Cooling down the alpacas at DMAR is an ongoing theme here. Temperatures are reaching 1oo and the alpacas are feeling it. Fortunately for them we have several ways to cool them down:
1. They have plenty of shade and fresh water.
2. We turn on fans for them daily. Some alpacas like it more than others. Shasta literally kisses the fan and leans her head, neck, and upper body right into it.
3. I hose down there legs and bellies daily. Again some like this more than others, but on these hot days I have them lined up giving me kisses or biting my shirt trying to get me to do them first.
4. For days that reach 95 or above we turn on the evaporative coolers. Yes my alpacas are spoiled, but a lot of them are carrying the future crias of DMAR.
Update on Michelle: I know I said I would keep positive and believe me I have tried, but there were many days in which I was sure she was going to give up the valley fever battle. Well I’m glad to say that Michelle is doing better. Her weight is now at 147.4 lbs. We can no longer see her ribs, which at one point were so pronounced that she was a walking skeleton. Michelle’s appetite is great and she is now running around with the rest of the herd during social time.
Michelle is not cured, but she is definitely acting like an alpaca should. However I don’t ever take her illness for granted. She’s got a long way to recover still.
