Autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine Autumn 2010  ÂŁ5.25 where sold

A year with alpacas

A calendar of change at the Alpaca Stud

Milling around

Bringing historic machinery back into service

Genes on!

Good breeding and genetics

contents

Welcome to Alpaca World Magazine Classical Publishing Ltd © 2010 Issue 35 Autumn 2010 ISSN 1477–7088

5 Halter Shows : 5 Supreme Champions

Editor: Rachel Hebditch Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8NB Telephone 01884 243579 Mobile 07540 748803 Email: rachel@ alpaca-uk.co.uk

“World Class Alpacas” “Highly Advanced Fleeces” “Will compete anywhere in the World”

Advertising: Heidi Hardy Telephone 01598 752799 Email: heidi@ alpacaworldmagazine.com

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Design and Production: TRG Design 6 Franklin Street Exeter Devon EX2 4HF Telephone: 01392 279371 Email: info@trgdesign.co.uk www.trgdesign.co.uk Printed in England by: Magazine Printing Company Plc. www.magprint.co.uk The material contained in Alpaca World Magazine is compiled by the publishers for information purposes only.

Although the material included has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no guarantees are given as to its accuracy or completeness.

Readers are reminded that expert advice should always be sought in individual cases.

Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of the material contained in this issue the publisher does not accept responsibility for any loss arising out of such changes or inaccuracies nor for any other loss suffered as a result of information contained in this issue.

Notice to Advertisers: It is a condition of acceptance of advertisement orders that the publishers, Classical Publishing Ltd, do not guarantee the insertion of a particular advertisement on a specific date, or at all, although every effort will be made to meet the wishes of advertisers; further the company does not accept liability for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy in the printing or non appearance of any advertisement, or if we decide to edit or delete any objectionable wording, or reject any advertisement. Although every advertisement is carefully checked, occasionally mistakes do occur. We therefore ask advertisers to assist us by checking their advertisements carefully and to advise us by the deadline given should an error occur. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than one incorrect insertion and that no republication or discount will be granted in the case of typographic or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement.

Cover: Mothers and offspring on the move, The Alpaca Stud (Terry Harrington Smith)

Alpaca World magazine has joined the digital age which means that subscribers can choose to subscribe to the e-version – a downloadable pdf file – or continue to receive the print version. The exciting new website enables readers to search through eight years of back issues and to use the information found in the huge numbers of alpaca related articles built up over the years. Our advertisers will get extra exposure as the current issue remains on line for three months, readable but not downloadable, and banner adverts are available on the site at a low cost.

As you can see the British Alpaca Futurity is advertising on the inside back cover of this issue. This will be the first show of the 2011 season and we urge you to support it and start 2011 off with a bang rather than a whimper. Our industry has a lot going for it but to beat the recession we need to shout about it. The booklet of information and booking forms will be on your doorstep in November. Support your industry, book early and while you’re at it avoid the VAT increase on January 4th.

Inside Alpaca World Magazine Autumn 2010 news 04 Research aimed at more accurate TB tests

health & welfare

52

30 Good breeding is in the genes

05 Record price for alpaca at Australian auction

64 Body scoring and flow chart

36

06 Alpaca World goes digital 06 Show news 08 Suzan Lenk 1947-2010 12 British Alpaca Futurity 2011

special features 16 A year with alpacas 52 Starting a mill

16

features 22 Trends in alpaca halter and fleece shows

regular features

44 How the mitey have fallen

36 Who do you think they are?

55 Book review

76 Letter from France

58 Letter from Belgium

81 Breeders directory Autumn 2010

70 Working dogs

22

70

www.alpacaworldmagazine.com

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*** 26 Colour Champions + 17 Reserves *** *** 4 Age Champions + 3 Reserves *** *** 5 Champion Sires Progeny ***

Copy deadline for the next issue: 4th December 2010

The only independent magazine reporting on the international alpaca industry. Distributed by subscription worldwide and through country stores across the UK, Alpaca World Magazine reaches the largest readership in its market.

summer 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 3

news

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If you have news of events or developments within the alpaca industry which you would like to share with others please send it to: The Editor, Alpaca World Magazine, Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NB, United Kingdom Email: info@alpacaworldmagazine.com

Windsong Valley Auction

Alpaca fetches record price at Australian auction Windsong Valley Firedragon

Virus news

Research aimed at more accurate TB tests The British Alpaca Society

has announced that a research programme, which may lead to a more accurate TB test for alpacas and llamas, is underway. The research is based on IFN-gamma production and serological assays and will be conducted by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

The programme will cost £100,000 and will be funded 50/50 by the BAS and British Camelids whilst the British Llama Society has put aside funds for follow on work should that be required. All three societies will have full access to the results.

BAS chairman Shaun Daniel warned that there were no guarantees with research but that the Board hoped the accumulated data would lead to a TB test for camelids that would eventually replace the skin test.

The research involves taking blood samples from animals in known TB infected herds and from animals in herds that are not in TB hotspots. The samples will be used to optimise and prove the IFN-gamma test and if successful the BAS hopes the results will be taken forward to develop a more accurate TB test.

Alpaca breeders in the UK have offered around 300 animals for the tests on the understanding that any alpaca that tests positive from a supposedly ‘clean’ herd will be culled and a post mortem performed to determine if the animal does have TB or is a false positive.

Meanwhile Agriculture minister Jim Paice published proposals to issue licences to farmers and

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landowners to cull or vaccinate badgers in TB hotspots. These proposals were published for public consultation last month and it is expected that Mr Paice will come up with a comprehensive bovine TB eradication programme early in 2011.

Mr Paice said:” We can’t go on like this. It’s clear that the current approach has failed to stop the spread of this terrible disease. We need to take urgent action to halt its spread. No single measure will be enough to tackle the disease on its own. But the science is clear: there is no doubt that badgers are a significant reservoir for the disease and without taking action to control the disease in them, it will continue to spread. No country in the world has eradicated bovine TB without dealing with the reservoir in wildlife.”

The veterinary profession has warmly welcomed the launch of the DEFRA consultation on tackling bovine TB as they have long argued that the bTB cannot be controlled without measures to control the disease in cattle and wildlife.

In Wales the Rural Affairs minister Elin Jones is planning an annual cull over five years for

"No country in the world has eradicated bovine TB without dealing with the reservoir in wildlife.”

north Pembrokeshire and part of Ceredigion. The move comes two months after the Badger Trust won an appeal court ruling to stop an earlier planned pilot cull.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales Christianne Glossop cites New Zealand as a country that is tackling bovine TB effectively with its possum eradication programme.

Infection rates of cattle in New Zealand have dropped to 0.35% through the rigorous pursuit of pest management, stock movement controls and cooperation between farmers, local councils and government. The aim is to reach TB free status by 2013.

In 1989 the independent farmerled Animal Health Board was set

up to lead the cull of possum, the New Zealand equivalent of the badger as the bTB wildlife vector.

The manager Paul Livingstone visited the Royal Welsh Show this summer and led a series of workshops on bTB. He said that farmers should play a greater role in the drive to eradicate bTB and that his 40 years of experience in the field shows that the disease will only be beaten if it is tackled in wildlife as well as cattle.

“But farmers have to be in on the strategy”, said Mr Livingstone.

“It wasn’t until farmers started paying and taking responsibility for the programme that it started making progress”. l

AUTUMN 2010

sold at the Windsong Valley auction for an Australian record price of $165,000. Matt and Cathy Lloyd were there.

It was a feeling of surprise and a touch of excitement when we heard that Windsong Valley Alpaca stud was to conduct a full herd dispersal of all of its 140 alpacas on the 19th September 2010. There are only a few genuine dispersals that Cathy and I would fly to the other side of the world just to attend and this was definitely one of them.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Windsong Valley, it was established in the early 90s by Terry and Tena Wheeler from WA. The stud was subsequently sold in its entirety to a South African based investment syndicate. The plan was to relocate the herd to South Africa. Due to more recent global financial crisis related turmoil the farm in South Africa was not purchased and hence the syndicate had decided to disperse.

Windsong Valley’s alpaca herd was initially founded on Jolimont bloodlines. The real coup and subsequent elevation to the top ranks of the breeding and showing scene happened when Terry, very astutely, convinced Roger Haldane from Purrumbete to sell him not only the famous Purrumbete Ledgers Dream but quickly followed up with the purchase of Purrumbete Highlander. These males are unquestionably two of the most influential alpaca sires in the world.

Roger Haldane changed the landscape of the Australian Alpaca industry in the early nineties with the importation of a small group of females and six outstanding males from Don Julio Barreda of the Accoyo herd in Peru.

Highlander with 403 registered progeny and Ledgers Dream with 325 have woven their bloodlines through not only some of the finest alpacas in Australia but also internationally.

The Wheelers followed this clever purchase by regularly purchasing the top priced lots at

AUTUMN 2010

Matt and Cathy Lloyd, EP Cambridge Alpaca Stud; Auctioneer Andrew Sloan, Wilson Beer, and Windsong handler Jenny Cohlan

the Australian National Alpaca Show and Sale. This added to their elite female lines with soon to be famous names such as The Pines Queen of Sheba.

The two most influential and famous female lines were import females Jolimont Mariella and Jolimont Gessica who both through their matings to Highlander produced elite progeny.

Mariella’s mating to Highlander produced WV Starbright who at 11 years of age is still holding a 21 micron 17.4 CV fleece. At the recent auction she not only topped the female sale price but was even more notable as the dam of WV Firedragon the highest priced male sold for $165,000. This is believed to be the highest price ever paid at auction for an alpaca in Australia.

The six year old Firedragon

by Jolimont Warrior, son of Jolimont Conquistador was an outstanding Light Fawn male that won an endless array of Supreme Champion awards including the Royal Melbourne.

His ability to throw a range of colours was evident by his seven progeny sold seeing one of the highest sale averages including a 12 month old black daughter that sold for $11,000.

It is interesting to note that

Firedragon’s grand dam Jolimont Mariella was purchased from the same herd in Peru as not only Jolimont Warrior’s dam Jolimont Marilu but also Jolimont Melina.

Melina is the fawn dam of another superb Australian male Jolimont Gianmarco!

A calculated guess would suggest there was a pretty influential fawn sire running around Peru in the late 70’s and early 80’s !

Jolimont Gessica the other super dam in the herd also had a tryst with Highlander that produced Primavera Anushka; Anushka was then mated to Ledgers Dream to produce Primavera Jacinta.

Jacinta was owned by a client of Windsong Valley and upon seeing her the cheque book was brushed off and she also joined the WV herd. Jacinta went on to produce Feathers and Nami Kawa, to name just a couple, genuine Champions in their own right. The 10 year old Jacinta is one of the densest females either Cathy or I had ever seen so needless to say she is now part of the EPC herd.

The second highest priced male was Winterbrook Prince John another son of Highlander out of another good female WV Summer Show selling for $44,000 to the Ambersun stud. This 11 yr old male

is still holding a very soft fleece for his age and was eagerly bid on.

Overall the sale grossed in excess of $800.000 for 136 mixed sex alpacas sold. A very good result given that most of the females had not been mated over the last couple of years, because of the export plans, not to mention quite a few females in the sale approaching or in excess of 10 years of age.

Alpacas were booked out to Germany, the UK and New Zealand and at times the phone bidding, along with the jam packed crowd, saw very intense competition.

Auctioneer Andrew Sloan, who has been conducting the major alpaca auctions in Australia from the beginning quoted “In all the alpaca auctions we have ever conducted I have never seen such frenetic bidding on certain lots, it is testimony to maintaining a focused quality breeding plan and sticking to it” Overall it was a very positive sale for the industry. Cathy and I decided we needed Fire Dragon genotypically. When we saw him again in the flesh we also realised he was a “must have” phenotypically. Unfortunately for us quite a few other people had the same idea! l

Alpaca World Magazine 5

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Magazine launches new website and E-magazine

Show news

Alpaca World goes digital

Honiton Show 2010

Alpaca World Magazine has

joined the wonderful world of e-media. A brand new website is now online offering you options on print or downloadable pdf subscriptions.

Check out the latest news and what is being lined up for the next issue. Looking for back issues or past articles? Full key word or title searching across all of our issues is now available and these can be purchased at minimal cost, for immediate download.

With the ever increasing costs of paper, administration and postage charges, we are always looking for ways to minimise their impact to our reader’s subscription rates. We regret a small increase in subscription costs for print versions mailed to your address, but can now offer a

much reduced subscription price service for those willing to receive their quarterly magazine as a downloadable pdf file. Check out the website to learn more.

We are also pleased to announce for all our advertisers, that each issue will remain viewable online for three months, at no cost to those potential

customers using the online viewing facility. Your advertising campaign will therefore have a much extended reach on a worldwide basis. Why not also take advantage of the low cost banner advertising opportunities with direct links to your website.

Alpaca World remains the foremost magazine in its field offering the lowest cost and largest readership.

Our subscribers will also benefit by having their subscriptions managed online. Automatic renewal notices and simpler methods of payment using PayPal accounts or credit and debit cards for all purchases.

The Alpaca World team would like to thank all our subscribers and advertisers for their continuing support. l

Alpaca classes at the Honiton

Show continue to expand with a good turnout and for the first time a marquee for the animals.

There was a steady flow of visitors to the show coming through the alpaca lines and plenty of interest in the animals.

The judge Liz Barlow had the unenviable task of trying to assess very short fleeces on the huacayas, it must have been a relief when the suris turned up in full fleece. Also good to see the advantage of being the judge’s husband – he gets the chair whilst Liz, show organiser Lynsey

Skinner and chief steward Keith Rushforth keep standing.

Supreme Champion Suri was Popham Suri Dream Catcher of Popham Alpacas and Supreme Champion Huacaya was LMFI Peruvian Ntherough of Classical MileEnd Alpacas. l

Show news The judge's husband sits it out

New show gains interest

Westmorland County Show 2010

Belgian International Alpaca Show

Another record breaking day at the

This will be the first alpaca show to be

held in the South of Belgium and will take place on the esplanade of the historic Citadel in the centre of Namur. There has already been widespread publicity and the public interest has been phenomenal. The show offers a great opportunity for breeders and suppliers to promote their animals and products in a region where, the interest in alpacas is growing rapidly. There are already breeders from France, Germany, Belgium and Holland entered and help with translation will be available on the days of the show. The show will be judged

by Nick Harrington Smith from the UK and will be run on a colour championship basis. There are classes for huacayas and suris, a fleece competition and, for the first time in Belgium a class for fancy alpacas.

Entries close on Wednesday, 20th October although early entry is recommended as numbers and space will be limited.

For further information please contact Belinda White by email white.mountain@ yahoo.co.uk l

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Westmorland County Show 9th September 2010 Yet again the sun shone brightly for Westmorland, with the result that more than 30,000 people turned up to enjoy the day at this traditional agricultural show – another new record. Now in their third year, the alpaca classes also proved hugely popular.

Numbers were a little down on last year but this provided the benefit of a more relaxed schedule and spacious accommodation. Any remaining concerns of the entrants were quickly allayed when they saw that the BAS bio-security guidelines had been well implemented.

All day there were crowds around the ring and the marquee. After Nick Harrington Smith completed the judging the public were allowed access to the alpaca area but separated from the alpaca pens, with crowd barriers proving useful in containing the huge surge of public interest. Everyone seemed

North Devon Show A new site in the beautiful Taw

Valley near Umberleigh was the location of this years North Devon Show. The organisers have spent £40,000 on the 100 acre venue including a 400m stone access road so the days of being towed in and out are hopefully over. Just

as well as this year’s shows was greeted by early morning showers which delayed the start of the alpaca judging but the sun soon came out and this brought out the crowds estimated at 20,000 for the day.

Cathy Lloyd was judging both

the halter and fleece classes where there was a combined entry of nearly one hundred. Matt Lloyd kindly stepped in to judge the large Junior Handlers Class.

This year, the North Devon show restricted halter class entries to animals which had not previously

won championships.

Champion Huacaya was Popham Ambersun Flame. The Champion Huacaya Fleece prize was won by Sampford Manor Alpacas. Popham Cinderella was Champion Suri with the Suri Fleece Championship going to Langaton Suri Scooby Doo. l

to enjoy the show, and many spectators commented upon the informative commentary and also on the interesting explanations given by the judge. The exhibitors also greatly appreciated hearing Nick’s detailed reasoning.

For the afternoon presentation of prizes by the Show President, the Grand Parade was joined by Town End Asterix (Supreme Champion and Champion White Huacaya), Houghton King of Fallowfield (Reserve Champion and Champion Fawn Huacaya), Nero Black Galaxy (Champion Brown Huacaya), Sudell Gismo (Champion Grey Huacaya), and Nero Black Jack (Champion Black Huacaya). l

AUTUMN 2010

AUTUMN 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 7

news

Show news

Heart of England Fleece Show After an absence of one

year, the Autumn National Fleece Show run by the Heart of England Alpaca Group for the British Alpaca Society, returned with a vengeance. The judge, Nick Harrington-Smith, slaved away for two long days judging over 150 Suri & Huacaya Fleeces.

On the actual day of the show, Sunday 3rd October, nearly 50 alpaca enthusiasts gathered at

Sandford St. Martin Cricket Club, to listen to talks by Kerry Lord (née Bettinson) of the Toft Alpaca Shop, Hilary Shenton of Zarza Alpacas of the UK & Italy and Nick HarringtonSmith on selecting alpaca fleece for high-end fashions and the relevance of the fleece judging system to achieve usable fleece for manufacturing. The

whole day proved to be very worthwhile for all those involved.

Congratulations to Mr & Mrs F. Ellis for winning the Supreme Championship (Huacaya) with Acer Mercury, a Don Pepe son, and to Mrs. Nikki Hayton for the Supreme Championship (Suri) with a superb cria fleece from a female by Langaton Suri Merlin. l

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Farbe der Alpaka: Anzahl Tiere Schwarz 46 Grau 50 Dunkelbraun 38 Hellbraun 35 Hellbeige 61 Weiss 41 Total Alpaka 271 Total Lama Total

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Scottish Fleece Show Australian Cameron Holt will be the judge at the Scottish Fleece

Show to be held on the 1st – 5th November at Plane Castle, near Stirling.

