbled upon them and talked to them about what we were doing here. I wanted to give them the opportunity to touch a llama, lead a llama, walk around with one, take one through a simple obstacle course. Get involved. You could see the excitement level escalate by the minute. I took them to my stall and gave them one of my llamas to lead. We talked about llama behavior, training, and then I let them lead my llama through a simple obstacle course. Later, I introduced them to other llama owners who had llamas for sale. Before I left the show, both couples had made appointments to visit llama farms and move closer to llama ownership. And it all began when someone took interest in them, because they showed interest in us. That's what llama PR is all about. I wish you all the best in your upcoming llama PR adventures. Reprinted from the Llama Journal,newsletter of the Southern States Llama Assoc., Fall 2008.
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Cold Weather Management Tips for Camelids
By Stephen Hull, MS, PhD, and Tom Cameron, DVM
Winter will upon us. Here are some tips for handling the cold and some measures to prevent cold weather losses. Few of these tips cost any money. Above all, watch your weather forecasts for sudden drops in temperatures - especially those associated with wind. It is the change that is hardest. First, watch out for any animal shivering. This is danger, danger, danger. Cold affects the rumen protozoa and they stop digesting forages. Consequently, the rumen shuts down, the alpaca or llama cannot generate heat, and death can be only hours away.
Dominant (alpha) animals will find the warm-
est areas and will push out younger or other less dominant animals. The alpha animals also hog the hay, will prevent other animals eating. Be especially careful of newly weaned yearlings as they are having troubles finding their way in the group. Each year, I often have to put yearling males in a stall in my girl's barn with
heaters. Older animals also get pushed aside. As we know, camelids can deal with cold, so long as there is little wind. So get some shelter (tarps, hay bales, etc.) up to protect them from the wind. Suris are especially susceptible to wind chill. But check all your animals' body scores as the fleece will hide a thin body frame. Those thin animals are especially vulnerable to the cold. Another tip is to bring them hot water to drink. I fill two five gallon plastic pails half way up with steaming hot tap water and carry them (one in each hand) to the barn where I mix with some cold water resulting in about 100-degrees F water. Even though I have other electrically "heated" water buckets, the water in those is maybe 45-degrees F. I also put in 1/4 cup of dry Gatorade (mine love the lemon lime flavor) in a full five-gallon pail. The electrolytes in Gatorade assist with digestion, protozoa and rumen function. The
animals line up to drink deep, long draughts. I do this several times a day in bitterly cold weather. The smiles they give you are one reward for your work. To keep bucket water warm for a longer time, I wrapped the outside of the plastic five gallon buckets 29
with aluminized bubble foil (aka "TecFoil") available at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. Secure it in place with metal foil tape (in hardware). The bottom gets insulated with two layers. Hot water stays warm for hours longer. Males especially need extra warm water to flush out their urinary tract. In cold weather, camelids will not drink enough water and consequently do not have a full vigorous stream of expelled urine. The weaker stream allows urinary crystals (uroliths) to accumulate along the "S" shaped urinary urethra and they often get winter urinary tract blockages. More warm water allows them to flush out deposits that normally are swept away with urine flow. Forget cleaning out the barn! Allow waste hay and droppings to accumulate. Spread out more hay on top as this provides a warm "bed" for them to lie on. Straw is actually a far better insulator compared to hay as it has more trapped air volume, but you may not have time to get it. Many farms in Switzerland allow the accumulating composing heat from floor manure/ bedding hay throughout the winter to keep their livestock warm. And they keep livestock in the lower levels
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
of their houses! Quite a clean out in the spring ... ! Another more high-tech approach is to use those red electric heat lamps above bedding spots. Just be careful to put on the wire shield so an animal can't accidentally hit/touch it and get burned. Electric dog "whelping mats" (PetCo, PetsMart) provide a very toasty bedding place for cold animals. As with all electricity issues, take care with water, electricity, extension cords and the cold (brittle) wires. Remember urine has salts and this is a superb conductor of electricity. Put lots of jackets on young and older animals. The females that had crias this fall are especially vulnerable. They are lactating and that puts a huge energy demand on them. This cold adds yet another demand. Many are also rebred. One result of a sudden severe cold snap is abortion. Don't lose your pregnancies due to cold weather shock. You don't need expensive jackets to keep your animals warm. Old wool sweaters, large ski jackets, etc. all work. Cut the sleeves off at the elbows and slip them on. Zippers go along their backbone. Recall leg
warmers from the 80's? They fit on necks to keep them warm (and given away free at Goodwill). My females like the pink ones .... funny looking, but WHO cares. I often get the jacket/sweater rejects (frayed sleeves) at the local Goodwill store for nothing. Don't double the daily pellet/grain ration. Increase it maybe 25-30%, but NOT more. Rather, POUR on the hay. Don't scrimp now. This would also be a great time to throw out some alfalfa hay (not pellets). Normally, alfalfa is too "hot" a forage with excess protein for the average camelid. But this sudden cold is not normal. The rumen heat of digesting rumen forage, especially from alfalfa, helps ruminants keep warm. Grains do not provide this digestive heat. Note: horses, without a rumen, do need more grain in the cold. About 2 -3 lbs of daily extra alfalfa forage per animal can be a life saver. And they love it. Two 70 lb.
