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Alpacas any good protection of sheep during lambing

  • 15-10-2014 10:22AM
    #1
    derferjam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭


    Has anyone ever used Alpacas to protect sheep from wildlife Especially sheep flock during the lambing season


Comments

  • #2
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    derferjam wrote: »
    Has anyone ever used Alpacas to protect sheep from wildlife Especially sheep flock during the lambing season

    I heard a donkey with a foal can be as good, and cheaper I would suspect. But it was more in context of dogs attacking, rather than foxes.

    Not sure the Alpaca would be any different, but I am only guessing...


  • #3
    on the river
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,528 ✭✭✭on the river


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU7t4HDcoJc


  • #4
    on the river
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,528 ✭✭✭on the river


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX5GvhIF2j4


  • #5
    lakill Farm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,731 ✭✭✭lakill Farm


    I see a lady (sheep farmer) on twitter bought 2 alpacas off another lady (alpaca farmer) in January. she seems so happy with it

    one is @zwarblesie - sheep
    the other @hushabyefarm - Alpaca

    I think they both have facebook pages


  • #6
    Green farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    I'd say there good alright, but I don't understand how the breeders of alpacas have arrived with the price for them. I've seen ones up north asking for €500 upwards, and I've seen other ads looking for €1,500 down south. How much are the fleeces worth each year, as I assume that's the only source of income from them ? They just seem expensive to buy, but I know very little about them.


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  • #7
    derferjam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭derferjam


    Does anyone know how hard are they rare or keep ... do they get maggots, need to be drench....


  • #8
    grazeaway
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭grazeaway


    derferjam wrote: »
    Does anyone know how hard are they rare or keep ... do they get maggots, need to be drench....

    Was watching them on country file a few months ago and you need to have a couple of them as they get depressed if they are on their own, they make these calls to each other and if they don't get an answer they get lonely and pine away.

    Fantastic meat, had some when I was travelling in Brazil a few years ago.


  • #9
    derferjam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭derferjam


    Do the factories take them for Irish market or export is there even a market here at all?


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