For the first part of a cria’s life, mom’s milk provides most of the nutrition it needs. But baby alpacas don’t wait very long before becoming curious about what everyone else in the pasture is eating. They begin nibbling grass and hay while they’re still quite young, often learning simply by following their mothers and the rest of the herd.
By late summer, our babies are spending much more time grazing alongside the adults. They’re still nursing, but their digestive systems are developing as they eat more forage. Watching a little cria lower its head and graze right beside its mother is one of those simple signs that it’s growing up.
