Farm News - 2011 Cria
From late June through late September, 23 brand new cria will be arriving here at Ideuma Creek. Check back often for updates and baby pictures!
Due June 24
Farm News
Accoyo Safflower
This will be Safflower's first cria born here at Ideuma Creek. She is a Caligula daughter, and a very large one at that. We think that matched with Invasion, Safflower is going to produce one very large, beautifully fleeced full Accoyo cria for us. We can't wait!
Due June 26
Peruvian Melody
This will be Melody's first cria ever. She's a beautiful black Conan daughter with a micron count of just 20. She is a sweet and gentle girl, and we're banking on being a terrific mom. She is bred to blue ribbon winner, Silver Bullet. Mel should produce either a black or a silver grey cria for us. Keep checking back!
Due June 27
Peruvian Marnia
Marnia is an Ideuma Creek cria born to our own Peruvian Missy and Champion The Scotsman. She has gone on to take two fleece color championships in true black. Last spring Invasion had his first two black cria, so it didn't require any thinking to decide who to breed Marnia to! We are, of course, hoping for a black out of these two multiple champion alpacas!
Due June 29
Suzanne's Midnight Star - sold to our good friends The Cadys of Gentle Breeze Farm. Suzie will have her cria in Burlington Flats, NY at their farm.
The last half dozen years or so Suzie has given us a beautiful black or grey cria. We expect this year to be no exception! Suzie was rebred to Silver Bullet for this year's cria after producing Brewing Decadence, a silver grey knock out female last year who was sold before weaning. Suzie always "clucks" the night before giving birth so there's always plenty of warning that her cria is coming.
Due June 30
Peruvian Nicotina - sold to Blue Stone Alpacas. Nicki will have her cria at her new home in Medina, Ohio. Congratulations to the Bujorians!
Nicotina is a gorgeous Invasion daughter born here at Ideuma Creek. We're very anxious for her first cria to arrive. Part of this is because she's been bred to our champion fawn E; Nino son, Accoyo Zagot. Just think what these two will produce! Nicotina comes from a long line of excellent dams, so we're sure she'll continue the tradition and do just fine with her first birth.
Due July 1
Accoyo Felicia
What's better than a fawn full Accoyo bred to a fawn full Accoyo? Well check out these genetics - Felicia is a Felix daughter and a Victor grandaughter. Add to that the El Nino, Astillero and Caligula that Zagot adds, and you've got yourself a recipe for one heck of a nice full Accoyo cria!
Due July 5
Michelangelo's Accoyo Accolade
Accolade was the very first full Accoyo ever born on our farm, and now she's going to have her own cria! How time does fly! Accolade is a blue ribbon winning daughter of Michelangelo and maternal grandaughter to Accoyo Express. She should make an incredible cria with our 8X Champion Accoyo Invasion who will add Royal Fawn to the cria's pedigree.
Due July 5
Peruvian Ivy - sold to Rock Garden Alpacas. Ivy will have her cria here and will go to her new home in Oxford, NY with cria at side
Ivy is due with her second cria. She is a reserve color champion who has simply gorgeous soft fleece. We rebred her to Accoyo Zagot - a champion bred to a champion - for a full Peruvian, half Accoyo cria. We paired these two together last year and are very pleased with Hercules's fleece - very crimpy and soft. We're hoping for the same fleece in a darker color and maybe even a female (but that may be wishing for too much!)
Due July 9
Oreanna - sold to Gentle Breeze Alpacas. Oreanna will be having her cria at The Cady's farm in Burlington Flats, NY.
Oreanna gave birth to her very first cria last year, a gorgeous silver grey girl we called Constellation, or Connie for short. Oreanna had a completely unassisted birth and proved herself to be an exceptional mom. We decided to go for a half Accoyo, and maybe a rose grey this year. We'll anxiously await the results of crossing these two beautiful alpacas!
Due July 12
Accoyo Ascension
After seeing Ascension first cria when paired with Invasion it was a "no-brainer" decision to match these two up again! Last year Ascension delivered a simply gorgeous fawn girl, Accoyo Cadence, for us. Dense, buttery soft, and brillantly bright, we are simply thrilled with her and can only hope for another just like her in 2011!
Due July 17
Accoyo Sunflower Girl - sold to Rock Garden Alpacas. SF Girl will be having her cria here before going to her new home in Oxford, NY
We purchased Sunflower Girl as a weanling thinking she would be a perfect match for Invasion. Sunflower's dam, Mayflower delivered one of the best cria (Accoyo Elizabeth Tilley) we've ever made last year for us, so we think we did the right thing! Sunflower's very first cria will blend the genetics of Vengador, Caligula and Royal fawn. This will be Sunflower's first cria, and we couldn't be any more excited.
