A Few Quick Tips to Beat the Heat
Summer is here with its long lazy days spent in relaxation and fun. But summer is also hot - sometimes the heat is unbearable, especially in regions where the humidity rises with the temperature. We want to make sure that the summer is as much fun for your alpacas as it is for you, so here are a few simple tips on helping your alpaca beat the heat and enjoy the summer.
Assuming that you have sheared your alpacas for the summer-
- Remember the basics: Shade, Water and Ventilation. Alpacas must have shelter from the sun. You will see them sunbathing, stretched out full in the warm sun, but when it gets really hot, they need shade.
- Be sure your alpacas have a good supply of clean cool water to drink.
- Alpacas love to play in the water. Like children, they will play under a sprinkler (or fight over who gets the best spot) and they love to get into a child's plastic wading pool. There are some things to remember about alpacas and water - a lot of it rots the fiber. We do not worry too much about the alpacas getting a "pond cut" from lying in a wading pool or pond. I would rather have a healthy alpaca, but we limit pool time to really hot days. Be careful squirting alpacas with a hose unless they are completely shorn. Longer fleece that gets partially wet will mat at the tips actually trapping more heat next to the alpaca's skin. If they are shorn, you can drench them well, but again limit this practice to really hot days or the fleece will show signs of damage.
- If you cannot or do not wish to provide play water for your alpacas, think about a pile of wet sand.
- Be sure there is good movement of air in your barn or shed. If there is not, get a fan -- or two, or three, or four. Get whatever it takes to keep your alpacas cool.
Be weather smart and alpaca wise. Add the temperature and humidity together. As it creeps up toward 150 watch for signs of heat stress. 180 is considered dangerous.
Signs of heat stress could include:
- Flared nostrils and heaving sides, open mouth
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Depressed appetite and activity
- Swelling around the testicles
If you suspect heat stress, take your alpaca's temperature. If it is over 102 degrees F, cool the alpaca any way you can and call your vet. Be especially vigilant with breeding stock. Heat stress can cause abortions in females and infertility in males, but with proper management, it can be avoided, and you and your alpacas can enjoy the summer.
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