A Beginner’s Field Guide

to Birthing Alpacas

Labor and Delivery

Pre-Labor

As much as 2 weeks to a few days prior to delivery you may see her:

• Lying down with legs kicked out to side and appearing uncomfortable
• Vulva may stretch so that you can see it’s pink lining (easy to miss because it only lasts a few hours). May appear relaxed or puffy.
• Irritable behavior
• Mammary glands enlarge – perhaps up to 25%, nothing dramatic like a cow
• The very best predictor for her due date is her previous history
• Using the Breeding Planner, you ought to be able to make a fairly good prediction (within a few days) of when to expect to see labor start.

She may begin to act normally again. However, she should be monitored to see if she begins to strain. If you see amniotic fluid leaking from the vulva – prepare for delivery.

Is she in Trouble?	What to do
There’s a blob of jelly-like stuff hanging from the vulva or on the ground	Normal – Some animals lose their cervical plug 2-3 weeks prior to delivery, others only hours before. Not a reliable indicator of impending delivery.
Cria is doing a lot of kicking.	Normal – and does not indicate impending delivery.
She’s very late. It’s past her latest delivery date and she still hasn’t delivered.	First question… is she still pregnant? If yes, then call the vet. It may be necessary to use medications to induce labor.

Active labor

Most alpacas deliver during the day – the most popular hours are between 10 am and 3 pm. When delivery is imminent (Stage I labor), you may see some, all, or none of the following signs:

• Amniotic fluid leaking from vulva
• Noticeable bulging and softening of perineum (genital area)
• Lengthening of the vulva
• Other alpacas sniffing her hindquarters
• Restlessness
• Lack of appetite
• Lack of cud chewing
• Frequent trips to the dung pile, sometimes without peeing or pooping
• Frequent trips to water trough
• Yawning
• Rubbing the top of her head against the ground
• Rolling
• Getting up and lying down frequently
• Increased humming
• Lying down with hind legs kicked out to one side
• Kicking at her belly with hind feet

The period of Stage I labor can last between 1 to 6 hours, but 2 is more average. Once you are convinced labor has begun, you should alert the vet and put him on standby to be ready to assist if you need help.

Now is the time to start recording your observations in detail on the Field Observation Log Sheet. Use the sample provided or make your own – just be sure you keep track of times and what you observed right up through the first few hours after the cria is born. These notes will be valuable to you the next time that female (or her female offspring) gives birth. Prior history (or dam’s history) will often predict what to expect.

REMINDER: Make sure you have your pre-packed emergency birthing kit ready at hand. If you have frozen colostrum, start it defrosting in case you need it. Frozen colostrum cannot be microwaved.

Is she in Trouble?	What to do
Straining or vigorous rolling for more than 2 hours without moving on to the birthing sequence	Call the Vet. Could indicate the cria is not in proper position for delivery. Some rolling and straining is normal, what you are looking for here is intensity.
Stage I labor lasting more than 4 – 6 hours.	Call the Vet. Could indicate the cria is not in proper position for delivery.
Significant dripping of amniotic fluid	Call the Vet
Signs of labor begin in late afternoon or evening.	Call the Vet. A higher percentage of late day deliveries are difficult. (dystocia).
She’s still grazing and acting like nothing is happening.	Normal – many females don’t give much sign that they are in labor while others show discomfort.

Actual Birthing

Stage 2 labor is the actual birthing process. Normally this only takes between 30 to 60 minutes. You will see:

• Contractions
• The water sac (amniotic membranes and fluids) bulge from the vulva
• Nose and both front toes are visible
• Umbilical cord should break as baby’s hips pass through mom’s pelvis.

After you see nose and toes, the rest of the birth should be completed within 30 min. Generally the mom will be standing for the delivery.

REMINDER!! Review Chapter 4 – Llama and Alpaca Neonatal Care – and Dr. LaRue’s material on Intrapartum problems, pages 3 – 5. Dystocias may be less than 1 in 20 but you need to have fresh in your mind what to do and how to do it if one happens and the vet is not on scene.

Resist the impulse to help get the baby out. Chances are she doesn’t need it and you risk doing more harm than good. However, if you do need to assist because of an abnormal presentation or because the mother is getting too tired from a long labor here’s how:

• Approach the mother in a very gentle and quiet fashion
• Grasp above the baby’s knees.
• Pull the baby DOWN and toward the mother’s hocks. Don’t pull straight out.
• Pull gently – and only when the mother is pushing. You could damage her uterus otherwise.
• Milk a small amount from each of the mother’s teats to clear the waxy plug.

