Jordan, my father, me and Skye left for Tregurnog at 7. Nothing wrong there so Jordan took me out for my mother’s day treat – breakfast out. We stuffed our faces and got to Garth Hall in time for the walk that had been booked. We were in time but they didn’t show up! Josh had arranged for Ashton and Chloe to help too. With so many of us there we decided to cut the boys’ toenails.
We caught Leo easily. We harnessed him. Josh and Jordan held him. I did his feet. Because he goes on walks, this keeps his toenails fairly trim. Then I had to walk him out of the small gate and along to the other gate. The rest of the boys won’t come near when he is in. He is the alpha and he does a lot of biting and chasing. The gate we were heading for is in the same direction as the girls. He thought his luck was in and he got quite a trot on. The rest of them got the other boys in the pen. I then let Leo back in. He made a beeline for the pen. He was acting aggressively even through the bars. Luckily we had Ashton acting as our bodyguard. He was conscientious and did a great job. After a while he went out with Leo and began scratching his back and cwtching him. They’ve got quite a bond now…
Josh showed Chloe how to do the toenails. Not everyone in agricultural college gets alpaca experience. The boys are heavy and take a lot of holding. Good job Truck (Jordan) was there too. Atlas had a bit of an ingrowing toenail. Josh and Chloe cut this carefully and then put some foot spray on it. El Cap had mites on his legs so I got the injection for that. It was our first time properly handling Hector and Ghost too. After those we had to see to the weanlings to. We thought this would be easier. They are lighter after all. But, it seems, not necessarily easier. At that point, my phone rang “Shall I do my own dinner?” my father enquired. “We shouldn’t be too long but if you’re hungry, it might be better. Sorry.”
Josh caught Olaf first. He has curly toenails like his mother. After him, Josh put the harness on Popcorn. He was not happy with that. His toenails were done but he was difficult. He grabbed Ebony next. She is so like her mother Zippy. Ebony screamed through the entire process. Al Paccino and Caspar weren’t too bad. When it was Cooper’s turn the harness was put on him so he could be walked to the girls’ field. We had to take Olaf too so Josh and Chloe walked him over as well. While they were doing that I went to shut the office and I saw an ewe with blood on her. It was Psycho Bitch. Her tail and legs had blood on them. We needed to check her to find out what was wrong.
Chloe and Jordan both tried to catch her but she got away. Josh arrived and also tried. Nope, she wasn’t having any of it. In the end Chloe enticed her into the office with food. She then lifted the ewe’s tail. “It is coming from her vagina!” ” OK, I’ll get my gloves on and go in and see what’s happening” Off came my hoodie and Nomination bracelets and on when a plastic gauntlet. “Ooh Clo, can you pass the vet lube out of my bag please?” I lubed up and inserted 2 fingers. There wasn’t anything discernible, just discharge. My diagnosis is that some placenta has been retained. “She’ll need some of the antibiotics that Sian was on.” The problem was that Neil wasn’t available. How could we get her to the barn? ” We can hitch troop transport onto the mule.” suggested Josh. Chloe and I went for troop transport and came back down with it. Ashton was manning the office gate. When Josh tried to get out with the ewe, Ashton was in the way a bit “Bugger off out of my way!” Shouted Josh, frantically trying to keep her in his grip. We all stepped back out of the way. The ewe bucked, Josh lost his grip. He tried to re-grab her but ended up keeping hold of her with his legs. They were wrapped tightly around her. He was clinging on for dear life. We all watched in awe. Frozen to the spot while Josh and Psycho Bitch wrestled on the ground. I wasn’t quite sure who was winning when Josh shouted: “Can one of you buggers help me???” It was so funny. I hope I’ve been able to convey at least some of how funny it was.
