From Cynthia Barkman and Ron Caruso of Pine Woods Farm in Long Valley, NJ, comes this delightful video of Temple Grandin and the magic of GALA.
Ron and Cynthia's website has a great page of links you might want to peruse. They feature general llama information, breeders, artists, and feltmaking--a great tutorial. They wish to thank Bob Wolfe, Theresa Holmes, and Bev Vienckowski for photos borrowed from PLAAs November Newsletter. I want to thank everyone for sharing resources so graciously throughout the conference. What a great group of people! You can contact Pine Woods Farm by email.
The Wet Lab rotations were filmed and appear at the end of this post, along with Dr. Cooper's PowerPoint.
Not every GALA Conference offers a Wet Lab, so when the three-hour session was offered by Carol Reigh's veterinary, Missi Cooper, VMD, I enrolled. Please note that while I filmed the manipulation rotations, you may be sensitive to the film. That having been said, I will tell you that what you can learn just may save a cria's life. The interventions are designed to rescue a difficult birth, should you vet be too far away and time be of the essence.
Our session began in a conference room, with an amazing overview of birthing at large, and what could go wrong. Cooper began with surveying her audience to determine experience levels with birthing; our audience is split with half having experience and the other half not.
Cooper began with a classic Wiggins and McTigheUnderstanding by Design approach, beginning with her end point resources. Getting us out of the dark, Cooper asked what are the signs a llama is going to deliver. The mucus string is ejected about 2 weeks before she delivers; the size is variable for the plug, but sometimes you will see it and sometimes not. Sometimes it is whitish-yellow hanging from her, and other times you see it on the ground. The vulva elongates and sometimes swelling and pouching out begins as the cria pushes out. Sometimes she is unsteady on the hind end, but unfortunately there are no reliable indicators of impending delivery. Occasionally, a mother will stop eating a day before.
What is the normal positioning of the cria, and how long does birth take? The answers vary, again depending on the dam and size of pelvis and cria. Normal position, front feet first and then the nose.
The first stage can take 24 hours; second stage is going to the dung pile often, the beginning of labor. Amniotic sack breaks, then feet usually protrude from the dam. Time should be 15 minutes, but can last an hour. The last stage is the placenta, and that passing should occur within 4-6 hours. Best indicator: write down the time you saw the first feet. The sooner you help your mother, the better of she/they will be. Mid-morning is the time they deliver; later PM delivery usually indicates the cria is malformed or there is a delivery problem.
A normal delivery often begins with the anionic sack breaking. Mother tries to reposition the cria to make it easier to deliver by lying down. Mother sometimes delivers the head and shoulders and then stands up to complete the delivery. Some mothers hum and others scream during delivery; the screaming is not an indication of an abnormal delivery but just the vocalization of a female. Nose and front feet first; humans should let the llamas deliver so long as the delivery is going fine. If you need to pull, do so gently and in an arc toward the mother’s head. Do not put too much force or traction on the mother. The following video of an unassisted birth comes from Twin Lakes Llama Ranch.
Very little is known about what initiates labor. Cup feet.
Passing the placenta is the same procedure for birth; often they go to the dung pile. If the mother does not release the placenta within a normal time range, give a dose of Oxytocin. Do not interfere with the bonding; the mother and cria need to bond. After birth, confine them to a stall for 24-48 hours so the cria can get to nursing quickly. Bring in a buddy to keep company, but know your animals so you make a correct choice. Mother’s position in the herd makes a difference for the release to the herd. It’s better to have more than one cria at the same time birthing. [My note: I so heartily agree; I have a sole cria with a lot of aunts and mother doting on him, but it is just not the same.]
On dystocias or difficult births, what do I do when I know there is something wrong? Time is a good indicator—how long and when during the day. Five percent of deliveries are dystocias. The mother could be ill, the cria too big, the mother bred too young, malposition, or the cria could kick the umbilical cord a few hours before birth and consequently be stillborn. Alpacas normal weight at birth is 14 - 17; llamas 17-20 pounds. But weights vary and depend on genetics and size of parents, as well as age.
Some problems r easy 2 solve; others need a vet.