The show is being run under the auspices of the North East & Borders Alpaca Group (NEBAG), and is being jointly sponsored by Northumbrian Alpacas and Toft Alpacas. The climax of the week will be on Saturday 6th November, when Cameron Holt will host a presentation banquet at the Castle, and award trophies to the owners of the winning alpacas.

A new feature of the show will be ‘Veteran’ classes, for alpacas aged over six years at the date of shearing. Cameron has adapted the points tables in order to allow the fleeces of these older animals to be judged against their peers on a more equal footing. The knock-on effect is that the Senior age category will be restricted to alpacas aged between four years and six years; other age categories will be unaffected.

The ‘Veteran’ age classes are to be run on an experimental basis, by special approval of the BAS Board.

For more information telephone the show organiser Jonathan Russell, Northumbrian Alpacas, 01434 240597. l

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Suzan Lenk 1947-2010 Suzan Lenk, founder of AzSu

Alpacas, died last month after a long battle with breast cancer.

Su ran her alpaca business from a 55 acre farm in Norfolk, was an IAJS qualified judge and travelled extensively in Peru. She leaves her husband Robert, daughter

Nikki, sons Jason and Anthony and grandchildren Christopher, CarissaLea, Callum, Tristan and Regan.

AzSu Alpacas will continue as a lasting memorial to Su and will be run by her daughter Nikki, assisted by her grand daughter Carissa Lea. l

AUTUMN 2010

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Alpaca World Magazine 9

Robby Williams

news

British Alpaca Futurity 2011

The most exciting British

Alpaca Futurity yet will take place on Friday March 11th and Saturday March 12th, 2011, in Hall 2 at the Stoneleigh Park Conference Centre, near Coventry. It is the international education and networking event of the year with some of the best British born alpacas in the show ring and an international fleece show.

For the first time there will be a Best in Show award for the winning suri and huacaya in the halter classes judged by our own British trained judge Liz Barlow.

Whilst Matt and Cathy Lloyd will do the honours in the fleece competition which will be open to European as well as British fleeces.

The judged halter classes will run throughout the two days and alongside that will be a number of seminars and workshops which will cover stomach parasites, faecal egg counting, successful cria delivery, the assessment of huacaya and suri alpacas, an introduction to hand weaving and much more.

There will be an art and photography competition and a craft

10 Alpaca World Magazine

competition which will offer spinners, weavers, felters and knitters the opportunity to show off their skills.

The Futurity will once again stage a fashion show that will feature sophisticated British alpaca garments and welcomes collections from designers in Europe and the rest of the world. It will be staged during the champagne reception on the Saturday evening followed by the celebration dinner, prize draw and the awards ceremony. There will also be a silent auction of a small number of elite alpacas which will close during the dinner.

The British Alpaca Futurity is designed to be the showpiece for all British alpaca breeders, large or small. The alpacas shown will normally be the progeny of

‘nominated’ herd sires although alpacas that are not the progeny of these herd sires can be entered on payment of a slightly higher entry fee.

The Futurity Show Champion Huacaya and Suri are the males whose progeny have won the most placings during the show.

The points system for 2011 will be altered to more accurately reflect the make up of the breeding herds in the UK and it is likely that fewer progeny will be required to win the show.

There will also be an award for the most successful Small Breeder, cups for the Champion Suri and Huacaya fleece and the new awards of Best in Show Huacaya and Suri.

The Futurity is a non profit making event and will be financed by sponsorship and an on-line auction of stud services from a small number of the top stud males in the UK donated by the originating sponsors and any other breeders who wish to support this important event in the alpaca calendar.

The main sponsors are The Alpaca Stud, Bozedown Alpacas, Houghton Hall Alpacas, Moonsbrook Alpacas, EP Cambridge UK Ltd and Classical MileEnd Alpacas.

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Futurity grows for 2011

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AUTUMN 2010

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With the worlds best genetics available to all here at The Alpaca Stud, and with no nonsense advice given, you can be sure of getting the best value for your money, whether you are buying pregnant females, stud services, or purely pet alpacas. Call us for friendly advice and unsurpassed backup services.

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www.alpacastuduk.com Autumn 2010

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Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

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Article feature special Category a year Main with Heading alpacas

special Article feature Category a yearMain with Heading alpacas

a year with alpacas It has been a year of change at The Alpaca Stud, we moved into a new office last September, fondly referred to as the ‘chicken shed’, in October we said good bye to our stockman and in November we welcomed Katie to the team as Nick’s assistant, she is a breath of fresh air, keen, young and energetic and has already made a big difference. By Terry Harrington Smith Because of a problem with the dreaded

‘Barber pole’ worm we were feeding a large group of up to fifteen bottle fed cria last winter, they were delightful. They taught us a great deal, and we kept them as a group until they had all reached weaning age, allowing them to form a strong bond which helped in avoiding them becoming too humanised. As Christmas approached we were invited to be part of the village’s celebrations, so Nyetimber and Warrior were seen taking centre stage at the nativity, they were a huge hit with the children and it was a great start to the Christmas festivities. Both boys were very well behaved, though a little wary of the enormous white plastic cow someone had provided. It was deemed by health and safety to be too hazardous to have real farm animals!

The New Year brought prolonged heavy snow which was very challenging for us and the alpacas. Haylage was fed in huge quantities with as many as three large bales a day being used. Because of the harshness

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AUTUMN 2010 autumn

AUTUMN 2010 autumn

of the weather the haylage was spread under the hedges as well as in the feeders, the alpacas loved this as they could lie in the warm fodder and munch! Halter training for the Futurity was abandoned, and the very young and the most vulnerable were housed.

The band of bottle fed cria didn’t seem to bat an eyelid at the disruption, though their appetites increased dramatically and we could be seen battling the elements with bottles three times a day. This highlighted the plight of the females with cria at foot, with their cria suddenly demanding more milk they were visibly beginning to struggle. We monitored the situation very closely, keeping an eye on the cria weights and the females.

Eventually we were forced to wean earlier for the sake of the mothers. The weaned cria were housed and their weight and condition closely monitored, they came on very well.

All our cria are weighed at birth and closely monitored throughout, so whilst nothing new, the importance was greater than usual.

Alpaca World Magazine 17

Article feature special Category a year Main with Heading alpacas

special Article feature Category a yearMain with Heading alpacas

Before...

...and after!

The New Year brought prolonged heavy snow which was very challenging for us and the alpacas.

At the beginning of January we suffered from a devastating dog attack, loosing four of our young potential breeding males, it was a low point for us. It has been a long battle with the law on the side of the dog owner, but with John’s legal expertise and tenacity we are making progress. The police decided to prosecute the dog owner, the outcome however was less than satisfactory. In court the owner claimed that she had transferred ownership of the lead dog to a third party and the court decided they could not take the matter further. The other dog was ordered to be muzzled and only walked on a lead, which the owner is appealing. This was not a first offence for these dogs, they have been previously caught worrying sheep, so we are very unhappy that these dogs are still at large.

In the meantime a very determined John is pursuing the dogs’ owner for damages through the civil court.

Spring was slow coming this year and when it did arrive it was cold and fairly dry, not

18 Alpaca World Magazine

conducive to growing grass, this was followed with a hot dry summer, so the flow of haylage to hungry alpacas hasn’t stopped, as we had no grass until late August. Spring also saw a flurry of activity with the vet TB testing for an export; the Southern Alpaca Group did a ‘what the Judge is looking for’ seminar at Bowford and then the eagerly expected arrival of the new Snowmass Stud Males and a black Suri Stud ‘The Synergist’ a son of the famous MacGyver. These boys have very quickly settled in and have made a big impact.

Not only are they great breeding males, but they are great characters as well. We are all impatient to see their progeny due next year.

Each male was very carefully selected for their individual pedigrees and genetics, with colour, density and fineness at the forefront of the decision.

This year’s cria started arriving in the middle of March and are still arriving, the excitement of a new arrival never ceases and we had the first progeny from some of our Jaquinto

sons to look forward to. The arrival of the first Nyetimber progeny was eagerly awaited and didn’t disappoint! We also had a first at Bowford, two sets of twin black lambs.

They are apt to cause mayhem at the feeding trough as they are able to shovel up feed at ten times the speed of an adult alpaca. During the excitement of the May births we hosted a photo shoot promoting Rolls Royce, the alpacas were very curious about that and very disappointed that it didn’t deliver food. In my opinion the alpacas totally upstaged the Roller!

We had a successful show season starting at the Futurity and ending with Suris at the Bath and West. Just five shows in total. With the huacaya finishing the season at the South of England we were able to have everything shorn bar the odd suri by the second week of May. I love to see the weanlings after their first shearing, they look so different! This year’s weanling group were full of surprises, not least Nick’s famous spotty cria who has

AUTUMN 2010 autumn

AUTUMN 2010 autumn

turned into a beautiful dark grey female.

After shearing the weanlings grow on very quickly, and the sun on their backs makes them strong. Apart from routine husbandry we turn our weanlings away all summer and then marvel at them when we start to do our herd assessments in the autumn.

Catching alpacas at the trough is an art form, and this year we have had to do a fair amount. Because of the hot dry weather we have had a couple of cria with New Forest Eye, a very nasty eye condition which requires daily attention for a few weeks, this condition doesn’t affect the animal’s ability to run and avoid capture though. Another result of the lack of grass was alpacas foraging in the hedgerows; this resulted in a few black thorns causing abscesses. For this reason we have catch pens in the field so that treatment always happens. Other routine checks can also be done in the field, and that random bramble removed.

It is Autumn again, and having managed

Each male was very carefully selected for their individual pedigrees and genetics, with colour, density and fineness at the forefront of the decision. the summer without any bottle fed cria we now have two, both their mothers are older females and though they have some milk it is not enough to support their cria. I blame John, if he hadn’t said out loud that we had had a good year with cria and no bottle feeding to do, maybe we wouldn’t be dancing attendance on two demanding cria now!

And where’s John? l

Alpaca World Magazine 19

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Alpaca World Magazine 21

Article Category feature trends in Main alpaca Heading halter and fleece shows

feature trends in alpaca halter and fleece shows

An overview of trends seen in alpaca halter and fleece shows As judges... it is our job to compare the entrants to the current breed standards of the association and then rank them on the qualities exhibited by each competitor.

It is now over 20 years since the modern incarnation of alpacas have been a part of the Australian landscape. During that time, a vibrant show network has developed that is an important part of both the marketing of alpacas as well as an aid in breeding decisions for breeders.

As judges we are there to offer our opinion on the alpacas or fleeces in the show we are judging. In the halter ring, it is our job to compare the entrants to the current breed standards of the association and then rank them on the qualities exhibited by each competitor.

In a fleece show, the system is different as each entrant is judged and awarded points against the points available for each attribute in the fleece scorecard. Points allocated for micron and the annualised fleece weights are determined by reference to the AAA micron and weight score cards for both suri and huacaya. Places are awarded based on the final points tally of each fleece in the class.

With that basic introduction to judging, what have been the improvements that we have seen over the years?

22 Alpaca World Magazine

Improvements Seen

Micron It will be no surprise that in both the halter and fleece show arenas, there have been significant improvements in the general microns of the exhibits. With the dedicated breeding employed across all colours and both fleece types we have seen a general reduction in the microns. This has been reflected in the recent changes to our score cards for microns in the fleece shows. In the mid nineties, it was not unusual for herd micron averages to be in the high 20’s for whites and light fawns and higher still for the darker colours.

With the introduction of new genetics, from shipments from Peru and the USA during the nineties and the naughties and the focus of breeders on improving their breeding programmes herds now often have average microns at or below 20 micron with alpacas being tested as low as 13 and 14 microns. There has also been significant improvement in the coloured herds with herd micron averages in the low to mid twenties.

Weights The density of the alpacas shown is another area that has improved over the years. This has been reflected in the fleece weights in the fleece shows and resulted in the recent changes to the scorecard for fleece weights for both suri and huacaya. Fleece weights would routinely be under one kilogram per animal in the nineties . There were of course heavier fleece weights (most still below 2 kilograms)

but these were usually associated with higher microns.

Today skirted fleece weights have generally improved and herd averages are often around the two kilogram mark with some peaking at approximately four kilograms. This may not sound a huge improvement but when we factor in the associated improvement in microns this has been a substantial gain.

Trueness to Type In our breed standards, we have a description of what an alpaca should look like. It is to this standard that alpacas are judged in the show ring. This standard describes what is generally accepted as correct in the various areas of conformation.

Over the years we have seen a general improvement in the overall trueness to type of the alpaca shown. In the early years with the original imports, alpacas often exhibited the following: • longer in the muzzle • longer or incorrectly shaped ears • incorrect ear set • lack of substance of bone • lack of balance in the proportions • Incorrect tail set This was due to the fact that there was very little known about alpacas when they first arrived and there was also little choice in the alpacas that were originally imported.

These original alpacas would now be seen as generally unimproved. With knowledge and experience and subsequent imports leading

AUTUMN 2010

to improved breeding, these issues are now rarely seen in the show ring.

Coloured Alpacas Initially there was a marked difference between the qualities exhibited in the whites and light fawns compared to the darker colours. This was generally due to the fact that the Peruvians had been told to focus on lighter colours so there had been very few breeders that had focussed on breeding coloured animals. With the advent of exports of alpacas to the new markets in Australia, the USA and Europe it was realised that there was a demand for quality colours. This resulted in coloured farms being established and quality started to improve.

In the new markets, dedicated breeders established themselves with the aim of improving the quality of colours and this has resulted in a quantum improvement in the colours now being shown.

The improvement can be seen in both conformation and fleece traits. Of course there is still room for improvement but breeding programmes are definitely showing results.

AUTUMN 2010

Areas for Improvement

With the improvements, there are still areas that need to be kept in mind.

Coloured fibres With the improvement in the alpacas in the show ring and the fleeces in the fleece shows, an issue that we are seeing is coloured fibres through the blanket area. This may be both white fibres in darker fleeces or dark fibres in lighter colours.

It is essential that we focus to remove this out of our fleeces. If fibre is contaminated with another colour, it is likely to be penalised in a fleece show and it may result in a loss of a place or two in the halter ring.

In a commercial sense this can be a disaster. Manufacturers will not tolerate colour contamination and the fleece will be downgraded in price. If the colour contamination is not picked up it can result in the final buyer rejecting the product being manufactured which will not endear you to the fibre buyer.

This applies also to spots. In processing, it is often found that alpacas with a different coloured spot will also have this other colour in the fleece as a contaminant to a greater or lesser degree.

It is a reality that this is an issue in most herds. The imperative is not to choose to ignore it. If we do, the problem will only become greater and more common. It is therefore essential to keep this in mind when making our breeding decisions.

Alpaca World Magazine 23

feature trends in alpaca halter and fleece shows

feature trends in alpaca halter and fleece shows

there is no doubt that the average animals and fleece shown has significantly improved across the board in the last decade.

Uniformity of Micron

Even though we have seen an improvement in microns at the mid-side, we still see a greater variation than is desired across the blanket area. This is the reason that fleeces in a show often score lower points for micron than the exhibitor feels is appropriate. The reason for this is that the micron assessment is taken from samples across the blanket either via a grid sample at some shows or across the samples taken from across the blanket area by the judge.

Again this is important as our aim is to maximise value in the fleeces we produce. If there is a lot of variation across a fleece, on classing, at the processor, it is almost certain to be downgraded to the classing line that most closely matches the overall micron. In Australia it is unlikely that the blanket will be divided into its component classing lines and thereby maximise dollar value for the producer due to time and cost constraints at the processor.

Producing a uniform fleece with low variation between the primary and secondary fibres as well as low variation across the blanket area, will maximise value for the fibre producer and manufacturer. It will also result in a product with a superior handle for the end consumer.

24 Alpaca World Magazine

Conformation

For many breeders, their single focus has been on the reduction of the micron of their alpacas. This is certainly a worthy aim but it needs to be achieved in a manner that does not ignore other important traits. One trait that is often overlooked is the conformation of the alpaca.

In the judging ring we have the alpaca walk out and parade before us so that we can monitor their gait and hence their leg conformation. We also view them standing and in profile to again assess their conformation. We assess the alpacas against the breed standard that indicates various known faults in all areas of conformation.

The reason this is so important is that we are breeding with the view of producing alpacas with the fleece and conformation suitable for broad acre conditions. A sound conformation is essential if this is to occur.

When making breeding decisions, the breeder needs to remember that they can not afford to trade off too much in less than desirable conformation to attain their fleece goals.

Some areas of concern in the show ring and that should be kept in mind are: • growth for age, • leg angulation especially the rear legs • age of sexual maturity especially testicular size • width through the chest and hips Again the reason that these are emphasised is that it is essential that we maintain the alpaca that is fit for function. The function of the alpaca is not only to produce fine fibre but also to reproduce in a timely manner and live for a long and sustained period with little intervention on behalf of the breeder.

AUTUMN 2010

Skirting of Fleeces

Skirting is an area that is often mentioned by judges and frustratingly seems to be ignored or misunderstood by exhibitors. It is important that fleeces are well skirted as a poorly skirted fleece, though gaining points in the weight area, will lose points in the majority of other areas including: • fineness and handle (20 points) • uniformity of micron (10 points) • uniformity of length (10 points) • character and style (10 points) • l ack of guard hair (10 points for huacaya and 5 points for suri) With fleece weights being worth a total of 15 points and the other areas adding up to between 55 (suri) and 60 points (huacaya) there can be a large negative impact if fleeces are not skirted well.

I would encourage all breeders to review their scorecards after a fleece show. Scoring a fleece is a time intensive process and the scorecard will give valuable feedback to all entrants in a class, unlike the show ring where only the placed animals are discussed. Looking at the scores for the individual sections will give a good insight into how the fleece exhibit compares to the standard judged against. This will also give you an idea if there is room to improve through better skirting.

