My potential stud purchase!Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
One more baby in 2010
So far this year at Stoneberg Alpacas, LLC there have been 3 girls and 1 boy. I have one more due any day. Last year Hi-Way went 356 days. I predict the same this year. Next year there are 8 babies scheduled! Marketing will be my focus as well as planning precise breeding's for Vanilla Cream and Snowstorm. Those two are my focus, making better babies than they are. Probably will breed in March/April 2011!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Shearing
Shearing was done on 06/19/10 and with 14 animals went quickly. I discovered Vanilla Cream and her fleece are exquisite and she is a ribbon winner! I will send her fiber down to Alpacamania with Tim Graber. I've been looking for potential studs and have found some that I like. I will write more later.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Spring is here
About 30 days until Shayda is due. It'll be like Christmas, opening a present that is unknown. Hopefully K2 will bring out a solid color in Shayda. A dense, true black female would be a great gift.. In May, I'll be breeding 4 animals. Brandy has slipped 2 pregnancy's, which concerns me. She is 5 and only has 1 baby. Leanne gets to decide who to breed Cocoa with. I say K2, Tequila or Blazer. The winter was mild and the current weather is nice. Until next time.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
I sit writing this blog waiting for my Queen to get off work. This year has been quite interesting related to alpacas. The economy has definately contributed to slow sales nationwide! I ask myself 2 questions. Did I get into alpacas too late? Can I be successful breeding, raising and selling them? My answers are "No" and "Yes".
This year I sold 1 animal. People might smile at this and say aloud "1". I'm happy becasue this is one more than last year. I was partnered in one animal. I traded my share in that animal for the two offspring. I'm looking at a very nice Hemingway son.
In 2010 I'm going to re-do my website, taking control of the entire thing to do what I want, when I want. I'm also purchasing a nice trailer to get my animals around the Portland metro area. I plan to show some animals in the spring and am looking for more property.
I look at my motto daily; Simple Philosophy = Ideal Alpaca. So far my 2008 and 2009 births have been better than their parents. I guess I'm doing pretty good so far.
This year I sold 1 animal. People might smile at this and say aloud "1". I'm happy becasue this is one more than last year. I was partnered in one animal. I traded my share in that animal for the two offspring. I'm looking at a very nice Hemingway son.
In 2010 I'm going to re-do my website, taking control of the entire thing to do what I want, when I want. I'm also purchasing a nice trailer to get my animals around the Portland metro area. I plan to show some animals in the spring and am looking for more property.
I look at my motto daily; Simple Philosophy = Ideal Alpaca. So far my 2008 and 2009 births have been better than their parents. I guess I'm doing pretty good so far.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
2009 Babies!
This year at Stoneberg Alpacas, LLC has been quite a roller coaster with new babies.
In July, Brandy Storm had a baby girl who died 3 days later. She was a beautiful Sun Tzu female. I did a necropsy on her which turned out inconclusive.
The next birth was Marshmallow Cream. She gave me a beautiful Paul Revere female! Vanilla Cream is 34 pounds as I write this post. She is robust with nice fiber and thick bones.
Next came a DENSE boy from Mocha. Paul Revere did it again. Annihilator is the full brother to Cocoa. He has a small grey spot on his left hip. He like his half sister, Vanilla Cream, is about 32 pounds as I write this post.
Aspire my 16 year old matriarch was next. She was bred to MSA Hemingway's Bogart. On 09/16/09, Aspire went into labor. My gut told me something wasn't quite right as I saw the amniotic sack but no nose or feet. Jamie got in and got the cria out. There was a heart beat and we worked on her for 30 minutes but were unsuccessful. That Bogart baby was a nice brown female...and not a pinto.
At this point I was ready to throw in the towel with Alpaca breeding. I felt somewhat responsible for the 2 deaths. I was frustrated that the full gestation of each cria went for nothing! It got even more frustrating with Hi-Way.
Hi-Way, bred to Artero, gave me a beautiful white female. less than 24 hours later she had died. It is unknown what she died from. I honestly was a little depressed and really began blaming myself. However, I thought in my heart and mind...Keep going Eric. Think about the long term plan you have with Alpacas, learn from what happened to these babies, see the big picture, re-breed and get that farm you so desperately want.
Today, 10/14/09, Zafiro birthed a white Glacial Storm daughter. She weighed in a 17.4 pounds and was treated extra special. Leanne and I used a hairdryer to get her dry. We also put a cria coat on her. As I write this post, she and Zafiro are resting comfortably under the carport on a nice bed of straw. I have learned from my mistakes and vow not to repeat them.
I am blessed with the 3 cria that I have. They are all healthy and are excellent additions to my herd. My next post will be about 2009/2010 breedings.
In July, Brandy Storm had a baby girl who died 3 days later. She was a beautiful Sun Tzu female. I did a necropsy on her which turned out inconclusive.
The next birth was Marshmallow Cream. She gave me a beautiful Paul Revere female! Vanilla Cream is 34 pounds as I write this post. She is robust with nice fiber and thick bones.
Next came a DENSE boy from Mocha. Paul Revere did it again. Annihilator is the full brother to Cocoa. He has a small grey spot on his left hip. He like his half sister, Vanilla Cream, is about 32 pounds as I write this post.
Aspire my 16 year old matriarch was next. She was bred to MSA Hemingway's Bogart. On 09/16/09, Aspire went into labor. My gut told me something wasn't quite right as I saw the amniotic sack but no nose or feet. Jamie got in and got the cria out. There was a heart beat and we worked on her for 30 minutes but were unsuccessful. That Bogart baby was a nice brown female...and not a pinto.
At this point I was ready to throw in the towel with Alpaca breeding. I felt somewhat responsible for the 2 deaths. I was frustrated that the full gestation of each cria went for nothing! It got even more frustrating with Hi-Way.
Hi-Way, bred to Artero, gave me a beautiful white female. less than 24 hours later she had died. It is unknown what she died from. I honestly was a little depressed and really began blaming myself. However, I thought in my heart and mind...Keep going Eric. Think about the long term plan you have with Alpacas, learn from what happened to these babies, see the big picture, re-breed and get that farm you so desperately want.
Today, 10/14/09, Zafiro birthed a white Glacial Storm daughter. She weighed in a 17.4 pounds and was treated extra special. Leanne and I used a hairdryer to get her dry. We also put a cria coat on her. As I write this post, she and Zafiro are resting comfortably under the carport on a nice bed of straw. I have learned from my mistakes and vow not to repeat them.
I am blessed with the 3 cria that I have. They are all healthy and are excellent additions to my herd. My next post will be about 2009/2010 breedings.
2008/2009 fiber sorted.
Yesterday, 06/27/09, I went to Alpacas at Tucker Creek and helped with shearing. 30 animals were shorn including, "THE MAN" Sun Tzu. Wow, nice fiber and his daughter Candy is superb. Candy's fleece is phenomenal! Carrie Hull with Course Boards, sorted all my fiber and it is ready to go to get processed. Now I'm waiting for Brandy...July 21 or so. Sun Tsu baby and I can't wait.
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