Mobile Matings at Mulberry Alpacas

The concept of mobile mating is new to many people, and so here we will try our best to explain how it will work.

On a mutually agreed date, you will bring your female(s) to either of two locations ... Ashland, Southern Oregon, or McMinnville (near Portland). Plan to arrive in time for lunch, and relax while your alpaca is presented to an elite herdsire of your choosing. The breeding itself will be monitored by experienced professionals, who will handle your alpaca at all times with respect and care. By the time you have shared a glass of wine and a light lunch with your hosts, it will be time to load your alpaca back into the trailer and head home. It is that easy!

One week after breeding (Day Seven), you should carry out a "spit test". Ideally, use a male on your own premises and present him to your breeding female. Watch your alpaca's body language very carefully. Failure to willingly sit for the male is great news. This can be evidenced by spitting, kicking out at the boy or desperate attempts by the girl to vacate the area sharpish. As soon as this is evident, restrain the male and release the girl to avoid undue stress.

One thing to watch for - if the girl was a maiden, or is weak in character compared to your "test" male, she might sit regardless. Only experience will help you in determining this condition but careful observation of her body language, in conjunction with the movement of her front legs are good clues. The so called rejection of the male or 'spitting-off' is the good news we are looking for. If any part of the spit test worries you, then just pop her in the trailer and bring her back to us - we are happy to help check.

If it is clear that your girl is happy to sit again, then you should call us and fix to visit one week later (Day Fourteen) for a second try at the mating, and the whole process will begin again. (A third try on Day Twenty-eight is also possible, following which a failure to impregnate will be checked by a vet ... an extremely rare happening.)

Once the spit-off is obvious, then it should be repeated three times more at weekly intervals - we are looking for four consecutive "spit-offs" ... following which you can call the vet for a verifying ultrasound and crack open the champagne!

The benefits of this "mobile mating" are fairly clear - far less trauma for you and your female alpacas, and no need to remove them from your herd for an extended period of time. If your female has a cria at foot, then bring along the cria to avoid traumatica separation. Equally, if your female will travel more happily in the company of another "alpaca friend", then bring along some company.

One final issue - if you are planning to bring a maiden along for mating, we do ask that you check (at least one week ahead) to make sure that there is no retained hymen - your camelid vet will be able to help you with this.

Read about our splendid herdsires by clicking on their picture ......