Are You Ready for Summer?
(a.k.a. Have You Sheared Your Llama/Alpaca Yet ?)
David E
Anderson, D.V.M., MS
Farm Animal Section
College of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University
I am out
working with the teaching herd with a few of my students. I notice that we
are very comfortable but that a few of the animals have increased
respiratory rate and effort. This reminds me of the individual variation of
these creatures. Every animal responds to stress - heat stress or any other
- differently. Today, with the temperature at 72 F, the humidity at 65% (HSI
= 137 for those of you who remember the heat stress index calculation; HSI =
Temp + humidity), and direct sun exposure, some animals show low-grade heat
stress when handled. My mind drifts back to the last few years. 1998 and
2001 were devastating for us - approximately 6 llamas and alpacas died of
severe, unrelenting heat stress in Ohio. 1999 and 2000 were not much better
but I was proud of our clients' whose preparation for summer resulted in
extremely few problems given the brutal drought. We saved most, but some got
treatment too late. A friend sent me a reminder about an upcoming
newsletter, and I starting to think of all the things I wished all our
clients knew to prepare for heat stress season. So - here are my TOP TEN
list of things to do. The list is not all inclusive, but these are some of
the most important things we need to do to protect the llamas and alpacas
from heat stress before it happens to you!
1. SHEAR - I
recommend that all llamas and alpacas be sheared before June 1 every year.
Barrel cuts seem to work OK, but not shearing is not an option.
2. SHADE -
Lots of shade should be available. Most critical is that there is enough
shade for ALL of the animals to be shaded at the same time whenever they
want.
3.
VENTILATION - A good breeze is worth a thousand words. The most important
thing is that the wind can get underneath the animals where the "thermal
window" is located. Fans should blow across the barn at floor level (not
down from a height). Barns should have cross-ventilation so that stagnation
does not occur in any area.
4. WATER -
Clean, plain, fresh water should be available at all times. Water should be
replaced at least twice a day to keep it cool (not cold). Water should be in
the shade and animals should not have to compete for access.
5. BEDDING -
Straw is bad in summer. This thick bedding closes off the thermal window and
decreases access to ventilation. Sand bedding, especially slightly moist, is
very good at absorbing heat from the animals. Concrete is hard, but cool and
easy to clean and wet down.
6. WADING - I
like pools. Llamas and alpacas will seek out puddles, ponds, etc., to get
cool. This tends to make hair fall out if they lay around in water too much
of the time, but pools are very effective at allowing the animals to
self-regulate temperature. Bad for show season, but good for non-showers.
The pool should be in the shade and freshened daily.
7. MONITORING
- Observation is the key to life. Watch your animals. If they spend a lot of
time eating, standing, walking around and being active then they are
probably happy and healthy. If they lay around most of the day and are not
active, then they may have subclinical heat stress (early stage), and
intervention may be warranted. Watch your breeding males very closely. If
you see the scrotum getting pendulous, "baggy," or increasing in size, do
something immediately or you may loose fertility!
8. FEEDING -
Eating and digesting hay takes a lot of work and generates a lot of heat.
Some have suggested that less hay, more grass and grains causes less heat
stress risk because heat production from digestion is minimized. I question
the application of this concept, but certainly pasture grazing is the best
management style.
9.
ELECTROLYTES - I am a big believer in the protective effect of electrolytes.
I make water available that has salt, potassium, glucose, and bicarbonate in
it to help replace losses that occur in sweat and breathing. I am a big
believer in the protective effects of a balanced diet. Of particular
interest for heat stress is that adequate Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc, and
Copper are available.
10. PREGNANCY
- I prefer to see females in this area of the country having crias in the
spring. This optimizes easy re-breeding of females; allows optimal lactation
because of the nutrition of fresh grass; optimizes cria health because of
sunlight, clean pastures, and good nutrition; and prevents females from
having to suffer late gestation in the hot summer months.
Successful
treatment of heat stress depends upon early recognition (increased
respiration, lethargy, increased recumbency, decreased appetite, decreased
cooperation with or participation in activity, flared nostrils). Most of the
above mentioned prevention strategies can be applied as treatment. Consult a
veterinarian at the earliest time for animals showing abnormalities of
behavior during summer months. Remember, autumn is just a few months away!
David E
Anderson, DVM, MS
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Associate Professor of Surgery, Food Animal
601 Vernon L Tharp Street
College of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Anderson.670@osu.edu
Phone: 614-292-6661
Fax: 614-292-3530
VISIT OUR WEB-SITES:
http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/docs/ClinSci/bovine/index.htm
http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/docs/ClinSci/camelid/index.html
http://www.internationalcamelidinstitute.org
