Good Time Ridge

FREE TRAINING FRIDAY!

Camelids have three stomach compartments. This means that they are often called “pseudo-ruminants” while the so-called “true” ruminants such as cattle and sheep have 4 stomachs. These camelid compartments (imaginatively called C1, C2, and C3!) allow them to ferment fibrous plants extremely efficiently.

The first compartment, C1, acts like a fermentation vat where microbes break down plant material into nutrients the animal can absorb. This is very like the rumen of cattle and sheep. However, camelids have evolved to be very efficient at this allowing them to thrive even on poor-quality forages.

There are a few key reasons for this efficiency:
1. Rapid absorption of the acidic breakdown products of digestion which helps to stabilise pH in that stomach environment, making it good for the microbes
2. Enhanced nitrogen recycling that supports the microbes
3. Longer retention of feed material in the forestomachs leading to better breakdown of plant cell walls
4. Faster flow of liquids through the first 2 stomach compartments: this means that the microbes need to be more efficient themselves and use less energy!

So really it’s a lot about looking after those microbes! Keep them happy and you have a happy alpaca or llama!

So who’s the “better” ruminant?! I think camelids win hands down on efficiency! Like and comment below!

Welcome to Good Time Ridge Farm
Home to Alpacas, Cows, and Llamas

Welcome to the world little one. Meet Sara! She is a llama and looks just like mom,

Welcome Dust in the Wind! She is possibly a true black but will not decide until she is shorn.

We are going to have a baby in the spring!

Welcome to Good Time Ridge!!
On the left is Buck Brooks Prada She is confirmed bred to Paragon's Archimedes for a spring cria.

On the right is Pandora's Jewel of Red Door, In the spring she will be bred Buck Brooks Embers.

I am excited for what these girls are going to do.

Just getting home! 775 miles to pick up 2 mew girls Pictures an information to follow.