In summary, there is no doubt that the average animals and fleece shown has significantly improved across the board in the

AUTUMN 2010

last decade. It is essential that the breeder does not become overly focussed on a single trait, for example micron, to the detriment of the other traits that make up the complete animal. Improvements in breeding takes time and focus however large improvements have been made and will continue to be made by the dedicated breeder.

I would encourage all breeders to be involved in showing as it is an important way of keeping in touch with the ongoing development of the breed as well as a great way to market both your own alpacas as well as the breed in general. It also provides a great opportunity to look at the animals and fleeces that are performing well to benchmark your own breeding programme. l

This article was prepared by Peter Kennedy of Canchones Alpacas.

He is a senior Australian judge as well as a certified AOBA (American judge) He has judged extensively in Australia and the USA as well as Canada and New Zealand.

Alpaca World Magazine 25

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Autumn 2010

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Alpaca World Magazine 29

health & welfare good breeding is in the genes

health & welfare good breeding is in the genes

good breeding is in the

genes

together we have to set out certain criteria and goals the first of which is to decide on your objectives to do this you must ask yourself :

In order to fully achieve one’s ambitions in any walk of life we must make plans, however before we can make those plans we need to decide exactly where we are, where we want to go and what tools we have to get there.

30 Alpaca World Magazine

In order to bring all these elements

AUTUMN 2010

Alpaca breeding is no different.

By Richard Gubb of Horizon Alpacas

AUTUMN 2010

What am I trying to achieve with my alpacas?

Are you planning to keep and breed a few alpacas just for the pleasure of having them around, or do you have a more serious approach to alpaca breeding. If the latter then you should make a conscious decision as to your market place for the products of which there are two main entities, namely fleece and fibre products the other being livestock sales and services. The art of successful selling is to produce what the customer is looking for. To that end you must decide on your priorities these will include questions such as: • Do I specialise in just one colour or do I need a range of colours?

• Do I emphasise just on the fleece?

• Do I aim for the very top end of the market or for a lower level?

The answers to these questions will define exactly where your future lies. For instance should your ambitions lie in the fleece end of the market then that is where your emphasis should be. If you are more interested in breeding alpacas to sell to garden centres or holiday complexes then they always prefer the “smarties approach” that is one pink, one green, one blue, colour breeding is then not as important a priority. As to which market level to aim for everyone will tell you to buy the best you can afford. That does not mean the most expensive, it means that you take into account your genetic needs and requirements and select accordingly. In producing an article on genetics it would be so very easy to get carried away with big words and complicated diagrams and explanations. It is at this point that I should emphasise that I am not a scientist or a mathematician neither am I a learned man of letters with an ego to match.

I am in fact someone who has been breeding farm animals and professionally involved in livestock genetics for some 40 plus years.

I have bred cattle, sheep and more latterly alpacas and the fascination of seeing the

results of the next generation never fails to excite me. During the last 10 years I have been working as a senior genetic evaluator for one of the world’s largest AI companies producing reports on hundreds of thousands of individual mating recommendations for dairy cattle throughout the UK and Ireland. This has served to increase my interest in the subject of what is heredity, which traits are the most transmittable and how does it all work. colour breeding Let us look in more detail at a few of the issues regarding colour breeding within alpacas. If you can imagine a line diagram with white on one end and black on the other - it is easy to see that working on one end of the colour range, let’s say white, that the degree of colour variability will shift in only one direction. Whereas if you are working with a mid range colour, then the colour shift can go in any direction. That is why it is more difficult to breed and predict the colour when you work with alpacas that have either a range of coloured parents and grandparents or from either end of the colour spectrum. To follow this argument through if you have an alpaca in your paddock who is a white; she has a fawn parent and a white parent, you chose to mate her to a black male who has one black parent with the other parent being a brown. What colour cria can you expect? The answer is a lottery as neither parent should be colour dominant therefore the colour result is unpredictable. It is at this point that

Alpaca World Magazine 31

health & welfare good breeding is in the genes

Figure 1

Many alpaca people are under the illusion that all recessive genes are bad as they associate them with genetic defects and disease related issues; this is definitely not the case, not everything in life can be dominant

32 Alpaca World Magazine

health & welfare good breeding is in the genes

the utilisation of recessive genes for colour can become a useful tool. As a breeder of grey alpacas we are working with another genetic factor best described as co-dominant alleles, these have the effect of producing the recessive coat colours which make up the rose or silver Grey.

Much work has been done in collating data from around the world as to colour prediction in relation to alpacas, as a project I have taken crude progeny data from Australia, Canada and the USA and merged the findings to produce a pie chart as to the probable results when joining two colours together. See fig 1.

This shows the predicted colour expectancy when a white and a black are mated together.

All alpaca colour assessment data has to be taken at face value, a number of alpacas have been unwittingly misidentified for colour e.g. the barrier between white/light fawn, between fawn/brown or between brown/black cannot always be defined with total accuracy.

However with many thousands of registrations taken on board in these findings we can get a useable high reliability result. recesive genes When we look deeper at the colour issue it is possible to enrich your genetic probability by harnessing recessive genes. We all know the principles that we are but the result of our parents, the coming together of an ovum egg cell and a sperm cell, to create a unique individual. All this via a series of alleles derived from each parent which in combination then forms the genetic result. Genes are segments of DNA that are carried on the chromosomes and determine specific characteristics, such as colour or height or sex. Some characteristics come from single genes, whereas others derive from genetic combinations. It is because every alpaca has between 30,000 and 40,000 different genes that there are an almost endless number of potential genetic combinations. Various eminent geneticists

have produced mathematical charts to explain various possible combinations that can occur for many of the traits in the genetic makeup of an individual, be that man or beast.

Many alpaca people are under the illusion that all recessive genes are bad as they associate them with genetic defects and disease related issues; this is definitely not the case, not everything in life can be dominant.

Mother Nature thrives on genetic give and take thus enabling a species to develop and evolve otherwise no change or improvement would be possible. Many of the individual traits we so desire are best harnessed by the successive use of breeding stock with a given recessive gene. As an example if we take a white alpaca with a dominant white gene this is known to be dominant over a black alpaca, the resulting cria will be white. However it is when the white individual or both of these two alpacas do not have a dominant colour variant but instead carry a recessive that we can then see a possible colour change in the resulting offspring. These principles can be adopted to instigate genetic influence over all makeup and development issues ranging from appearance through to many health determining factors.

It is possible to influence traits such as colour and fleece quality by concentrating your genetics on certain known studs that have produced the required characteristics. Then by using successive studs which carry those particular genes in their bloodlines it is likely that you will be able to improve you chances of achieving your set goals. This approach is known as line breeding and by definition it will remove some of the variability from the equation. However there is a word of warning and that is that the difference between line breeding and inbreeding is very small! In many instances the biggest difference between them can be one of knowledge, line breeding is a decision taken with due consideration whereas inbreeding is caused by going too far, often spawned by ignorance. That can be

AUTUMN 2010

ignorance as to the effects caused to many of the all important factors such as vigour, fertility and conformation issues which go to make up a viable and healthy alpaca, or simply ignorance from not knowing the full parentage of your alpaca. A little care and study into the back breeding shown up within the pedigree of each alpaca will pay big dividends and this knowledge should be used in the decision as to which male to use next.

Sometimes in the name of genetic progress a half brother on half sister mating has been used to produce a one off individual to fix certain genes within a pedigree, this is acceptable, however I would in no way suggest this be adopted as a normal practice.

To the contrary every coin has two sides and without due care and lady luck the result could be a disaster. I would much prefer the utilising of a common grandparent to strengthen the depth of predictability within a bloodline. combinations that work The other known way of moving one's breeding policy forward is to make use of known breeding combinations that work. In the last year we have seen a number of individuals from some breeders who have managed to use a combination of top studs of great reputation one on top of the other for three generations in a row, the results in fleece quality have been brilliant. This is a breeding policy which is known as sire stacking and if you get the combination right, then bingo. If we look at many of the top studs of the last decade and in particular those who have specialised in the white end of the market you will note that they have created a sire stack of known prowess that fills you with awe and envy.

We often though see instances where a herd uses a male because he is the son of a famous stud but they ignore the rest of the alpaca’s pedigree almost completely, very often this leads to disappointment and missed opportunities. Sometimes a great stud can

AUTUMN 2010

be used on a daughter of another great stud but the effects can be disappointing. We have to accept that genetic conflicts can and do influence breeding results, that is why as breeders we need to work with genetics and not against them. The importation of a male from abroad does not mean that he is the best thing since sliced bread, that is unless his genetics are such that he will enhance what we have and help us to move our goals forward. For many of the breeders here in the UK it is far better to use known proven genetics and to bring together in harness that which is reliably tried and tested, not all of the best alpacas and the best genetics are in the hands of the top breeders. But “and it is a big but” by definition the top herds should have done their research, made their mistakes and had their successes. We must sit up take notice and try not to repeat the mistakes but utilise the knowledge learned. In no way must we belittle the pioneering spirit and the commitment of individuals who have put their “money where their mouths are” however for the majority of alpaca herds in the UK have no option but to use the genetic material that is in front of them. The girls in the field are our basic breeding resource; to this we add a stud male of choice, it is at this point that we can most easily affect the progeny, the questions to ask oneself are: • Is this the right male?

• Is he the right colour?

• Will he bring into my herd that which I most need?

If not, then now is the time to plan where you need to be and how best to get there!

Remember every new journey begins with the next step. l

I would much prefer the utilising of a common grandparent to strengthen the depth of predictability within a bloodline.

Alpaca World Magazine 33

Feature The AGEing Process

Most data submitted to date have concentrated on fleece and fibre traits, but data are beginning to appear for body weight, testicular size, and SRS(r) skin traits. Those studs that have become involved early will be the first to receive their data, and will therefore be first to benefit from a marketing point of view, as well as making earlier progress in their breeding program. The rate of genetic improvement will naturally be higher in those studs which submit annual figures, and use the derived data for the selection of both donors for embryo transfer, and sires suited to their breeding objective.

The AGE is one arm of the Holy Trinity which presently drives scientific breeding in Australia, the other two being the SRS(r) Breeding System, and Artificial Reproductive Technology. All three are linked. Decisions made in one arm will drive those made in the other two, and all three will drive the insistence on measured genetic improvement. Ultimately, as in many other livestock industries, alpacas will be sold, purchased and offered for service exclusively on the basis of ABVs. The future is exciting. What took 200 years in the Merino industry may realistically be achieved in 20 years in the alpaca. And the work of Jane Wheeler and Jim Watts suggests that the alpaca is far from reaching its full genetic potential. For those serious about genetic improvement, there can be no way forward without the help of science.

For once, it's great to feel AGE'd.

"With every data submission, the figures and the indices are getting more and more accurate. The scheme is set to take off over the next 12 months, with a simplified enrolment process, and ABVs and BOVs beginning to appear United States: www.alpacaseller.com in advertisements for both sires Canada: www.alpacaseller.ca and animals for sale."

www.waihekealpaca.co.nz

Search or Advertise Alpacas for Sale Australia: www.alpacaseller.com.au Alpaca Stud Services New Zealand: www.alpacaseller.co.nz About the Author South Africa: www.alpacaseller.co.za Alpaca Breeders Dr Ian Davison is a practising orthopaedic surgeon living in Cambewarra, Germany: www.alpacaseller.de Australia, 160 kms south of Sydney, where he and his wife, Harriet, established Alpaca Auctions Illawarra Alpacas in 1992. Their herd, now numbering over 500 alpacas, has Austria: www.alpacaseller.at

14 Micron Sancho Progeny

Switzerland: www.alpacaseller.ch Web Development Services championship in 1997.

Dr. Davison has written widely on alpacas, and was a of Ireland: founding director of the Australian Alpaca FibreRepublic Marketing Organisation, and www.alpacaseller.com for Alpaca Breeders a member of the Working Party for the design and implementation of the featured prominently in major shows and promotions since their first supreme

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w w w. a r i s t o c r a t a l p a c a . c o . n z

The Netherlands: www.alpacaseller.nl

Across-herd Genetic Evaluation program for the Australian Alpaca Association.

Belgium: www.alpacaseller.be He is a foundation shareholder in the Australian Alpaca Fleece Limited and SRS(r) Alpacas International, and currently serves as President on the National Committee of the Australian Alpaca Association.

This article is © Dr Ian Davison, and cannot be reproduced in any format or media without the author’s prior permission. Correspondence to ian@illawarraalpacas.com

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Article Category Main Heading

Article Category Main Heading

who do you think they are?

In the same year as the Queen’s Coronation, Di decided to enter the world. She was born in Inverness, Scotland where at the time her father, a regular Army Officer, was serving having recently returned from service in the Malayan Emergency. She had a sister Rosemary who was five years older.

Following her father's footsteps in the Army gave Di Davies a very varied education and a love of travel – along with exercise and all things outdoors. Here we learn more about her checkered path to SWAG and Alpha Alpacas.

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don't put your daughter on the stage...

When Di was one the family moved to Edinburgh and two years later when her father went off to Korea for a year, her mother, Di and Rosie returned to live with her mother’s parents in Bath. This was Di’s first association with the West Country and it was here that she developed the ability to walk up hills and her interest in the countryside – the flora, fauna and livestock developed – a love that has always been with her. She attended a nursery school in Bath and had ballet lessons; her career on the stage started and ended as the Sugar Plum Fairy who initially did not want to go on the stage, but once there could not be persuaded to leave!

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Since that experience Di has avoided any form of dance or entertainment on the stage.

The family was reunited in Hong Kong in 1957, and the flight took two days with numerous stops along the way. Di started school ‘proper’ at Cherry Tree Infants School.

It was in Hong Kong that she learnt to swim and has been a bit of a fish ever since. Hills featured again as at weekends the family went walking up Bucket hill looking for wild orchids.

Di says: “I remember Bucket Hill vividly as the surrounding landscape was very picturesque. Bucket Hill has in recent years been completely removed to make way for the expansion of Kowloon.”

After two years in Hong Kong the family returned to UK by Troop Ship which took six weeks – great excitement for young Di – plenty of opportunity to get ‘lost’ and involved in all sorts of activities. However, it was over the summer and someone had the good idea that despite the fact that it was the school holidays – the kids on the troop ships had to attend school each day. Whilst there were numerous ports of call on the way back, for some strange reason the only time the passengers were allowed ashore was in Aden

and there was a war going on there. station to station The Davies family were continually moving home. On return to the UK, the next stop was Weston Super Mare to live in a house on the seafront. A couple of months were spent here and Di has vague memories of great fun flying kites on the beach but not such happy memories about school number 2.

The family then moved to Bielefeld in Germany and school number 3. Highlights of Bielefeld were many happy hours spent at the Saddle Club learning to ride. She actually won the prize in 1958 for being the most promising rider – all 4 foot of her on a 17 hands grey horse called Tempest (a nag that was 5 ft 6 inches at the shoulder, so it was a long way to fall). Other highlights were the winters with snow and lots of tobogganing and trips to Hamlin to see the Pied Piper. Rosie went off to boarding school during this time.

Two years on her father was posted to Bulford, Wiltshire and Di went to schools number 4 and 5. It was a great place to live as she was able to roam over the ranges and Kiwi Hill. She had a great time, particularly as

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special feature who do you think they are?

Bulford was where she had her first bike. This was where her love of nature and knowledge of wildlife started to develop. She was in Bulford for the great freeze of 1963 and was effectively snowed in for six weeks. Her father went off to Cyprus for six months while the family remained in Bulford.

1966 and all that From Bulford the family moved to Wilton.

The disruption in schooling meant that Di was not attaining the reading skills for her age.

This came to light when she failed the 11+.

With assistance from the teachers Di passed her 11+ at the second attempt and went off to Grammar School in Salisbury. She actually managed two years at the same school during which time her love of sport developed – lacrosse, tennis, athletics (hurdles) and she even for a while became quite a keen gymnast. Wilton was another place to roam, without coming to any harm – in her last year in Wilton she had another short exploit into the equestrian world competing in local horse shows with a Highland Pony called McWhinney. She was competing in the Salisbury Horse Show on the day when England won the World Cup in 1966, although her day was not quite as successful, as McWhinney and she parted company at a jump. She parted company for good a few weeks later when the family were on the move again – this time it was Dusseldorf, Germany and a 60 mile round trip to school each day in Rheindahlen in an old green Army bus. There was no autobahn and most days the journey took about 90 minutes. After a year her father was posted to Berlin, where there was no school for her so she was ‘left behind’ in Dusseldorf living with friends while she took her O levels. She took part in the very first Rheindahlen Allied March 25 miles ‘sponsored walk’ in one day – she would do anything to get out of sitting in a classroom all day. She leant to play hockey in Rheindahlen as sadly they had never heard of lacrosse – the joys of moving schools.

She can’t remember how or why it happened but by the 4th form at Queens School in Rheindahlen she was being streamed towards a medical career. This resulted in her being forced to give up German to study Latin – which she never got on with – rote learning Roman poetry and understanding about Caesar and his wars. By the end of the 4th form she managed to drop Latin but was also forced to drop biology in favour of physics. Surprisingly O level results were quite good and spending holidays in Berlin was a real education. bath time again Then came a move to boarding school for her A levels and to the Royal School in Bath – more walking up and down hills as the £5 pocket money per term did not extend to bus fares.

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special feature who do you think they are?

She thrived on the sport, played lacrosse to county level, hockey and had a great swimming teacher who took her all the way through the Royal Life Saving Society exams to Distinction and Advanced Instructor, qualifications which were to later gain her, her first job. The career guidance was still ‘driving’ her towards medical school although the A level studies on Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology did not go so well, as pupils were trusted to study with little supervision. In her last year at school she rebelled and announced that she had no desire to be a doctor and to her parents’ and school’s frustration she applied and was accepted for Bedford College of Physical Education. She never took up her place and an alternative of studying Marine Biology at Reading University was also spurned. Totally frustrated, her father told her that if she was not going on to further education she had better find herself a job. She did as a life guard and swimming instructor at a

hotel in Charmouth . However, before taking up the job she rejoined her parents in Berlin for their last few weeks there before moving back to York. She drove back from Berlin in a 17 year old VW Beetle which she managed to buy having asked everyone to give her cash rather than a present at Christmas. She paid a princely sum of £50 for the car which served her well over the next two years.

