Cria season is approaching—and most alpaca owners think they’re ready. Until they’re not. Because the reality is this:
👉 You don’t need anything…until suddenly you need everything.
And when that moment comes—there’s no time to prepare.
Where things go wrong
Most births are straightforward. But when they’re not, problems develop quickly:
- A cria that doesn’t nurse
- A weak or cold newborn
- A dam with insufficient milk.
And this is where I see the same issue every year. People don’t have what they need. Not because they don’t care—but because they assumed things would be fine.
The first 24 hours matter most
The early hours after birth are critical. A healthy cria should:
- Stand within 30–60 minutes
- Be nursing within 2 hours (ideally sooner)
- Receive enough colostrum to acquire protective antibodies
If that doesn’t happen, the window to act is short.
Colostrum: where many people get it wrong
Your priority should always be:
- The cria nursing from its dam
- Milking the dam and feeding that colostrum
- Only then using a suitable substitute if needed
But here’s the problem. Many products marketed as “colostrum” don’t actually deliver usable antibodies. The small print tells you that they are a supplement rather than a substitute. So when people reach for them in an emergency—they’re not getting the protection they think they are.
That matters. Because inadequate antibody transfer can lead to serious illness.
Why preparation changes outcomes
When something isn’t right with a newborn cria, you don’t have time to order equipment; you don’t have time to research options; you don’t have time to hesitate.
Prepared owners don’t panic. They act.
They have feeding equipment ready. They have a plan for colostrum and/or plasma. AND they know what to do next.
And that’s what changes outcomes.
It’s not about expecting problems
This isn’t about assuming things will go wrong. It’s about recognising that sometimes they do. And when they do—being prepared makes all the difference.
A simple question to ask yourself
If a cria needed help in the next 10 minutes…
👉 Would you have everything you need?
If the answer is no, now is the time to fix that.
Get prepared before the season starts
To make this easier, I’ve put together a range of cria prep kits based on what I recommend my own clients have ready.
They’re designed to remove guesswork—so you can act quickly and confidently if needed.
👉 View the Cria Prep Kits here