Early intervention is the key to success when you suspect a difficult birth. Each cria matures at different rate; calling the vet is your option, but I always opt for calling. A bloody discharge is not normal; call your vet. Uterine torsion can occur and can be corrected by a vet. This could occur at 7 months or thereabouts. If the cria is present and protruding with 2 front legs and head but 30 minutes later, still no delivery. The shoulder could be locked and sometimes the mother cannot reposition herself. You need to push the cria back in and rotate it 45 degrees either way. In order to reposition, you MUST push the cria back into the uterus. If you hear or feel a popping, that is normal as the cria passes through the uterus.
Most dystocias require 2 small hands/arms 2 correct.
If you only see one front leg and head of the cria and she has been trying to deliver for 45 minutes—you need to push the cria back slightly then find the other leg. You need to do this gently because you could tear the mother’s uterus. The size of your arm can make a difference on how you push everything back in. Most of these manipulations are two handed, and often you have to do them yourself because of the time it may take for the vet to arrive. Clear the airways gently with a towel.
If the dam has been up and down frequently for 15 minutes and there appears to be a cria at the vulva, but you do not see any legs or head, clean the vulva and check to see what parts are present. You will only feel the tail and backbone, so you need to reverse the cria because it is backwards. If you see feet with pads upward, then the cria is also reversed and you need to reposition it.
Examination supplies include clean warm water, disinfectant like betadine, sterile lubricant, a tail wrap, towels, and an exam gloves. KY jelly or big tubes of lubricant can be found online or at farm stores. To manage dystocias, call the vet, clean vulvar area, clean hands and arms (no nails or jewelry). Put long gloves on and use liberal amounts of lubrication. Determine the fetal position. There is usually so much dilation that if you are gentle you will not do damage.
Care of the dam post-dystocia begins with monitoring her closely. If there has been a long dystocia, an antibiotic treatment should be administered. 1cc subcutaneously. If you see a red velvet membrane, tear open the placenta and pull out the cria fast because it is already compromised. Don’t cut; tear.
In addition to the conference session, which lasted approximately 1 hour and provided excellent preparation, the Wet Lab session followed and lasted for 2 hours with each person in the class going through 6 rotations. Dr. Cooper allowed filming of the rotations, and graciously shared her resources.
Tom Hudgin's presentation, Creating Loyal Customer Relationships - Alpacas and Llamas, could not come at a better time. According to the current issue of Camelid Quarterly's International Camelid Report, it is time for breeders to recognize the market shift--to fibers that mills want and the meat industry. The pet industry is waning because of economic decline, so breeders need to rethink their market. As Hudgin notes, your survival depends on repeat customers, so this presentation focuses on how to create customers and keep their loyalty.
If you have developed that reputation C. Robert Rice discussed in his presentation, Running Your Farm As A Business, then you are one of the fortunate breeders that has an established market with clients. Chances are you already engage in many of the suggestions Hudgin has to offer. Chief among them are attending public events that work to educate the public, thinking outside the box, and providing service after the sale.
In the spirit of sharing at this conference, Hudgin shared his resources, and they are practical, purposeful, and I think work, based on what I have observed with my breeder, Carol Reigh, to whom I am very loyal.
Steve Purdy's Neonatology presentation at The Magic of Llamas GALA 2010 was a tremendous presentation, whether you are a beginner or long-time camelid owner. I did not see the entire presentation, but having his PowerPoint presentation will help me. When I arrived, it was at a timely part, almost as if he knew I needed to hear this. Owners of new crias need to develop patience and let natural instincts take over. Don't interfere with nursing, but watch to see that the cria is taking mother's milk. Never go to sleep when a cria hasn't nursed.
When it comes to breeding, assume defects are inherited and make decisions accordingly. Never breed an animal before it is at least 2 years; never re-breed an animal quickly. A mother needs time off to rest, and according to Purdy that should be no less than 3 months. I sensed that he thought that window was too short.
I learned from this presentation, fireside chats, and the Wet Lab that a healthy cria is a blessing; so many things can go wrong. A healthy birth for mother and cria--a blessing.