Due July 17
Peruvian Luminescence
July 17 could be a historic day for us! Two amazing cria due on the same day to first time moms. 2011 is going to be one very busy summer for us. Luminescence is a 4X champion Invasion daughter that was born here at Ideuma Creek. Her fleece is just amazing. She has won both the best crimp fleece award and the best brightness award. She's soft. She's consistent. She's crimpy. She's dense. She's bright. Simply put, she's got it all! We have her bred to our champion fawn Accoyo Zagot for her first cria. Nessie is a sweet girl, and we're hoping she'll be as good a mom as her dam is.
The Alpaca Gestation Period
Most alpacas will give birth in the period of 335 days - 355 days. We calculate the due date as 345, right smack in the middle.
This being said, there are plenty of our alpacas who have completely normal births that fell quite a bit out of this range. Stranger's Little Welcome routinely has her cria on day 319 and they average a healthy 17 or 18 pounds. She has had 11 cria here on our farm and has never gone longer than day 326!
On the flip side of the scale we have Peruvian Buffy who holds our farm record for the longest gestation period. Buffy is now owned by our good friends Bob and Ellie Pierson at Heather-Rayne Farm. Buffy went just over a year, 366 days before delivering her first cria, a gorgeous brown healthy girl.
So with 21 girls due over a period of a little over 4 months, we just figure we're on cria watch the entire time!
Peruvian Raven
We have yet another first time mom due! Raven was born on our farm to Renatta, a gorgeous maroon girl we sent all the way to Washington to be bred by Conan. It was worth the expense and the worry when we were lucky enough to get Raven, a true black female from this pairing! As you can see, Raven has one of those teddy bear faces with fiber everywhere. We have bred her to blue ribbon Silver Bullet for her first cria. These two should produce either a true black or a silver grey for us this summer.
Due July 25
Peruvian Caramel
Caramel is a paternal sister to Raven (right above!) Conan is her sire, and she too has this incredible fiber filled face and very soft fiber. Last year Caramel had a still born cria, a black girl. Both Cara and I were heartbroken. I was there for the delivery, and the cria had passed while still in the womb. This year we are anxiously awaiting her cria from our champion fawn, Accoyo Zagot. This cria will be full Peruvian and half Accoyo and maybe dark or even black!
Due July 25
Accoyo Thai Blossom
Another double hitter on July 25th. This time it will be a full Accoyo out of our beautiful Thai Blossom. Blossom carries Zen Do and Caligula genetics and is just one very dense, crimpy girl. When you add Royal Fawn genetics through our 8X champion, 16X blue ribbon winning Invasion, you're bound to get something spectacular.
Due August 18
Accoyo Venice
Venice is one of the very best alpacas we own. She is a blend of Victor and Royal Fawn genetics. Her first cria out of Stratosphere is Accoyo Truman who has to date won 3 championships, 4 blue ribbons and the Judge's Choice Award for his fleece. Her second cria out of Zagot, Accoyo Divinity is just that, divine. We paired these two up again for 2011. Fawn full Accoyos are still looked upon as many to be the best investment in the alpaca industry.
Due August 24
Peruvian Rhonda
We've paired these two before, and I know we'll do it again. Who can argue with what they produce? Their first cria was a blue ribbon winner and won The Best Brightness Award. Their second cria just took a Reserve Color Championship in halter at the AOK Blastoff 2011, and their third cria, Peruvian Ruthie is loaded with potential and has just been weaned. You can't argue with success or with the pairing of a blue ribbon girl and a champion Accoyo boy! (OK 8X champion, but whose counting?!!) Due on our 20th Anniversary!!
Due September 2
Accoyo America Amazona
Amazona is a Caligula daughter with beautiful crimpy dense fleece. This will be her second cria here at Ideuma Creek and her second time paired with Invasion. Why not? Her first cria, a male, has fleece exactly like his father's when he was a weanling. He did go on to win 8 championships, 16 blues, the best brightness award and the judge's choice award. We'll gladly take another one just like him this year (if we're lucky!)
Due September 8
Peruvian Bambi
The first time we paired these two we got a true black male who sold immediately as a future herdsire. Our second try we got a bright, crimpy fleece covered fawn boy. We're trying again, and darn it, give us a girl this time, huh? Black, fawn, rose grey, silver grey, it doesn't matter much to us. When you pair a blue ribbon girl with a blue ribbon boy, you've got the best chance in the world for a fantastic fleeced cria. We keep getting the fantastic fleece. We'd just like different plumbing this time around!
Signs of Pending Delivery
Watching and waiting for a cria to be born can be exciting and frustrating at the same time!
There really are no signs that are totally reliable. The best indication we have found is our individual girl's history. Some alpacas go just about the same time of day each time. Others go just about the same number of days. Some, like Suzie, will even have their own little signs to indicate she is about to give birth. Here are some more standard ones:
Mammary development
Loss of cervical plug
Vulvar lengthening
Perineal relaxation
Baby kicking
The Stages of Labor
1. Preparatory Phase
This stage usually takes between 1 and 6 hours. Signs are all dependent on the alpaca. We have had some that show no signs of stage 1 labor what-so-ever. They continue to graze and interact with the herd as normal. Most, however, will make frequent trips to the poop pile & hum longer and louder than usual. Some will separate themselves from the rest of the herd.
