Puget Sound Veterinary Group, PC
2115 Old Hwy 99 S, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
(360) 416-6944
psvg@comcast.net
Llama and Alpaca Cria Care Sheet
By Dr. Jacquelyn L. Waltner
Prenatal care of the dam
1) It is recommended that, at a minimum, adult females be vaccinated once a year with a
Clostridium CD/T vaccine. Females should also be vaccinated for any other diseases
of concern in your region (i.e. rabies, leptospirosis, etc.). As a general rule,
vaccinations should not be given within 30 days of the female’s projected due date. It
is also recommended that multiple vaccines be given over a span of time, separated
by a couple of days at least.
2) Deworming should be done on a regular basis as determined by the climate in your
region, number of animals on your property and physical attributes of your property.
It is recommended that deworming take place as needed based on fecal examinations;
ideally these should be done on a quarterly basis. There are a number of dewormers
on the market for other livestock (Ivomec, Panacur, Strongid, etc.) and most of these
can be used in the llama and alpaca.
3) Nail trimming should be done on an as needed basis. This is determined both by the
individual animal and their environment. Each animal will grow and wear their nails
at a variable rate, and the environment can influence that wear pattern depending on
how dry or wet the ground is, or if there are any rocks or other hard surfaces to wear
down the nails. It is recommended that nail trimming take place well in advance of
the female’s due date, or immediately after giving birth.
4) Other supplements such as selenium and Vitamin D should also be given depending
on the area in which you live.
5) Provide the female with good quality feed and clean water at all times during the
pregnancy.
6) It is recommended that you have the female’s pregnancy confirmed at least four
times by ultrasound.
7) Prior to the female’s due date the birthing supplies should be assembled in one easily
accessible location, such as a Tupperware container. These supplies include the
following:
a) Scissors
b) Heavy duty thread – to tie off the umbilicus if necessary
c) Rectal thermometer
d) Water-based lubricant (K-Y jelly) – DO NOT use a petroleum based product
e) Hair dryer
f) Iodine or chlorhexidine – for spraying/dipping the navel
g) Container for the iodine or chlorhexidine – spray bottle (to spray the navel) or
film container (to dip the navel)
h) Cria blanket – these can be purchased from Stevens Llama Tique
i) Enema bottle (optional)
j) Towels
k) Plastic feeding bottle and lamb nipples, feeding tubes for tube feeding
l) Weight scale capable of reading weight in 0.2 pound increments
m) Frozen colostrum or plasma (kept in the freezer) – this is a product which farms in
a specified area may choose to bank at one location – available to everyone in the
area if the need arises.
Birthing
1) If this is one of your first cria you may want to notify your veterinarian of the
anticipated due date(s).
2) It is recommended that you place the pregnant female in an easily visualized pasture
at least one month prior to her due date.
3) Signs associated with impending birth may include the following:
a) Humming
b) Frequent urination or defecation
c) Shifting or rolling from side to side
d) Not eating or chewing her cud
e) Ears laid back
f) Prolonged periods spent lying down
g) Frequent rising and lying down
** Not all females will show all of these signs.
4) If at any time you notice any signs of discomfort or pain (rolling completely over,
biting/chewing at the abdomen, straining) you should call the veterinarian
immediately.
5) Once active labor begins the female should deliver the cria within 30-45 minutes. If a
cria has not been delivered within this time, your veterinary office should be called
immediately.
6) Most females will birth from mid-morning to late afternoon (9AM-5PM) and will
deliver their cria without a problem.
Cria Care
1) How to proceed with the cria and dam depends on the season and the weather.
a) If it is below 68ºF (19 C), raining, or snowing:
i) Move the cria and the dam inside to a dry, well-lit, warm and clean location.
(If you pick up the newborn cria, the dam will usually follow without a
problem.)
ii) Dip or spray the umbilicus (navel) with iodine or chlorhexidine. Repeat this
two more times before the cria is 8 hours old.
iii) Towel dry the cria.
Puget Sound Veterinary Group, PC
2115 Old Hwy 99 S, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
(360) 416-6944
psvg@comcast.net
iv) Check the cria’s breathing. If it is having difficulty, make sure to clear away
any fetal membranes from around the nose and mouth. If the difficulty
persists, call your veterinarian’s office immediately.
v) Check the cria’s temperature. This should be done twenty minutes after the
cria is born, or immediately, if you were not present for the birth.
