Alpaca Nutrition
News September 2007
Fall Stress alert!
While some parts of the U. S. are
experiencing cooler temperatures and colorful fall foliage, others cope with
very summer-like weather, or worse, see-sawing temperatures. Both unseasonably
warm weather and alternating temperatures are stressful on alpacas in late
gestation. Fetus hypertrophy is greatest during the last four months, and
therefore so is nutritional demand. Uncomfortably warm temperatures may
discourage feed intake either directly (by reducing appetite) or indirectly (by
stressing the animal). Normal rumen microbial fermentation generates heat, a
bonus in the winter, but a problem in the summer. Heat production during hot
weather can discourage feed intake. Reduced feed intake
disrupts rumen activity, which increases vulnerability to infection. Protective
microorganisms in the digestive tract are usually attached or non-motile, they
depend on food to come to them. When the flow of nutrients is interrupted, these
protective microflora starve and die. Rumen disruption can also cause diarrhea
or constipation.
Females and maidens that are heat-stressed
during late gestation can abort or die. Alternations in temperature such as
those experienced in many areas of the U. S. during the fall are as stressful
and as dangerous as unseasonably warm weather. The struggle to adapt is
complicated by the re-growth of fleece.
To insure the healthy delivery of fall crias
under these conditions, feed either MSE paste or drench to females in late
gestation. MSE will help prevent rumen disruption, infection, diarrhea,
and constipation. Even if a untreated stressed female manages to give birth to a
live cria, her own condition may be too debilitated to support lactation. Reduce
the risk of disaster by feeding MSE during late summer heat and see-sawing
temperatures.
MSE is available at
www.natur's-way.com or by calling
800-615-0299, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, M - F. Please send questions or comments to
Lark Burnham, Ph.D., ruminant nutrition, at: lark@carsoncomm.com.
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