2. Fetal expulsion
This stage usually lasts less than 1 hour. Once the head and feet are seen, the entire cria should be birthed within 30 minutes or so.
3. Placental expulsion
Within 4-6 hours after birth, the placenta should be expelled. During this time some dams, especially first time moms, might seem a bit uncomfortable. Most, however, continue right on in their stoic fashion.
Fun Fact
A high percentage of alpaca births will occur during the day. It is speculated that this is because in the wild delivery during the relatively warmer daylight hours may increase cria survival by decreasing deaths due to hypothermia during the cold Andean nights.
Ideuma Creek Alpacas | John & Denise Jacobus | Unadilla, NY | (607) 563-9174 | djacobus@mkl.com
Due July 23
Due August 14
Peruvian Renatta
After an anticipated break of two weeks or so, Renatta comes due on my Mother's birthday! Renatta has given us several gorgeous cria including Raven (due July 23) and last year, Abbey Dubbel, a true black girl from this same paring with Silver Bullet. We'd love another full Peruvian black, but honestly, this year we're hoping for maybe a rose or silver grey! Keep checking back.
Due September 8
Accoyo Thai Orchid
This is the second of THREE cria we have due this day! I'm tired just thinking about it. Sept 8 just happens to be my second full day of classes so I'm really hoping all three of these girls go early, before my summer vacation ends and my school year begins! Thai Orchid is one of very few full Accoyo Zen Do daughters. Zen Do is from Don Julio's select B herd, bred for fineness. She's a stellar alpaca with fine fleece and flawless conformation.
Accoyo Thai Rose
Rosie is the daughter of Thai Orchid (above and due on the same date!), a Zen Do daughter and the infamous El Nino. The cria that she is carrying has a powerhouse of the best Accoyo genetics available - El Nino, Caligula, Zen Do and Royal Fawn. It will be Rosie's first cria here at Ideuma Creek, and we can't wait. Rosie is one of the most beautiful alpacas we own - very typey, excellent conformation, dense, and crimpy with solid, strong bone.
Due September 28
Accoyo Arcadia
As luck would have it, our last alpaca due in 2011 is actually the first full Accoyo we ever purchased. Arcadia is an Accoyo Express daughter that we bought from Paul Kezdi of North Coast Alpacas. Arcadia's first cria, Accoyo Accolade out of Michelangelo, is due with her first cria earlier in the summer (see July 5) This is the first time we've paired Arcadia with Invasion, and we're very excited to see what the two of them will produce together!
Due September 16
Accoyo Olympia
We are certainly excited about this cria! Olympia is new to us this year. She has had plenty of cria before us, but this one will be her first here at Ideuma Creek. She is a Legacy daughter and is bred to KA Accoyo Cannonball, an Express son. We're hoping for fawn and we're counting on beautiful!
Due September 8
Crescent Moon's Accoyo Reina
This girl is beautiful. She is a combination of Legacy, Camilio and Vengador genetics. We can't wait to see what she will produce when paired with this light fawn male, heavy with Caligula heritage, Accoyo Calientes. This will be Reina's third cria, but her first one here at Ideuma Creek.
Due July 1
Due June 9
Miss Accoyo Mariposa
This will be our first birth of the year! Always an exciting event, this one will even more so as it is Mariposa's first cria here at our farm. It is certainly not her first cria. Mariposa has been a foundation female at Crescent Moon Ranch for years. She is a Victor daughter so she covers at least fawn and she is bred to multiple champion, SA Accoyo Avenger. This should be a spectacular cria!
Due June 13
Due June 12
Silver Cloud Farm's Accoyo Moonstruck
Moonstruck will birth her first cria here at Ideuma Creek, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the pairing. Moonstruck is a maternal Caligula grandaughter and a paternal Legacy grandaughter. When paired with the Royal Fawn genetics of multi-champion Avenger, just imagine what they'll produce!
MFI Peruvian Accoyo Dazzler
We've never had Accoyo Don Juan genetics on our farm so we were thrilled when Dazzler came to call Ideuma Creek her home. We do, however, have Avenger's genetics - he is our Accoyo Invasion's sire. Invasion is an 8X Champion with 16 blue ribbons! We will wait rather impatiently for this cria. It should be spectacular!
Due June 21
Silver Cloud Farm's Accoyo Felicity
Felicity is a gorgeous girl. She has the look of her dam, Accoyo Catalina, who is 11 and still has the fiber filled face of a youngster. This will be Felicity's first cria and boy, is she bred well. Since Felicity is a Felix daughter, she definitely covers at least fawn. She was bred to Accoyo Stratosphere, a 5X Blue Ribbon Winner whose cria are doing incredible in the show ring. Anticipation is all I can say about Felicity's very first cria! Keep checking back!
