Alpaca World - Spring 2015

Spring 2015 £7.00 where sold

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ALL MAPPED OUT

The alpaca genome explained

Alpacaly Ever After

A STORY OF ONE COUPLE'S VENTURE INTO THE WORLD OF ALPACAS

WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO?

Passing the test The alpaca breeder's quest for “True SD”

CONTENTS

Classical Publishing Ltd Š 2015

WELCOME

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.

Issue 53 Spring 2015 ISSN 1477–7088 Editor: Rachel Hebditch Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8NB Telephone: 01884 243579 Mobile: 07540 748803 Email: rachel@alpaca-uk.co.uk Advertising: Heidi Hardy Telephone 01598 752799 Email: heidi@ alpacaworldmagazine.com Copy deadline for the next issue: 17th June 2015 Design and Production: TRG Design Telephone: 01392 279371 Email: info@trgdesign.com www.trgdesign.com Printed in England by: Advent Colour 19 East Portway Ind. Est., Andover SP10 3LU 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 photo by Harvey Brown.

WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE FEATURE ON THE BBC'S HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU AND ALMOST FELL OFF THE SOFA WHEN IT SUDDENLY APPEARED. IT IS SOMETHING WE HAD HOPED FOR - FAME AT LAST. Our cover picture features ten-year-old Matthew Wright of Eden Valley Alpacas taking part in the Junior Handlers competition at the North West Alpaca Group Show - it is a stunning shot taken by photographer Harvey Brown.

There are plenty of other shows featured in this issue including the BAS National Show, the Hapert Show in Holland, the Heart of England Show and the British Alpaca Futurity 2015, the largest alpaca show in Europe and its fibre arm The Plush Show.

CONTENTS Alpaca World Magazine Spring 2015 NEWS

FEATURES

4

EPD in Focus at Alpaca Classic 2015

14

British Alpaca Futurity 2015

5

Hapert Show

18

p-LUSH Show 2015

5

Education with a Destination

22

Alpaca Chromosome Map

5

NWAG Show

6

BAS National Show

28

The Alpacalypse Is Coming

8

Heart of England Show

32

Where Does Your Fleece Go?

9

Alpaca Showtime

40

The Fibre Question: SD v CV

9

ACOA Fleece Collection Scheme

42

9

Lecture Tour Gets Underway in Holland

The Alpaca Breeder's Quest for True SD

50

Alpacaly Ever After

58

Alpacas as Therapy Animals

66

Brisan: Never Knew Alpaca Felt This Way

REGULAR ITEMS 74

Breeders directory

32

50

58 www.alpacaworldmagazine.com ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 3

NEWS

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

EPD IN FOCUS AT THIS YEAR'S CLASSIC

The Alpaca Classic September 5th and 6th 2015 THE ALPACA CLASSIC, hosted

by The Alpaca Stud and Bozedown Alpacas, will take place for the fourth year on the weekend of September 5 and 6.

The 2015 event, at Bozedown Alpacas, will focus on Herd Evaluation Strategies and will again include an auction. This time attendees are offered the chance to select from a group of alpacas called 'The Spectrum' . This group offers every colour available so something to suit any breeders programme.

The main speaker on Estimated Progeny Differences will be Shauna R. Brummet of Hobby Horse Farm Alpacas in Ohio, USA. She was Vice President, Chief Scientist and EPD Development Committee Chair of the Alpaca Registry Inc. for nearly eleven years and is now President

and CEO of the BioHio Research Park at Ohio State University.

The ARI set up an EPD programme as did Mike Safley at Northwest Alpacas and the two have since merged. In 2008 Shauna Brummet wrote: 'Estimated Progeny Differences' is a powerful statistical tool based on quantitative genetics used by livestock breeders for decades to aid in sire selection and dam/progeny evaluation. The technology takes measurable, quantitative (and in some cases qualitative) data and applies a set of equations designed to discount the contribution of all inputs to a specific trait except the genetics of the individual animals of interest to predict the outcome 'on the average' of matings of that animal to a set of females of similar quality.

'EPDs have been used for many, many years with great success in the cattle (both meat and dairy) and fibre industries in the US and other developed countries. The use of EPDs can help breeders make steps towards their herd

The use of EPDs can help breeders make steps towards their herd goals when they are coupled with other important tools Table 1. Summary of observations for Huacaya and Suri by trait

goals when they are coupled with other important tools - the impact of market demand, the result of show adjudication by qualified and knowledgeable judges, as well as the 'hands on' evaluation of the experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated herdsman/businessman.'

The latest EPD Producer Report from the USA, compiled in Autumn 2014 by Dr Mark Enns of Colorado State University, shows that the database continues to grow with over 21,468 huacaya and 5,156 suri included. All the observations are on fleece traits except for a new one introduced in 2013 - birth weight.

Table 1 shows the averages for each trait in huacaya and suri whilst Table 2 shows the heritabilities used in the latest EPD calculations.

Table 2. Heritabilities used in the latest EPD calculations for Huacaya and Suri

Trait Name

Count

Average

Count

Average

Average Fibre Diameter (microns-μ)

18948

23.6

3320

26.6

Standard Deviation (AFD; μ)

18946

5.0

3314

6.2

Trait Name

Huacaya

Suri

Average Fibre Diameter (AFD)

.52

.52

Standard Deviation of AFD

.52

.52

.52

.52

Spin Fineness (μ)

18947

23.0

3319

26.5

Spin Fineness

Percent of Fibres larger than 30 microns

18948

13.4

3283

25.5

Percent of Fibres larger than 30 microns

.55

.52

Fleece Weight

.35

.32

Fleece Weight

18557

6.1

3408

5.4

Mean Curvature (deg/mm)

17959

37.9

3226

10.9

Mean Curvature

.52

.51

.55

.20

.54

.55

Standard Deviation of Curvature

17957

23.2

3226

13.9

Standard Deviation of Curvature

Percent Medullation

8369

17.2

1448

16.5

Percent Medullation

Mean Staple Length (mm)

17056

91.6

3125

150.1

Mean Staple Length

.39

.15

9352

16.6

2325

17.4

Birth Weight

.50

.55

Birth Weight

4 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

NEWS

CHERRY PICKED IN HOLLAND THE INTERNATIONAL ALPACA SHOW at Hapert in Holland, a two day show, was judged by the senior AOA judge Wade Gease from the USA. The Best in Show Huacaya was AHK Cherry, owned by Alpacahoeve Klinkenberg and the Best in Show Suri by AE Claire, owned by Alpaca Eiland.

‘EDUCATION WITH A DESTINATION’ QUECHUA BENEFIT has organised two 'Education with a Destination' events this year 2015 Education to educate alpaca breeders and raise funds. with a Destinat ion In August, Flying Dutchman Alpacas based in Bend, Oregon, will host a four day event of education, networking, 'hands on' evaluations, marketing, judging and of course fun with some of the best known experts in the alpaca business. Mike Safley, Brett Kaysen, Cheryl Gehly and many more will cover alpaca selection, EPDs, fibre processing and evaluation and how to set up your own farm store.

This year's event will include the first ever Saturday extravaganza with dinner and entertainment. The event will be open to the public as well as the entire eastern Oregon alpaca community. There will be a Quechua Benefit auction with lots of surprises.

Quechua Benefit is an organisation dedicated to helping the Quechua people in the highlands of Peru. They deliver medical, dental and optical care, distribute warm clothing, provide shelter, food and sociological services with the emphasis on children.

In November there is a trip to Peru led by Quechua Benefit's newest board member Amanda VandenBosch. She will be joined by the three other coauthors of the alpaca judging book 'The Art and Science of Alpaca Judging', Jude Anderson, Cheryl Gehly and Mike Safley.

The tour will include visits to the Grupo Inca factory, the Michell sorting sheds and factory, the Quehua Benefit 's Casa Chapi, the Michell Estancia Mallkini, the Picotini Vicuna Chacca, the Nunoa Suri Ranch, the Accoyo Estancia and Rural Allianza.

You can register for Education with a Destination Peru at www.quechuabenefit.org/peru-tour-2015

SHOW SUCCESS IS SWEET IN SPITE OF JAMS THE NWAG ALPACA CHAMPIONSHIPS were once again held at the Exhibition Centre, Borderway Mart, Carlisle. The usual date of the first Saturday in April, meant that many had to endure the Easter holiday traffic in order to attend this year. However undeterred by this, 34 breeders with 130 entries ensured that the show was once again a success. BAS Judge Mary-Jo Smith and apprentice judge Julia Corrigan-Stuart, who were amongst those caught in traffic on the Friday, did a fantastic of job judging the show, creating both an educational and fun atmosphere With only a small number of Suri entries, just six, a Suri Supreme Champion was not awarded, but Best of British Suri was taken by junior brown female; Greenside Suri Oleshky. The Best of British and Supreme Champion Huacaya was retained by last year’s winner; Beck Brow First Edition, an intermediate white male.

Full results are available on the BAS website and additional images have been posted on the NWAG Facebook page.

Photos by Harvey Brown.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 5

NEWS

FLEECES SHINE AT NATIONAL SHOW

By Alex Verhoef

ON THE 7TH AND 8TH OF MARCH 2015 the Telford International Centre was transformed in to the setting for the British Alpaca Society National Show. There were 370 alpacas that travelled from near and far to vie for the rosettes and broad ribbons.

The halter show was judged by British Alpaca Society trained Judge Catherine Lloyd and Australian Judge Natasha Clarke. Natasha also judged the Fleece section with UK judge Matthew Lloyd.

The hall was alive with the hum of alpacas and competitors catching up on each other’s news and tips following the long winter break from the show circuit.

Across the alleyway there was an excellent fibre display, cafĂŠ area and trade stands covering everything from faecal testing to halters and fashion.

The fleece exhibits were very well displayed making it easy for the public and exhibitors alike to

6 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

wander amongst them and take note of the scoring and comment made by the judges. It was a credit to the show to see the fleeces presented as a centrepiece and given the attention they were due.

