TRANSPORTING ALPACAS
BY CHRIS LEACH KAIHERE ALPACAS

The most important factor to consider when transporting alpacas is whether or not he or she is fit to travel. The operation of transporting any animal is stressful. You will most probably be taking the animal out of a secure, known environment and possibly away from its herd. It is, therefore, imperative that animals are in good health and condition before any move is contemplated. Unfortunately, there have been a number of occasions when unfit animals have been moved and the stress of the move has aggravated an underlying condition making it considerably worse.

The next factor to consider is pregnancy status. It is widely known that early embryonic loss in camelids is relatively high and therefore moving pregnant females in the early stages of pregnancy should be avoided whenever possible. Likewise transporting pregnant females towards the end of their gestation period can induce premature labour and lead to abortion.

Opinions vary as to when the "safe" time to transport pregnant females is. If you wish to eliminate the risk completely then plan transporting your females when they are empty. Such an option however, is often not practical and pregnant females are regularly transported thousands of miles around the world with no complications whatsoever.
When travelling extended distances, over a long period of time, the stress levels increase. As a result many export protocols only allow the transportation of pregnant females during the mid-trimester. When moving your females locally however, with sensible management and gentle handling, stress levels can be reduced and the window for safely moving pregnant females can be increased. My advice to owners using our own farm stud facilities is not to move their female home until a minimum of 50 days after conception. At the other end of the gestation period avoid moves within 2 months of the due date i.e. no later than day 275

When transporting females with young cria it may be necessary to separate the cria from the dams to prevent accidental damage to the cria. Using simple partitions that separate the young from the adult stock but allow contact between the young and dam whilst keeping the cria in view is ideal.

There are a few tricks that can be employed to reduce stress levels and make the transfer easier for all involved.

1. Try and avoid transporting single animals. This is not always possible, but the presence of a second animal certainly lessens the strain. Many people joining the industry may purchase a wethered male as a companion animal for a female. These guys are ideal travelling buddies. When arranging outside services for your female, ask the stud owner about agisting a companion wether for the duration of the female's stay. Most studs will be happy to accommodate.
   
   
2. Familiarize the animals with your transport. Again not always possible but if you do have your own transport, take the time to allow the animals to become accustomed to it. As we are all aware alpacas are very intelligent and are able to adapt to a routine very quickly. Give your animals access to the trailer or truck, let them get used to it, practice loading and go for short gentle rides.
   
   
3. When loading groups of animals, think about the order in which you load. It may not sound that important but using the animals natural behavior can make the difference between and stress-free, easy operation and a frustrating, time-consuming nightmare. For example; if moving a dam and cria, carry the cria on to the transport first, the dam will follow on behind. Mixed loads; pregnant females first, then open females and stand back as the males load themselves into the next compartment.
   
   
4. If moving animals at night, illuminate the inside of the transport on loading so your animals can see where they are going, likewise at the end of the journey illuminate the unloading area.
   
   
5. Avoid over crowding. Over-crowding can lead to an increase in temperature resulting in heat stress. The majority of trailers will have in-built ventilation which is normally more then adequate whilst the vehicle is moving. However, once the trailer is at rest the ambient temperature can soar. If you do need to stop, ensure you can maintain adequate ventilation.. Over-crowding and heat stress related problems can be minimized by shearing stock prior to movements.
   
   
6. If the journey is in excess of 3 hours allow for a feed stop. Encourage all the animals to stand and offer hay and water. If transporting cria and dams it will be necessary to reunite mums and cria to allow the young to suckle.
   

There are many different modes of transport available for safe transfer for alpacas from covered utes, to trailers and horse floats, from stock trucks to airplanes and even boats.

The simplest form of transport most commonly available in New Zealand is the covered ute, ideally suited for short, local journeys when no trailer is available. The drawback of using a ute is firstly the loading height as it will require at least two people to lift the animal into the ute. Secondly you will need to be proficient and confident with "chuckering", a form of restraint commonly used in South America designed specifically for transporting animals.

"Chuckering" involves the use of a soft rope tied just in front of the hindquarters that holds the animal in the "kush" or sitting position. Care must be taken when adjusting the tension on the rope to avoid unnecessary discomfort to the animal by having the rope too tight or risking escape due to a loose "chucker" or poorly tied knot.

For longer journeys an alternative form of transport is necessary. The animals must have sufficient room to stand and turn, have adequate ventilation (avoiding the fumes from the tow vehicle) and protection from the elements. Some method needs to be incorporated to cope with the drainage of urine. Either use ribbed flooring, or slats to provide drainage. The alternative is to place a suitable, absorbent material on the floor. The choice of absorbent material is limited if you wish to avoid contaminating the animal's fleece. The best I have come across is either the fibrous type carpet underlay or shredded paper.

The most common and practical form of trailer is a horse float. Horse floats have a low loading point with a sturdy tailgate ramp. Partitioning may need to be modified to accommodate mixed groups of animals and the addition of ramp-sides make loading and unloading a simple operation without the need for specialized handling facilities. Some owners may even modify the trailer height to avoid unnecessary wind resistance resulting in better fuel economy.

Whatever the transport, be prepared to wash the inside of the trailer. The vast majority of animals will, once the vehicle starts moving, sit down and enjoy the ride, however an unexpected sharp corner or pot hole is guaranteed to trigger a spit or two.

My first ever meeting with alpacas was when 300 animals arrived on Niue in a DC8 airplane. On leaving Tacna in Peru the pilot had climbed steeply on takeoff and all 300 alpacas had lifted their heads and let fly. On arrival at Niue and after six hours of scrubbing (with engines running all night to maintain ventilation) we finally managed to remove the last bit of spit!