Once the birthing process has started, time is critical. If you are trying to help with an abnormal presentation, give yourself 15 minutes. If you can’t manage it in that amount of time – call the vet for professional help – it is unlikely that you will do any better with more time.

REMINDER: If you attempt to examine the cria to determine or to adjust it’s position, remember that the alpaca has a very small frame. Big hands or overly aggressive movements could cause permanent damage to the mom. Don’t force things, use lots of lubricant, move slowly and gently, work with the mom and her contractions.

Is she in Trouble?	What to do
Mom keeps lying down.	Maybe she is not ready to deliver. Are you sure delivery is imminent? Continue to observe. If she is exhausted by a long delivery (stage I lasting more than 4-6 hours, Stage II lasting more than 30-60 minutes). Call the Vet.
Amniotic sac seen without cria appearing within 60 minutes	Call the Vet.
Abnormal presentation (Not nose and both toes)	Call the Vet for any abnormal presentation, even if you plan to try and adjust the cria yourself. Any cria born with an abnormal presentation is considered an at-risk baby. Refer to pages 46 – 56 of Llama and Alpaca Neonatal Care book. Some minor problems can be dealt with, most will require vet’s assistance. Note that page 55 & 56 deal with how to determine what the cria’s position is.
Cria has started coming out but has made no progress for 10 – 15 minutes.	Call the Vet. It may be that you will need to help deliver the baby.
Labor starts after 6 pm	Call the Vet. Most late day deliveries will be dystocias.
Nose has appeared but the fluid filled sac covers it.	Normal. The sac should break by itself. If the legs are fully extended and it still hasn’t broken, you can tear it with your hands right by the nose. Wear sterile gloves.
Entire head is delivered. Baby is coughing and sputtering.	Normal.
Shoulders are delivered. Baby is gasping from compression of rib cage.	Normal.
Baby is delivered and on the ground but is still in the sac	Normal. It needs to flop around and get itself out of the sac. This stimulates circulation and appetite. It can take up to 30 minutes for them to get out.

After Birth

After the baby is delivered, the placenta will be expelled (Stage 3 of labor). Normally this should happen within 4–6 hours after parturition (delivery).

· Female may appear uncomfortable and may not allow the baby to nurse until it is expelled.

· Placenta should pass within 4 – 6 hours post partum.

o Can usually be seen hanging from the animal within 1 hour after birth but some will not be seen until immediately before it is expelled.

§ Never try to pull it out. If it’s not coming out on it’s own, you need the vet.

· Once it’s been expelled, spread it out on the ground or barn floor. The main concern is to check to see if it is intact and complete as a single mass.

o There should be 2 sections that filled the uterine horns. Typically 1 part (usually the left) will be substantially larger than the other.

§ Some people weigh the afterbirth and keep track of the weight for that dam from each birth.

o It should be light red in color with little or no smell.

o You may in some cases also see one or two fluid-filled sacs within the placenta.

o The outer layer texture is rough. Sometimes the sac gets turned inside out and will be slick to the touch and lighter in color.

· It is rare for a section to be missing, but if it is (and you are sure that predators have not been at it) the dam should be moved to an area where the remains of the placenta can be found when they are passed.

o Expect the missing section to be delivered with 24 hours after birth.

· Dispose of the afterbirth properly.

o Double-bag it in a trash bag and freeze it until trash day.

o Alternatively, it should be buried deep enough that predators can’t get to it.

§ Away from the pasture

REMINDER: Always wear gloves to handle the placenta. There is a slight chance it could be contaminated with microorganisms that could affect humans. The placenta material should be disposed of away from wild or domestic animals. This is important to prevent the possible spread of diseases. It should be deeply buried or frozen and disposed of in a landfill.

Is she in Trouble?	What to do
Placenta is just hanging there.	DO NOT pull it out. That can separate the tissues and leave some inside the mom or can cause trauma to the uterus. Usually it will become detached and be expelled within a few hours.
More than 4-6 hours postpartum and the placenta is still not passed or has not passed complete.	This is a Retained Placenta. Continue to monitor carefully as this can be life threatening. Make sure the vet is aware what is going on.
More than 12 hours and the placenta not passed.	Call the vet. He may administer Oxytocin to induce uterine contractions that will expel the placenta.
More than 24 hours have passed and the placenta is still not expelled.	Professional assistance is needed. Call the vet.
Is what I see the placenta or a prolapsed uterus?	Sometimes a difficult delivery can result in a prolapsed uterus. You can tell them apart by appearance and texture - Uterus – Heavy, meaty appearance. Dark red color. - Placenta – Thinner, lighter appearance. Lighter red color – translucent. If it’s the Uterus, call the vet immediately.