alfalfa bales (about $8 each) for ten animals should last you about a week. Vet schools will be deluged with cold weather cases this year. Hypothermic stress causes ulcers, abortions - and a lot of deaths. I am not trying to cut off their revenue source, but rather helping you save some dollars and your animal's health! Vets would far prefer to not deal with cold stress as it is preventable. Keep warm and PREVENT hypothermia as it is much less expensive (compared to treatment). Stephen Hull, MS, PhD, Tom Cameron, DVM & families "a full service alpaca farm including seminars and consulting" http://timberlakefarms.net Reprinted from The Llama Rescue Review: newsletter of the Southeast Llama Rescue; v. 5, #2, Fall/Winter 2011.
Photo by katrina Petteys Capasso, Dakota Ridge Llama
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Home of: Indian Outlaw Cappuchina Patriot
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Inquiries on Skin Diseases and Eating Problems In this column Dr. Robert J. Van Saun, Penn State Extension Veterinarian responds to two questions submitted to the editors. Readers are encouraged to continue to submit specific questions or suggestions for future nutrition or feeding management topic.
Question 1: Zinc Supplementation and Skin Lesions
The first inquiry is a very common one for many llama
and alpaca owners: skin lesions and what to do with them. First a disclaimer, I am not a board-certified dermatologist, but the question was more about feeding zinc to address this issue.
As many owners are aware, llamas and alpacas have a
propensity for unusual crusts and thickened skin that seems to be responsive to zinc supplementation. However, it must be emphasized that there are many other causes of skin disease in llamas and alpacas that are not responsive to zinc.
In this particular situation, the lesions are described as
hard leathery skin primarily located on the ventral abdomen, inside of the legs and on the face. This lesion distribution is consistent with a number of dermatologic conditions, including parasitic disease and idiopathic hyperkeratotic dermatosis (zinc-responsive). One question to ask is if the animal seems pruritic (“itchy”). Parasitic diseases are most typical pruritic in nature. Idiopathic hyperkeratosis is commonly seen dermatologic disease in llamas and alpacas and may comprise a number of somewhat interrelated, or different, syndromes somewhat responsive to large doses of dietary zinc. Diagnosis is best made by skin biopsy to identify the physical changes and thickening of the keratin layer.
Zinc has been associated with skin health in many
different species. Classical zinc deficiency disease in pigs and other species is parakeratosis, a unique hyperkeratotic disease where the nuclei of keratin cells are retained rather than being lost. Parakeratosis in pigs and poultry has been associated with overfeeding of calcium in the diet, as calcium interferes with zinc availability in the intestine.
A true
zinc deficiency has not been definitively characterized with dermatologic lesions seen in llamas and alpacas, though it has been implied. A confounding issue is blood zinc concentrations in llamas and alpacas are lower than other species and they have been interpreted to be deficient. This point emphasizes the need for good llama and alpaca reference values for the proper interpretation of diagnostic tests. However, supraphysiologic doses of zinc (dietary supplementation in excess of requirements) could have a therapeutic effect, independent of a deficiency state. THE GALA NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015
Role of zinc in the pathogenesis of hyperkeratotic dermatosis in llamas and alpacas remains elusive and requires further study.
In the situation at hand, I would consult with your veterinarian to ensure you do not have some other dermatologic disease process.
If the diagnosis is a zinc-responsive dermatosis, then
consider supplementation. The easiest method of supplementation is to find a commercial product with high zinc content.