Di lived in Charmouth for eight months in 1972 – it was an awful summer so for much of the time the swimming pool was very sparsely populated. It was an education meeting folks from all walks of life and she supplemented her income by teaching swimming in the morning and evenings and taking guests on organised fossil walks on Charmouth beach. Walkers were guaranteed to find at least one fossil – even if she had to give them a bit of help. During this time she came to the conclusion that the future held more for her than working in a hotel. After many years of being on the ‘move’ and following the Army flag she knew that travel was in her veins. Her enjoyments were travel, meeting and working with people and sport. She decided that she definitely did not want to go to university. A military career beckoned and she passed the Army Selection Board in September 1972.

army manoeuvres So started her military career – flying the flag in the footsteps of her father. She reported for training at the Women’s Royal Army Corps College in Camberley on January 4, 1973. Initial impressions were slightly concerning – there was very little sport or fitness training - to run was unladylike, she was also told that driving a bright orange left hand drive VW beetle, which by that stage had also acquired a large picture of a comic duck on the door, was not officer like. Despite these early set backs she thrived during training, represented the Army at swimming and at the end of eight months training was awarded the Sash of Honour and commissioned in to the Women’s Royal Army Corps. Her first posting was back to Germany and Rheindahlen, where she had been at school only four years earlier. Sadly the left hand drive VW had been sold whilst she was an officer cadet.

Her first appointment was to 29 Company WRAC (Women’s Royal Army Corps) where she had responsibility for a platoon of 90. All her lasses worked in the local large Ordnance Depot, issuing stationary and vehicle spares to the British Forces in NW Europe. The supply line was in the process of being computerised – and finger problems led to some interesting challenges during

the tour. A young Private typed in a single digit from an invoice incorrectly and the main HQ were very surprised to receive a truck loaded with a large section of tank track when they were expecting a carton of paper clips. Needless to say a major review of quality control followed but things were fairly challenging in the storehouses as most of the staff were civilians who spoke little or no English and most of the military personnel only had a smattering of German. Weekends were spent playing sport, swimming at a high level, hockey and orienteering, and getting to know Germany – via many Wine Festivals in the Mosel or the occasional Beer Fest.

In November 1974 she was posted to Northern Ireland as a Platoon commander in 181 Provost Company, WRAC and was trained as a searcher. She was then able to search women or children under the age of

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Driving a bright orange left hand drive VW beetle with a large picture of a comic duck on the door was not officer like...

15-ish to see if they were carrying weapons, ammunition and explosives. For the following 18 months members of the platoon deployed with all infantry patrols in the rural/border areas where there was an expectation of needing the specialist skills of the WRAC. Northern Ireland was where the WRAC started to lose its admin only image and support to the Army and became actively involved in operations rather than being the cooks, clerks, drivers and filling other administrative roles.

About 3% of the Army was female with all serving in either the Women’s Royal Army Corps or the Queens Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps.

At this time WRAC personnel were noncombatants and so the only weapon they could deploy with was a truncheon and so that they could be identified they were not allowed to wear trousers or berets so accompanied the male soldiers dressed in skirts and long black ‘ Derri’ – mock leather boots. They were also expected to wear a forage cap - hardly the appropriate dress for climbing through blackthorn hedges in South Armagh, great but some rather hairy days.

Di takes up her story: “ Many locations could only be accessed by helicopter and so the platoon was known by our radio name, Flying Coffee Pots, and on numerous occasions as I moved around the Province visiting members of my platoon in deployed locations, my movements would be tracked on the radio under the statement of ‘Chief Coffee Pot due to visit mugs at... ETA... hours. My 18 month tour was the making of my Army career as I worked alongside a wide variety of male officers and soldiers who had little or no experience of members of the WRAC and when you are the only female officer amongst 3000 personnel in the Brigade – folks tend to remember you. At the end of tour I was Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished service. Asked where I would like to go next – anywhere but Guildford so I was posted to Guildford.

In March 1976 I was posted to the WRAC Training Centre, promoted Captain, huge change after Northern Ireland and took a long time to settle – back to doing things in ‘ a lady

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like manner’. I was given command of Number One Training Company responsible for basic training of all recruits joining the WRAC. The job could have been very repetitive but with up to 100 young women embarking on their military careers every six weeks there was never a dull moment. In the week off between intakes I used to do adventure training trips in the Lake District – great fun. going walkabout August 1978 to Australia – Banished, for wearing a trouser suit to watch a Corps tennis match, to the Colonies on an exchange posting with the Australian Army I commanded the female recruit training company, based in a hutted camp on a headland overlooking Sydney Harbour. The job title was the same as the previous appointment but very different. Most recruits came from cities and one of the biggest challenges was teaching field craft which involved regular week long deployments into the bush and first hand experience of the wildlife. Whilst there the decision was taken that women in the Australian Army would be given weapon training and so we all received a crash course in weapon handling before conducting the dry training ourselves. Thankfully the range days were run by a neighbouring Infantry unit. The Aussies were heavily into fitness training, running and marching around the streets of Sydney, including regular runs over the harbour bridge and fun runs at weekends, where I would frequently be passed by runners twice if not three times my age Whilst in Australia there was the opportunity to travel widely when on leave and I saw more of Australia than most Australians, including a week on Walkabout with a group of Aboriginals on Mornington island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, climbing Ayres Rock, a few days on Day Dream island, yes it really is called that, and turtle watching on the Great Barrier Reef. I was also fortunate to spend time exploring Fiji and New Zealand. I considered transferring to the Australian Army – news of my plan reached UK and I was posted home at short notice – so short that I was dumped in Hong Kong for a week as my civilian flight from Sydney arrived in Hong Kong an hour after the weekly troop flight to the UK had departed. The week was spent exploring Hong Kong on a very low budget and whilst I was provided with a hotel room it was not on an all inclusive package.

January 1981 to Junior Division Staff College at Warminster – a real eye opener – tactics on Salisbury Plain in mid winter – a slight change from Australia – first formal training in tactics so it was a bit like being a brand new recruit.

Learning to be a staff officer and produce written briefs etc. was a real challenge.

March 1981 to HQ 2 Armoured Division as a junior staff officer in the HQ responsible for personnel issues and running the rear party when the HQ deployed – a backward

step ...leave the women behind. The Falklands war occurred while I was in Lubbecke so my portfolio was expanded to include a range of other issues including the management of real estate and utilities as other officers were deployed to the Front line. I also had to ‘study’ for promotion and Staff College entry exams…

1983 to UNFICYP – First British female into the United Nations Force in Cyprus – Adjutant of Logistics Regiment – The Cavalry Commanding Officer, Michael Brooke well known to many in the Alpaca industry as the founder of Alpacas of Wessex was very surprised to get a female Adjutant. I arrived in February when it was snowing in Nicosia – what had happened to the sunshine posting I had been promised. I thoroughly enjoyed working in the multinational environment patrolling the ‘Green line’ between Turkish occupied Northern Cyprus and the Greek occupied south. I was based at the old Nicosia International Airport where we still had President Makarios’s private jet sitting in a hangar covered in dust and bird droppings.

Work wise I was involved in the evacuation of UN personnel from Beirut and rescuing Greek farmers' animals that had strayed into the buffer zone and been 'taken by the Turkish soldiers.' The farmers were always returned very quickly the sheep/goats and donkeys could take days of negotiation. Lots of sport – I ran a swimming club for UN children most afternoons and learnt to windsurf. During this tour I was very privileged to be able to travel widely in the occupied Northern Cyprus and also to work alongside troops from Austria, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Denmark.

September 1984 to Staff College – Promoted Major – a challenging 15 months – I never was an academic and my knowledge and understanding of many areas of military matters was still very limited. I was only one of two female officers on the course with 120 students from British and a wide range of International Armies moving through the ranks Over the next twenty years I had a broad range of appointments working at Regimental duty and staff in an administrative role: Jan 86 to Northern Ireland as the Chief

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special feature who do you think they are?

Nick Harrington Smith thanking Di on behalf of the exhibitors – Royal Bath & West 2009 Personnel Officer – awarded MBE for services there Jan 88 back to Guildford to the WRAC Centre to command the now single Training Company and to introduce weapon training for British Army female recruits.

Feb 91 to Hong Kong as a Commander WRAC Far East and Officer Commanding British Forces Hong Kong Support unit, which was predominantly Chinese soldiers and our role amongst other things was to defend the HQ from terrorist attack. Quite a tall order when the 29 storey building had Hong Kong harbour on one side and was dwarfed by skyscrapers on the other three sides. Fortunately we were never attacked as the exercises could have made an excellent comedy programme Jan 92 to Joint Services Staff College, Greenwich, where amongst other things as the Cold War had ended and the first Gulf War was in progress I spent a week learning all about nuclear planning!

Nov 92 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel and sent back to Northern Ireland as a staff officer, this time responsible for all visitors to the Province and the NI Plan and budget – awarded OBE for services in Northern Ireland Feb 95 to Worthy Down, Winchester to command a training unit where at last I was trusted to teach officers and soldiers at various stages in their military careers.

March 97 to HQ UKSC (G) – back to Rheindahlen as the Chief Personnel Officer for the British Forces in Germany.

Feb 99 to HQ DSPS (A) – back to Worthy Down to the Directorate of Staff and Personnel Support where as a Colonel amongst a range of tasks I was responsible for all aspects of military pay.

Di handing out the thank you booze to the judges – Royal Bath & West 2009 Feb 2003 to Army Personnel Centre – Glasgow as the Chief of staff with a staff of 1000+ civilians many of whom I had a language problem with and 100 military staff. The unit was responsible for the career management and postings of all British Army personnel.

May 2005 – retired from Active military service Jun 2007 – Jan 2008 – Civil Servant HQ Provost Marshall (Army) at Upavon looking after manpower and equipment a task which only occupied a small part of my day so there was plenty of time for ‘Alpaca business’. alpha alpacas I fell in love with alpacas at the New Forest Show in 2000. I already had land at Charmouth in Dorset which I did not know what to do with.

Driving back to Andover after the show the Lord spoke to me and told me that was the direction I should be going after the Army. I had recently attended an Alpha Course and hence Alpha, new beginning, Alpha Alpacas was formed with three pregnant females, imported from Australia, purchased from Alpacas of Wessex.

During the first season two cria were born – one of whom went on to win his class at the Alpaca Show held in the Northampton cattle market in 2002. I travelled to Australia with a group organised by Alpacas of Wessex in Autumn 2002 where we spent 10 days visiting a range of Australian breeders in Victoria and Western Australia and attended the Alpaca Show at the Melbourne and Perth Shows.

During this trip I purchased what has been my best breeding female – Windsong Valley Yoshimi, who has produced the line of Alpha stock named after Australian towns and cities.

Alpha Arthur, Yoshimi’s first son won the Junior male champion at the BAS National Show in

Come on, Di, smile – you're on camera...

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2004. All Alpha stock are named in accordance with themes attributed to their dams – Australian place names, planets , Australian Birds, marsupials, Atlantic islands , spices, etc.

By 2004 the three acres at Charmouth was too small for the growing Alpha herd and I bought a new 15 acre site at Melplash, just north of Bridport. The single field and a small stone barn offered a blank canvas from which to develop the ideal farm with small paddocks all linked by a series of walkways.

I joined the South West Alpaca Group, SWAG, in 2001, when the Group had 30 members and took over as Secretary in 2003.

SWAG has subsequently grown year on year and now has a membership in excess of 150 (120 + mailing addresses).

My first involvement in show organisation was the Royal Bath and West Show 2005 and I took the lead on the organisation from 2006.

I then organised the first Spring Show in 2007 as part of the West of England Spring Game Fair. This moved to the Bristol Sales Centre in 2008. Both shows continue to grow – 400+ entries at the Spring Show in 2009 and the Bath and West Show is now a four day show in dedicated facilities. In 2008 Alpha stock won two championships at the Spring Show. A great achievement for me was when Alpha Alpacas won the best small breeders award at the first British Alpaca Futurity in 2006. The Alpha herd now hovers around 40 animals.

I have many other interests apart from alpacas – International travel – Sub aqua (qualified PADI Open water diver), philately specialising in Australia and Cyprus but with a large British Commonwealth collection, Palaeontology (fossil collecting) mainly at Charmouth, watching athletics and I am an armchair supporter of Manchester United. l

...that's the way!

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Alpaca World Magazine 41

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Alpaca World Magazine 43

feature how the mitey have fallen

feature how the mitey have fallen

how the mitey have fallen Most breeders would all agree that keeping a herd healthy is of utmost importance.

Jay Holland of Pure Alpacas highlights the growing issue of mite infection in alpaca herds, offering invaluable advice on detection and treatment of the condition.

By the time that this article goes to press

I am rather hoping that the shearing season will have come to an end. For some this might sound surprising but I am writing this at the end of August with some alpacas still to shear and, believe it or not, inquiries still coming in.

Although huacayas need shearing every year, do not fret if they have not been done.

Provided that they can find shade and access to plenty of water they will not suffer too badly; just book them in early for next year.

With this is in mind, something that has been of growing concern during the season is that we have a serious numbers problem, which few people seem to be considering and even fewer addressing. Let me explain; each year the number of alpaca increases, (at last count it was around 25,000) and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future but, the number of shearers does not, we number about 12. We know that we are not picking up

70% of all the herds that I have shorn this season have had some mite in them, from single alpacas to almost entire herds.

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all of the alpaca that need shearing now, for one reason or another, and so if you consider that the growth rate will conservatively be 20% or 5,000 alpaca, spread between 12 shearers, that’s another 400+ each. Where or how are we to fit them in? Even more worryingly, if the authorities decide again that they have a problem with our Australian, New Zealand and American colleagues coming to shear our alpaca we are going to be in real trouble. Only this year, one of our regular shearers was forced to return home for personal reasons and when the news broke, I received several frantic calls and, in a period of less than two hours, had been asked to shear another 185 alpacas. Personally I didn’t mind, although fitting them in would have been a problem, but the big shock was the realisation as to how reliant we all were on one shearer to get the numbers done.

So, how do we address this issue? I am not sure; we can try and encourage our local agricultural colleges to put alpaca shearing into their curriculum; we can try to encourage our own shearers to take on apprentices; we could try and encourage some more overseas shearers or we could learn to shear our alpacas ourselves. In any event, the issue is one for the BAS membership to resolve and I can only urge alpaca owners to bring it to the attention of the BAS board and the national committees.

Originally I was intending to shear for only three days a week. I am not as young nor as fit

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as I used to be and so thought that a few would be fine. Well, I was inundated and besieged with requests, so found myself shearing 6 days out of 7 and sometimes 7 out of 7 often out for between 12 and 14 hours a day. I can now sympathise with my fellow shearers as to how difficult we are to get hold of sometimes! So, I worked through the aches and pains of bad knees, back, elbows etc and, amazingly, they disappeared. I find myself, relatively painless, more muscular and fitter than I was before with a whole new wardrobe of trousers.

Several hundred alpacas later, with dozens of farms visited shearing has been an eyeopening experience. I have seen whole herds of unregistered alpacas with some superb specimens in them. I have seen small “pet” herds through to some larger breeding herds.

I have shorn outside on hills, in purpose built alpaca barns, in a chicken shed, in fields and in gardens. The summer has been kind but at times too hot, we have shorn where the perspiration was evaporating before we got damp, where we have had to turn the mats for each alpaca to keep them cool and even burnt out a pair of shears.

But, what has surprised me most is the number of herds that suffered from mites. My guess is that over 70% of all the herds that I have shorn this season have had some mite in them, from single alpacas to almost entire herds. And, further, I have been surprised by the number of those owners who were

Each year the number of alpaca increases, (at last count it was around 25,000) ...but the number of shearers does not, we number about 12...

Alpaca World Magazine 45

feature how the mitey have fallen

feature how the mitey have fallen

I have been surprised by the number of those owners who were unaware of the condition or what it looked like.

unaware of the condition or what it looked like. Now, it may just be me, I, by preference, like to shear the legs of an alpaca right down to the ankles and, it is on the lower leg, that most mite evidence has been uncovered.

Clearly, there are those that prefer the fuller leg and shearers who simply skim the fleece to tidy the legs but, whilst this is absolutely fine, it does not reveal the potential of mite.

Shearing is the perfect time to discover and treat for mite but, it is not always possible to identify the exact type of mite with which you are dealing and, typically, the treatment for different mites differs.

Please do not take this as gospel, it is merely the musings of an owner and shearer but: There are primarily three different types of mite that affect camelids in the UK and it is not unusual for alpacas to be infected with more than one type. It should also be borne in mind that mites are very contagious and where it has been discovered on a single alpaca in a herd or group then it is highly likely that the others are carrying the same mites and the whole herd or group needs to be treated rather than just the individual. This can be hard to accept, the others may not be showing any signs of an infestation but it could be that they do not have the numbers or, perhaps, they are not as sensitive to the mite as some other individuals, however failure to treat all the alpacas will only result in a re-infestation.

The most common mite that I came across was sarcoptes. Sarcoptes is a burrowing mite which starts on the legs and between the toes; can be seen under the tail and spreads up into the armpits, chest, along the belly, on to the prepuce of the male and around the perineum of the female. The mite damage is fairly obvious, it is the only mite which burrows and the initial signs are small red spots or pustules, dandruff, scabs and crusts.

In a short while the skin begins to thicken and can become very dry, scaly and elephantine in appearance.

However, the only way to truly identify sarcoptes is by taking deep skin scrapings.

46 Alpaca World Magazine

others. I will not go into them all here, I am positive that I do not know them all, and I am not a veterinarian. The common treatments seem to be spraying fipronel (Frontline) between the toes and on the lower legs, a course of Dectomax or Ivomec, Karen Ruggles “Stop-it-All”, Camrosa ointment and Eprinex with pig-oil with less common ones being hair shampoo for nits and mange treatments for dogs and cats. A common mistake has been in treating for mites with the same product as the alpacas have been treated for worms. If the alpaca has been treated for worms and still has mites why do we think that the same drug will eradicate the mite? By its sheer presence it is pronouncing its likely resistance to that particular drug.