Josh drove her up. Ashton had a lift in the back of the mule. They put the ewe in the barn and gave her water. We would have to bring the antibiotic up later. Chloe and Jordan topped the lambs up. “Helen, Betty has a bad knee!” I had a feel. I would have to treat her in the afternoon too. We also needed to catch the black /brown lamb. She has been on her own, without a mother. I think her mother is the collapsed ewe in the barn. Jordan and Chloe chased her round a bit but couldn’t catch her. They thought they had her by the wellfield fence but she pushed through squares. They did manage to trap her after a while and I tried to give her some milk. She was scared and didn’t drink much. We put her in with the pet lambs.
For the afternoon shift, Josh went to Tregurnog and Neil helped me with Psycho Bitch and Betty. They were both given antibiotic. Hopefully the antibiotic will help Psycho Bitch. Betty’s knee problem is more complex. It is warm and swollen. Being a pet lamb though means we noticed straight away. She was given a painkiller too. Poor little thing cried when we administered the injections 😔
Next we checked the alpacas, specifically we had to check on Olaf and Cooper. Olaf was in amongst a bunch of the girls near the gate. He seemed fine. He wasn’t making any noises or anything. That was pleasing. Cooper was another matter. He was sitting by his mother when we got there. Persephone came down to the troughs and he followed. He was leaning his head on her but she ignored him. She has weaned him and that’s it. The only reason he is there is that he was moping and he needs to learn to eat hard feed. I’m hoping he will learn from his mother. Olaf had to be moved for a much more sinister reason. His mother, Anabelle isn’t getting any better and so, unfortunately she will need to be put to sleep soon. Before shearing which will be the end of this month. Shearing would be even more painful for her. It breaks my heart as she was one of our first 3 alpacas and my favourite. It’s worse to see her in pain though and it is something I will have to face in the coming days. Olaf was kept with her longer because he was so small. He has been moved to wean him once and for all. I need to see that he can cope ok without his mother before we have to lose her permanently.
We looked at the rams while we were there. Percy needs to have a drench and his bum cleaned. Not pleasant work but it has to be done. There are a few other sheep dotted about that need the same treatment. We need to do this with each of them or they will be more susceptible to flystrike. Hopefully tomorrow…
We went back up to locate the black/brown lamb because Neil let her out. She was near the wellfield. I’m sure it’s her mother that’s sick. We sent her in the general direction of the paddock. An ewe and lamb went with her. As we were following them I noticed something: “Look at the size of her udder! And the right side is even more swollen” We got them into a small area. Neil caught the ewe and tipped her. The right side of her udder was huge and round. We both suspected mastitis. He felt it but it wasn’t hot. “I think it’s an abcess” He squeezed the teat and normal milk shot out. There wasn’t anything wrong, she was just engorged. Without removing some milk she could end up with mastitis. “Get the lamb. We’ll put her on!” The lamb took a bit of encouragement but then she drank and drank. The udder deflated in front of us and the lamb’s tummy filled out. Excellent job all round that. I carried her into the barn and lifted her over into the pen where her suspected mother is. The little lamb cried and rushed over 😔 Bless her. Her mother isn’t well enough to do much but seeing the lamb cwtch by her was heartbreaking. We are hoping the ewe will improve. We have got her well enough to drink from a bucket, with help. We’ll give her some ivy to try. Ivy helps stimulate a sheep’s appetite so it should help 🤞
Finally we brought the pet lambs in. Betty was much better and putting weight on it. More good news. Excellent. Some of the lambs are starting to eat the creep. Eating this will be good for them. I left through the paddock and Neil went the other way on his quad. Munchie has been confined to the paddock because she likes to go in and out of the wellfield. Normally it’s not a massive problem but not good when her little lamb can’t follow her. Daz, so named because she is so white she looks like she’s been washed in Daz, has full access to her mother and therefore the milk if we can confine her to one place. Munchie is fond of her daughter but she just likes wandering. I went through the paddock unnoticed. I unlocked the gate to go out and I saw Broken Leg (she had a leg in a cast after breaking it) She was out. Again! She’s a bloody nightmare. No wonder she broke her leg 🤦♀️ She pushed passed Neil into the brambles, along the wall a bit and then jumped back in! Phew. It’s been a long day!
Helen x