Supreme Champion Huacaya Fleece went to Ashwood Hope owned by Mr Steve Powell of Ashwood Alpacas whilst Reserve and Best British Huacaya fleece was awarded to Valley Alpacas the General owned by Mr P Lane and Miss D House of Lane House Alpacas Supreme Champion Suri Fleece was awarded to Houghton Royal Duchess (ET) owned by Mr and Mrs Mick and Liz George of Houghton Hall Alpacas and the Reserve went to Pure Crystal owned by Mr Jay Holland of Pure Alpacas.

The Best British Suri Fleece award was awarded to Merrifield Heidi-Ho owned by Miss Shirley J P Isseyegh of Merrifield Alpacas.

MAIN HEADING

The hall was alive with the hum of alpacas and competitors catching up on each other’s news and tips THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT Saturday night saw breeders stow away the wellies and winter woollies, swapping them for their finery to attend the gala dinner. The dinner was a lively event with plenty to keep diners entertained between courses. Nick Harrington-Smith welcomed guests with a reminder of how far the UK industry has come despite its setbacks. Michelle Malt, President of The Australian Alpaca Association gave UK breeders an interesting insight in to the Australia Industry. Shaun Daniels presented the fleece awards. Natasha Clarke was then given the floor to tell the exhibitors more about her alpaca journey followed by Paul Whittey who was presenting the Penrose Product Awards.

With the exception of those in the know guests were taken completely by surprise by the imaginative entertainment. Earlier in the evening Russian waiters had ushered the attendees through to the Champagne reception……but now the deception was revealed and those Russian waiters became singing waiters and so the fun filled entertainment began. There were a few unwitting recipients of some

serenades but the highlight has to be the custom written ‘Patou Alpaca Song’... it must have made it to You Tube by now for those who missed out! The evening was rounded off with a raffle in aid of the Severn Hospice.

Sunday morning it was back to the serious business of Alpaca Showing again. The show climax was the awarding of the Supreme Championships.

Supreme Champion Suri and Best British Bred Suri was awarded to Houghton Mystical Magic, owned

by Mick and Liz George from Houghton Hall Alpacas and the Supreme Champion Huacaya and Best British Bred Huacaya was Popham Havengore, owned by Gary and Felicia Sanders of Popham Alpacas.

There were a few unwitting recipients of some serenades but the highlight has to be the custom written ‘Patou Alpaca Song’ ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 7

NEWS

ALPACAS WIN NEW FRIENDS AT FIESTA

The Heart of England Spring Alpaca Fiesta 2015

Houghton Hall claimed the Large Breeders award with Yew Tree Alpacas taking Medium Breeder and Whistling Alpacas taking the Small Breeder title.

There was a little light relief at lunchtime on the second day when a ‘Senior Handler’ class was run. A number of willing volunteers over a certain age took on the agility course against the clock. The eventual winner was Nigel Beckwith from Herts Alpacas even though there were some dubious tactics taking place but all added to the fun and relaxed atmosphere that surrounded the show.

The two days were very busy for judge Rob Bettinson who had two apprentice judges alongside him, Jo Bridge and Viv Cook. There was a lot of interest from local public who came to see the alpacas and to find out more about these ever more popular animals. Even the security men on site took them to their hearts!

The Champion Huacaya Trophy went to Ashwood Havanna from Ashwood Alpacas who also won the Best of British award. The Champion Suri was Houghton Hall Alpacas Houghton Mystical Magic who also took the Best of British Suri title.

Photos by Clare Moggridge

THE SPRING ALPACA FIESTA moved to the new location of Bury Farm Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire for the 2015 show.

We had record entries of 291 alpacas from 44 herds from across the country.

The Heart of England Alpaca Group have always encouraged new breeders and smaller herd owners and this year we had six new herds competing.

With all the colour champions getting trophies and a Chairman's Trophy for the highest placed new breeder there was lots to compete for.

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Richard Beale

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 9

NEWS

JOIN THE QUEUE FOR SHOWTIME

ALPACA SHOWTIME, held at Houghton Hall Equestrian Centre for the first time last year, is back on the weekend of October 31 to November 1. The show, organised by Houghton Hall Alpacas, Bozedown Alpacas and The Alpaca Stud, is a colour championship, entries will be opening soon, and the entry fees are ÂŁ25 per halter entry and ÂŁ35 per progeny entry. You will find more information about the event at www.alpacashowtime.co.uk

New collection scheme Lecture tour gets set to benefit growers underway in Holland THE ALPACA COALITION OF AMERICA is sponsoring a 2015 National Alpaca Fleece Collection Initiative. Their aim is to improve growers' access to the commercial market for alpaca fleece and reduce the costs associated with selling their clip. It is modelled on similar collections in the American wool industry.

Growers will have a choice of an immediate cash payment for their ungraded fleece or receiving the market price for their graded fleece upon subsequent sale to commercial purchasers.

ACOA have five locations where growers can deliver their fleece on the East Coast, Midwest, Central, Southern and Pacific Coast between June and August 2015.

Cash sales provide the grower with quick payment for their ungraded fleece with ACOA assuming the subsequent market and fleece quality risk. For 2015 the ungraded fleece price per pound is $1.50.

A grower who provides fleeces for consignment sale will have their farm's fleeces individually graded by trained professionals and included in bales that will be sold to the

10 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

highest bidder. Based on previous results payment should be expected in early 2016. Fifteen percent of the total sales price will be retained to compensate the trained graders for their services as well as cover costs associated with storage, handling and the subsequent packaging and shipment of fleeces.

The fleece requirements for growers are that only skirted blanket fibre shorn in 2014 or 2015 will be accepted, the fleeces must come from previously shorn animals, staple length for huacaya must be between two and five inches, AFDs no higher than 30 microns, minimal vegetable matter and bagged in clear bags. No appeals about the grading process are possible.

ACOA are unable to estimate what the fleece will fetch but in 2014 highly uniform grade 1 fibre made around $20 a pound whilst coloured grade 5 fibre was $1.58 a pound. White fleeces were more valuable than coloured ones and those with staple lengths of more than three inches were more valuable than those with staple lengths between two and three inches.

PAUL VALLELY OF AAFT started his European lecture tour at Alpacas of the Lowlands in Holland, owned by veterinarians Leo and Marieke van Merwijk, where he focussed on the importance of SD in histograms in assessing fleeces and selecting alpacas. Paul's lecture was followed by one from Chas Brooke of UK Alpaca and Classical MileEnd Alpacas, who concentrated on alpaca yarn processing.

Contact Roger Mount

on 01386 853 841 or 07711044106 Email: snowshillalpacas@btinternet.com Web: www.snowshillalpacas.com

Snowshill Alpacas,

Snowshill Hill Barn, Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5XX

Snowshill Beethoven

Snowshill Ciscero

sire: Virococha Prophecy of Anzac dam: Merungle Audrey of Anzac

sire: Eringa Park Lionheart of Cambridge dam: Silverstream Escudo of Anzac

Snowshill Nicodemus

Snowshill Oberon (Suri)

sire: Snowshill Samuel dam: Snowshill Amelia

Snowshill Peregrin

sire: Wessex Cosmos dam: Hermione of Willaston

Snowshill Raphael (Suri)

sire: Andean Legacy of I-Spy dam: Snowshill Letitia

sire: Snowshill Raphael dam: Bozedown Dividend

Blackmore Vale Shaston Prince

sire: Coricancha Fernando of Wessex dam: Patience

Snowshill Shadow Dancer

sire: ARU Cambridge Ice Cool Lad dam: Cambridge Chocolate Button

Wellground Imber

sire: Moonstone Ridgway of Bozedown dam: Eve of Atlantic

Snowshill Orlando

sire: Virococha Prophecy of Anzac dam: Snowshill Perdita

Snowshill Ramises

sire: EP Cambridge Navigator of Accoyo dam: Snowshill Alexandra

Snowshill Vivaldi

sire: Blackmore Vale Shaston Prince dam: Snowshill Abbigail

Above is a selection of our Stud Males available for services in 2015. Fees range from ÂŁ350 to ÂŁ650.

Significant discounts apply for multiple matings. Progeny can be viewed. We also have a number of alpacas for sale from pet to show quality. Please phone/email for details.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 11

Old Cross alpacas Premium Stud ServiceS

Pets to be proud of (use their fleece to keep you warm) Protection from foxes with field guard males / wethers Packages, start-ups to suit your budget and requirements Prices, sensible and competitive Professional support and advice

For helpful advice call Saddleworth 01457 874320 or visit our website www.oldcrossalpacas.co.uk 12 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 13

EUR-RICOH!

MICK AND LIZ GEORGE of Houghton Hall Alpacas had a clean sweep at the British Alpaca Futurity 2015.

Cambridge Navigator of ACC was the Futurity Champion Huacaya Herdsire and ACC Suri Storm of Houghton was the Futurity Champion Suri Herdsire, sponsored by Merrifield Alpacas.

Mick and Liz George of Houghton Hall Alpacas with the first of their two big cups presented by Shirley Isseyegh of Merrifield Alpacas

14 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Not content with that, Houghton Hall won Judge's Choice Huacaya, sponsored by GWF Nutrition, with Houghton Titan and Judge's Choice Suri, sponsored by Adara Alpacas with Houghton Mystical Magic.

The British Alpaca Futurity was held at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, on March 27th and 28th where over 440 alpacas were entered in the halter classes judged by Peter Kennedy (Australia) and Wade Gease (USA) making it the largest alpaca show in Europe.

The awards ceremony was held on the Saturday evening followed by an informal supper.

One of the youngest competitors, Jacob Keen of Backyard Alpacas, won the Most Successful Small Breeder Award, sponsored by Snowshill Alpacas.

The International Fleece Show, sponsored by Kensmyth Sud, was judged by Wade Gease and Peter Kennedy. The Champion Huacaya fleece, sponsored by UK Alpaca Ltd, was awarded to

20 1 5

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BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015

Ashwood Hope, owned by Mr Steve Powell of Ashwood Alpacas. The Champion Suri fleece, sponsored by Faraway Alpacas, was awarded to Bozedown No Limit, owned by Mary Jo Smith of Bozedown Alpacas.

Photos by Reg Pengelly and Corrie Berry.

