Alpaca News
Alpaca Isis Dies of Cancer
Our thanks go to friends who have offered support during the illness of Fowberry Isis, after her diagnosis of cancer. She was 4.5 years old when she died; her surviving cria is seven weeks old.
Isis was the resultant offspring of Father over Daughter, which her Mother's Australian breeders allowed to happen before we bought the young dam from them. Isis was never a thrifty girl, not helped by being born into grim conditions in quarantine in Switzerland. Isis starting displaying symptoms during Spring 2009, yet still managed to birth a female (Nina) who she was struggling to cope with.
Isis was a very intelligent alpaca who understood what we wanted of her far quicker than many of the herd and one of our memories of her will be when we transported fifty of our seventy alpacas to our new farm last October. Having reflected on the steep ramp of the gigantic international horse box the whole female herd declined to ascend it and sat down, despite Isis running back and forward up the ramp encouraging them to follow her. She was always in the forefront of whatever was happening.
Perhaps alpaca breeders who can't protect six or seven month old cria, from being mated by their own father should consider breeding guinea-pigs instead.
Rest in Peace Isis