Dr. Norm Evans’ llama/alpaca pellet is a good example,
though there are others. Dr. LaRue Johnson has advocated a mineral mix containing 50 lb. trace mineralized salt, 50 lbs. steamed bone meal, 50 lb. dry molasses and 10 lb. zinc methionine (Zin-Pro 100®) containing approximately 5500 parts per million (ppm) zinc. At an expected intake of 1 oz per day, this mineral mix provides 150 mg zinc.
As you and many other owners have found out, zinc
supplements are not very palatable and simple topdressing is not always successful. One could hide the zinc supplement in a tasty treat (applesauce) and hand feed, but this is labor intensive. You could mask the supplement in your grain by adding some molasses. If only one animal is involved, these may be feasible solutions.
How much zinc is necessary and from what source? We
really do not have an answer at this time to these questions. Zinc can be supplemented in inorganic (zinc carbonate, zinc oxide or zinc sulfate) or organic (zinc methionine, zinc proteinates) forms. Questions remain as to whether the organic forms are superior or if inorganic forms can be supplemented at slightly higher levels with equal response. Current recommendations are to provide 1 g zinc sulfate (364 mg zinc) or 2 (200 mg zinc) to 4 (400 mg zinc) g zinc methionine (Zn-Pro 100®, 10% zinc).
As one can see, there is a wide range in recommended supplement amounts, but the actual amount of elemental zinc being delivered is between 200 and 400 mg per day. Zinc delivery from the Johnson mineral is slightly less and from the Evans’ pellet slightly more than this range.
cont’d on page 16…
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Across all recommendations, response to daily zinc Zinc Supplementation…cont’d. from page 15
supplementation is slow, occurring over a 2 to 3 month period. If one is going to supplement at the higher rates, it is suggested that an organic zinc form be used as a large portion (40-60%) of the zinc supplement. Excessive zinc intake can interfere with other minerals (e.g., copper, iron, selenium) and may induce other disease problems. Use of organic mineral forms will reduce these negative interactions. Don’t fall into the trap of: “if a little is good, a lot more is better”.
Free choice mineral supplements should contain a
minimum of 5,500 ppm zinc. This number can typically be found on the product label under the guaranteed analysis. Zinc content of pellet or grain supplements will depend upon amount expected to be fed and how its mineral content complements the mineral supplement, if any is to be fed.
Assuming all trace minerals coming from a supplement
and not a mineral mix, a reasonable zinc content for a pellet supplement to be fed at a rate of 1 lb per day would be between 440 and 880 ppm to deliver 200 and 400 mg zinc per day, respectively. Use these numbers as guidelines in evaluating possible products for use in correcting this condition. Remember, it may require up to 2 to 3 months for a response to be seen. Work with your veterinarian to determine the proper diagnosis and proceed from that point.
Q u e s t i o n 2 : P r o b l e m s F o l l o w i n g G r a i n Consumption The second inquiry is in reference to a 3-year old male llama that seems to regurgitate food after eating. This is a more disconcerting issue as there is potential that this might indicate an untreatable, and ultimately, debilitating disease. There are two primary disease processes to differentiate in this scenario, choking and megaesophagus. This second disease is the worse case scenario.
Choking
can be the result of abnormal feeding behavior, inappropriate feed form or some combination. Symptoms of gagging, coughing and regurgitation immediately following food consumption are associated with choking. One can often observe a “bolus” of food lodged somewhere along the length of the esophagus along the right side of the neck. This is often a problem in cattle consuming apples where the apple is swallowed whole and lodges in the esophagus. Horses are often affected by choke when consuming pelleted feed and have limited access to water.
Choke in llamas and alpacas is similar to that of horses
consumption and rapid rate of intake. However, choke can also occur with grain, alfalfa cubes, and apples in llamas and alpacas. Smaller diameter and firm consistency pellets are less conducive to these problems. More times it is feeding behavior or facilities that are the cause of the choking problem.
Food blockage inducing choke can occur anywhere
along the length of the esophagus, starting at the pharynx, and can involve the trachea (more appropriately termed “aspiration”). Complete obstruction is an immediate emergency requiring application of methods to relieve the blockage, or other extreme measures to ensure the animal’s ability to breather or eructate fermentation gases until the blockage can be corrected. In less severe blockages, food material in the esophagus may be gently massaged upward to relieve the obstruction. Be sure no food or water is available to an animal experiencing choke until after the blockage has been resolved. Aspiration of food materials or water can lead to more severe secondary complications.
