The longest gestation yet

I'm please to report that Marne has finally given birth!  But before I tell you about Marne I will introduce another cria born last week whilst we were up in Scotland delivering alpacas and doing some matings.

Mum was left in charge for a couple of days as we headed north with a trailer load of 7 alpacas (more on that another day) and just as I had predicted before I left a few days early of her due date Coco gave birth to a lovely big black boy sired by Jack of Spades.

He is a very upstanding boy, which a lovely bright dense fleece, full of life and mischief, after a day of chasing after him I think Coco has given up on keeping him by her side and lets him get on with things.

Then on Saturday we left mum in charge for the weekend again, we were up at Berwick Slow Food & Beer festival with the alpacas and our knitwear.  This is an annual two day event which we love and is usually after we have finished birthing for the year; but not this year.

On Friday night I had warned mum that Marne was looking very uncomfortable and I thought that tomorrow would be the day. On 410 days gestation Marne produced a tiny 4.68kg male cria which was very flat, lifeless and cold (no temperature would register).

My mum did a fantastic job to keep him alive with me giving instructions over the phone until the vet arrived.  I can't begin to explain how pleased I was when Sam Prescott was the on call farm vet last weekend!

After slowly warming up and having a plasma transfusion (thanks to which ever one of our boys that particular bag came from) the little man gained enough strength to lift his head.  

By lunchtime mum had managed to get him sucking on a bottle which was fantastic because there was no way I was going to be able to get mum to tube feed him.  Slowly his strength has gained and his milk intake increased.

Sunday Jan at Castleside Alpacas came over and helped mum milk Marne, which I don't think Marne was very impressed with!

I couldn't wait to get home Sunday night to see the little man. His back legs resembled those of a frog, completely sprawled out sideways and needed some attention before his hips popped out.  It's amazing what you can do with a pair of baby tights!!

By the early hours of Monday he was able to stand for a wee and some of his bottle and by Monday night he could get up and down on his own and he's now going from strength to strength.  Sadly whilst mum likes her baby she wont feed him, she's been having Sepia to see if that helps as I've had good results with it in the past.

Last night he was up to 5.33kg and his straps have been removed and he is sitting normally.  Fingers crossed this little man is going to make it.  However we will refrain for naming him just yet.

Thanks mum, he wouldn't have made it this far without you.

We just have one girl left to birth now, Fair Lady who is out of Eringa Park The Commandante so has Jolimont Commisario and Conquistador in her pedigree and pregnant to Lavender Park Tully so we are looking forward to something special.