I built a simple stanchion for shearing and it worked fine for the first few years, except now one of our alpacas is getting so strong and excitable, he tries to jump while he's inside the stanchion. I'm afraid he might break his neck. Even with a belly strap he attempts to cush and suspend in mid-air until the next jump attempt.
Now I'm thinking either to improve the stanchion, or to try shearing while the alpacas are stretched out on the ground with their feet tied to ropes and pegs.
Has anyone found a solution to attempted jumping while in a stanchion? Or should I just abandon that technique and tie them down stretched across a mat instead?
If you have a "flyer," try adding a strap across the top of the back to keep him in place. I believe the chute I used to use had both a belly strap and an over-the-back strap. Now I use as little restraint as possible for any procedure. For shearing, I either (a) make a small triangular space using an alpaca panel swung against a wall in the corner; (b) halter and tie them in an area with all the others so they don't feel singled out or abandoned; or (c) follow them around the barn with scissors in hand. All depends on the forgiving (or not) nature of the specific alpaca.
Judith Korff AlpacaNation Forum Co-Moderator LadySong Farm Bolivian Suri Alpacas Randolph, NY 14772 Cell: (716) 499-0383 www.alpacanation.com/ladysong.asp
I'm 63 and the first year we sheared we used the pro tie system on the ground. My back ached for days.
Then I tried shearing my Suris (I have huacaya and suris) with hand shears standing up until I got kicked in the face one to many times trying to get the leg hair off.
We now use a shearing table we bought from light livestock. Worth every penny. We've had it for years and we love it.
Shearing in stanchion vs. tied on ground?
Posted - 06/11/2012 : 4:13:18 PM