Other than pellet consistency, feeding management and
facilities can be modified to prevent the problem. From a feeding management perspective, make sure there is sufficient feeding space for animals to consume without being intimidated by others. Aggressive pellet consumption may be due to a dominant animal attempted to “eat it all” or a timid animal trying to get what they can as quickly as possible. As was stated in your inquiry, adding large rocks and layering pellets with hay can help reduce consumption rate. Review the design of your feeding facilities. If pellets are provided in a deep bowl or trough, this may facilitate animals consuming large mouthfuls and predisposing them to choke. Provide pellets in a shallow vessel or long shallow trough to limit amount consumed in one bite.
The other disease issue to be ruled out in this situation
is megaesophagus. The Merck Veterinary Manual defines megaesophagus as a moderate to severe distention of the esophagus with no known cause. Observed symptoms include difficult swallowing (dysphagia), salivation, and regurgitation; similar to what was described for choking. However, the clinical presentation is very variable with megaesophagus. Secondary signs of nasal discharge, cough, and fever may be resultant of aspiration of regurgitated food. A published review of 15 cases of megaesophagus in llamas describes age of onset ranging from 13 months to 9.5 years with duration of observed signs from 1 week to 5 years (Watrous et. al., 1995).
cont’d. on page 17…
in that it is associated most often with pellet THE GALA NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2015
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Most affected animals become unthrifty, are smaller in size, and progressively decline to a point where they can no longer be managed.
I truly hope this is not the diagnosis for your animal, but you need to find out for certain. Make some of the changes suggested to prevent choking to see if the problem resolves. If not, contact your veterinarian to initiate the diagnostic workup to determine if megaesophagus is present.
a veterinarian using special contrast radiography to observe esophageal function. Many local veterinarians will not have the equipment to complete these studies and may need to refer you to a veterinary teaching hospital.
retrospective study (1985-1993). J Vet Intern Med. MarApr;9(2):92-99, 1995.
Zinc Supplementation…cont’d. from page 16
Definitive diagnosis of megaesophagus must be done by
There is no known treatment to correct esophageal function and long term prognosis in most cases is poor. Feeding the animal on an incline to take advantage of gravity in moving a food bolus down the esophagus has been advocated. Feeding highly digestible feeds frequently and in small meals may help to maintain body weight over a period of time.
References: Watrous, B. et al., Megaesophagus in 15 llamas: a Contact Information:
Robert J. Van Saun, Penn State Extension Veterinarian Email: rjv10@psu.edu Phone: 814-865-6995
Membership Renewal Time It’s that time of year again, so please remember to send in your dues and membership renewal forms by December 31, 2015 for the 2016 calendar year. If you have any questions regarding your membership or how to renew, please contact the Membership Chair, Miranda Brown, at 240-446-3492 or thellamalady@yahoo.com.
IN THE NEXT ISSUE
COMING. . .
A GOOD TIME TO LIME
WHICH ONE - LOOSE OR BLOCK SALT FEEDING?
AND MUCH MORE !!
THE GALA NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2015
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Ever wonder if your lama has a hearing problem?
Dr. Elizabeth Topliff-Yee offers us some good advice. Question: Do camelids go deaf? How can you tell if they have hearing problems? Response from Dr. Elizabeth Topliff-Yee: Deafness in camelids can be either an acquired condition, or a heritable congenital condition. Acquired deafness is most commonly caused by trauma or infection of the ear that damages the auditory apparatus or the specialized sensory cells responsible for conducting and interpreting sound. Middle and inner ear infections can result in deafness of the affected ear. Just as in other animals, hearing loss associated with age may occur in camelids but there is limited information describing this.