Chas Brooke of UK Alpaca Ltd presents the Champion Huacaya Fleece award to Steve Powell of Ashwood Alpacas

BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015 The judges Peter Kennedy and Wade Gease

Champion Suri Fleece award presented to Mary Jo Smith of Bozedown Alpacas

by Nikki Hayton of Faraway Alpacas

Roger Mount of Snowshill Alpacas presents the award for Most Successful Small Breeder to Jacob Keen of Backyard Alpacas

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 15

THANK YOU...

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BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015

The British Alpaca Futurity group – Bozedown Alpacas, The Alpaca Stud, Houghton Hall Alpacas, Classical MileEnd Alpacas and EP Cambridge UK – would like to thank all our sponsors who supported the 2015 event.

Royal Grade Sponsors Bozedown Alpacas www.bozedown-alpacas.co.uk Houghton Hall Alpacas www.houghtonhallalpacas.co.uk The Alpaca Stud www.alpacastuduk.com Baby Grade Sponsors Suri Stud www.suristud.co.uk Redens Alpacas www.redensalpacas.com CS Alpacas www.csalpacas.co.uk Pure Alpacas www.purealpacas.co.uk Woodbine Alpacas www.woodbinefarmalpacas.co.uk Beck Brow Alpacas www.beckbrowalpacas.co.uk Artwork Alpacas www.artworkalpacas.com Perpetual Cups and Trophy Sponsors Futurity Champion Huacaya Herd Sire Merrifield Alpacas www.merrifield-alpacas.com Futurity Champion Suri Herd Sire Merrifield Alpacas www.merrifield-alpacas.com Judge's Choice Huacaya GWF Nutrition www.gwfnutrition.com Judge's Choice Suri Adara Alpacas www.adaraalpacas.co.uk Futurity Champion Huacaya Fleece UK Alpaca Ltd www.ukalpaca.com Futurity Champion Suri Fleece Faraway Alpacas www.farawayalpacas.co.uk Most Successful Small Breeder Snowshill Alpacas www.snowshillalpacas.com Event Sponsors Shorn Fleece Competition Colour Championships Kensmyth Stud www.kensmyth.com Plant sponsor for Reception and the Show Ring Melford Green Alpacas www.melfordgreenalpacas.co.uk Access Wrist Bands Penrose Products www.penroseproducts.com Coffee Shop Sponsor UK Alpaca Ltd www.ukalpaca.com Halter Show Champion Sash Sponsors Suri White: Ford & Slater www.fordandslater.co.uk Light: Ford & Slater www.fordandslater.co.uk Fawn: Kensymth Stud www.kensmyth.com Brown: Rosewyn Alpacas www.rosewynalpaca.co.uk Grey: Beacon Alpacas www.beaconalpacas.co.uk Black: Watership Alpacas www.watershipalpacas.co.uk Huacaya White: Armitage Livestock Insurance Agency Ltd www.armitage-alpacas.com Light: Golding Alpacas dawncrawford274@btinternet.com Fawn: Kilnwood Alpacas www.kilnwoodalpacas.com Brown: The Alpaca Farm www.thealpacafarm.co.uk Grey: Oldstour Alpacas ivanhayward@btinternet.com Black: Shear South West alpaca2shear@yahoo.co.uk

16 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Everyone loves a winner...

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BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 17

BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015

Masters of their craft

18 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

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BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015

Belinda Harris Reid and Rachel Vowles award the Plush Champion sash to Denise Pigott who ran the Garden area at the show

THE p-LUSH SHOW at the British Alpaca Futurity, organised by Belinda Harris Reid and Rachel Vowles, was a celebration of British natural fibres and the designers and makers who work with those fibres.

There were workshops during the day in addition to The Garden, where Denise Piggott of the UK Hand Knitting Association taught knitting, crochet and arm knitting whilst the hand spinners, machine knitters and lace makers demonstrated their craft.

Photos by Corrie Berry.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 19

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20 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

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ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 21

ALPACA CHROMOSOME MAP

ALL MAPPED OUT

“Very recently, the first chromosome map of the alpaca genome was constructed and the results published in an international journal Cytogenetics and Genome Research. I will try to explain the importance of this event for alpaca genomics and for the alpaca as a species.”

By Terje Raudsepp Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, U.S.A.

I

n order to get the context right, let’s first have a brief look into history.

Alpacas are even-toed ungulates and belong together with over 300 other species, like cattle, antelopes, pigs, hippos, whales and dolphins, to a mammalian order Cetartiodactyla.

Alpacas are members of a family camelide (camelids) - a group of mammals that originated in North America about 45 million years ago.

Approximately 11 million years ago the family split: part of it moved to Asia and North Africa and gave rise to the two-humped Bactrian camel and the one-humped dromedary; the other part travelled to South America and gave 22 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

rise to the wild vicugna and guanaco, and the domesticated alpaca and llama. Interestingly, both the Old and New World camelids adapted to extreme environments: the camels to arid desert conditions and the South American species to the harsh high altitude conditions of Altiplano. Even more curiously, all camelids once inhabiting North America became extinct.

According to the archaeological dating, llamas and alpacas were domesticated in the high Andes around 9000 years ago and played an important role in the agriculture of ancient civilizations.

It is thought that Inca civilization owed success largely to llama dung which provided fertiliser

ALPACA CHROMOSOME MAP

and enabled corn to be cultivated at very high altitudes. The Bactrian camel was domesticated in China and Mongolia about 6000 years ago and the dromedary in coastal settlements of the Arabian Peninsula about 4500 years ago. Thus, camelids have been associated with humans for as long as cattle, horses and dogs. Despite this, genome analysis of the alpaca had a late start and lags behind those conducted in other domestic species. In part, this is due to historical, geographic and economic reasons, in part, due to difficulties in studying the alpaca chromosomes.

GENE MAPS It is well established that the genetic material, the DNA, is carried on from cell to cell, and from generation to generation in the form of chromosomes - defined structures located in the cell nucleus. The set of chromosomes in a cell is known as the karyotype and is species specific.

Chromosomes also reflect the genetic health of an individual because changes in chromosome number or shape cause congenital disorders, reduced fertility and disease. As chromosomes carry the genetic material, they are important components of gene maps. Such maps show the exact location of genes in chromosomes; determine which genes are on the same, which in different chromosomes; which are neighbours, which are far away from each other, and what is the order of genes in each chromosome.

Even today, when revolutionary technologies, collectively known as next generation sequencing (NGS), have made it feasible to sequence the whole genome of any species or individual, the importance of chromosome maps has not reduced. This is because the three billion DNA letters of mammalian genomes cannot be sequenced in one long succession. Instead, genomes are sequenced in millions of short

fragments that have to be assembled back into whole genome, a process similar to building Legos or puzzles. Here, the chromosome-based gene maps serve as instruction sheets by guiding and validating the assembly and anchoring sequences to specific chromosomes.

In the 1960s-1980s karyotypes of all main domestic species, such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats and chicken, were characterised in detail. This led to the construction of detailed gene maps which, in turn, set the foundation for the assembly of genome sequence for these species. Chromosome studies in alpacas and other camelids also date back over 50 years with the first publications in 1965. It is established that the alpaca genome is packed into 74 chromosomes which is on the higher side among mammals. For a comparison, pigs and cats have 38, humans 46, sheep 54, cattle and goats 60, horses 64, and dogs and chicken 78 chromosomes.

A karyotype of a female alpaca is shown in figure 1A: it comprises 36 pairs of chromosomes known as autosomes which are present in both males and females, and one pair of sex chromosomes - females have two X chromosomes, males one X and one Y chromosome. However, because of the very similar size and shape of individual chromosomes, there has never been a common agreement among researchers about how to recognise and arrange alpaca chromosomes in the karyotype. This has hindered the development of gene maps and the study of chromosome abnormalities in relation to diseases and congenital disorders.

Curiously, despite millions of years of separate evolution and the very distinct adaptations, all camelids have similar karyotypes: all with 74 chromosomes and all difficult to study. Figure 1 illustrates this by showing the karyotypes of a female alpaca and a female Bactrian camel.

The alpaca genome is packed into 74 chromosomes which is on the higher side among mammals; pigs and cats have 38, humans 46, sheep 54, cattle and goats 60, horses 64, and dogs and chicken 78 chromosomes.

Figure 1: The karyotypes of a female alpaca (A) and a female Dromedary camel. Note the amazing similarity between the chromosomes despite of millions of years of separate evolution.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 23

ALPACA CHROMOSOME MAP Figure 3 (opposite): Chromosome map of the alpaca genome. The 230 FISH-mapped markers are shown to the right of the schematic drawings of chromosomes.

Figure 2 (above): A microscope image showing the results of a two-colour FISH experiment in alpaca chromosome 17. Alpaca chromosomes are stained blue; one gene is labelled red, another green.

Despite the difficulties, these karyotypes have one important advantage: if we construct a chromosome map for one species, this map can be effectively used for all camelids.

WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING

The map is an important ‘instruction sheet’ for the assembly of alpaca and camelid genome sequences and for the discovery of genes related to genetic diseases and traits of biological importance.

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One of the distinctive signatures of the 21st century genomics is whole genome sequencing.

Reference genome sequences are available for all main domestic species. Alpaca is not an exception and its genome sequencing project was initiated in 2002. The sequenced animal was a female huacaya alpaca Nyala Empress Carlotta (she got her name due to being conceived on a parking lot). Carlotta’s genome was sequenced two times, first by the traditional (Sanger) sequencing technology and second time, by NGS. This was an outstanding development in alpaca genomics, though with one big problem: in contrast to cattle, horses and dogs, the alpaca had no chromosomebased gene maps to help the sequence assembly - the instruction sheet for a 3 billion piece Lego was missing.

We had the alpaca whole genome sequence but did not know which sequence belongs to which chromosome. That is why in 2009 we proposed to Morris Animal Foundation to construct a whole genome chromosome map for the alpaca

by assigning genes and DNA sequences to all 36 pairs of autosomes and the sex chromosomes.

