The alpacas have been inside for several weeks now. Initially it was due to Jupiter and his mobility issues, which at first, it was felt, weren't being helped by the wet land (he had a suspected nail bed infection). Then as the weather got worse, we kept him and the others in so that his energies went into feeding him up as it appeared that being ill had caused some weight loss. We are not entirely sure his mobility is 100% again - seeing him move around the barn is not the same as seeing him walk and run around a field - but he is a bit weightier and is eating, drinking and chewing the cud fine. There was a suggestion he might be vitamin deficient but that has now been addressed!!
Grame from Torch Vets is here on Monday to take bloods from the goats to check for CAE and Johnes so we will get him to check Jupiter out too.
In the meantime all the alpacas and sheep seem to be happy living together in the new barn where the cows had been, it's light, airy and most importantly, very dry!! And it's lovely for us to see them like this each day and to feed and muck them out without squelching through wet grass and mud and being blown around by the latest storms!!!
But come on spring, we do rather need you now: March you are very welcome, Feb was a bit of a pain in the a*** so March, can you just arrive, get settled and don't do anything ambitious!!!