Maternity & Criation
The birth of a cria is always exciting.
Alpacas generally give birth in the morning - some time between an early breakfast and a late lunch! Normally the birthing process goes quickly and smoothly, but it is always good to have on farm managers in case there is a problem.
Pinjarra have a special maternity and nursery paddock set aside for expectant mothers. At least one month prior to birth, mums-to-be go into this paddock where they receive extra feed and close attention. Once they have given birth the extra feed continues and we keep a close eye on both Mum and Cria including weighing them to ensure the cria are growing well and the mums continue to do well. weekly.
That's what happens when all goes well. However, if something is not going as smoothly as it should, we are on hand to observe and take action. We have several experienced vets close by that we can call on if needed.
By the way, the official name for birthing is of course Parturition. But as the baby is called a cria, many people call this exciting event Criation!