Chromosome maps or cytogenetic maps are based on a method known as Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization or FISH which determines the location of a gene or any other DNA sequence in its original place or in situ (Latin) in the chromosome. FISH has two components - the probe and the target. The targets are chromosomes, while the probe is a DNA sequence to be mapped. The probes are labelled with fluorescent molecules, so that after hybridization one can see their location in chromosomes using a fluorescence microscope.

If probes are labelled with 2-3 spectrally different fluorescent dyes and used in the same FISH experiment, we can see at once the location of two or more genes, decide whether or not they are on the same chromosome, and if they are, determine their relative order. Such a FISH experiment is illustrated in figure 2 showing the location of two genes in alpaca chromosome 17, one labelled with green, another with red fluorescent dye. The two sequences are in the same chromosome and the green probe is closer to the chromosome end (the telomere) and the red probe closer to the centromere, seen as a constriction. Most importantly, this tells us that all DNA sequences that are in the close vicinity to these two markers in the alpaca genome sequence assembly are also located in chromosome 17.

This way, we designed and fluorescently labelled probes for 230 alpaca genes and DNA markers and constructed maps for all alpaca chromosomes as shown in figure 3. Each chromosome has at least two FISH-mapped markers, though most have 5 to 15 markers. The alpaca whole genome chromosome map is the first of its kind in any camelid species and an important landmark for alpaca genomics. The map anchors almost all alpaca genome sequences to defined chromosomes showing which genes are close neighbours and which are located in different chromosomes. The knowledge is important for understanding gene interactions in the normal genome, as well as in case of mutations or chromosome rearrangements.

In addition to the alpaca, we also mapped 100 genes in the dromedary and the llama.

As expected, all genes mapped to the same chromosomes and to the same locations in all three species, confirming the extraordinary conservation of these genomes in the course of evolution. Therefore, by mapping 230 genes in the alpaca chromosomes, we indirectly constructed chromosome maps for all camelid species. The map is an important ‘instruction sheet’ for the assembly of alpaca and camelid genome sequences and for the discovery of genes related to genetic diseases and traits of biological importance.

ALPACA CHROMOSOME MAP

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 25

ALPACA CHROMOSOME MAP

TRANSLOCATION Last but not least, the 230 markers mapped to alpaca chromosomes are also tools for telling chromosomes apart, particularly when studying chromosome rearrangements. For example, in case of translocations when chromosomes from different pairs fuse, we can tell which chromosomes are involved and which genes relocated. To illustrate this, we recently studied a chromosome abnormality in a sterile male llama. The llama had 73 chromosomes, thus one less than normal. Because whole chromosome deletions are usually lethal, we suspected a translocation. Indeed, the karyotype contained one large chromosome which was never seen in normal llamas. However, by traditional chromosome analysis we were not able to tell the origin of this abnormal chromosome.

Now, with the alpaca cytogenetic gene map in hand, we selected a set of markers from the most likely candidate chromosomes and carried out a series of FISH experiments in the sterile llama. As a result, we could show that the abnormal chromosome resulted from a fusion of chromosomes 12 and 20 (illustrated in figure 4).

26 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Taken together, with the whole genome chromosome map available, alpaca finally joins the ‘club’ with other domestic species and can have the genome sequence properly assigned to chromosomes.

I am grateful to a group of excellent and dedicated researchers for their important contributions to alpaca gene mapping and chromosome studies (in alphabetical order): Felipe Avila, Malorie P. Baily, Renuka Chowdhary, Pranab J. Das, Warren E. Johnson, Michelle A. Kutzler, David A. Merriwether, Elaine Owens, Polina Perelman, and Vladimir A. Trifonov. I also thank Morris Animal Foundation and the Alpaca Research Foundation for funding these studies.

Figure 4: Chromosome abnormality in a sterile male llama: the large abnormal chromosome is the result of fusion of chromosomes 12 (green marker) and 20 (red marker). The photo of the llama is courtesy of Dr. Michelle Kutzler.

Incidentally, this is the first cytogenetically and molecularly characterised chromosomal translocation in alpacas and camelids.

Taken together, with the whole genome chromosome map available, alpaca finally joins the ‘club’ with other domestic species and can have the genome sequence properly assigned to chromosomes. Also, for the first time alpaca has a molecular tool kit for clinical cytogenetics.

And what is most wonderful, both the map and the molecular tool kit can be shared with its South American cousins and the relatives in Asia and Africa.

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ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 27

ALPACALYPSE

You may know that Cakes with Faces is a brand of colourful t-shirts, cushions, watches and accessories run by UK graphic artist Amy Crabtree.

But are you ready for....

28 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ALPACALYPSE

T

o start with, Cakes with Faces was just an online collection of my artwork. I love drawing cute characters - always very colourful, influenced by Japanese culture and kawaii (cute) design. I wanted to do something with my artwork, so in 2011 I created a range of just five T-shirts and started the online shop, as well as booking my first stall at London Comic Con. It's grown from there, and last year I quit my day job to run Cakes with Faces full time.

I love designing new things, and now there are watches, cushions, babygrows, a comic book about how to make sushi and even a chopping board! My aim is to make people smile, and make every day a bit more colourful with fun designs.

Cakes with Faces was part of the Small Business Saturday 100, nominated for three NEO Awards and featured on BBC Radio. As part of Small Business Saturday I showed my designs to George Osborne, who said I'm "the most colourful person who's been at Downing Street"!

As part of Small Business Saturday I showed my designs to George Osborne, who said I'm "the most colourful person who's been at Downing Street"!

UNDER A JAPANESE INFLUENCE...

As well as comic cons, I exhibit at Hyper Japan, a show about Japanese culture. I'm a big fan of Japan and Tokyo is one of my favourite places. At the moment alpacas are popular in Japanese kawaii culture, particularly among fans of colourful Harajuku and lolita fashion.

Lolita is a fashion subculture based on wearing cute dresses with bows and frills, and dressing like a doll. Plushie alpacas are a fashion accessory, and at Hyper Japan there are stalls selling mountains of fluffy pastelcoloured alpacas, as well as alpaca purses, bags and keyrings. These pastel rainbow-coloured alpacas don't look much like the real thing, but they're really popular!

Last time our stand was opposite one of these stalls at Hyper Japan, so I had a wall of fluffy alpacas staring at me for the whole weekend! That's where the idea for my Alpacalypse design came from - they're adorable but what if their cute faces hid darker intentions? And puns are a lot of fun!

To start off with it was just a drawing, but so many people asked for it to be a T-shirt that we just had to get it made. I'd love to know what people in the real alpaca community think of it, and if you know about the craze for Japanese kawaii alpacas?

THE ALPACALYPSE DESIGN is available from www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk as a hoodie, T-shirt and ladies v-neck, as well as a pink alpaca vest, and I'm designing some more alpaca-themed goodies for later this year!

You can see more of my artwork on my website, as well as Facebook www.facebook.com/cakeswithfaces and Twitter @cakeswithfaces.

If you're interested in Japanese culture, check out my YouTube series "All the Best Stuff is from Japan" on www.youtube.com/ cakeswithfaces The next HYPER JAPAN is at the O2 in London on 10-12 July, and we'll also be at LONDON COMIC CON at ExCel on 22-24 May.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 29

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WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO?

UK Alpaca Ltd buys around 8 tons of alpaca fleece from breeders in the UK every year. Our mission is to add value to the fleece so that we can transfer that back to the breeders by paying higher prices for each kilo.

Growers can also buy back finished yarns in natural or dyed shades at trade prices and either sell them as yarn or make finished products thus achieving more value without the hassle of having to process their own fleece.

32 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO?

WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO? UK

Alpaca was set up soon after the collapse of the third reincarnation of the British Alpaca Fibre Co-operative. We felt it was crucial for the alpaca industry to have a large scale company making yarns for mainstream retail and wholesale buyers rather than just occupying a tiny niche market.

To sell into those markets and compete with Peruvian yarns, we needed to process in large quantities. However, large scale in British alpaca is still tiny when compared to wool.

We visited the processors in the north of England and rapidly realised that manufacturing in lots of less than 1,000 kilos of one colour and one grade was not an option. The moment you went under that weight, prices shot up and many of them were not interested in doing business with you unless you were bringing in large quantities.

Your options are limited anyway as there are only two commission scourers left and a handful of companies that spin fully worsted yarns and they tend to be flat out due to the resurgence of interest in natural fibres. We are unable to use most of the smaller mills as their prices are much too high to achieve a wholesale margin.

Our relationships with our processors are good although the scourers still tend to shudder when they see a ton of coloured alpaca come through the door as nearly everything else they ever deal with is white and woolly.

SO WHERE DOES ALL THAT FLEECE END UP? Every year we make around 400 kilos of sock yarn for Charlton Alpacas who manufacture a very successful range of alpaca socks and another 600 kilos of superfine has gone towards a new sock range for UK Alpaca. Another 500 kilos of white fine top goes to Baa Ram Ewe who make the popular Titus yarn, named after Sir Titus Salt who built Saltaire and the first fully integrated mill to process alpaca. This yarn is a British mix of your alpaca, Bluefaced Leicester and Wensleydale sheep wool.

UK Alpaca will use white fine, fawn fine and brown fine every year to make our stock yarns that are aran, double knit and 4-ply in 50g balls and skeins. These are all blends with a little wool or silk to add strength and stitch definition. There are naturals but also a large range of dyed colours.

The lighter bright colours are dyed from white and the darker, more autumnal colours from the fawn.

We also use the fine grade 4-ply to make our own range of bed socks that we sell at the shows.

Two major buyers are the online retailers Love Knitting and Deramores who make regular monthly orders. And of course we sell from our own website www.ukalpaca.com. Then there are the wool shops and alpaca breeders who have retail outlets like The Alpaca Shop or smaller online shops like the Natural Yarn Company.

Hand dyed yarns are extremely popular, so is

Our relationships with our processors are good although the scourers still tend to shudder when they see a ton of coloured alpaca come through the door as nearly everything else they ever deal with is white and woolly.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 33

WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO? Baby alpaca silk

Sasha Kagan cardigan

weaving and felting and we keep a large stock of yarn on cone or in skein and top for buyers like The Sociable Weaver, Esprit Alpacas, Hawthorn Handmade, Pear Tree Farm and so on.