Congenital deafness occurs in about 80% of camelids that have blue eyes, white fiber coloring, and no other pigmentation of the skin or iris. The association of deafness in blue eyed white coated animals is well documented in other species as well. This inherited type of hearing loss is caused by a degeneration of the ear’s sensory cells during development of the fetus and is believed to be associated with a defect in migration of melanocytes from the neural crest Recent genetic research performed in Australia has identified two mutations within a gene as the cause for a “blue-eyed white (BEW)” phenotype in camelids. The gene has also been implicated in other species. Hopefully, genetic research will lead to a commercial screening test for breeders. For the time being, it may be prudent to avoid breeding animals with BEW characteristics or BEW direct relatives until we can better predict outcomes of their offspring.It can be very difficult to detect hearing loss in camelids, as the acuity of their other senses will heighten to compensate for the deficit. Camelids and other livestock adapt very well to hearing loss through visual and other non-auditory cues that help them stay aware of their environment and other herd dynamics. Because of this adaptation, hearing loss is not a significant concern in regards to the animal’s quality of life. A subjective evaluation of hearing capacity in an animal can effectively be done in the home environment where the animal is most relaxed and not on high alert. Testing an individual animal using noises, like clapping, shouting, or a horn, may be done while the animal is not able to detect the impending stimulus using other senses. Peformed at various distances, this simple 39
tool may estimate the extent of hearing loss as well. Confirmation and characterization of hearing loss can be achieved with a diagnostic procedure known as Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials or Response (BAEP/BAER) testing. BAER detects waves of electrical output from the brainstem in response to noise stimulation. The equipment needed to perform this test is generally only available at specialty hospitals with a neurology
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service. To perform the test, the animal is anesthetized or heavily sedated. Headphones are placed over the ears to transmit sound to the ears and electrodes are placed over the scalp to identify the response in the brain to the sound. This test is particularly useful for confirming congenital deafness caused by the BEW phenotype in camelids and other animals. Reprinted from the Winter 2014 Rocky Mountain Llama and Alpaca Association The Journal
SCLA Library
Barbara Welch, Librarian
(830) 885-2388 • dbldare@gvtc.com
Books A Guide to Raising Llamas – Gale Birutta (10132) A Well Trained Llama – By Paul & Betty Barkman (10167) Along Came a Llama -- Welsh farmer adds a llama to her farm (10041) ALSA Llama Judging Clinic (10098) Aunt Millie’s Guide to Llama Fiber - By Mike Brown (10166) Body Scoring Llamas & Alpacas, by Bob Beede, DVM (10128) Before and After Llamas -- humor (10086) Building Small Barns, Sheds and Shelters -- Monte Burche (10116) Camel's Zoo Book 2 -- children (10023) Caring for Llamas, A Health and Management Guide (10043) Caring for Llamas and Alpacas - 2nd. ed. (10043) Evaluating a Llama Pack for Comfort and Function (10122) Fifty Things to Do With a Llama by B. James (10147) Felt making Techniques & Projects by I. Evers (10149) Handbook for Llamas -- first aid (10017) Hands On Spinning -- Lee Raven (10107) Harley – by Star Livingston Illustrated by Molly Bang (10173) Heat Stress; Prevention & Management, by Myra Freeman -- (10130) I Care About My Animals – animal rights guide (10124) If I was a Llama -- children (10112) Llamas & Alpacas as a Metaphor for Life - by Marty McGee – (10148) Llama&AlpacaNeonatalCare,byB.Smith,DVM;K.Timm,DVM;P.Long,DVM.--(10131) Llama Babies -- Up, Dry & Nursing -- Anderson (10133) Llama Driving – By Ron Shinnick (10169) Llama Nutrition Clinic Notes -- LaRue Johnson, DVM (10138) Llama Packing for Youth, by the ILA Youth Committee -- (10129) Llama Training on Your Own – Helen Bodington (10168) Living with Llamas -- Rosana Hart (10020) Llamas Can Beat the Heat -- Texas cooling techniques (10035) Llama Medicine and Surgery -- Texas A&M (10022) Llama Medicine, Veterinary Clinics of North America -- (10082) Llama Training, Who's in Charge -- (10027) Llamas: Their Personality and Expressions -- (10114) Llama Tricks -- Step by Step Method -- by Linda Hayes -- 10142 Leaders Manual for 4-H Llama Activities (10156) Love a Llama -- children (10097) Making the Most of Your Llama – By Linda Beattie (10165)
