Farm life has its own rhythm.
It doesn’t separate joy and sorrow neatly; they tend to show up together, tangled in ways you never quite expect. If you read my last blog, you’ll know we recently said goodbye to Wrigley... a homegrown cria with a complicated story and a heartbreaking end. You can read his full story here: When It Goes Wrong: The Hardest Part of Farming.
What I hadn’t shared then, because I wasn’t ready, was that Wrigley’s mom, Roller, is pregnant again.
This will be her second cria. I kept that to myself, not because I wasn’t certain, but because Wrigley’s story needed its own space. And honestly, I wasn’t sure I could hold the weight of both—celebration and doubt. That small voice inside me crept in: "what if I get it wrong again?"
Baby Roller and mum, Sweet Streak, July 16, 2017.
But that’s exactly why I’m sharing it now. Because this time, just like last time, the choices I’ve made have been deliberate. Rooted in experience and backed by data. Breeding isn’t something I do casually. It’s measured and mindful, and shaped by years of watching what works and what doesn’t. This cria won’t undo what happened with Wrigley, but it does give us a new beginning. And for that, I’m hopeful.
Table of Contents
- Roller’s Roots
- Pregnancy Basics: What to Expect
- Watching and Waiting
- Intentional Breeding, Informed Decisions
Roller’s Roots
Roller was born here at Green Gable Alpacas in 2017. I can’t recall the exact details of her birth... it likely happened during a farm tour, as many of our cria arrivals do. Over the years, it’s become something of a tradition: almost every summer, at least one alpaca is born in full view of curious and delighted guests.
Roller is the daughter of two of my finest alpacas—Sweet Streak and Keswick. I paired them multiple times, and the results always surpassed the sum of their parts. Roller is a full sibling to Zek and Sahara, and a half-sibling to Ari - our fluffball mascot featured on the Be an Alpaca Farmer page. This bloodline is the foundation of some of our softest yarns and strongest producers.
The sire of Roller’s upcoming cria is George, who is also a Keswick baby. That makes George and Roller half-siblings, and the cria a result of what’s known as line breeding. This pairing creates a 12.5% coefficient of inbreeding... that's a fancy way of saying there’s a 1 in 8 chance the cria will inherit identical traits from Keswick on both sides.
In small, carefully managed herds like ours, occasional line breeding is used to reinforce desirable traits like fibre fineness, consistency, and good temperament. It’s a calculated decision, supported by data, hands-on evaluations, and experience and... it's not something we repeat often.
Curious how we use fibre data in our breeding decisions? Histogram results play a big role.
👉 Learn how to read one here.
Pregnancy Basics: What to Expect
Alpacas are pregnant for about 11.5 to 12 months. We usually count on 350 days, but anything between 320 and 380 days is still considered normal. Some females have even carried past 400 days.
As of today, Roller is at day 318, just outside that early edge of the window—peeking in, as I like to say. Still a few weeks to go, but we're officially on cria watch.
Twins are extremely rare, and surviving twins rarer still. So, we're expecting one cria... hopefully healthy and strong. Roller’s due date is July 14, but we’re already watching closely as we approach the window.
Roller moments after birth.
We don’t breed every female every year. We usually wait until a female is at least four before she has her first cria - we find the wait makes the ladies better first time moms - and we give them time off between births. After all, if you want a female to lose weight fast, just let her give birth - those babies suck the life out of them!
Watching and Waiting
Roller is showing all the signs of a textbook pregnancy. Her cria kit is packed. The team knows to be on high alert. And we’re expecting the arrival to be fast, quiet, and if history holds... on the hottest, busiest day of the year.
Some might ask: if Wrigley being the only cria born that year played a role in his outcome, why risk repeating it? The truth is, I didn’t choose this path... fate did. I bred two females last year, but the other, Ice Queen, didn’t take or likely resorbed early in the pregnancy. So, here we are... again... with just one baby on the way.
Still, this is a new story. I can't deny the anxiety... but I am hopeful.
Intentional Breeding, Informed Decisions
Breeding here isn’t random, and it’s not a numbers game. It’s about genetics, data, and the kind of fleece we want to grow and share. Every breeding decision I make is informed by histogram results, temperament, conformation, and lineage.
More than half of my herd is male — but only a select few are ever chosen to sire cria. That same thoughtful approach shapes every skein of yarn we produce: from breeding to sorting to dyeing, nothing is left to chance.
Of course, this is just how I do it. Every farm has its own philosophy when it comes to breeding and fibre. Some prioritize show ribbons, others focus on production scale or colour genetics. There’s no single right way, just different goals, values, and approaches. Mine happen to be rooted in small-batch craftsmanship and the long view of herd health.
Looking Ahead
So now we wait. Cria kit is ready. Roller is watched like a hawk. And I’m reminded, again, that no matter how well we plan, animals have their own timing and outcomes can never be guaranteed🤞
I’ll share updates when the time comes. Whether you're here in person or following along online, I’m grateful to have you on the journey.