Some top and fleece will go to buyers such as the Natural Fibre Company, Purl Alpaca Designs, Two Rivers Mill and the Border Mill.

Most of these yarns will be 4-ply that runs out to 450m per 100g and so is very fine. The most beautiful is the baby/silk yarn which is 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk and is gorgeously soft.

Our complex shawl patterns from designer Ruth Morris have helped to make this fly off the shelf even though it is our most expensive yarn.

We have 1,000 kilos of baby alpaca and silk going through spinning at the moment and are expanding the colour range in double knit and introducing a raft of new colours in the 4-ply.

Every year we try and introduce new colours, this year in the superfine, a yellow ochre and a lunar grey were added.

Lily Cole modelling a Roland Mouret top

Daisy Dumpling baby jacket

GRAND DESIGNS

Chrissie Smith design

Design companies like model Lily Cole's The North Circular in London, the knitwear designers Sasha Kagan, Belinda Harris Reid, Daisy Dumpling, Rose Sharp Jones, Chrissie Smith, Ruth Morris, Monica Russel, all design in our yarn and we also commission lots of patterns to support our sales. Monica Russel is a prolific author and we worked with her on our own knitting pattern book Mums Knit and also contributed yarns to her many other books of accessories.

A new company Toastie Pig, that makes high end baby clothes, is sampling the yarn at the moment with a view to moving from imported to British alpaca yarns as is a large scarf manufacturer.

To coincide with the imminent arrival of the Royal baby Belinda Harris Reid has designed a baby blanket with UK Alpaca yarn called Precious. As she says: “Precious is a celebration of all things quintessentially British; a new baby Royal needs to be swaddled in our luxury British alpaca and silk yarn manufactured exclusively in Britain from the fleece of alpacas farmed in the UK.�

34 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Ruth Morris pattern shawl

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 35

WHERE DOES YOUR FLEECE GO?

MAKING THE GRADE All the fleece is either collected or brought in to our farm in Devon where it is graded by handle into baby grade, superfine grade and waste.

Waste consists of skirtings, coarse fleeces, short fleeces and neck from older animals. High micron primary fibres, short staple length and colour contamination remain the biggest issue we see on the grading table.

Skirted fleeces attract the best prices, ÂŁ12 a kilo plus VAT for white baby, and we pay less for un-skirted fleeces as there is so much more work involved. The fleeces are put into pressed bales and then go north for scouring, top making, spinning, dyeing and balling. Happily the 'waste' is all sold nowadays either to Paul Whitty at Penrose Products who makes duvets, pillows and cushions or into the trade where it is used to soften harsher wools.

36 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Our aim is to add value to the fleeces and transfer that back to the growers. To do that we need to market these British alpaca yarns. Many designers are commissioned by the knitting magazines, and there are a lot of them, to design patterns in our yarn and those patterns help to raise the profile of

Our aim is to add value to the fleeces and transfer that back to the growers. To do that we need to market these British alpaca yarns.

indigenous alpaca with the knitting public.

We also spend a lot of time on the road going to yarn shows. This year we have had trade stands at Unravel in Farnham, the Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia, the Edinburgh Yarn Festival and the Plush Show at the British Alpaca Futurity. Next up is Wonderwool in Wales followed by I Knit Fandango in central London, Proper Woolly in Holsworthy, Woolfest in Cumbria, the WI Centenary Show in Harrogate, Yarndale in Skipton and the autumn Knitting and Stitching Shows at Alexandra Palace, Dublin and Harrogate. These are the places where you sell a lot of yarn and meet wholesale customers.

All splendid then, our customers love our British alpaca yarns and are thrilled that the animals are farmed here and the processing is done here too. All we need is more good fleece!

2015

Education with a Destination

Join us for the trip of a lifetime led by four of Quechua Benefit’s alpaca experts: Amanda VandenBosch, Mike Safley, Cheryl Gehly and Jude Anderson. Visit ranches, factories, sorting sheds and cultural sites. Attend educational roundtables, and meet the children of Casa Chapi.

All in the company of fellow alpaca breeeders from around the world. It’s an unforgettable experience!

November 4 - November 14, 2015 There is the option to extend your stay in Peru to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu.

“For me it was the best trip I have ever done: perfect organization, friendly people, breath taking animals. To see Accoyo with all the animals was very emotional.”

—Wolfgang Putzinger Alpacas vom Aspoltsberg, Austria To view a complete Peruvian itinerary and testimonials from last year’s participants, please visit our website at

www.quechuabenefit.org

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 37

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38 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 39

SD v CV

THE FIBRE QUESTION Should alpaca breeders use ‘SD’ or ‘CV’ or both when evaluating fibre traits?

By Paul Vallely, Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing

40 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

SD v CV

O

ver the years I have operated AAFT, the question of whether to use Standard Deviation (SD) or Coefficient of variation (CV) when evaluating fibre traits is undoubtedly one of the most common questions asked. It also happens to be one of the issues most plagued by misunderstanding, and consequently, carries the potential to de-rail breeding strategies, particularly those aimed at reducing the incidence of coarse fibres or simply improving the ‘handle’ of fleeces.

One of the most useful aspects of fibre testing is the ability to measure the degree of variation in fibre diameter of a given sample. Variation in fibre diameter is correlated with processing performance of fleeces, ‘handle’ of fleeces, micron blow-out, tensile strength and incidence of coarse fibres. The major benefit in using fibre diameter variation, however, is its high level of heritability, meaning breeders are able to achieve substantial genetic gains when using this trait.

The two statistics used when measuring variation of fibre diameter are Standard Deviation (SD) and Coefficient of variation (CV). In saying this, however, it might also be noted that fibre test histograms provide a graphical representation of fibre diameter variation.

To consider whether to use SD or CV for the purposes of selecting breeding stock, it is appropriate to calculate SD and CV for two imaginary samples of fibres.

SD EXAMPLES While we obviously use software programs to calculate these statistics, I will do it manually.

For ease of calculation, the samples will have a ridiculously small number of fibres.

The first sample has 5 fibres, each fibre with

the following average diameter in microns: 18, 19, 19, 20 & 21. The AFD of this sample is therefore 19.4 microns We calculate the SD as follows: (1) obtain the sum of the squares for each of the data values (eg. 324 + 361 + 361 + 400 + 441 = 1887) (2) square the sum of the data values and divide by the number of values (eg 18 + 19 + 19 + 20 + 21 = 97, thence 97 x 97 divided by 5 = 1881.8) (3) subtract (2) from (1), then divide the answer by the number of values less 1 (eg 1887 - 1881.8 = 5.2, thence 5.2 divided by 4 = 1.3) (4) obtain the square root of 3/ (eg, the square root of 1.3 = 1.14 The SD of the sample is therefore 1.14

Now take a second sample of fibres with exactly the same degree of variation (distribution of AFD for each fibre from the overall mean) Lets say the microns of the five fibres are 23, 24, 24, 25 & 26.

(AFD of 24.4) The calculations for SD of this second sample are: (1) 2982 (2) 2976.8 (3) 1.3 (4) 1.14 The SD is also 1.14. The SD is the same because they both have precisely the same degree of fibre diameter variation.

If, on the other hand, we take a sample with a higher degree of variation in the diameter of the

fibres, the SD will also be higher, for example, fibre microns of 23, 24, 24, 25 & 29. (AFD of 25.0 microns) The calculations are: (1) 3147 (2) 3125 (3) 5.5 (4) 2.3 The SD is 2.3

At this point, it should be clear that SD is the true and unbiased indicator of variation.

CV EXAMPLES This then brings us to CV. We calculate CV by dividing the SD by the AFD and then multiply by 100. The reason we normally calculate CV is that it enables us to compare the degree of variation between two different values, eg, a foreign exchange dealer might want to compare movement in the USD against the movement of the Euro over a period of time.

For our first sample above, it therefore has a CV of 5.9%, (1.14/19.4 x 100). The second sample above has a CV of 4.7% even though there is exactly the same degree of variation. This is where the problem lies.

Lets take two alpacas with identical variation, say, SD of 4.7. One has AFD of 22.0 microns, the other is 27.0 microns. Their CV's are therefore 21.4 and 17.4 respectively.

The problem is that when breeders are selecting low CV alpacas, the alpaca may in fact have a very high variation of fibre diameter, but also have a high AFD. Using CV, therefore, can conceal the fact that an alpaca has a high number of very coarse fibres.

One of the most useful aspects of fibre testing is the ability to measure the degree of variation in fibre diameter of a given sample

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 41

TRUE SD

PASSING THE TEST The Alpaca Breeder’s Quest for “True” SD.

By Paul Vallely, Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing and Jennifer Errey BSc Hons, Errydge Park Alpacas

42 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

TRUE SD

Figure 1: Rainfall mm: Spring (Sept 2013-Nov 2013) and average anomaly

Figure 2: Rainfall mm: Autumn (April 2014-June 2014) and average anomaly

U

sing Standard Deviation (SD) of Fibre Diameter has proven to be a useful objective trait for alpaca breeders in their quest for genetic improvement towards producing high quality fleeces. It is a standard statistical result included in any fibre testing report and thus easily obtained by all alpaca breeders interested in the fibre production qualities of their stock.

WHAT IS SD? We measure the Micron (or average fibre diameter – AFD) with our fleece sample testing. However, just as not all full grown alpacas are exactly the same size, so the fibres growing within their fleece are not all exactly the same fibre diameter. SD is a statistically calculated measure of the variability between the individual fibre diameters produced by an alpaca. SD, as calculated for fibre testing results, varies depending on 2 factors: • hereditary (or genetic) influences • environmental (or stressor) influences Alpacas that exhibit low SD’s are typically alpacas with low incidence of coarse fibres and low variation in fibre diameter Micron across the fleece. These fleeces exhibit superior fibre processing outcomes. SD is one of the most heritable fleece traits and, therefore, presents clear advantages for inclusion as a breed selection trait.

To cap it off, as the alpaca industry moves towards a more commercial fibre production basis, SD is a key selection criteria for fibre processing buyers and thus critical when considering the qualities of potential/active stud sires.