I can only reiterate, please get the mite identified. Unless you are 100% sure, take the advice of a veterinarian as to what works in your particular area and remember sarcoptes can be passed to humans, so please be careful how you treat your alpacas.

If, in particular, sarcoptes is allowed to advance unchecked it allows secondary infection in to the “tunnels” it creates and generally lowers the alpaca’s immune system giving rise to additional worries.

The alpaca can lose condition but, in all cases, the condition is treatable and no alpaca should be euthanased for having mites, it is not incurable.

Mites also cause the shearer problems. Not only do you have to be careful with the skin on the legs, but mites can be easily transferred from one alpaca to another via mats, shears and clothing. If told, we can be cautious – if you have different “groups” of alpacas, we may need to change between groups to avoid spreading it within your own herd and we certainly do not want to pass it on to a

Psoroptes

Sarcoptes I have seen some terrible cases of sarcoptic mange - in one case the entire belly and chest area were bald and covered in thick skin which acted like a carapace. The owner was, unfortunately, unaware of the problem. In another case, an inherited alpaca had arrived with mites, the new carers had dealt with the mite but, due to years of infestation, this had led to very little fleece being left on the lower half of the alpaca and a very thick layer of dead skin. The vet had diagnosed this as warts (I can see why, the skin was rough, dry, thick and had dead fleece within it) and had recommended euthanasia. The carers were giving her until the end of the summer to see what they could do and were totally amazed when I peeled off a wart, exposing healthy pink skin beneath. To try and allow you to visualise the extent of the damage, what I had removed, for those of you old enough to remember, was a square of dead skin the size and shape of a sugar lump.

Chorioptes is remarkably similar in appearance to sarcoptes but, as it lives its entire life cycle on the skin, does not cause the red spots or the thickening of the skin and

so is easier to identify from skin scrapings.

However, it too starts on the lower legs, between the toes and at the base of the tail. It may spread to other parts of the body, but at a much slower rate than sarcoptes and it does not usually cause fleece loss.

Chorioptes is less debilitating than either of the other two but, conversely, can be one of the hardest to eradicate from a herd often requiring aggressive treatment.

The last of the three is psoroptes and is the ear mite that you commonly find in alpacas.

It prefers the least fleeced areas of the alpaca as it lives off serum. It does not burrow like sarcoptes, but bites into the skin to get to the lymph. The appearance of psoroptes can therefore be identified by small scabs and crusts, with some head shaking of the alpaca and, occasionally, in-coordination. It produces in the alpaca an excessive amount of ear wax which emits an offensive odour.

Psoroptes is the easiest to treat.

However, even when the mite has been identified, it is not that simple. Some treatments work, some do not and some work in certain geographical regions and not in

AUTUMN 2010

different herd. Hopefully, precautions taken will prevent spread. Personally we change clothes between herds, disinfect mats with FAM 30, dip shearing heads in FAM 30 and spray with Frontline as well as using a mix of clipper oil and Eprinex to lubricate the cutters and combs during shearing. We hope that this ensures a minimum of risk and, in some instances, have to say that we have seen cases so bad that we have had to drive home after shearing to shower and change because we feel unclean and itchy.

After all, better to tell your shearer before he or she starts, it’s not as though we are not going to notice.

So, in conclusion, your shearer is your ally, we are privileged to be invited to get in amongst your herds; we see most things and can help to keep your herd healthy. It is the perfect opportunity to have a really good check on the condition of your alpacas at least once a year, use it.

If you find mites, try and treat them immediately, it is far easier to get to those intricate little places whilst the alpaca is on the mat. But, in any event – TREAT THEM. For those of you who are wondering when to book shearing, a hint: Book early, it is going to get harder to get your alpacas shorn if you leave it too late and take whatever date they can offer. By booking early you could get a choice, most of us have routes planned around our clients and it is easier for us to plan if we have preferred dates early. It is far worse if we have to miss one out as it is often very difficult to head back just for a few alpacas. It is these that are likely to be left behind.

My own diary is already filling with rebookings and new bookings, including one for 30 alpacas, for next year! l

Jay Holland as we normally see him ring stewarding at the British Alpaca Futurity

If you find mites, try and treat them immediately, it is far easier to get to those intricate little places whilst the alpaca is on the mat. But, in any event – TREAT THEM.

Freshly shorn alpacas

AUTUMN 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 47

. . . y l b proba

T H E L A R G E S T AC C OYO A L PAC A H E R D I N E U R O P E Kilnwood Alpacas are

Importing premium quality alpacas into Europe

delighted to announce

Available for your selection

the acquisition of the Cambridge Cajamarca of Blenheim

Blenheim female Accoyo

From Australia’s most highly awarded alpaca breeder

herd in a deal that also includes the champion

Ambersun Alpacas

stud male - Cajamarca.

(Australia) Caligula’s Accoyo Galaxy of Kilnwood

Ambersun Alpacas holds the current title for Supreme Champion Alpaca at four of the largest and most prestigious Australian Alpaca Shows: 2009 Australian National Show: Ambersun El Salvador 2009 Melbourne Royal Show: Ambersun Momentum 2009 Australian Sheep and Wool Show: Ambersun Gladiator ET 2010 Sydney Royal Show: Ambersun Fortune Seeker

This concentration of Accoyo alpacas means that Kilnwood will now be able to offer genetics from three of the most famous of Barreda’s legendary stud males - Shere Khan,

In its 15 year showing history, Ambersun Alpacas has won over 80 Supreme Championships, and an outstanding record of 800 Championships or Reserve Championships.

Caligula and Ruffo.

Shanbrooke Accoyo Shere Impact of Kilnwood

In addition to our stable of prize winning stud males, Kilnwood always has for sale - pregnant females (some with cria at foot), young stock including potential stud males and geldings suitable as pets or flock guardians.

FOR

FURTHER

I N F O R M AT I O N

PLEASE

Their success they attribute to the genetic impact of their remarkable and influential sires, Jolimont Warrior, Peruvian Auzengate and Fine Choice Peruvian Ultimo.

C O N T AC T

EITHER

Mandy Wilson - mandy@kilnwoodalpacas.com - 0777 565 2207 Philip O’Conor - philip@kilnwoodalpacas.com - 0780 110 9243 www.kilnwoodalpacas.com 48 Alpaca World Magazine

Autumn 2010

These highly awarded bloodlines are now available for sale within Europe autumn spring 2010 2010

For a comprehensive portfolio on each alpaca for sale, including photographs, fleece statistics, servicing history and pedigree information contact Ambersun Alpacas Europe Alex Vogt (GM) Germany info@ambersunalpacas.net

Alpakka Enghaugen Line Werner Norway line@enghaugen.no

Kusipacha Alpacka Madeleine Kihlberg Sweden kusipacha@telia.com

Alpakaland Schweiz Mirjam & Matthias Balsiger Switzerland info@alpakaland.ch Alpaca World Magazine 49

Online Advert landscape:Layout 1

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He was shown three times in 2009 and has been 1st Adult Fawn Male at each show. He was the BEST Fawn at the SWAG Show which was a colour championship show.

At the Bath and West and National Shows he was Reserve Adult Male.

He exhibits super ne, high frequency crimp with superior amptitude.

His density is sensational.

For more details contact us or arrange a visit.

Appledene Alpacas, Little Underlyn, Maidstone Road Marden, Kent, TN12 9BG • 01622 831119

50 Alpaca World Magazine

Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 51

Article Category Main Heading

Article Category Main Heading

We started with huacaya geldings but

starting a mill 52 Alpaca World Magazine

In 2006 Peter and Solveig Roissetter wanted to find an alternative to having horses on livery at their home in Devon.

After reading several articles and talking to breeders on their farms and at shows the idea of Rosewyn Alpacas was born AUTUMN 2010

were soon drawn towards the suris. Seeing them running with their full fleece flowing in the sunshine is a truly wonderful sight, we were hooked. We are trying to focus on breeding darker coloured suris but as every breeder knows it takes a long time and you get a few surprises along the way. Our children, Emily and Chloe, work well with the alpacas and they have grown up with some of them. It is really nice to see the suris being paraded at shows by our girls.

Our small herd has grown to 18 suris and with an increasing yield of fibre we started to look at processing options. We found that there were very few places that would process suri fleece into a fine yarn that we could use to turn into quality fabric. Most processors work with huacaya fibre turning it into knitting yarns. We looked at what was happening in the USA and other countries and thought quite hard about what we could do in the UK to help promote the use of suri fibre.

‘So what do you think, shall we do it?’ This simple question was a result of a few months of research and number crunching looking at the alpaca industry in the UK. Yes was the answer, but what was the ‘it’ in the question?

The ‘it’ was to set up a fibre mill that serves the alpaca fibre producers and concentrates on processing suri fibre. The UK produces some world class suri alpacas, but very little is being done with their fleece. We felt that in the UK suri fibre was not given the high profile it deserves and we wanted to try to address the balance and help promote suri alpaca in the UK. Having decided to explore this venture further we arranged a visit to The Bradford Industrial Museum. The curator, Eugene Nicholson, was incredibly helpful and we

AUTUMN 2010

were able to spend two days in the museum with one of their technicians discussing the process in detail and looking at how the various machines perform their tasks. When we saw the gill running it was a moment of exhilaration to see the 100 year old heavy cast iron machine running so smoothly and performing its task so easily. Whilst at the Museum they also arranged for a local excarding technician to spend some time with us. John was in his eighties and had been in the Bradford textile mills all his working life and his depth of knowledge couldn’t be found in a book. The culmination of the visit was us all sitting around with a few kilograms of huacaya and suri fleece we had taken with us and discussing our ideas with these very knowledgeable people; it was a very positive and encouraging time.

So we had an idea of what we wanted to do which had a positive response in Bradford, but we had to make some key decisions.

Where will we be based?

What machinery will we use?

How will we fund it?

An old friend Phil Allen, who has an engineering background, was the ideal partner who would relish working with the machinery.

Phil and I have known each other for around 25 years through a mutual interest in kayaking and after many expeditions to some of the best white water rivers in Europe and North Africa we have a very good understanding of how each other works.

Deciding where we would base the mill we thought would be the easiest decision for us.

There is an old barn dating back to the 17th Century on the property where Phil lives and we hoped to use this after we had cleaned it up a bit. However the decision was made for us from two sides. We wanted to have a

We were bringing historical machines back into productive service and due to their age everything is mechanically based and made to last forever – almost

Alpaca World Magazine 53

special feature starting a mill

special feature starting a mill

Development 2007-2013: Europe investing in rural areas”.

Going through this process was a very good exercise for us as it forced us to approach the project from a Business Plan and Cash flow point of view instead of an idealistic view of what we wanted to do. Although this took a long time it has opened up a large resource of support for us and has helped start the business off on the right footing.

So where are we now? We are busy working bringing the equipment online and going through a lengthy testing and commissioning phase with fleece kindly donated by alpaca breeders. We plan to open our doors for business around the end of the year.

It's amazing how many people want to get their hands on the machines once they see them – the inner child with his train set re-awakened

Breeding to Birthing to Weaning David E. Anderson, DVM, MS, DAVCS Toni A. Cotton, DVM Claire E. Whitehead, BVM&S, MS, DACVIM, MRCVS

how many people want to get their hands on the machines once they see them – the inner child with his train set re-awakened. Its also good to have people to keep you focussed on producing working machines not showroom reconditioned museum pieces – we’ll be adding our own signs of wear in time.

As we learn the capacity and limitations of our machines and the demands of the fibre we are on the look-out for more machines to fill in gaps or improve the quality. We have already added to our basic set-up and hopefully the business will take off so we’ll be able to reinvest in our ‘wish list’.

The local Business Link suggested that we might qualify for grant funding from the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). So the end of 2009 saw us busy writing Project and Business Plans ready for our grant application. Part of the application process involved attending a meeting with the SWRDA to discuss our plans and why we should be given any funding. It felt like a job interview and before we had the results of our application someone called a General Election and everything went on hold for the duration of the election period, all we could do was to wait to see what happened.

On the 18th May 2010 we heard the good news that our application had been approved and a further series of paperwork and meetings would follow. The good news was soon dampened when a few weeks later we heard the Government announce their plans to scrap the RDAs – what about our money?

As it transpires our funding was secure as the funding is coming from a European fund and our project is seen as a “Project part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural

AUTUMN 2010

The distinguished veterinarians who wrote this book have over fifty years experience in the care of camelids. It is a comprehensive review of all the issues surrounding breeding, birthing and the welfare of young cria.

The first section is devoted to the fertility or otherwise of the

Two rivers mill is located in Wimborne, Dorset and is run by Phil Allen and Peter Roissetter (Rosewyn Alpacas). Please contact info@tworiversmill.com for further information or to be added to our mailing list (our website will be opening shortly).

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas

male camelid and ends with how and when to castrate. The female reproduction section is by far the largest and covers the different types of breeding programmes, the reproductive physiology of camelids, infertility and pregnancy diagnosis.

It moves on to the normal and abnormal birthing process including cesarean sections, uterine torsion and vaginal prolapse ending with an analysis of lactation. Neonatal care looks at the first 24 hours of a cria’s life, the premature cria and congenital defects.

This book contains an enormous amount of extremely useful, practical information and should be on every breeder’s bookshelf.

Please visit the shop at www.alpaca-uk.co.uk to buy your copy.

Alpaca books & digital discs from Classical MileEnd Alpacas

l s! s Ideaistma r sent Chpre

54 Alpaca World Magazine

we saw at the Bradford Industrial Museum.

For us this was very attractive because we were bringing historical machines back into productive service and due to their age everything is mechanically based and made to last forever - almost. Apart from the carder most of the machines would have originally been turned by belts driven by steam power.

All the machines had a generous coating of grease and hair from their last use and since lying idle for several years had acquired a surface of rust where there should be shiny metal. The process of degreasing and cleaning is slow and dirty but it does bring you into intimate contact with each machine and gradually as the surfaces emerge and the gears move freely the function and purpose of each part reveals itself. It’s a great way to begin understanding the process you are attempting to master and a link to the days not so long past when these machines were being turned out in their thousands for mills in Britain and the rest of the world. The more distant past where hand-spinning was the only process available can still be glimpsed as the mechanical actions replicate hand actions performed on the fibres as they pass through each machine.

Original spare parts are only available from the limited stocks of non-running machines but happily our machines were mostly intact and any repairs were easily made by welding or machining a new part as a one-off. The open, mechanical nature of the machines makes them easier to work on – rather like a classic car compared to a modern micro-chip controlled engine. We also benefitted from lots of freely offered advice from professional and amateur engineers alike – it's amazing

Neonatal Care for Camelids

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Antenatal Birthing and Cria Care Dr E McMillan and C Jinks

The Alpaca Colour Key Elizabeth Paul of Erehwon Alpacas

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A practical guide for the new alpaca owner written by an experienced alpaca owner and their vet. £20 + £1.50 p&p

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AUTUMN 2010

Alpaca Field Manual C. Norman Evans, DVM Down to earth, comprehensive, and simple to navigate. Its pictures and recommended drug tables will help breeders keep their alpacas healthy. £105+£5.85 p&p

Neonatal Care for Camelids David E Anderson, Toni A Cotton, Claire E Whitehead Highly recommended book from three well respected veterinarians. Covers male and female reproduction, birthing, neonatal care and weaning. A practical ring bound manual based on clinical experiences with over 50,000 alpacas and llamas. A must for all breeders and veterinarians £85 + £3.50 p&p

w 10 Ne 20 r fo

3phase power supply to run the machinery motors and the electricity company kindly gave us a quote for many tens of thousand pounds to do this. Also the local planning authority wanted us to submit a planning application for change of use on the barn and it was their view that planning ‘may’ be granted with very tight restrictions on hours of operation and amount of traffic etc.

It became obvious to us quite quickly that we would need to find alternative premises for the mill. This would impact on our timescales and of course our cashflow.

After a few months of looking at small industrial units we finally found a unit only a couple of miles away from Phil in Wimborne, Dorset. This unit was having a complete makeover, almost a rebuild, by the landlord and it would be a while before we could move into it. As it has turned out, deciding to use this unit has been a very good one as it is very light and has good humidity which is required for spinning and the old barn would not have been suitable as it was too dark and damp.

Looking at the machinery was actually quite a quick process for us. We felt that the mini-mills machinery would not meet our requirements because of the lower output volumes per day it can achieve and the high capital cost of the machinery was a major factor. We wanted to keep our costs as low as possible so that our processing charges would be attractive to the fibre producers as well as the mill becoming a self sustaining enterprise.

We were very fortunate to locate sufficient equipment for us to offer both woollen and semi-worsted processing with machines that originated from mills in the north of the country and some of them are identical to ones

All through this project we have met some very interesting people and incredibly everyone has been supportive of our plans. As we get closer to opening our doors we have learnt some very valuable lessons.

• Do not under-estimate the amount of time this type of project takes to get started • Use the skills/knowledge of experienced technicians • Don’t try to do everything on your own, there are some very experienced people that are happy to help.

• Monitor cash flow carefully – it is very easy to get carried away with the ‘romance’ of the project and the machinery will cost a lot of money. l

Calamity’s Bear Elaine Reeman Illustrated

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Orgling CD Alpaca World Magazine Fifty minutes of pure testosterone orgling courtesy of Classical Ikon.

Ideal for those young males needing encouragement. £7 + £1.50 p&p

Introduction to Alpacas DVD Rachel Hebditch of Classical Mile End Alpacas A 14 minute insight into these lovely animals for those thinking of owning alpacas. £10 + £1.75 p&p

Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8NB Telephone 01884 243579 or Fax 01884 243514 Email enquiries@alpaca-uk.co.uk

Alpaca World Magazine 55

m r a A F l s p k a o c o as n S www.snooksfarmalpacas.co.uk Chris: 07971 269441

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Huacaya twin girls born July 2010 Flopsy Floss (4.6kg) and Flake (4.2kg) at 1 week old Floss Needed to be bottle fed for about 6 weeks, although she was the second born and the largest, mum had a hard time figuring out what was going on!