Graciously sharing as always, Dr. Purdy's PowerPoint.
From the beginning to the very end, the magic was everywhere. Education, enchantment, learning with llamas. Everything seemed so perfect, so, well, magical. Enjoy the enchantment.
This lovely laid back fireside chat was just that, an intimate time in a small group to go one-on-one with an expert in the field. Our questions were driven by our in-/experiences, as were some of our shared responses to one another. I was so engrossed with this session that I almost forgot to take notes, so the scattered nature of my jottings, sometimes answers without the question, well, please forgive me. I was having such a wonderful time just listening.
One of the things I admired about Dr. Purdy was his ability to take a complex scientific concept and render it comprehensible to someone like me, not grounded in nor great at things scientific. Here's the chat, in its abbreviated version.
Isoniazid : 6 mgs per pound daily for 1 month (but do not remember for what ailment, sorry).
A comment from Joanne: the Isoniaside was mentioned during the clinic on teeth.
If my notes are complete; the problem is the reaction of the body with a jaw abscess is to put more bone into the area of the abscess. And, then the bone becomes larger and deformed. The isoniaside can penetrate through bone. Said that they will eat these tablets if put with sweet feed?
However, as I don't have first-hand experience in any of this and am VERY new to llamas, I would verify.
(Thanks so very much, Joanne.)
Sonogram: most pregnancies when they get to 90 days will stick or you will find something; you can do them later usually; use a natural test; if you bring a male out and your female drops down, she isn’t pregnant.
If you think a cria isn’t doing well or the mother either, get on it right away; time is not your friend.
Entophytes on fescue, but you can buy entophyte-free fescue.
Cancer in camelids can occur at any age; lymph sarcoma is the most common camelid cancer.
Q: For cuts on feet, what works best? A = Iodine scrub; Icthammol or Iodine ointment on foot cuts and wrap feet twice daily. I suggested Silvadine compounded by an animal-friendly pharmacy. I couldn't remember at the time my favorite wound dressing, but here it is, and I swear by it. From New Zealand and used it for years on my horses when needed. Still use it on cats, dogs, and now my llamas. Active Manuka Honey. Click this link and scroll down to Wound Care Kit.
Semen analysis: how often can a male produce viable sperm; every male is different and avoid generalizations.
A good pedigree is a camilid’s parents’ pedigree, not the offspring’s, if the offspring is not producing.
After a busy first day, this informal chat was the perfect complement to the sessions, but there was so much more to come. Dinner. Our magician. Temple Grandin introducing her movie. Truly, The Magic of Llamas was everywhere to be seen, felt, and enjoyed.
C. Robert Rice, Jr., has a lot of letters after his name, but he tells us he is partial to being a CPA, despite his excellent qualifications as a lawyer. Rice was one of my must-see sessions, and I wasn't disappointed. Confused at times, but agree with the one attendee's comment at the close of the session: he was the best presentation on this subject ever given.
I am usually a good notetaker, but I am offering a disclaimer to the notes that follow: they are as good as I could understand them. If there are errors, they are mine, not Rice's. Please do feel free to contact him, as undoubtedly I will be doing in the near future.
C. Robert Rice is a practicing lawyer and CPA, among his many credentials, and his presentation covers practical points about tax deductibility. Pennsylvania has the most farms; rural residency, intermediate farms (250 and under), and commercial 250 and over. Rice’s presentation is geared to a rural residency farm, where the people live on and work the farm.
Where expenses are larger than income, Act 183 covers hobby losses. There are 7 steps to analyze for hobby losses. If the farm is a hobby, losses are not covered against other income as an offset in Pennsylvania. If your farm is a business, then the IRS will tax it.
Sole proprietor: you own all the expenses and benefits.
LLC: single member LLC, meaning you go to the state to apply, need an attorney and an operating agreement. If you operate as a business, look like and run as a business, you can better offset losses. LLC is a middle ground between sole proprietor and LLC. Then you operate as an LLC. A corporation is taxed as such; you can be the sole owner of the farm business or you could be GM. Either way, you would be a PA corporation.
Bottom line: you need to generate sales. C Corp has a viable business; S Corp is a beginning way to go if you are generating losses.
