![]() We use a dairy hay but test the hay for protein levels, nitrate and potassium levels to make sure it is suitable for our needs.īesides hay and pasture alpacas need minerals which we give to them in a pellet made by our local feed mill which is designed by our vet and the feed company. ![]() Because it is to hard to see what they are eating we feed free choice hay all the time. An average alpaca of 140 pounds would need to eat two pounds of hay per day. They need to eat two% of their body weight each day to be healthy and be able to meet their reproductive needs. Lactating females need 13 to 15% protein to produce adequate milk and not lose too much weight (see body scoring to access weight). For pregnant females they need 12 to 14% protein for the first two trimesters and 12 to 14% for the last trimester and older weanlings (tues). Protein levels should be 8 to 10% for adult males, non pregnant and non lactating females. They need to have a low protein hay and pasture grass. Unscrew, hose out, dry, and screw back onto the wall.Alpaca are a ruminant, not a true ruminant because they have one stomach with three compartments but they chew their cud just like a cow. Should they get really dirty on the inside, 2 screws/washers hold them to the wall. Easy to load, pop the top off add 2 flakes of hay and snap the top back on. Some other cool things about these hay bins. 2 alpacas seem pretty comfortable eating out of one box too. I’ve been monitoring mine via AlpacaCam and so far no one has even struggled getting their head in or out of the box. In that case, they will be wearing an interesting necklace until you catch them and take it off. I guess the worst case scenario would be an alpaca manages to pop the top off while they pull their head out of the bin. Because the bin is screwed into the wall it’s not moving anywhere and the lids snap on pretty tight. I know what you’re thinking, but their heads will get stuck! Actually, it hasn’t been a problem. However I’m sure I’m now going to want 2 more bins for something else but at $5 ea. Total out of pocket cost? $0! I had everything laying around that I needed. Voila! – The alpacas can easily get their head in the bin and the lid provided a lip so they couldn’t rake all the hay out of the bin with one mouthful. – This solved the kicking around the bins but didn’t slow the hay waste down.ģ.Cut a hole in bin cover and line the opening with duck tape (hole size ~10”x~12”. Secure bins to stall wall with screws and washers. The bin also became a toy and was kicked around.Ģ. – Resulted in just as much hay waste, the alpacas thought it was a game to dig all the hay out of the bin. The solution? Rubbermaid pink tote hay bins! Who doesn’t have a ton of Rubbermaid bins hanging around the house? It turns out 2-3 flakes of hay fit beautifully into these tubs and you can still put the lid on.ġ. ![]() My solution had to come from items I had already in the house or barn with minimal out of pocket expense. I really didn’t feel like sawing, nailing, screwing, cutting yadda yadda yadda to make a hay bin, nor did I feel like spending that kind of $$$ to make one either. My first year I just threw it on the ground and had a lot of waste so this year I had to think of something else to help save $ on hay. I’ve seen folks who just toss out the flakes of hay and let the animals have at it, others who make fancy wooden boxes with cattle panels weighing it down, overhead feeders, and hay nets. All not good for your hard earned $ that is supposed to be food, not bedding. ![]() The general consensus was that alpacas (like any other livestock) will make a total mess of hay and instead of eating all of it will make it into a bed, poop or pee on it. At all the alpaca farms I visited everyone had a different method of feeding their animals hay.
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