Both girls are now being fed by mum and doing amazingly well!!!

56 Alpaca World Magazine

Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 57

feature letter from belgium

feature letter from belgium

Letter From Belgium

A band of volunteers at Libramont

Belinda White on extreme weather, the Libramont agricultural fair, dealing with inebriated visitors, refusing four alpaca sales and the effect of Tin Tin on Belgian attitudes to llamas. Intrigued? Read on...

Summer here in Belgium has been mixed

The visitors all seemed to think that llamas spend their whole life looking for people and then spitting on them.

58 Alpaca World Magazine

to say the least. After a good spring we had a heat wave that lasted about seven weeks, saw temperatures as high as 38 degrees and the grass burning off in front of your eyes. High hay bill again. We then had the wettest August in 50 years. At least it gave the grass a chance to recover. The alpacas coped wonderfully lying in the shallow stream at the end of the field in the hot period and sheltering under the overhanging trees in the wet period and all the cria have grown very well. Mr Jambon did his wallowing in the pond and spent the rest of the summer working hard eating the windfall plums and apples.

Unfortunately we chose this hot spell to finally get down to renewing all our internal fences so had little time to enjoy the weather.

We tried to get someone in to do the work but the only commercial fencing company left in this area took three weeks to come and look at the job and then the guy as good as laughed in my face, promised me a quote by email and that was the last I heard from him. Obviously far more lucrative erecting the garden variety than real fences.

I have been out and about with the alpacas over the summer. First outing was to the fair

of Libramont. This is reputed to be the biggest agricultural fair in Europe. It covers a huge area, lasts four days and this year there were 182,000 plus visitors and for the first time in its 77 year history these visitors could look at alpacas. With setting up and dismantling the stand it took a full week plus the paper work which was a first for the organisers. We had a great pitch near to the show jumping ring on a main pathway. We took four sensible males and settled them in a good sized pen and waited for the public to arrive and arrive they did. Over the four days we had between 8 and 10,000 people pass through and when I say pass through I don’t mean pass by and glance at the animals, I mean come into the tent, have a good look, read the large information posters that we had made and then ask questions., I started talking at 9am and finished at 7pm. By the end of the show my voice had almost gone so, as my husband said, it wasn’t all bad news. The amazing thing was that a huge majority of the visitors had no idea that alpacas existed. Llamas yes but alpacas no. The first comment that they nearly all made was , ‘’look at the little llamas’’ we put them right on this, then the first question they nearly all asked was , ‘’do they spit like

AUTUMN 2010

llamas’’, They all seemed to think that llamas spend their whole life looking for people and then spitting on them. This seems very unfair as we have a llama and in all the time we have had her she has never spat at anyone. Why do the Belgians think like this? Well if there is anyone out there looking for a topic to write a thesis on ‘’The influence of modern day literary characters on the mass population’’ then they have to look no further than Hergès adventures of Tin Tin. After the first 1,000 people had passed through and asked the spitting question I decided to ask why they had such a bad opinion of llamas. The answer was, yes, Tin Tin. In Tin Tin in Peru a llama spat at Captain Haddock and it would appear that nearly all Belgians seem to have read this story, well, after all Hergè was Belgian, and it has stuck in their minds and been a slur on the llamas character ever since - the power of the pen and all that.

I was ably assisted in this huge undertaking

by James and Sophie. Both threw themselves into the task and I have to say that I know of very few 8 and 10 year olds that are prepared to stand up in front of 50+ strangers and talk. I did have to alter the patter a little as I felt that: ‘’These are alpacas, they come from South America and they don’t spit much’’ probably wasn’t highlighting their more positive characteristics.

During the whole time my four alpacas behaved perfectly, no falling out and certainly no spitting. Even when a slightly inebriated young man leant over the rails and pretended to spit at them they did nothing which was a shame as all the other onlookers started chanting, spit spit spit, in French. After all if anyone deserved the curse of the llama it was this young man. The onlookers were

AUTUMN 2010

disappointed until I through half a glass of water in his face. They then cheered. Am I remorseful? no, it was richly deserved but when will I grow up? Never mind, it was very satisfying.

Sales, well yes, I could have sold four animals but I declined. The first happened when I took the three, 18 month old boys outside the tent for a photo opportunity with a young lady on her hen outing. I don’t know if it was my lovely boys or the hen dressed up in a pink pig suit that attracted the attention

I could feel the smile freeze on my face. ‘’Oh dear, I really don’t think that they are suitable for life in a circus’’ I said. but we ended up with quite a crowd. After the photos I was approached by a man, cash in hand who said that he wanted to buy all three.

I was a little taken aback but asked him if he knew much about alpacas. Oh yes he said, I have lots of animals in my circus.

I could feel the smile freeze on my face. ‘’Oh dear, I really don’t think that they are suitable for life in a circus’’ I said. ‘’They will be fine’’ he responded. ‘’No really, they are not suited to circus life’’ smile still fixed rigidly on my face ‘’they can be effected by stress quite badly’’. ‘’I want them’’ was his response.

At this point a lovely French speaking lady who had obviously recognized the horror on my face stepped in and very politely but firmly explained in articulate French, that they were not suited to circus life and therefore not for sale. End of conversation, he shrugged his shoulders, put his cash back in his pocket and walked off not in the least put out by being turned down. My French heroine winked at me and walked off not to be seen again. Now all you hard-nosed business people out there will be shaking your heads in despair, a sale is a sale but I am sorry, I believe that I have a responsibility to my animals, I have seen too many circus animals tied to lamp posts grazing the verges of Belgium to believe that they could cope with it let alone be happy.

The next offer was a man who approached me in the tent. "Can you deliver to the Ardenne?" ‘’Yes of course’’, after all I would want to know where they were going. ‘’Good, I want the black and white one’’ he said pointing to Diego. Now, I have plans for Diego so I said that I was sorry but he wasn’t for sale, the nice brown one was.

"No my daughter wants the black and white one."

"He’s not for sale."

"She wants the black and white one."

"He’s not for sale."

He then shouted over his shoulder "You can’t have that one do you want the brown one?"

The daughter who was about 18 said "No, I want the black and white one."

Again I said "He is not for sale."

He then turned round in a huff and walked off. It was only after they had gone that I realized that neither of them had asked me any questions about alpacas, what they eat

Alpaca World Magazine 59

Canchones

feature letter from belgium

fine black alpaca

The Boys Mr Jambon cooling down

The level of interest at the two shows was phenomenal.

60 Alpaca World Magazine

what facilities you need etc. There is one young lady who is obviously used to getting exactly what she wanted, but not today.

Libramont is packed full of other attractions besides alpacas and the show jumping. All kinds of other farm animals are represented there with a huge emphasis on the Belgian breeds.

Belgian Blue cattle are a wonder to behold.

They have been bred to carry what looks like an extra muscle on their rear ends which to me gives them a rather bizarre, out of balance look.

It does however increase the bone/meat ratio so they are the preferred breed here. The meat is very lean and the calves are enormous which has led to 96% being delivered by caesarean. It is common to see a cow with a freshly shaved patch on her side, a line of new stitches and the marks of two or three previous sections.

Pigs are also bred the same way and look very bottom heavy. Every year there is a special show for another Belgian breed, the Cheval de Trait. These are genuine working horses standing about 16 hands so not nearly as big as the English Shires. They compete in weight pulling competitions, and an obstacle course pulling a 6 metre long tree trunk. This included a water feature and going round cones. They can turn on a sixpence, reverse and navigate the course with only a flick of a fine pair of reins and a few voice commands from their handlers.

These handlers are the men and women that they work with on a daily basis in the forests of Belgium. They are used not as a gimmick but as the most effective and ecologically friendly alternative to machines. They can get further into the forests without roads, they don’t break up the soil and don’t leave wheel tracks that, when they fill with water cause waterlogging and soil breakdown. I would have liked to see more of them but my public awaited me!

We also had an invitation to another agricultural fair in Mons. This was just a three day affair with only a fraction of the visitors.

Although I wasn’t nearly as busy it gave me the chance to talk for longer with some of the public. Again the same four boys behaved impeccably and, as the crowds were smaller they could be hand fed carrots and apples by some of the children. Both alpacas and children thought that this was great. We also had the chance to talk to and get to know other exhibitors. This led to us arriving with four alpacas but leaving with four alpacas, a rabbit and a guinea pig.

The level of interest at the two shows was phenomenal. I have committed myself to open days next year and have received lots of enquiries, not so much about buying alpacas but about what they need, their history and how to keep them. Lots of people also said that they would like to come to the show in Namur and see more of them. I am sure they will not all turn up but even if only 300 or so do it will be good publicity.

All in all, it has been a very positive summer for alpacas here in the South of Belgium. l

Solid Black Suri & Huacaya

Peter Kennedy & Robert Gane alpacas@canchones.com.au www.canchones.com.au Phone: 61 3 5773 2468 360 Swamp Creek Road Taggerty, Victoria, Australia 3714 AUTUMN 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 61

1-2 Page Toft Ad. 2010 UPDATE 09.qxp

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Umbilical Clamps These clamps are a must for those cria whose umbilical cord does not seal properly, clamp one on and the bleeding will stop, once dry remove wash and reuse.

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Rob and Shirley Bettinson, Toft Alpacas, Toft Manor, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 6NR Tel: 01788 810626 Mob: 07970 626245 Email: admin@toft-alpacas.co.uk

Thermometer The perfect digital thermometer for checking cria and adult alpacas temperature

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Knowing actual birth weights is vital for proper management of cria. The sling is designed to hold the cria securely whilst you weigh it on the scales.

Tags We can supply a wide range of ear tags to suit all needs, from cria tags to adult BAS tags in a range of colours to choose from. Ear tag applicators and permanent tag pens also available

Colostrum Cria over the years have been saved by feeding them this colostrum. It is perfectly balanced for new born cria. It has added vitamins, trace elements and minerals, as well as Vetoxan.

Teats These teats are the perfect size and shape for cria from new born to weaning age. They are easy to clean, have a flutter valve so that a vacuum does not build up. Just trim the teat end to the size required for the cria being fed.

Iodine Spray Iodine is an excellent astringent, it helps to dry out and seal the umbilical cord on a new born cria.

Umbilical Spray For those who do not like to use iodine there is Umbilical Spray.

For our full range see our website at www.alpacacare.co.uk

We have moved, call us for a chat or an appointment to visit the farm and see some magical alpacas Website: www.alpacasofwales.com Email: susan@alpacasofwales.com Telephone: 01545 590361

For Alpaca Centres Contact:

Atacama Alpacas 62 Alpaca www.atacamaalpacas.co.uk World Magazine

Lightfoot Alpacas www.alpacabreeders.co.uk

Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 63

health & welfare body scoring & flow chart

health & welfare body scoring & flow chart

The New Zealand Alpaca Association has written these extremely useful Paddock Cards for its members. They cover poisonous plants, birthing, care of the newborn cria, routine worming and vaccinations and fibre classing. We are re-printing three that seem most useful to breeders in Britain.

FOR REGULAR CHECKS AND SICK ALPACAS SYSTEMATIC EXAMINATION FROM NOSE TO TAIL 1

BODY CONDITION SCORING

The simplest assessment of your alpaca. Check Paddock Card Body Scoring

2

POSTURE Standing with: rounded backside Stiff gait x-front legs “low” neck (camel neck) SHAKING / tremor EYES For weeping, symmetry Sunken and membrane colour

A hunched backside, walking stiffly: in cria and alpaca under 2 years: Rickets, vitamin D deficiency, also X front legs.

Hunched backside: pain (anywhere) Camel-neck: sick alpaca. CALL YOUR VET In neonates under 3 weeks: stiff gait with painful walking: septic arthritis.

CALL YOUR VET

4

JAWS Compare both sides on upper and lower jaw for lumps, feel along the sides of the nose

Tooth root abscesses may show on the outside as a lump and discharge on the outside.

A sinus infection may cause swelling along the side(s) of the nose, discharging eyes and nose.

Lump on the side may be caused by food impaction.

5

GUMS & LIPS

Inside of the gum should be pinkish in white and light coloured alpaca. White or extremely pale: anaemia

3

Staggers, Ryegrass Staggers (PEM*) Eyes should be both evenly open , clear and have a pink membrane. Very pale or white: anaemia Light blue spots: old ulcer. Red spots: healing ulcer.

Weeping/discharge of both eyes: blocked tear ducts, tooth root problem, allergy Weeping/discharge one eye: infection, sinus problem, blocked tear duct, foreign body.

Sunken both eyes: Dehydration. Sensitive to light: ?Facial Eczema?

TEETH

Check length. Overgrown teeth reduce food intake especially on very low pasture. Check Paddock Card Body Scoring. Check Paddock Card Teeth

7

EARS Shaking head, one ear down, jumps when ear is touched

Ear tag infection. Swelling with discharge.

Ticks & mites inside the ear.

Eartips and sides: swollen, crusty: dermatophilus. Thickening of the ears can be caused by Facial Eczema.

SKIN ON MUZZLE, HEAD, NECK, BACK, INSIDE OF LEGS Constant itchiness, rubbing head on ground, rubbing against fence, scratching with teeth on legs

Skin problems: Dermatophilus,. Bacterial infection Usually large areas with crusts that are white on the inside when opened. With soaking crusts comes off readily with slight bleeding of the skin.

Sarcoptic mange: skin mite, parasite. Crusty lesions mainly on lips, legs and belies Dermatophilus can develop in untreated mange.

NECK compare both sides

Swellings. Males fighting. Can cause haematoma, may become infected Sharp prickles can cause infections and abscesses

8

9

LEGS & FEET Limping, itchiness

Wounds, fractures, strains, skin problems, overgrown or infected toenails.

Pad abscess (usually caused by sharp object). Unable to kush: possible patella problem

11

TAIL (also look under tail) Constantly away from the body.

Dirty tail White under tail

In pregnant females: tail away from body and up: close to unpacking Urge to defecate: tummy ache, constipation, diarrhoea.

Dirty tail: loose dung, diarrhoea caused by too much green grass, worm infection, bacterial or viral infection. DO Faecal egg count. Paper white colour inside the vulva: anaemia. Check eyes for anaemia too.

Males - Injuries due to fighting

12

BODY TEMPERATURE For the “off” or “Down” alpaca Insert thermomometer gently in anus for at least 4cm, use a lubricant, count to 120 for an accurate reading.

Very tricky in alpaca, as they are great regulators of internal temperature.

Under normal weather conditions adult alpaca: Normal morning temp 37.5 – 38.5 C Normal evening temp 38C up to 39.5 C Fully fleeced animals in hot weather can have a temperature up to 40 C. Cria newborn 37.5-39C If unsure if there is a fever or not, check a healthy alpaca of the same sex and body weight to compare

13

BELLIES Genitals Udder Cria Umbilicus

Males: injuries to genital area Females: Udder. Hot to touch, hard, taut skin. Jumping and screaming: mastitis A normal udder is soft and has no taut skin and normal body temperature.

She may still jump and scream if touched in this area.

Cria up to 14 days old: soft and round belly – milk intake only) Umbilicus: swollen, discharging, enlarged -> CALL YOUR VET All ages – check for ticks

The ALPACA HEALTH CHECK will provide information that should help your management and your veterinarian in reaching a differential diagnosis. At a later stage of illness the findings can be secondary to the cause of the initial problem. At least half of alpaca problems are related to internal parasites, so the right dewormer at the right dosage and time, and regular faecal egg counts, should be on top of the alpaca management list.

SIGNS OF COLIC Lying down on the side with In alpaca showing abnormal behaviour, though it may not seem to be sick, a any or all of these: health check can give some conclusions or indications to the cause and how to • Kicking around manage the problem. Management in the early stages of abnormal behaviour can • Rolling save the life of this and other alpacas in your herd. Beware of the “stroppy” alpaca • Head/neck arched back that becomes easy to handle!

• Laboured breathing If you have an alpaca with slight abnormal behaviour, DO A HEALTH CHECK. • Shallow short breathing Keep an eye on the animal to see if those changes become more prominent. If they • Continuous moaning do become more prominent, contact your vet.

An injured alpaca may sit down but is not really sick. Unless you do a health check you won’t find an injury on a foot (unless it is obviously bleeding or the alpaca limping). An infected foot can cause pain and the alpaca will lie down.

Swelling of the lip: bee sting, abscess, generally caused by sharp leaves or prickles.

6

10

A sick alpaca sits down a lot and does not seem to follow the herd, or appears not to be eating and using the dungpile: contact your vet asap. NEVER wait to see if it will be better the next day. Alpaca are very stoic animals that will often only show signs of being sick when a disease is well advanced. You have to act promptly.

An extremely sick alpaca from one moment to the other that goes down and only gets up when prompted, or does not really want to get up at all, may exhibit symptoms of colic as well. It may be weakened by disease: liver damage, ulcers, pneumonia, severe anaemia caused by the barbers pole worm or bleeding ulcer, or have an acute abdomen with a blockage, and/or becoming septic. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. CALL THE VET. A thermometer is one of your best investments. Beware of temperature margins and also of exposure factors. Take a temperature from a healthy animal of the same weight, sex and age to compare. Also, an animal that has been exercising or has been chased may have a higher temperature.

In ALL cases do a full health check, observe, and write down your findings. CALL THE VET IF IN DOUBT.

*PEM: polioencephalomacia ALPACA ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND INC. Production from the Health & Education Subcommittee, June 2006. Approved by the Camelid Veterinary Group, a branch of NZ Veterinary Association. Disclaimer: The AANZ does not accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness,

ALPACA ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND INC. Production from the Health & Education Subcommittee, June 2006. Approved by the Camelid Veterinary Group, a branch of NZ Veterinary Association. Disclaimer: The AANZ does not accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness,

or usefulness of any information provided. Always consult your vet if you are in any doubt. www.alpaca.org.nz

or usefulness of any information provided. Always consult your vet if you are in any doubt. www.alpaca.org.nz

64 Alpaca World Magazine

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Alpaca World Magazine 65

health & welfare body scoring & flow chart

health & welfare body scoring & flow chart

Body condition scoring is something that all alpaca owners should practise particularly in the winter months when the animals are in full fleece and it is difficult to see that they are losing weight. There is no substitute for hands on scoring.