Medicine & Surgery of South American Camelids -Fowler (10135) Medicine & Surgery of South American Camelids – 2nd ed., (10153) Packing with Llamas -- (10048) Raising Llamas in Alberta, Why Are They So Popular? -- (10123) Roberts Rules of Order (10152) Ruminations from the Back Forty - by John Mallon (10178) SCLA 1992 Conference -- ring binder (10104) SCLA 1993 Conference -- ring binder (10079) SCLA 1994 Conference -- ring binder (10100) SCLA 1995 Conference – ring binder (10080) SCLA 1996 Conference – ring binder (10130) SCLA 1998 Conference – ring binder (10150) SCLA 2000 Conference – ring binder, (10163) Scraping Heaven - by Cindy Ross, donated by Teresa King (10179) Secrets of the Andes (10040) So You Share Your Life with a Llama - by Susan Peterson (10177) Speechless Brothers (10106) Spinning Llama & Alpaca -- by Chris Switzer (10134) Spinning Llama & Alpaca 2nd Edition – By Chris Switzer (10171) The Camelid Companion (Handling and Training your Alpacas and Llamas) – by Marty McGee Bennett (10172) The Field Guide ... In Search of the Ideal Llama – conformation info (10113) The TTEAM Approach -- McGee (10117) The (Mis)adventures of the Llamas at Hunter Hill – Hubbard, Ryberg (10174) Today and Tomorrow Llama Investment Analysis --1990 (10047) Turning Wool into a Cottage Industry -- (10042) The Waldo Chronicles -- a training log -- (10129) Veterinary Llama Field Manual - By Norman Evans (10145) Youth Llama Project -- 4H guidebooks (10045) 4H Instructions -- SCLA (10118) Packing with Llamas 4th edition - Stanlynn Daugherty (10161) Notes from Dr. Norman Evans' llama conference on 4/1/2000 (10164) 3rd Annual Camelid Health Program - Ohio State University (10170)
Newsletters and Magazines SCLA Humming Herald Red Hot Llamas -- Smithsonian 8/94 (10101) Newsletters from other llama associations
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Video Tapes All About Llamas I -- Llama Basics (10007) All About Llamas II, Breeding, Birthing and Newborns -- (10008) Animals on the Farm -- Video aimed at children/4-H clubs - (10134) Basic T.T. E.A.M. with Llamas - by Marty McGee (10005) Camelid Handling Secrets Volume 1 Medical Management - (10025) Click & Reward -- Training Video -- (10141) Click and Reward – Vol. II –(10159) The Competitive Edge in the Showring -- ALSA guidelines (10073) Felt Making by Hand -- Basic Process -- Vickrey (10143) Fences, Barns and Feeders (10085) Five Star Llama Packing (10001) Grooming and Basic Training -- SCLA (10063) How to Use the Kwick and Slick Grooming Tool – (10160) ILA Marketing Video (10111) In Search of the Ideal Llama -- conformation (10095) Inside 4-H Llamas – By ILA (10155) Llama Reproduction -- Part I & II (10009/10) Llama Training with Bobra Goldsmith -- (10003) Mallon Method, The - Difficult to Halter (10180) Mallon Method, The -- The First 24 Hours (10125) Mallon Method, The -- Halter Training Basics (10140) Rolfing a Llama -- (10103) SCLA 1995 Ft Worth Sale -- (10108/09) SCLA 1994 Conference Awards -- (10102) SCLA 1998 Conference Videos (two) – (10151) SCLA Seminar -- (Jensen) heat stress, nail trimming (10011) Spinning Wool, Basics and Beyond -- by P Zawistoski (10139) Step by Step Shearing -- for alpacas and llamas (10126) Texas A & M Seminar -- (Fowler) infectious disease & heat stress (10013) Teaching Your Llama to Pack – Marty McGee with Stanley Daugherty –video – TWO COPIES: --(10158) Texas Country Reporter – featuring John & Linda Keltgen (10157) Training Llamas to Drive -- (10044) Treasures of the Andes -- PBS (10090) "Treating" your Llama Kindly -- handling techniques with Dr. LaRue Johnson and Marty Mcgee (10128) TTEAM Approach to Herd Management -- McGee (10070) Vermonters Just Like to Felt Hats – video (10154) What Do You Do with a Llama? -- photography, Ley (10119) Why llamas? -- (10014) 42
Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
Wonderful World of Llama Wool, The -- McGee (10121) Working In the Round Pen (3 tapes) John Mallon - 10124 Working with Difficult Llamas....by Ken Ploeser, (10162)
DVDs Llama Talk -- Cathy Spalding, Gentle Spirit Llama Training with Bobra Goldsmith Running of the Llamas: a documentary by Heidi Freier c. 2008 (10200) Spinning Luxury Fibers (3 DVD set) Judith MacKenzie Spinning Wool, Basics and Beyond -- by P Zawistoski Mallon Method, The -- Difficult to Halter Mallon Method, The -- The First 24 Hours Mallon Method, The -- Halter Training Basics Vermonters Just Like to Felt Hats -- The Herd of Northern Vermonters Wonderful World of Llama Wool, The -- McGee Working In the Round Pen (3 DVD set) John Mallon
Equipment Tooth-A-Matic rental $20 plus deposit SCLA members can check out items by emailing or calling Barbara Welch, Books may be kept for one month and video tapes for two weeks. Items are mailed at SCLA's expense. You pay the return postage. Please return to: Barbara Welch 12830 Rebecca Creek Rd. Spring Branch TX 78070 Email Barbara at dbldare@gvtc.com or phone: 830-885-2388. Updated June 2011
Advertising Rates Payment will reserve your placement and will be accepted for up to four consecutive issues. Please include $7.00 for each “loose” photo accompanying your ad. Please do not submit ink jet printouts of photos as the quality is sub-standard.