(1) If the temperature is greater than 99.5ºF (35 C) the dam and cria may be
left alone to bond.
(2) If the temperature is less than 99.5ºF (35 C) but greater than 98ºF, the cria
needs to be warmed up until it does have a temperature greater than
99.5ºF.
(a) Completely dry the cria – use a hair dryer (on low or medium heat).
Place a dry towel over the cria and direct the warm air under the towel,
making sure that the air is not so warm that it could burn the cria.
Also, rub the cria to help stimulate it and get its blood moving.
(b) Place the cria under a heat lamp.
These two steps are typically sufficient to raise the temperature of a cria with the listed
temperature range. In the event that they do not (within 20 minutes), the following steps
should be taken…
(c) If the cria’s temperature is still not greater than 99.5ºF:
(i) Fill a deep sink with hot tap water, 103-105ºF (36.5-37.5 C).
(ii) Place the cria inside 2 large plastic garbage sacks, with its head
out.
(iii)Place the cria in the sink, submerging its body while holding its
head out of the water, for 10-15 minutes at a time.
(iv) Check its temperature each time the cria is removed from the bath,
until its temperature is greater than 99.5ºF.
(v) Dry the cria if necessary.
(vi) Recheck the cria’s temperature 15-20 minutes after removal from
the bath to make sure that the cria is stable and regulating its
temperature.
(vii)
Once its temperature is stabilized, leave the cria and dam
alone to bond.
b) If it is greater than 68ºF and good weather the cria and dam can remain outside in
the field. Make sure to follow the steps listed above, beginning with dipping or
spraying the umbilicus.
2) Check the dam’s udder for milk – squeeze a small amount of colostrum (the first
milk) from each teat. If you cannot express any milk, please call the veterinarian’s
office.
3) Make sure that the dam passes the placenta; she should do so within 4 hours. Once it
passes make sure that there are no missing pieces; do this by laying out the placenta
and making sure that it looks continuous. If it does not pass within 8 hours or there
are missing pieces, contact your veterinarian. DO NOT pull on the placenta once it
begins to be expelled, it could have life-threatening repercussions. Allow the dam
and gravity to accomplish the task.
4) The cria should be standing within 1 hour of birth – typically less. If it is not standing
within 1 hour, try assisting it. Call your veterinarian if it continues to have problems.
5) The cria should be nursing within 2 hours of birth. Make sure to watch it for nursing
since this is how it will acquire its initial antibodies to fight disease. If it is not
nursing within 3 hours, try assisting it to locate the teats. If necessary feed the cria
colostrum; this can be milked from the dam, or obtained from a cow, goat, llama or
alpaca. If the colostrum is from cow or goat origin, make sure that the source is free
of disease (i.e. Johnes, CAE, etc.). If colostrum can not be obtained, frozen llama
plasma can be thawed and fed to the cria.
6) Once the cria and dam have had time to bond:
a) Weigh the cria.
b) Give the cria an enema to facilitate passage of the meconium. This is optional
since most cria will pass it without assistance; but it is important to know that the
meconium has been passed. Fleet enemas, which can be purchased at most
grocery stores or pharmacies, should not be used with the original fluid. Instead,
dump out the fluid and replace with warm water and 1 or 2 drops of liquid dish
soap.
7) Within the first week of life:
a) Your veterinarian should come out to examine the dam and cria to make sure they
are both doing well. At that time blood for an IgG test can be drawn and a
microchip implanted. If you are planning to insure the cria this is an excellent
time for the insurance exam.
b) If the cria is born between October and March, it should be supplemented with
Vitamin D. There are both oral and injectable products on the market. The oral
product needs to be given every 2 weeks while the injectable needs to be given
every 2 months. Contact your veterinarian for the appropriate dosing.
8) Recommendations:
a) Vaccinate for Clostridium Type C, D and Tetanus. Contact your veterinarian to
determine the protocol that is right for your farm.
b) Vaccinate for any other diseases of concern in your area (EHV-1, Rabies,
Leptospirosis, etc.). Again, check with your veterinarian to determine which
vaccines are necessary for your farm.
c) Cria should be monitored closely for intestinal parasites. Check with your
veterinarian for scheduling and other recommendations for your farm.
d) Selenium supplementation – discuss with your veterinarian whether this is
important for you area.
9) Important phone numbers:
a) Puget Sound Veterinary Group, (360) 416-6944
b) PSVG Emergency Line, (360) 428-7144