The third chart is basically a ‘when to panic’ guide to help you assess calmly what might be wrong with the alpaca and whether you can treat the animal or need to call the vet. The assessment is done using the Health Check Paddock Card.

INTERVENTION FLOW CHART FOR MILDLY SYMPTOMATIC TO VERY SICK ALPACA To be used with the Paddock Card “Health Checks” Stage A:

ADULT ALPACA CRIA under 4 months

“OFF COLOUR”

Alpaca condition or body scoring, a health check

Not down, but slow to follow herd and come to dinner, or not eating Change of behaviour

Quick & simple to do & can easily be done on a regular basis

9 Check the spine as per diagram 9 Keep a record of each body score 9 Check the ribs 9 Look at upper rear legs 9 Feel the chest 9 Look at front legs and chest Score 1 requires vet inspection asap. Score 4 and 5 may require nutritional advice, or just a diet (no extra feed). Beware of changes in BS.

1

EMACIATED

2

THIN

3

OPTIMAL

4

OVERWEIGHT

5

Stage B: ADULT ALPACA & CRIA

“SICK”

Down, but gets up when prompted, sits again. Not eating, drinking, using dung pile often or not at all. Lethargic, change of behaviour. (colicky, rolling, lying on side or other signs of distress)

Record ALL information

Make a short report of information on age, feeding ,previous treatments, recent history, current problem and findings, plus what you have done so far

Stage C: ADULT ALPACA & CRIA

“DOWN”

-very steep angle along spine & curves inward - ribs are very easily felt - hard bony v-shaped chest - very increased space between rear legs - very little muscle & absolutely no fat

Not getting up at all, sitting or lying on the side constant moaning IMMEDIATELY colic, convulsions, shallow breathing.

Irresponsive.

CALL YOUR VET

Record ALL information

NOW!

Complicated dystocia

WHILE WAITING FOR THE VET

- spinal slope more that 45 degrees - ribs can be easily felt - hard chest with a slight v-shape - some increased space between rear legs - some loss of muscle

NOSE TO TAIL CHECK

ALPACA ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND INC. Production from the Health & Education Subcommittee, July 2006. Approved by the Camelid Veterinary Group, a branch of NZ Veterinary Association. Disclaimer: The AANZ does not accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided. Always consult your vet if you are in any doubt. www.alpaca.org.nz

- about 45 degree angle along spine - ribs felt with slight pressure - firm muscular chest - chest makes straight line between front legs

- convex shape between the backbone & upper ribs - ribs felt with some pressure - somewhat rounded soft feeling chest - inner thighs smooth & less defined

STAGE A

STAGE B

If you are able to diagnose and/or confidently deal with the situation, do so.

Only if you are at Stage A, can you observe with or without treatment for another 24 hours.

Reassess the situation regularly. If no improvement in 24 hours, or uncertain what to do: CALL YOUR VET

If you are confident and understand the situation, and have the resources to treat, go ahead without delay.

Contact your vet for assistance and have blood taken for “sick ruminant”. Faecal egg count can be carried out if thought appropriate.

Always do a full body check, even when you have an idea what is wrong; there may be something else that you otherwise would have missed.

OBESE

- backbone looks flat - firm pressure needed to feel ribs - rounded soft feeling chest - large area of contact between rear legs - little or no definition on inner thighs - may have difficulty walking properly

ALPACA ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND INC. Production from the Health & Education Subcommittee, February 2004. www.alpaca.org.nz Diagrams with compliments of Australian Alpaca Association

66 Alpaca World Magazine

NOSE TO TAIL CHECK

ANY OF THESE FINDINGS -Bodyscore 1 or 2, recent drop?

-abnormal posture -uncoordinated limb movement -unable to see,(running into fence -sweet breath -“milky” eyes esp. in neonatals -soft belly, empty -sunken eyes -colic -abnormal temperature -anaemia (severe) -severe watery diarrhoea -infected wounds -eye infection ,swollen face -cria: swollen, discharging, enlarged umbilicus -mastitis -hard , painful udder

AUTUMN 2010

If you are uncertain, contact another knowledgeable breeder or your vet immediately. ..

STAGE C

Intervene yourself if you have some idea of what the cause of the condition is, but you must still call your vet immediately.

Complete blood profile and nose to tail check gives very important data.

If you can’t find any abnormalities CONSIDER: ADULT & CRIA > 4 months Recent change of diet /pasture Environment, weather, social changes in the herd) Worm infection, stomach ulcer CRIA < 4 months CHECK DAM’s condition and udder

When in doubt, call your vet

ALPACA ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND INC. Production from the Health & Education Subcommittee, July 2006. Approved by the Camelid Veterinary Group, a branch of NZ Veterinary Association. Disclaimer: The AANZ does not accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided. Always consult your vet if you are in any doubt. www.alpaca.org.nz

AUTUMN 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 67

alpaca feeds • contain cereals for high energy • contain sugar beet for quality fibre and palatability • fully mineralised to balance forages • high levels of vitamins and trace elements for health and fertility • packed in 25kg bags • available delivered direct to farm in minimum 1 tonne lots • also available in bags from Mole Valley Farmers or SCATS Countrystores

for more information call the feedline

01278 444829 68 Alpaca World Magazine

Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 69

Article Category feature workingMain dogs Heading

feature working dogs

“ M AJOR: Epitaph on a dog's gravestone in Maryland, USA

Born a dog, Died a gentleman” Over lunch some days ago we were

Alex Harrington Smith works for Matthew and Cathy Lloyd at EP Cambridge in Australia running 3,000 alpacas. I think we can safely say that Alex is a dog lover.

debating the words “mate” and “friend”. The Australians in the room tell me that a mate means far more than a friend; he is your confidante, there for you no matter what.

To my Dutch farm hand and I there is one big problem with this – Australians must be none too picky in their selection of closest friends as to all they meet they will happily declare “G’day mate”.

One relationship I have observed through my days in alpacas and agriculture is that of a man and his working dog. To many he underpins their working day and their lonely moments amongst the stock or on the land.

Since arriving at EP Cambridge Australia close to five years ago the use of working dogs has become a way of life. EP Cambridge Australia is a large scale operation with circa 3000 alpacas on farm and a good few on the way. The various groups within the herd

can at times stand in excess of 400 females.

When successfully managing the health and welfare of such a herd it is often a case of all hands on deck. I have some wonderful people who work alongside me but I also have a beautiful team of kelpies. Whilst they do not lie side by side with those dogs who share the warmth of my fireplace they certainly share equal space in my heart. The crew of working dogs with which I share my day are an intrinsic part of life on farm. They are the fail safes who are never a no-show, never the late starter or the early finisher. No matter what day of the week, no matter what the weather they greet you with a flailing tail and a face full of eagerness and loyalty. Now I have to admit that not all the alpacas share my love of these canines, for example our up and coming herdsire EP Cambridge Risk Taker ET has developed a pronounced distaste for them, and under the protection of the human

workforce he knows the battle is easy won, as do the dogs who relent with good grace, well ok some of them just know the smart thing is to pursue self preservation.

In recent weeks I witnessed something I would never wish to see again….a farmer lose his dog, as he put it - his right arm. This incident led to an evening of much reflection on the working dog, on the dogs who accompany me each day, on the thought of losing any one of them and what they really mean as your constant companion.

Perhaps the best way to draw you in to their spell is to familiarise you with my working dog crew. At this point in the narrative I should point out that I refer to them as “my” dogs in the adopted sense as true credit and ownership belongs to Matthew Lloyd.

Bundy, a small black and tan kelpie bitch with a big heart and the personality to match, classy is as classy does with this little dog.

To watch her move 200 animals in to the yards is like poetry, every muscle rippling with her efforts, her eyes set fixedly upon the task at hand. No bite, no bark, no fuss.

Bundy knows how the world works. Her master is her focus and procuring food from multiple sources is her speciality. She knows who lives where and is shameless in the spinning of a sob story with those big brown eyes. Bundy ensures that her domain is as it should be from the back of a four wheeler, slipping to the ground with a somewhat aged athleticism in order to talk turkey with the various difficult customers amongst the alpaca herds.

Boxer is one of those dogs who can steal your heart in an instant and he has certainly worked his magic with mine. He is an absolute master when it comes to both playing the goof and paddock procedure – this boy is a gentleman amongst Kelpies. Just recently Boxer has found his right arm in Tabu who compliments him to perfection. Not only does she work the gaps he cannot cover but she makes a wonderful fall guy when things are

Bodie

Tabu on Matt's bike

Tabu working

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feature working dogs

feature working dogs

For many the very concept of working alpacas with dogs is a thorny one.

But to me it is necessity.

looking less than favourable. Like any working dog there are occasions when his antics are not what one would categorise as helpful but this is Boxer – the charmer, the class act.

Perhaps Matthew has missed a trick by not putting him in charge of sales. And call me cheap but what I love the most about this dog is his willingness to have the pleas of others fall on deaf ears when I am in the vicinity and his owner is away.

Little Tabu is the new recruit amongst the crew. A discerning purchase made at the Hamilton show by Matthew. I will confess to being slow to warm to this little chook despite being told by Cathy that she would be the next Bundy and therefore one of my greatest loves and Cathy was quite correct. Tabu now accompanies Boxer as my greatest aid in getting the job done. She has a spring in her step that will deftly carry her to the back of the ute or over a fence in one move.

Now this leaves Brew, Action, little Bodie and of course my own girl Jazz. Brew is anybody’s dog, fickle as the Australian weather moving where hugs and pats desire to take her. It sounds as though I am painting a negative but trust me when I say that this little power house of push ‘em up is a godsend as new staff come and go. She just wishes to be of help, no matter who drives the quad or calls to her she will be by your side.

Action is young and full of energy which is sometimes not so easy to channel, but between the two of us and an extremely

L to R: Brew Tabu and Boxer

Brew

long and robust piece of rope our endeavours continue. To watch her move 200 animals in to the yards is like poetry, every muscle rippling with her efforts, her eyes set fixedly upon the task at hand. No bite, no bark, no fuss. Just sheer hard work and perseverance. It took time to earn her trust and love; I cannot even claim that this challenge is won which is perhaps part of our struggle. I think at times we both question how much one understands the other.

Bodie and Jazz were born last December.

They are now in the heady days of excitement at all things four legged which run. Bodie is the more sensitive of the two, collapsing in to the hug of welcoming arms whenever the opportunity presents, but from the earliest wanderings this red and tan thinker has displayed a flare and an eye for livestock. At just 10 weeks he spied an alpaca mob on the move and struck the very pose of watchfulness that epitomizes the style of his father. Jazz on the other hand was a late developer but develop she has. She is effortless like her father and muscular like her mother, with a dash of healthy defiance to boot. The use of the word healthy is my attempt at optimism in the face of adversity. My ruined Ugg boots are testament to this following a long hour of repeated calling in high winds and lashing rain beneath eerily creaking gum trees with the word “Jazz” lost in the gale.

For many the very concept of working alpacas with dogs is a thorny one. But to me L to R: Boxer and Tabu on the run

it is necessity. Only last night someone told me you didn’t need dogs to run alpacas and perhaps they are correct. Well, when you have 100 or so. And let me disabuse you of the idea that alpacas have no sense of humour. Indeed they do, and when I front up with my trusty Honda, unaccompanied by man or dog laugh they do. I now run a herd approaching 3000 strong, a group of some 200 head is nothing out of the ordinary. I have seen alpacas skip across paddocks skillfully combining both scorn and joy as they inform me that they are going nowhere of my choosing. So to set the scene you arrive at the paddock on your four wheeler, you open the gate, you drive out behind the group and maybe use the horn to hint at the fact that you would now like them to accompany you to the yards for, let’s say mating. Nothing wrong with that request?

Well actually according to the majority of the herd there actually is because it is 5 past 2 on a Tuesday and this is not a good time. So we are going nowhere, beads of sweat are gathering at your temple and your bike’s horn has beeped itself hoarse whilst the alpacas are still happily grazing. Their only dilemma is probably how to chew whilst laughing so hard on the inside. So my working dogs are my right arm, my left arm and probably a leg too. When alpacas are running the wrong way they are there to stop them whilst everyone else is still thinking about running to my aid, when they refuse to go in to the yard because the day is hot and their inclination is languid the dogs are there, pushing and guiding them through the white gates.

Trust me this is about dogs working the alpacas as you or I might and not about attacking or harming them. I have seen some dogs punished by the unrelenting attack of

alpacas. But these dogs are a team. During the summer I saw a horrifying and near fatal attack on Bundy, the eldest of the dogs. We were moving a large group of girls up the driveway towards the Hill n Dale paddocks and this took us past the dam. Bundy had been politely asked to stay near the sanctuary of the office but had declined the good advice and she joined the fray on the driveway. She was soon running to the side of the herd with the dam to her left. Boxer, Tabu and I were all behind pushing up the stragglers.

Suddenly an imported but long time resident had poor Bundy in a fix. The raging female was pounding at the ground narrowly missing the stricken kelpie whose agility is long since past its best. I could see it all unfolding but

as Bundy was backed in to the water I was far too far away to help. Suddenly and from nowhere Tabu was on the scene, with a sense of purpose she threw her body in to the path of the attacking alpaca to move her away from the kelpie now perilously close to losing her footing on the loose bed of the dam. I am not sure which of us were more surprised at the plucky actions of my red and tan girl – me or 349Y who gave up the fight for flight and headed back to the tail of the disappearing mob. Tabu most definitely saved Bundy on this occasion.

Call them mate, call them friend, they are my working dogs, my constant companions and without them I might just as well be alone. l

Boxer working

Getting into the festive spirit!

www.miriquidi-alpacas.com 72 Alpaca World Magazine

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Autumn 2010

autumn 2010

sales@conceptsofperu.co.uk Alpaca World Magazine 75

foreign correspondence letter from france

foreign correspondence letter from france

Letter from France

french revolutions Unpredictable seasons, al fresco feasting, and encouragement for the alpaca industry – Andy Spillane gets philosophical in the autumn sun

As I sat down to write this article I couldn’t

help thinking of a song from the film the “ Lion King “ , “ The Circle of Life”. I have always enjoyed the different seasons of the year, my favourite being autumn with the magnificent colours of the trees. It is only since I took up farming, albeit in a somewhat amateurish way, that I have truly appreciated nature’s seasons and rhythms. Sadly in this region, whether because of global warming or some other cause, over the last few years the seasons have not been so clear cut or followed their traditional patterns in the way they once did. As an example, in the last week we have had frost at dawn and a daily high of 12°c followed two days later by 15° at dawn and a high of 26° and no rain, this in October. Snow in May and drought in October makes planning a little difficult, only an inch and a half of rain since mid June.

As always, our hay was cut this year by a neighbour, Kiki, and as usual we were amongst the last. Kiki has lived and farmed here all his life and it is he that decides when to cut. No amount of cajoling or anxiety on my part will induce him to cut before he thinks the time is just right regardless of what other farmers in the area are doing. I have learnt to accept this

76 Alpaca World Magazine

Dédé cooking for France

AUTUMN 2010

AUTUMN 2010

because he always seems to produce superb hay, we have some from 2008 and when the bales are opened the inside is still green and sweet smelling. Fortunately this year was no exception; with the lack of rain we started seriously feeding hay in mid July. When I talk to Kiki about starting he always gives the same reply, “It will be OK if we get it done before the ‘Feu St Jean’”. We finished the day before the feast day.

The “Feu St John” takes place at the end of June and commemorates John the Baptist.

Most villages have a communal meal al fresco before lighting a giant bonfire blessed by the local priest or, in our case, friar. Traditionally our village has “Jambon a la Ficelle” as the main dish. The jambons are cooked suspended in front of a large log fire by Dédé younger brother of Kiki. This year he prepared 5 jambons totalling 55 kilos for 150 people, previously marinated in herbs, garlic, wine and cognac the hams take around four hours to cook. The weather was perfect, the meal superb and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves safe in the knowledge that the all important hay crop was in the barn.

July saw the formation of a new regional group for alpaca owners and breeders, along the lines of SWAG in the UK. Our group, acronym PAGA, covers the two south west regions of France, the Aquitaine and PoitouCharente. The group is apolitical with regard to the various French National associations, its primary aims to promote and develop the alpaca market in the region and cooperate in the utilisation of fleece. The idea had been discussed for some time and I was unsure as

to the degree of enthusiasm for such a group.

The first assembly took place over a lunch with the main course being smoke roasted joints of beef, leg of lamb and pork. As I am sure you have now discerned nothing much happens in France without a substantial meal.

My concerns proved groundless as all major breeders in the two regions promptly joined the group and volunteers for various tasks and functions quickly stepped forward. To date, we have held our first regional show and located an excellent fibre processing facility in Italy.

PAGA is now in the process of organising its fibre cooperation plan and transport arrangements for Italy and researching a suitable venue for next year’s regional show, the intention being to move the show location around the two regions. The creation of this regional show circuit was one of the main reasons for the formation of PAGA. This year’s National show is being held later this month in the Saone valley in the east. For many of us in the south west this would mean an eleven to thirteen hour journey each way, two days at the show, two days travel and three nights in hotels. The cost and the time away from the farm is very hard to justify but more important the whole episode is certainly highly stressful for the alpacas. Our regional show enables people to travel both ways and show five or more alpacas on the same day for under a hundred Euros including travel costs, much less stressful and far more economic.

This said, no one disputes the need for and benefits of a national show and I am sure we will support it in the future when held

Alpaca World Magazine 77

foreign correspondence letter from france

Sire: Top Account 2nd Fleece 19.24μ Sire: Top Account 1st Fleece 15.61μ

Sire: Top Account 1st Fleece 15.87μ

The Proof is in the Progeny... www.fowberry-alpacas.com

Fowberry Alpacas, Crambe Grange, Barton-le-Willows, York ,YO60 7PQ. Tel: 01653 619520 & 01653 618100

Despite the commercial difficulties felt by all this last year in the current economic climate the alpaca industry appears to be getting back on track in France

78 Alpaca World Magazine

somewhat closer to home.