A review of annual statistics of fleece testing performed by Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing (AAFT) for the calendar year 2014 reveals the average SD for huacayas is about 4.7μ, while the average SD for suris is about 5.2μ. While some breeders have enjoyed considerable improvement over the years in their SD’s as a result of carefully planned genetic improvement strategies, the national annual averages for SD have generally remained constant for the past 5 years. That was

until the 2013/2014 season.

For Australia, 2013/2014 was the type of growing season that producers of natural fibre dread. Spring (Sept to Nov 2013), turned out to be the equal hottest on record while the national rainfall was 34% below average. Whilst the northern tropics enjoyed their usual wet season drenching, in the southern states, there were only about 15 previous springs in the past 115 years that were dryer. As spring holds the key to summer feed conditions throughout southern and eastern Australia, it was inevitable that much of Australia was going to be a ‘very sunburnt country’ for the first part of the fibre growing season (spring shearing until the following shearing) ie. spring, summer and early autumn.

Then in April 2014, came rain, rain – and more rain for the south. The southern country was drenched with many areas experiencing 40% more rainfall than the national average. South Australia had its second wettest April and many other parts of the country almost broke records.

Suddenly the sunburnt country turned into lush paradise for livestock (and internal parasites as many soon realised).

Rainfall data depicted above (courtesy BOM website) shows the stark contrast between the Spring 2013 and Autumn 2014 rainfall in the southern Australian area, particularly in the North Eastern Victoria and Southern NSW region. In Spring the rainfall was up to 200mm below the average for the 3 months. In Autumn, the rainfall was up to 200mm above the average for the period. If average 6 month data period were taken for the rainfall anomaly, it would appear to be a quite normal unexceptional period rather than the extreme variance actually experienced.

This sharp recovery from harsh drought conditions to lush pastures is great stuff for ‘Discovery’ channels, but the question remains, ‘how does this relate to scary SD statistics on my fibre test reports’.

FIBRE DIAMETER VARIANCE – ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES Once an alpaca is conceived, its genetic influences on SD are set, they cannot be changed for the developing alpaca and these influences remain constant throughout its life. However, preand post-natal nutrition of the cria will have a profound impact on the development of the fibre follicles (from which fibre is produced under the skin of the animal), and therefore, will have an impact on the degree with which the genetic influences are allowed to be expressed in the eventual fibre. Environmental influences throughout an alpaca’s life can substantially impact the SD, pushing the results up or down depending on the duration of the stressors.

As many would be aware, an increase in nutrition reaching the fibre follicles results in an increase in the diameter of the fibre being produced at that time. Conversely, reduction in nutrition reaching the fibre follicles results in a reduction in the diameter of the fibre being produced at that time. The degree to which the level of nutrition is increased (or reduced) influences the degree to which the fibre diameter is increased (or reduced) or, preferably, remains stable throughout the year.

Alpacas that exhibit low SD’s are typically alpacas with low incidence of coarse fibres and low variation in fibre diameter Micron across the fleece ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 43

TRUE SD

An increase in the quality and/or quantity of feed will normally result in fibre diameter Microns increasing. Conversely, a reduction in quality and/ or quantity of feed for any reason will result in lower Microns

Figure 3: Fibre diameter profile average showing extreme variation along the fibre length. The narrowed point towards the centre of the fibre will be vulnerable to tender breakage when processing.

44 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Translated into practical terms, an increase in the quality and/or quantity of feed will normally result in fibre diameter Microns increasing.

Conversely, a reduction in quality and/or quantity of feed for any reason will result in lower Microns. An increase in any stress to the animal will also cause microns to temporarily go down as the nutrition is diverted away from fibre growth to sustain the body’s response mechanisms to deal with the stress. Examples of environmental stressors impacting on nutrition availability to the fibre follicles can include sudden increased worm burden, substantive injury or prolonged illness, changed social conditions (moving alpacas away from their usual group or being picked on by another dominant alpaca) as well as the obvious stress of change in available feed and nutrition levels due to seasonal variation for pasture fed stock.

The obvious case in point is the extreme variation in available pasture feed over the 2013/2014 fibre growing season. The first half from October to April saw a massive reduction in available feed, followed by a massive increase in available feed over the second half of the season, April to September. And many alpaca breeders will see this reflected in the SD component of their fleece test results for samples taken during the second half of 2014.

Variation in fibre diameter along the length of the fibre over a season is demonstrated in this extreme example of an alpaca fibre test from eastern Victoria, Australia after shearing in 2014.

If you could see this sample under a microscope, its outline would look a bit like this:

The micron profile of the alpaca shows that the fibre diameter at the time of prior shearing (left point of linear graph) was 26.3μ, fell sharply to 19.0μ before rising just as sharply to about 24.0μ. The diameter of the fibre then levelled off.

The fibre was about 23.3μ at the point where the sample was shorn from the alpaca (right point of linear graph). The maximum variance in fibre diameter along the fibre length was 26.3μ – 19.0μ = 7.3μ.

Subjecting this sample to standard fibre testing using OFDA2000 technology, a standard fibre diameter profile and statistic data together with a histogram that all should be familiar with is produced. This sample’s fibre diameter profile and data for 2014 show some marked variation from averages that alerted the owner to review and question the results (see figure 4, opposite).

The variation in diameter along the fibre of this example shows marked environmental influence during this fleece’s growth period. As this sample was taken after the extreme rainfall variance conditions experienced in 2013/14, it is likely that it was a pasture fed alpaca and the initial sharp decline in the micron was caused by the harsh, dry and hot spring/summer period. Conversely, the sharp increase in the second half of the season is likely to have been caused by the increase in nutrition brought on by the lush autumn. The last 25mm of the graph where the SD levelled out would probably be due to a levelling of available nutrition during winter.

HOW SD IS CALCULATED WITH OFDA2000 TECHNOLOGY: The next step is considering how this affects SD when using OFDA2000 technology.

Overall (general) SD reported in fibre test results is calculated using an algorithm in the OFDA2000 testing machine as it scans down the length of the sample and measures the fibre diameter many times. It calculates the Overall SD using 2 main components: • True (genetic) SD • Variable (environmental) SD Normally, the Variable (or environmental) SD is low enough that it has little impact on the True SD. This means that the Overall SD and True SD are generally about the same. But if the Variable SD markedly increases in value due to eg. extreme seasonal nutrition fluctuations, this will impact on the reported Overall SD. How are these 2 components calculated? When using OFDA2000 technology, the fibre sample

TRUE SD

Figure 4 Fibre diameter profile as measured by OFDA2000

Variation along the fibre: environmental / nutrition based variation Figure 5 Diagrammatic representation of variation along fibres and variation between fibres (True SD)

diameter is measured along its whole length. As the fibre sample is measured, the variation in fibre diameter comes from two sources.

1. Variation in fibre diameter along the fibres (environmental nutrition based variation) 2. Variation in fibre diameter between the fibres in the bundle (genetic based variation)

Variation between individual fibres: genetic based variation

Remembering that when measuring the width (diameter) of fibre samples, the SD figure represents the overall variation (in diameter) of the fibre within the sample. Standard deviation is a statistical calculation that represents how far either side of the mean (average) you need to go in order to capture about two thirds of the total variation in diameter for the respective sample.

With the first source, the variation in diameter is the difference in the average diameter for each individual fibre within the sample. For alpacas, the difference in diameter between individual

fibres within a sample is normally between 25 to 35μ. For example, for an alpaca fibre sample with an OFDA2000 reported average Micron = 20.0μ, you would expect to see the finest fibres being about 10 to 15μ, while the broadest fibres being about 35 to 45μ. This form of variation is depicted in the histogram graph provided with fibre test reports.

With the second source, the variation in the diameter along the fibre is caused by variation in the amount of nutrition reaching the fibre follicles. This is the form of variation in diameter referred to above, ie, the variation influenced by aspects such as seasonal fluctuations. For alpacas, the normal variation along the fibres is about 2μ to 5μ. As mentioned above, this variation is depicted in the micron profile linear graphs provided with fibre test reports.

SD as a reported value therefore represents the overall variation of both the variation along the fibres as well as the variation between the individual fibres.

Normally, the variation between the fibres is the dominant cause of variation within a fibre sample. It is also the form of variation that is largely caused by genetic influence. Therefore, the variation between fibres is the part of SD that we are trying to improve with our genetic breeding programs. Because it is normally the dominant component of SD, using the overall SD statistic found in fibre test reports is an effective tool with which to breed higher quality fleeces. However, the 2013/2014 season was not normal.

The micron profile above shows an extreme degree of variation along the length of the fibres, ie. 7.3μ compared with the normal 2-5μ range for SD and this is caused by higher than normal fluctuations in environmental influences. This environmental influence on variation was far greater than normal, and consequently, played a much greater influence on the SD figure than normally occurs.

The alpaca example above was a Huacaya and we would expect the SD to be, eg, 4.6μ or less. At 5.2μ, this alpaca appears to be an alpaca that would not be considered suitable for genetic improvement towards fibre quality.

However, as shown, the SD figure in this case was abnormally influenced by seasonal factors and thus the OFDA2000 algorithm has calculated an excessively high Overall SD. So how do we extract the extreme environmental influence and get to a True SD value so that we can make appropriate judgement ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 45

TRUE SD

on the alpacas true value for breeding stock?

When reviewing the micron profile along the fibres of the above example, the last 25mm of the sample indicates little environmental influence on the sample’s diameter variation.

By sectionally sub-sampling and testing the last 25mm of the sample, we are able to remove the impact of the extreme environmental variation, thereby confining the SD measurement to that of the genetically influenced variation between the individual fibres – the True SD. The micron profile below was generated from the same sample but restricted to the sectional sub-sample which tested only the last 25mm of the fibre sample. It can be seen that the Overall SD has been reduced from 5.2μ to 3.9μ by removing the extreme degree of variation along the fibres. The SD of 3.9μ represents a more true indication of the breeding potential of the alpaca for genetic improvement of fleece quality.