Accounting is vital if you are going to run a business. It has its own bank account, a manual ledger system and/or a computer ledger (Quickbooks, Peachtree, Quicken). Do not write checks out of your personal checkbook; checks must come from the business bank account. A separate credit card for the business is not required, but you must write a separate check for the business with a business checking account. If you are an LLC or a Corporation, you must have a separate account, credit card.
You need a short and long-range plan
You need to think about what your business goal is—what do you want to see as your endgame 5 years, 10 years down the road? Your business is a work in progress; you need to make adjustments as you go. As you grow as a business, you need to make logical projections. You should review your projections and goals annually, and ask yourself where you want to be based on where you have been.
Expertise from outside people is critical in the mix from the beginning. Start with a Certified Public Accountant in your team of advisors. Then bring in an attorney to create sales agreements and leases. Have the attorney review your plans. The next person should be a financial advisor. And last but not lease, you need a farm consultant and llama expert to help advise you. Consult with people in the field to ask them what you could/should do differently. Getting outside expertise and following it is yet another way to demonstrate that you are a business, not a hobby farm. Ultimately, you can use your team to re-/negotiate contracts with vendors and banks.
Keeping track of your farm means keeping records. Keep all copies of sales, invoices, and contracts. Retain everything for 7 years and show support for your expenditures. In the start up period, there are typically losses as you get your name out there and establish yourself. If the federal government challenges your substantial underestimate for a period of years, they will go back that number of years. The definition of a trader business does not require you to make a profit; it requires you to function as a business. Your defense at an audit is how you functioned; this is what I did and this is how I did it. I am in losses because of whatever the facts maybe, and each person’s facts will be different.
It takes time to develop a recognizable business name.
Hobby loss rules depend on many things. What is your manner of activity? Did you bring in a new animal and it spread disease and killed half your herd? Expertise of taxpayer or advisors is critical. Have you developed appreciating assets? Is there a history of success and/or a history of income or loss. What is the financial status of the taxpayer? If you make $500,000 income as a doctor but show you have a $60,000 hobby loss, the IRS will likely go after you because you have the potential to be hit. Your exposure gets higher as the gap gets wider. What can practically help is do you run your farm as a separate entity so it doesn’t show up on Schedule F loss but a Schedule E.
This presentation just might have been one of the most practical and timely one that I have had the pleasure of viewing.
Tech savvy and wonderful!
This session, as well as the Wet Lab three-hour special presentation, left me with the same feeling: both could save a life--the former of a farm, the latter of a cria. Very solid information, and I recommend your contacting Rice if you have additional questions or need of his services. Absolutely impressive, and I do not say that lightly.
I owe a very special thank you to Mrs. Rice for being a tech savvy helper; she saved my day when I could not locate a file. She, like her newborn who never uttered a sound (loves Daddy's voice), was absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much.
Dr. Thomas Long, Board Member of the Morris Animal Foundation, delivered an annual update about the work the Morris Foundation does to create a healthier tomorrow for today's animals. Dr. Long began his presentation with a summary of how its founder, Dr. Morris initiated his lifelong work making a better tomorrow for animals through research.
Dr. Morris started the Hills Food, better known to those of us with pets as Science Diet. In 1948, the Morris Animal Foundation was established, and while llamas and alpacas are only a small source of the budget, MAF is the largest research clearinghouse for llama and alpaca funding.
Help for canine, equine, feline, camelid & wildlife consortia
Large animal practitioners are the smallest group studying veterinary medicine and the second smallest group is animal science researchers. The MAF studies animals humanely and they do it carefully, without euthanasia unless it is absolutely necessary. It is not, however, the end point.
MAF has an estate planning program, which has the infrastructure to handle major contributors. The program is called Lamplighters. Their research is proactive and this year’s budget was 7.5 million dollars. Their annual target goal is $13 million.
Why partner with MAF? Many reasons, including a National Canine Health Initiative with the National Cancer Institute. In addition, 25 staff people and 25 science experts review traditional studies with peer review and provide advice on feline, canine, and camelid consortia.