Our regional show was held at the end of September at the local two day Comice here in Echourgnac. A comice is a traditional small rural, artisanal and agricultural show. This one takes place every four years and was first held a hundred and fifty years ago. It has evolved over the years, sadly no longer seeing large numbers of sheep, cattle horses and mules as was the case in the 1950s through the seventies. Artisanal crafts and forestry play a more prominent role these days with alpacas providing the largest animal contingent at this year’s event. Activities and demonstrations included skills such as glassblowing, basket and clog making together with working threshing machines, courtesy of Kiki, and ancient tractors with historic implements in tow. Dédé, not to be outdone by his younger brother, produced charcoal in the traditional manner tending it for over a week and sleeping alongside in a tent made from logs and turf. PAGA contributed to the craft work with five members spinning and weaving alongside the alpaca pens. This created great interest as France is seeing a revival of interest in spinning and knitting.

A few days before the show we were witnessing temperatures over thirty degrees in the shade. In consequence of this I placed our pens in the shade, unfortunately the morning proved cloudy and very cold. The day cleared gradually and the sun came through in time for the show classes after lunch, much to everyone’s relief. Partly for bio-security reasons the show’s entries were limited to animals from our two regions with the stipulation that the animals must have been resident in the regions for 6 months prior to the show. Despite this restriction we had a good entry that demonstrated how

far the industry has come in France in the last few years. In 2005 I organised the first National Show for the French society ALF, I followed this with their second in 2006. I well remember the struggle I had to get people to enter, hours on the phone and emails stroking, cajoling and persuading alpaca and llama owners to enter, being met with “I’m not entering if she is ”kind of responses. After all this I achieved an entry of 39 alpacas from all over France for the 2006 show. For our PAGA show we received 42 entries from just two regions without any need of persuasion, it was a joy to organise, a far cry indeed from 2006. The feedback has been very positive, an enjoyable day in good company with great interest from the general public generating serious sales enquiries for some of the breeders. Despite the commercial difficulties felt by all this last year in the current economic climate the alpaca industry appears to be getting back on track in France. l

Sire: WD Miguel 1st Fleece 19.00μ

Sire: NB Harrison 1st Fleece 20.42μ

Sire: WD Miguel 1st Fleece 20.42μ

Results of PAGA 2010 Champion White Huacaya: Farrlacey Lucien Champion Fawn Huacaya: Beauvautrait Gascon Champion Brown Huacaya: Beauvautrait Eldorado Champion Black Huacaya: Beauvautrait Gaucho Champion Suri: Farrlacey Fernando Progeny Male: Beauvautrait Condor Progeny Female: Beauvautrait Baileys Supreme Champion: Farrlacey Lucien Reserve Supreme Champion: Beauvautrait Gascon

AUTUMN 2010

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 79

Mariela Advert:Layout 1

27/9/10

12:12

Page 1

Alpaca World Magazine’s Breeders Directory

Mariela of Wessex for Sale A top quality Rural Alianza Plantel female huacaya with her Melbourne Champion Accoyo Shere Revenge male cria at foot and a non-breeding female Wessex Johanna • A winner of many show ribbons including Champion Adult Female at Three Counties Show • Crias to date include 2 females and 2 males - all solid white • Superior fleece • Mated to Livanti Cloud and believed pregnant • Tame and very easy to handle • Ideal trio for the first time alpaca owner • Available for viewing at Livanti Alpacas

Everything you need for rural living

Call: 08708 352352 for your nearest country store or buy on-line @: www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk 80 Alpaca World Magazine

IRELAND

cornwall

Alpacas de la Grange Mynas Gillian Howard-Evieux, La Grange Mynas, La Glacière, Saint Chamond, France, 42400.

Tel: 33 (0) 4 77 22 85 69.

Email: howard-evieux@orange.fr.

Web: www.alpaga-alpaca.com.

Heart of France – 30 mins Lyon. Prizewinning bloodlines for sale. Stud services – black, Best of Show France 2005, two ‘Alpacastud’ white Peruvians. Full after-sales support. Bed and Breakfast and holiday flats available.

Burren Alpaca Damien Dyar, Murrough, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, Ireland.

Tel: 00353 (0)65 707 6010 or 00353 (0)86 8121314. Fax: 00353 (0)65 707 6961.

Email: damien.dyar@burrenalpaca.com Web: www.burrenalpaca.com Ireland’s premier stud farm with worldwide alliances. Over 10 years experience. A ‘full house’ of bloodline includes progeny of the ‘super six’, Allianza, Accoyo, IRL PPPeruvian Auzengate, FC Ultimo and Jolimont Warrior.

Stud services, sales, agisting and full support services. Visit our farm in the beautiful Burren with a luxury thatch cottage for rental on the farm www.burrenthatch.com.

Home Manor Farm Alpacas Anne and Mike Higgins, Home Manor Farm, Trevellas, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0XU. Tel/Fax: 01872 571310.

Mob: 07870 114778. Email: homemanoralpacas@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.homemanoralpacas.co.uk Select Peruvian and Chilean breeding herd.

Stud services available. Stock for sale with after sales support and advice. Enquiries and visitors always welcome. Come and see our wonderful animals.

Aquitaine Alpacas Lindsay Naylor, Le Mayne de Gaye, Sainte Alvere, France, 24510.

Tel: +33 (0) 553 23 44 48.

Email: lindsay@aquitainealpacas.com Web: www.aquitainealpacas.com Established herd situated in the Dordogne.

Breeding quality Peruvian huacayas from contented home bred stock. Sales, stud males. Practical guidance and support given on management and handling for happy alpacas.

For more information call Hilary Shenton 0786 778 1699 or Liz Barlow 01296 682605

Fa r m i n g • S m a l l h o l d e r • E q u e s t r i a n • Pe t • G a r d e n i n g

France

Abergavenny Bearley Bishops Castle Bourton Bridgend Bridgnorth Bridgwater Bromsgrove Bromyard Carmarthen Chepstow Chipping Norton Cirencester Crewkerne Evesham Gloucester Hereford Ledbury Leominster Ludlow Malvern Market Drayton Melksham Melton Mowbray Newport Nuneaton Presteigne Raglan Stockton Swindon Thornbury Tr e d i n g t o n Tw y f o r d Upton Wa r d l e Wenvoe Whitchurch Witney Wr e x h a m

Autumn 2010

Elevage de Garenne Isabelle Leydier Delavallade, Chez le Meunier, 16110 Marillac le Franc, France.

Tel: 00 33 545 63 58 07 or 00 33 685 53 80 54.

Email: lama.de.garenne@wanadoo.fr Web: www.elevage-de-garenne.com Breeding prize winning camelids since 1990.

Limited number of huacayas available.

Specialising in Suri alpacas, white and coloured. Stud and agistment services available.

Quelvehin Alpacas Steve and Jayne Parker, Quelvehin, Malguenac, Morbihan 56300, Central Brittany, France.

Tel: 00 33 (0) 297 273 886 Email: steven.parker@wanadoo.fr Web: www.brittanyalpacas.com Breeding quality huacaya and suri alpacas.

Accoyo bloodlines. Stud services and agistment available. Two luxury cottages on-farm for holiday rental. Alpaca livery with B&B by arrangement.

italy Zarza Alpacas Hilary Shenton, Casa Sirino, Contrada Sirino 16, Rivello, Potenza, Italy, 85040.

Tel: 00 39 320 822 7068 Email: hilary@zarza-alpacas.com Web: www.zarza-alpacas.com A British herd of high quality huacayas and suris offering alpacas for sale, stud services, herd management and training in Basilicata, Le Marché and Umbria in Italy.

UNITED KINGDOM Buckinghamshire Livanti Alpacas Liz Barlow, 1 Nash’s Farm, Aston Abbotts, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 4NT. Tel: 01296 682605.

Email: liz@livanti-alpacas.com Web: www.livanti-alpacas.com Established in 1999, we offer a wealth of knowledge and experience. Stud services including "Hire a Stud" for a season, quality alpacas for sale, consultancy and training from qualified judge.

WhyNot Alpacas Robin and Caroline Sandys-Clarke, Whynot Alpacas, Ghyllas, Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5LT. Tel: 01539 621246. Fax: 01539 621646.

Email: rsc@countrysideservices.co.uk Web: whynotalpacas.co.uk Well established family-run Huacaya herd. Selection of quality home-bred, BAS registered, halter-trained animals for sale.

Excellent after-sales back up. Livery. Stud.

Visitors welcome by appointment.

Devon Cumbria Greenside Alpacas Michael Griffiths and Mary Tollit, Greenside Farm, Lupton, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria LA6 2QD. Tel: 01539 567922 Email: greenside.alpacas@virgin.net Web: www.greensidealpacas.co.uk Premier established breeder of Champion Suri and Huacaya alpacas. Wide selection of alpacas available by renowned stud males.

Excellent friendly after sales support. Come and see our lovely alpacas. Visitors always welcome.

Town End Alpacas Brian and Kim, Town End Alpacas, Town End Farm, Crosthwaite, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8JL. Tel: 01539 568341. Mob: 07740 918380.

Email: info@town-end-alpacas.co.uk Web: www.town-end-alpacas.co.uk Champion Huacaya and Suri alpacas with exceptional fleece and conformation. Stud males from renowned Australian blood lines. Visit to view the excellent quality of our studs' progeny and alpacas for sale.

Ashill Alpacas Keith and Heather Rushforth, The Shippen, Ashill, Cullompton, Devon EX15 3NL. Tel: 01884 841400.

Email: ashillalpacas@gmail.com Web: www.ashillalpacas.co.uk Breeding quality alpacas for fleece, showing and breeding stock. Also stud services, pets and fox guards. Throws and fabric for sale. Visitors welcome – please phone first.

Friendly, helpful advice.

Classical MileEnd Alpacas Rachel Hebditch and Chas Brooke, Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8NB. Tel: 01884 243579. Mob: 07970 415638.

Email: rachel@alpaca-uk.co.uk Website: www.alpaca-uk.co.uk Professional stud farm with 14 years alpaca experience. Show winning herd sires with pedigrees containing Australian, British and American genetics available for stud work.

Wide selection of quality alpacas for sale as pets or as breeding stock. We pride ourselves on excellent customer support and training.

Visitors welcome by appointment.

cheshire Cheshire Alpaca Yvette Noad, 'Novur', Macclesfield Road, North Rode, Cheshire, CW12 2NS. Tel: 07734 786687. Fax: 01260 223545.

Email: yvettenoad@hotmail.com.

Web: www.alpacascheshire.co.uk Family run business. Many years of experience with animal husbandry, breeding, land management. Help with agricultural planning applications. Day courses. Full after sales support and advice.

autumn 2010

Alpaca World Magazine 81

" nt try ve us re d ie a in em ac pr alp he K "T e U h rt fo

Alpaca World Magazine’s Breeders Directory

Dorset Alpha Alpacas Di Davies, Woodstock, Mapperton Lane, Melplash, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3UF. Tel: 07739 382483.

Email: didavies@alpaca.fsnet.co.uk A small elite herd with an excellent selection of proven Australian and Peruvian genetics and a great Show record. Sales, stud services and friendly after sales service provided.

Visitors welcome.

Inca Alpaca – Black Alpaca Tim Hey, Amberley Farm, Higher Drove, Chilfrome, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0HU. Tel: 01300 320580.

Mob: 07875 532827.

Email: mail@incaalpaca.co.uk Web: www.incaalpaca.co.uk A dedicated breeder of 13 years in breeding black alpacas using proven and scientific strategies. Elite show winning herd sires for service and proven quality females for sale.

We offer a close and honest relationship to our clients to ensure long term success.

Marshwood Vale Alpacas Geoff and Brenda Bugler, Payne’s Down Cottage, Marshwood, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 5QG. Tel: 01297 678181.

Email: b.bugler611@btinternet.com Web: www.marshwood-alpacas.co.uk Breeding huacayas since 1998 we now have a herd of 70+, sired by some of the best males in the country. Choose pregnant females, young males or stud services – all BVD tested.

gloucestershire Pure Alpacas Jay Holland, Torsend House, Main Road, Tirley, Gloucestershire, GL19 4EU. Tel: 01452 780327 or 07789 257222.

Email: info@purealpacas.co.uk Web: www.purealpacas.co.uk Established breeder offering range of courses (including Camelidynamics), quality stock for sale from proven bloodlines and stud services. Shearing bookings now being taken. Outstanding after sales support.

Snowshill Alpacas Roger Mount, Snowshill Hill Barn, Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, GL54 5XX. Tel: 01386 853841. Fax: 01386 854791.

Email: roger.mount@btinternet.com Web: www.snowshillalpacas.com Breeders of prize winning Huacaya and Suri alpacas in Gloucestershire. We usually have alpacas for sale, from pet to show quality.

Stud services available from proven sires.

hertfordshire Herts Alpacas Nigel and Katie Beckwith, Fairview Farm, Wyddial Road, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 9BS. Tel: 01763 271301 or 07802 433155.

Web: www.hertsalpacas.co.uk 2009 award winning British Alpaca Futurity breeder. Over 80 quality alpacas for sale in all colours from world famous bloodlines.

All our pregnant females are mated to the finest recognised and proven championship winning males. Stud services available, friendly halter trained pets and unbeatable after sales care.

norfolk AzSu Alpacas Nikki Lenk, The Low Farm, Letton, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 7TB. Tel: 01362 820097. Mob: 07877 469383 Fax: 01362 821333 Email: su.lenk@azsualpacas.com Web: www.azsualpacas.com Norfolk's largest breeder offers potential and existing owners a friendly and complete service. High quality studs; breeding females and wethers for sale; practical training; caring agistment; fleece conversion; sound advice on all aspects of these magical animals.

Burnt Fen Alpacas Ann Nickerson, Garden Cottage, Burnt Fen, Horning, Norfolk, NR12 8LA. Tel: 01692 630553.

Email: alpacas@burntfen.plus.com Web: www.burntfen.co.uk We maintain a small select herd of alpacas who give us beautiful fibre and endless entertainment. We sell a limited number of animals each year. Visitors welcome by appointment.

north yorkshire Fowberry Alpacas Graham and Jenny MacHarg, Crambe Grange, Barton Le Willows, York YO60 7PQ. Tel 01653 618100.

Email: info@fowberry-alpacas.com Web: www.fowberry-alpacas.com Your females visiting our Australian prize-winning males, have their own post and rail paddock with a quiet, caring environment, conducive to conceiving. Each of our elite stud males has been bred or bought to improve future generations.

With outstanding conformation and fleece statistics, choose a male to complement your female – inspection welcomed!

Somerset Tai Wind Alpacas Staffordmead, Lower Rudge, Nr Frome, Somerset, BA11 2QE. Tel: 07790 674334.

Email: info@taiwindalpacas.co.uk Web: www.taiwindalpacas.co.uk Small independent breeder of quality black alpacas. Selecting the best alpacas we can source from our foundation herd.

Specialising in a breeding programme which delivers quality stock year after year.

Sussex West The Alpaca Stud Nick Harrington Smith and John Potts, Bowford Farm, Goose Green, Thakeham, West Sussex, RH20 2LP. Tel. 01903 891425, 07770 586014 or 07979 651742. Fax: 01903 891425.

Email:info@alpacastuduk.com Web: www.alpacastuduk.com 600 huacayas and suris in all colours. 25 top stud males. Starter Packages. Shares in stud males. Free support. Courses. New Snowmass males.

Warwickshire Toft Alpacas Rob and Shirley Bettinson, Toft Manor, Dunchurch, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 6NR. Tel: 01788 810626.

Email: admin@toft-alpacas.co.uk Web: www.toft-alpacas.co.uk Toft Alpacas is a long established herd of quality, prize winning alpacas in all colours, aspiring to excellence in breeding, husbandry, education, welfare and herd management. Friendly, family run business.

011 New for 2wards t in Show a

Bes uacaya for Suri and H

wiltshire Pinkney Alpacas Margaret Silver, Pinkney Court, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 0PD. Tel: 07775 780345 or 01666 840540.

Email: info @pinkneyalpacas.com Web: www.pinkneyalpacas.com We specialise in suri alpacas and have top prize winning animals as well as ‘starter packs’ available for sale. We have a variety of champion males for stud purposes.

yorkshire Brookfield Alpacas Lawrence Waller and Jean Waddington, Brookfield Farm, The Howe, Castleton, North Yorkshire, YO21 2EY. Tel: 01287 660728. Mob: 07815 810433.

Email: brookfieldalpacas@btinternet.com Web: www.brookfieldalpacas.co.uk Huacaya and Suri alpacas. Pregnant females and Pet geldings for sale. The very best of Champion Black Huacaya, White Suri and Fawn stud males. Training, husbandry advice, visitors always welcome.

Book your space in the Alpaca World Breeders Directory now by telephoning Heidi Hardy on 01598 752799. An entry is priced at just £35 to cover four issues 82 Alpaca World Magazine

Friday 11 + Saturday 12 March Hall 2, Stoneleigh Park Conference Centre, Coventry CV8 2LZ

Autumn 2010

The ideal opportunity to meet alpaca breeders from all over the world, listen to leading veterinarians, take part in hands on photographic, textile, birthing and alpaca assessment workshops and look at the best British bred alpacas in judged show classes.

All alpaca breeders, whether showing or not, should come along!

Elite auction Seminars Fashion shows International Fleece show Art, craft + photography competition Shopping + trade stands Champagne reception Celebration dinner, prize draw

A great opportunity for breeders and exhibitors to promote their businesses.

For more details telephone 01884 243579 or visit:

www.britishalpacafuturity.com

20 1 1

Hayne Alpacas Paul and Teresa Cullen, Hayne Barton Farm, Burrington, North Devon, EX37 9JW. Tel: 01769 520384. Fax: 01769 520469.

Email: info@hayne-alpacas.co.uk Web: www.hayne-alpacas.co.uk Established breeder offering a wide selection of excellent Huacaya and Suri alpacas for sale. On-farm or mobile mating service with a comprehensive range of support services including husbandry assistance and advice.