It should be noted that the reported SD Along on the first profile is 2.1μ (see Figure 5). This is the SD calculation for just the variation along the fibre. It is very high as it is reflecting the extreme variation in fibre diameter measured along the fibre length. The SD Along for the 25mm sectional sub-sampled portion is only 0.2μ which indicates there is very little variation along the section tested.

It is also worth noting that the flat portion of the micron profile can be found at any point along the sample. To effectively carry out this sectional test to determine ‘genetic’ or True SD, an examination of the entire profile is required.

THE GOOD NEWS… Good stock husbandry of your alpaca herd has to be maintained at all times throughout the year to minimise the impact of environmental influences on fibre diameter variation. However, we cannot

Good stock husbandry of your alpaca herd has to be maintained at all times throughout the year to minimise the impact of environmental influences on fibre diameter variation totally eliminate these influences and sometimes illness, stress and/or climatic conditions will conspire against us. When we can’t totally obliterate all environmental influences on SD, we can at least look closely at the fibre test results and determine when and how (if possible) to obtain SD results that will closely approximate True SD results. This will only be required when variance in diameter along the fibre is substantively impacting the overall SD, ie. when it is greater than 5μ and/or SD Along is greater than or equal to approximately 1.2μ.

If you have fibre test results where the profile visibly shows marked variation along the fibre length (ie. ≥ 5μ) and where the results for SD Along is ≥ 1.2μ, you should discuss this with your fibre testing provider. Specialist sub-sampling for sectional testing may be able to be conducted to reduce the variable environmental influence on the Overall SD and gain a True SD result.

And finally, if you have prize genetic stock, always review the fibre testing results closely and if anything seems out of the way, discuss the results with your fibre testing provider first.

With a Micron of 23.3μ and “True” SD of 3.9μ as demonstrated by the sectional sub-sampling test results, the Huacaya in this example was well worth considering for stud sire material instead of being written off and castrated.

Paul Vallely, Co-author of this paper, discloses a commercial interest in the findings of this paper as owner of Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing (AAFT).

Jennifer Errey is a Scientist who together with her husband, Robert, operates Errydge Park Suri stud in Nth East Victoria. The extreme environmental impact of the 2013/2014 weather patterns on the fibre diameter profiles and SDs of their Autumn 2014 cria drop is the subject of a separate paper.

Figure 6: Sectional sub-sample fibre diameter profile demonstrating removal of environmental influences

46 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

Bozedown Alpacas Established 1989

World Class Alpacas

Shear Excellence over 26 years

Generations of Intelligent Breeding - our sure foundation Bozedown takes pride in having been the prime force in advancing the general quality of alpacas in the UK and Europe, initially through our landmark first Peruvian selection of 1998.

Our enduring leading position in the industry is sustained by a rigorous selective breeding programme, steadily nurtured by importations of prime genetics from around the world.

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Beginners’ Day Courses throughout the year For sales enquiries, competent after sales support and training please contact Mary-Jo +44 (0)118-984-3827 +44(0)771-875-0303 We proudly sponsor maryjo@bozedown-alpacas.co.uk www.bozedown-alpacas.co.uk ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 47

UK Alpaca Ltd

Supporting British Alpaca Breeders

2015 Fleece Collection

UK Alpaca will buy ALL your huacaya fleece including leg and short neck. All grades of fibre have value and we are pleased to say that all your fleeces are used to make a variety of yarns in Britain with the lower grades going into cushions and bedding.

Keep British fleeces in the UK. Support us in developing a reputation for supplying the best high quality British alpaca yarns into the wholesale and retail markets.

Prices paid for the 2015 clip will be as follows. Contact us for your copy of our shearing guidelines including tips to maximise returns from your clip.

Grade

Colour

Skirted Price/kg excl VAT

Unskirted Price/kg excl VAT

Baby

White

£12

£10

Baby

Coloured

£8

£6

Fine

White

£8

£6

Fine

Coloured

£5

£3

Skirtings, short neck, coarse and shearing waste

All

£0.40

Please do not consign your yearling necks to ‘waste’. They should be bagged separately and if the neck staple is more than three inches long will go into the top grades.

UK Alpaca specialises in British alpaca yarns with full provenance and aims to support alpaca breeders by maintaining our reputation for high quality product.

If you sell us your fleece you are entitled to buy back stock yarns at wholesale prices with no minimum order.

For more information contact Chas Brooke or Rachel Hebditch on 01884 243579 or rachel@alpaca-uk.co.uk UK Alpaca Ltd, Vulscombe Farm, Pennymoor, Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NB

48 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

www.ukalpaca.com

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 49

ALPACALY EVER AFTER

A STORY OF ONE COUPLE'S VENTURE INTO THE WORLD OF ALPACAS:

“WE ALWAYS LIKE TO START A STORY IN THE GRAND TRADITION OF STORY TELLING, SO HERE GOES...”

50 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

ALPACALY EVER AFTER

I

We bought books.

We scoured the web.

We asked breeders annoying and repetitive questions, “a baby alpaca is called a WHAT!?”

t was once upon a time in the land of the lakes when Emma (writer of extraordinarily interesting children’s books, maker of beautifully whimsical things and owner of award winning craft and design business ‘temporary measure’ ) found herself accidentally nodding her head when Terry (former soldier in the British Army, loss prevention investigator, entrepreneur, ne’er do well, assistant children’s book illustrator and aspiring pirate) informed her that the only sensible thing to do in their spare time, was to start raising a herd of alpacas. The reasons he gave were as follows: 1. Alpacas were funny-looking and would therefore, logically, be fun to look after.

2. Having done some “solid research” he had it on great authority that alpacas were the easiest of animals to care for, in fact he would go so far as to say that “they would look after themselves.” (let’s fast forward briefly to days spent covered in mud, drenched by rain and battered by howling winds, attempting to memorise the dosage on a catering sized bottle of Fasinex.)

3. They had moved to The Lake District. What better way to become part of the local farming community than to breed Peruvian livestock (fast forward to three years of quizzical/ disbelieving looks, conversations that begin with “so what’s that then eh? Does it bite eh?” and then of course, the downright mockery.)

4. Emma could use their fleece in the business for making new knitted products, and maybe even

make them characters in her new book. (fast forward to a range of new knitted products and the draft for a new book on the way...okay, so he may have been right about this one. Don’t tell him, he’s insufferable enough. )

THE GAME OF THE NAME Based on four whole points of such profound logic, and bearing in mind their complete lack of experience, knowledge, land, or indeed funds, there was only one inevitable outcome. In a move that made no sense to anyone apart from them, they gave each other a wink and went off and did it anyway.

They started with a name. Because that was clearly the important bit!

Alpacaly Ever After... was born.

And then what did we do? Well, although some “solid research” had obviously already been done, we (Emma) decided that it would be prudent to do lots and lots and lots more. We bought books (mainly Emma). We scoured the web (mainly Terry). We asked breeders annoying and repetitive questions “ a baby alpaca is called a WHAT!?”

So having somewhat offset the Lack Of Knowledge issue, we decided to approach the Not Having Any Serious Funds issue by employing a tactic that Terry had learnt in his army days, and that had come in remarkably handy ever since: “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!” We did this by offering to take on alpacas from owners ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 51

ALPACALY EVER AFTER

who were looking to down size their herds, or were reluctant to sell their animals separately, preferring to keep a family group together in the knowledge that they would be going to (annoyingly) keen new owners, who would do their absolute best to make sure the alpacas had a marvellous new home and far too much attention.

GETTING SERIOUS Three years later we now have a herd of thirty delightfully funny-looking alpacas that is growing all the time. We have two beautiful new cria (yes, we know the words now and everything!) and

52 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

another on the way. We have the know-how to build the sturdiest of shelters and put coats on camelids who take a very reluctant approach to the concept of outdoor clothing. We have ropes and rope skills. We can spend several hours at a time discussing the difference between hay and haylage. We have found the most beautiful home for the Alpacaly Ever After herd on the Deer Park at Armathwaite Hall in the northern Lake District, on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake, very close to the little barn where we live. The alpacas can roam free surrounded by the fells, wandering through the woodland at the top of the eighteen acre site and taking walks through the river that runs along the bottom. We also have a fabulous collection of buckets and Terry has a tweed cap.

Last year we began halter training some of the most outgoing (flipping nosey) members of the herd and have been running walks with visitors around the grounds of the hall and down to the lake. There really is nothing quite so delightful as watching an alpaca take a bath in a lake, it should be recommended as a cure for all cases of melancholy and world weariness.

Emma has also been drawing the herd (in between helping them to look after themselves) and we are developing gorgeous product ranges with the help of a Kickstarter campaign, for the new website www.alpacalyeverafter.co.uk including greetings cards, knitting kits, patterns, mugs and hand knitted alpacas (designed by Emma’s mum The Greatest Knitter Of All Time Ever), using the yarn spun from last year’s fleeces.

If watching an alpaca take a bath doesn’t quite cure the blues then watching our shearer “Alpaca Bob” spraying himself liberally with WD40 in order to top up his tan, before shearing thirty alpacas without taking a breath, will certainly send them on their way.

There really is nothing quite so delightful as watching an alpaca take a bath in a lake, it should be recommended as a cure for all cases of melancholy and world weariness.

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ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 53

ALPACALY EVER AFTER

WOOLLY ARMY So, not bad for a start, but we have grander plans ahead! In fact, Terry may just not stop until world domination is in his sights.

His twitter account @alpacaly has become ridiculously popular over the last twelve months with alpaca lovers and a surprising amount of celebrities from all over the world, while he steadfastly refuses to follow anyone (except of course for Emma, the man may be a megalomaniac but he’s not daft.) He has taken great delight in sharing our huge learning curve with everyone, and making the most of our awesome gang of misfit alpacas. We have

found to our absolute pleasure, that although we are lucky enough to have some stunning show worthy alpacas, it’s the funniest looking ones that make the best photographs and drawings, and are often the most fun to hang around with (okay so he was right about that one too.) It has been amazing to have so many people joining the Alpacaly Ever After team, his tag line runs ‘Be Warned: our numbers are growing and we are mobilizing...’ and his ‘Woolly Army’ of followers on Twitter has lead us into some unusual situations, most recently being asked to name our beautiful new girl cria after Tim Burgess, the lead singer of rock band

We have found to our absolute pleasure, that although we are lucky enough to have some stunning show worthy alpacas, it’s the funniest looking ones that make the best photographs and drawings, and are often the most fun to hang around with.