The members of GALA and its generous sponsors, auction bidders, and all those who supported The Magic of Llamas are proud to contribute to the MAF. As a community of animal owners and lovers, we join the MAF in working for cures for diseases that afflict animals.
A special thank you to Dr. Long for his excellent presentation, Q&A session, and for sharing his PowerPoint.
Dr. Steve Purdy, professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Massachusetts, is busy teaching the next generation of camelid vets who will help us managing our herds. He is working on a vaccine for camelids. According to Purdy, he states that wherever white-tail deer exist, most of the northeast, the deer are infected with the meningeal worm. Paralysis or death occurs to the infected animals. So weakness in a hind leg or lameness would be a sign of infections. Joan Burke, USDA Ph.D., fellow GALA presenter, mentioned that sheep and goats in the southeast are also affected with the disease.
It becomes important to protect our guard llamas from the diseases that goats and sheep may carry. Our largest protection, however, is keeping llamas and alpacas from deer feces where the slugs reside. So we need infected manure, a slug on top of the manure pile, and the larvae burrows in, and in 30 days we have the infectious stage. 90 to 100 days later, the larvae are secreted in the mucus trail, where they lodge on the surface of the brain to repeat the life cycle. Purdy believes it is the mucus trail that contaminates and infects our animals, which also live on host plants that our animals consume. Wet conditions will also increase our animals’ high risk.
Several species of slugs and snails carry the meningeal worm disease. For our animals to get a disease with infected grass with slugs and snails—there must be thousands. Deer, once infected, do not become reinfected. They become exposed, get the parasite, their bodies develop an immune system, and the deer rejects reinfection. This becomes a type of vaccination in the deer’s immune system.
Wet areas, downed trees, leaves, branches, and trees (upright) are hosts for these gastropods (slugs). They are infected by the L1 while moving over deer piles, and then mature to the final stage. In deer, the worm moves within 30 days to the brain. In the aberrant host, camelids, the slug does not always infect the whole herd, just usually one animal. Keep your animals away from streams and ponds. Depending on where the parasite goes, it makes holes in the spinal cord or brain.
These infestations occur all year round, and immune systems among animals make the difference between infection or not. Purdy says the mucus left behind causes the infection. Can baled hay create an infection? Purdy says he does not know. Lameness, mild or to acute paralysis, and blindness are signs of the Meningeal worm disease.
Diagnostic testing is a blood sample for elevated levels of eosinophic white blood cells in the spinal fluid from a CSF tap. CSF can be stored for days in EDTA tubes before analysis as long as it is refrigerated. It is not a hard sample for your vet to get and it is bogus when people tell you the sample must be obtained and sent immediately. Just not true.
Even before you find the results of the test, Purdy advises you to begin to treat the animal, because it could die. So, hit him with everything to get his nervous system back because the disease progresses QUICKLY. CSF tap will likely cost $150 – $200 dollars, without adding treatment. But considering an animal could die in 5 days, so early aggressive treatment is what you want to do. IDEXX labs near Tufts University is a place to send the blood work.
For treatment of suspected cases:
Anti-inflammatory drugs: DMSI orally every other day for 3 treatments; flunixin meglumine (Banamine) by intramuscular injection once dail for 5 days. Dosage is included in binder as well as in the digital copies below.
Anti-parasitic drugs: ivermectin by subcutaneous injection every other day for 3 treatments; fenbendazole (Panacure or Safeguard) past orally once daily for 5 days.
Chiropractic and acupuncture is also an alternative and Purdy says all the people he’s sent to them have had good result. A pregnant llama is a high risk if it has a neurological disease. Recovered animals have some neurologic deficit, and that may include weakness and lack of coordination.
Prevention: monthly doses of injectable ivermectin during snail and slug season—May to December in the northeastern US. Oral ivermectin paste and liquid…are not effective. 4 mls per 100 pounds body weight for treatment.
Please peruse Dr. Purdy's PowerPoint presentation that he so very graciously shared. I have included all of his GALA 2010 presentations below, although this was the only one I had the opportunity to attend and blog. Neonatology is presented separately since the file was to large to upload in box.net.
