Question: How much to feed?
Hello, I am into my first winter caring for my alpacas (16 of them) and I am wondering if I am feeding them the correct amounts of Hay. I fill the feeder bins to the gills - then wait for the animals to eat a lot of it - then I refill it - so it is never empty. Is this OK?? All my animals are slightly plump - no-one is under weight at all. Maybe I am overfeeding? I don't want them to go hungry. I also feed supplement twice a day - about 1 cup per animal. I use a steamed crimped corn, barley, oats and pellet mixture on really cold nights (under 20 degrees F.)
Answer:
How much to feed is a very tough short answer. The bottom line is that body scoring, actual weighing (make sure to get a platform scale), pregnancy status, type of alpaca and the "depth" of winter will all determine how much to feed.
And then there are the "fatties" and the "skinnies" . . . .
As for slightly plump - I guess I don't know what this means. Fat alpacas are not healthy, but some fat reserve in your winter (
One thing I can tell you - "feed ahead of the weather". This is an old, old farm _expression that continues to be repeated today in animal science nutrition circles. The stress of cold weather, wind and especially the two together is tough. By feeding considerably more forage (not necessarily a lot more pellets) allows more heat of digestion to be liberated by the rumen/gut as it digests the complex carbohydrate. That internal heat helps to minimize the influence of the cold/wind.
I also have no idea what "a cup" of feed is. Feed should be fed as a weight rather than a volume as some feeds are light and others are very dense. A "cup" of one feed type may be the nutritional value of 2-3 cups of another. Dr. Norm Evans has a classic display of "a scoop". When people say they feed "a scoop" he asks what size and shows a picture of scoops of many sizes. When they say they feed "a coffee can" then he shows a picture of all sizes of coffee cans. The point gets well made with some humor. Know what weight you are feeding rather than the volume.
The physiology is such that cold weather is also a physiological stress with the adrenal glands pouring out adreno and glucocorticoids - and yes, this can be associated with ulcers. That is why I do not over feed high protein simple grains or just more pellets as they turn on acid secretion by the simple stomach. Rather, during a cold snap, I will feed a higher mass of a protein forage (perhaps 30-50% more), but only increase the pellet ration by 10-20%. Cold snaps are also a good time to appropriately use some alfalfa, brome or other higher protein forage. Remember, these animals are not adapted to digest simple grains and pellets - their physiology is built on digesting moderate protein % forages.
However, a sudden forage change from a 10-12% protein to a 22-24% protein (such as switching immediately from a bermuda hay to very rich alfalfa) is probably way too much of a change. Periodic gorging on high protein feeds is also not good. This is where you must look at your animals, the wind, the forecast and "make a judgement". Then look at your weights and scores and see if you were close. If not, adjust your feeding to match the degree to which you were over or under.
I have learned to "watch the birds" in terms of gauging the depth of a cold snap or storm. Ever notice how birds really feed like crazy before a storm or cold snap? This "feed your stock like the birds" adage was taught to me about 40 years ago in 4-H by a dairy farmer who was essentially uneducated in terms of academic degrees, but his advice on this (and many other subjects) still sticks with me.
Animal nutrition and feeding is an art ("anyone can feed, but nutrition takes effort" - again an adage by Dr. Evans). Many of us have fed essentially indoor dogs/cats, but are not used to dealing with outside livestock subject to outside environmental issues and stresses. None of us will hit the mark perfectly and will overfeed some and underfeed others.
I suggest that monthly (perhaps more often in depth of winter) weighings and body scoring are essential in the more cold areas of this country. Records are essential. Then take into account who is pregnant and at what stage of pregnancy (most of fetal development is in the last 3-4 months), the fleece weight (easy to think you are getting an over fat animal when 8 lbs is fleece by late winter) and then who gains weight when she just "walks by the feeder".
With time and experience, you will be able to touch your animals and know who is thin and who is fat. This takes some time and experience, but for new breeders I feel a scale, weights and a chart are essential.
Do not feel terrible if you are seeing some slightly fat animals. But obese animals are becoming much more common and it is being increasingly recognized that the number one management and perhaps veterinary problems in alpacas are the result of overfeeding. Lastly, I would again encourage all to buy a copy of Dr. Norm Evans' Alpaca Field Guide. The nutrition section is simply superb.
Steve Hull, Timberlake Farm, Inc.