Member Rates:
Front Cover...................... $125.00 Inside Covers.......................$80.00 Back Cover..........................$90.00 Full Page..............................$65.00 Half Page.............................$55.00 Quarter Page........................$45.00 Business Card......................$30.00 Insert Your Flyer.................$75.00 Classifieds.................25¢ per word ($ 3.50 minimum)
Non-Member Rates:
Front Cover...................... $175.00 Inside Covers.......................$95.00 Back Cover....................... $105.00 Full Page..............................$75.00 Half Page.............................$65.00 Quarter Page........................$55.00 Business Card......................$35.00 Insert Your Flyer.................$85.00 Classifieds.................40¢ per word ($ 5.00 minimum)
Humming Herald Deadlines
Specifications Print Ready Ads: Acceptable print ready ad formats are files at 300 dpi as a Press Quality PDF, TIF, EPS or PSD file. Please zip or stuff your file for faster email transmission. Digital Photo Submission: When taking digital photos, it is always best to set your camera to its highest settings, which will give you the least amount of pictures on your memory card. Email the photo - in its original condition - to hummingherald@figmentranch.com for review. If your photo is not of the proper resolution, you will be notified. Full Page Ad: Half Page Ad: Quarter Page Ad: Business Card Ad:
7.5” x 10” 7.5” x 4.725” 3.62” x 4.725” 3.62” x 2.25”
Spring...........................February 1 Summer............................... May 1 Fall...................................August 1 Winter........................ November 1 Mail Print-Ready Copy to: Ruby Herron 17102 Mueschke RD Cypress, TX 77433
Contact her with questions at 713-249-8523 or figranch@flash.net Additional copies of the Humming Herald are available at a cost of $5.00 each plus $2.25 per copy for shipping. Copies must be ordered by deadline date. Send check, made payable to SCLA at the address above.
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Membership Application Form
South Central Llama Association (www.scla.us) Name:____________________________________________________________________________________ Ranch Name:______________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________ City:_________________________________________ State:____________ Zip___________________________ Phone : ( ______) _____________________ Email:_____________________________________________ _____Please DO NOT print my name in the Membership Directory (handed out to the public) Annual Membership Fee: $40.00 per household. All memberships expire January 31st of each year. $20.00 for first-time members who join after July 1. Please mail a copy of this membership form with your check (payable to SCLA) to: SCLA MEMBERSHIP P.O. Box 163654 Austin, TX 78716
Associate Youth Membership Application Form South Central Llama Association (www.scla.us)
Youth Name:_______________________________________________________________________ Ranch Name:_______________________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________ State:________________ Zip___________________ Phone : ( ______)_______________________
Email:_____________________________________
Date of Birth______________________________ Name & Address of Adult Sponsor: ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____Please DO NOT print my name in the Membership Directory (handed out to the public) Youth Associate Memberships are non-voting and expire December 31st of each year. Annual Membership Fee: $10.00 per youth, ages 5-19. $5.00 for first-time members who join after July 1. Please mail a copy of this membership form with your check (payable to SCLA) to: SCLA Membership P.O. Box 163654 Austin, TX 78716
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015
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Only if we can learn to work together will we realize our strength in numbers. Free your mind and think. Figment Ranch
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South Central Llama Association
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Humming Herald Newsletter Winter 2015