54 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

The Charlatans...who are we to argue with unusual ideas and so Burgess she is. We call her Burdie for short, just so she doesn’t feel too much pressure.

And where will the story go next? Well who can say, all we know for sure is that it has been an absolute privilege to spend time in such gentle, curious and extremely funny-looking company, and that we will be trying our hardest, every day, to make sure that our alpacas get there Alpacaly Ever After...

THE END

Alpaca books & digital discs from Classical MileEnd Alpacas Now available from our online shop at www.alpaca-uk.co.uk or by mail order The Complete Alpaca Book 2nd Edition Eric Hoffman The most complete and comprehensive study of the alpaca. £120 + £8.50 p&p

Calamity’s Bear Elaine Reeman Illustrated by Wendy Holloway Charming children’s book with lovely illustrations. £8 + £2.50 p&p

The Alpaca Colour Key; Rickets: The Silent Killer; Handbook of Alpaca Health Elizabeth Paul of Erehwon Alpacas Australia This trio of books are a welcome addition to the library and cover some fascinating and essential areas of animal health and inheritance not easily found elsewhere. Over 90 pages in each, plenty of supportive colour pictures and biology degrees not needed! £22 ea or £60 for all three +£1.50 p&p ea or +£4 p&p for all three

NE W

Definitive Guide to Alpaca Fibre Cameron Holt Cameron has over 50 years experience in the natural fibre trade.

The book combines scientific subjects such as alpaca fibre histology and modern testing techniques with information on skirting and classing protocols for alpaca fleece production in 195 pages including many illustrative pictures. Highly recommended. £95 + £6 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

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Antenatal Birthing and Cria Care Dr E McMillan and C Jinks A practical guide for the new alpaca owner written by an experienced alpaca owner and their vet. £20 + £1.50 p&p

The Art & Science of Alpaca Judging AOBA with Anderson, Gehly, Safley & VandenBosch Five years in the making this book will become the bible for developing breeding strategies and explaining what goes on in the show judging ring. Essential reading for both new and experienced owners. Highly recommended. Now £55 plus £6 p&p UK or £10 p&p Europe 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 | Spring 2015 | 55

Lavender Park Tulley (DF)

British Alpaca Society National Show 2014 Huacaya Progeny Class Light Champion Heart of England Fiesta 2014 Sire’s Progeny Champion co-owned by:

Ashcroft Alpaca ben@cotswoldwireless.co.uk 01453 860227

Blue Rock Alpacas nicholas.twilley@ukonline.co.uk 01452 810934

Avon Alpacas john@cowleaze.plus.uk 01179 372763

Meon Valley Alpacas We are a family run farm in Warfield, Berkshire, breeding high quality Suri and Huacaya alpacas.

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56 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

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ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 57

THERAPY ANIMALS

Using Alpacas as

By Julie Taylor-Browne, CamelidSense

58 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

THERAPY ANIMALS

Therapy Animals I

am the first to admit that I find sitting in a field with my alpacas very therapeutic after a stressful day, and I know that I am not on my own in enjoying their company. Recently, however, I have heard a number of people mention that they are planning to use alpacas ‘therapeutically’ in a more systematic way. In this article therefore, I would like to examine the use of alpacas as therapy animals in a bit of detail, as

alpacas might not be the first animals that spring to mind for therapeutic work and to look at the issues of working with them without some careful thought and planning.

A BIT ABOUT DEFINITIONS The three general areas where alpaca and llamas could be used are Alpaca Assisted Therapy (AAT), Alpaca Assisted Interventions (AAI) and Alpaca

Assisted Activities (AAA). Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed intervention in which a trained animal has an important role in the treatment process of an individual. A health professional such as an occupational therapist administers AAT. Specific goals are identified for each client. These goals can involve physical, social, emotional or cognitive functioning.

Progress is measured and documented.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 59

THERAPY ANIMALS

Animal assisted interventions have been said to bring positive results when other conventional therapeutic approaches have not worked "AAT is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the scope of practice of his/her profession.

AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning [cognitive functioning refers to thinking and intellectual skills]. AAT is provided in a variety of settings and may be group or individual in nature. This process is documented and evaluated." (From Standards of Practice for Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy in Krugerrand & Serpe, 2006).

So if you are working in AAT with your alpacas you will be working with a health and/or education professional in a specific therapeutic framework.

You will collectively set goals for the work to be undertaken, and outcomes are usually measured.

On the other hand, animal assisted activities (AAA) is much more general and may involve ‘meet and greet’ activities such as taking animals to visit people in hospitals, nursing homes or hospices. These activities don’t need to be carried out by qualified people and the benefits can involve stress reduction, increased trust and socialisation opportunities. They may also include activities such as agility, general animal care and husbandry.

There is usually no paperwork involved (although you may be asked about your public liability insurance) – just, hopefully, fun for everyone.

Between these two areas lie Alpaca Assisted Interventions (AAI) which involves the use of specifically chosen animals in a range of activities, or interactions with people, that are designed to meet individual goals or objectives.

These interventions usually form part of an integrated approach to care, and are delivered alongside health care professionals. Progress is monitored and reviewed as part of a planned 60 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

series of activities. Animal assisted interventions have been said to bring positive results when other conventional therapeutic approaches have not worked, for example working with troubled adolescents, who are involved with social and/or probation services.

In all three types of therapy there are likely to be health and safety issues, child protection issues and insurance considerations. For example, there may need to be hand washing opportunities, or protocols for locking away sharp objects such as knives used for chopping carrots. Safety briefings may need to be given on how not to get kicked or knocked over.

WHAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE? Quite a bit of work and research has been carried out using dogs and horses, and there are well defined and well regulated protocols for this work, by existing organisations such as the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL), Riding for the Disabled (RDA), the Delta Society (now Pet Partners) and PAT (Pets As Therapy).

The Blue Cross Society run courses in the UK with the Society for Companion Animal Studies, including a distance learning course (see www. scas.org.uk). If you just want to get a flavour of the ability of animals to affect people’s lives, I recommend Rupert Isaacson’s Horse Boy books about working with his autistic son and horses.

As an example of work with camelids in the UK have a look at Mary Harvey’s work at her CHAT project. (http://chatchylowen.vpweb.co.uk)

WHY USE ANIMALS FOR THERAPY? Much has been claimed for animal assisted programmes. For example a programme that works with adolescents notes: “Many studies have been done to show the effects of building relationships with animals and

horses. Endorphins are released into the body and decrease chemicals which cause stress and arousal when sessions with horses are experienced by troubled youth. Troubled teens are typically in a state of aggression, defiance, or anger. Using horse therapy with these teens helps maintain a constant and healthy chemical balance. Not only do horses provide therapy as a result of chemical connection between the human and horse, they also provide troubled youth with an opportunity to learn how to control and work with animals. Learning how to work with horses will help them in their day to day lives as they deal and work with humans.

“Horses can often times be stubborn, reluctant to follow orders, and have to learn how to get along with a team. Members of horse therapy groups will learn how to properly lead, groom, and take care of the animals. These teens may realise that they exhibit some of the exact same behaviours as the horse. By learning how to get along and work with the horse they will better understand their own emotions and body language. Horses cannot speak like humans, and careful attention must be placed on their body language. They will let you know if they are nervous, relaxed, frustrated, excited, or dangerous by their body language. Learning how to recognise this language is key in learning how to train and become one with a horse.”

(Animal-Assisted Interventions in Mental Health: Definitions and Theoretical Foundations Katherine A. Krugerand James A. Serpe: Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy. (2006) Elsevier) Being around animals and caring for them is said to be beneficial both physically and mentally. It is well documented that holding and stroking animals can reduce blood pressure and alleviate feelings of tension and anxiety. It is said that animals are non-judgemental and give unconditional love, and, for survivors of abuse, may be the first form of ‘safe touch’.

THERAPY ANIMALS

Animals can be an aid to communication as they are not just always a good talking point, but they are also useful in assisting with non-verbal communication and have been used when working with people with autistic spectrum disorders and attention deficit disorder.

Some benefits of Animal Assisted Intervention are said to be that it: • Combats loneliness and encourages social integration • Promotes a sense of responsibility and empathy with others • Encourages nurturing traits • Promotes self-esteem, independence and selfconfidence • Reduces stress • Encourages mobility • Animal assisted interventions can act as a catalyst for change and help people through transitional life stages • Animal assisted interventions can assist people in finding alternative 'coping strategies' to face challenges and support personal growth.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS DURING A SESSION? Obviously the activities undertaken depends on the client or learner..... In cases of learning disabled people and those with autism, tasks may focus on improving coordination and motor skills, focus and staying ‘on task’. For troubled adolescents, following instructions, working in a team, learning patience and how to work quietly around animals may be the focus of the intervention and activity. For those with mental health difficulties, working with an animal can help them to verbalise the difficulties they are having, and they may ascribe to an animal thoughts or feelings they may be experiencing and through this, begin to be able to communicate with a therapist.

Typical activities include mucking out, tacking up, grooming, feeding and leading animals.

By focusing on husbandry tasks, goals can be clearly defined and monitored and are open to a wider range of client groups. The use of positive reinforcement is included, so if the husbandry tasks are performed successfully, the client and the animal can be rewarded by moving on to more ‘fun’ activities such as riding or taking the animal for a walk.

ARE ALPACAS SUITABLE? This is an interesting question, and to answer this we have to consider what we need the animal involved to do. Probably, the fundamental requirement of them is to interact with people in some way. However, we are well aware that an alpaca is a herd animal, that they shouldn’t be kept on their own and that being separated from their companions is usually a cause of stress. So for some types of work, llamas may be more suitable because they have been selectively bred for their willingness to work one-to-one with humans.

Alpacas and llamas do not lick their cria when they are born, nor do they clean them, groom them or mutually groom each other, unlike

It is said that animals are non-judgemental and give unconditional love, and, for survivors of abuse, may be the first form of ‘safe touch’

horses and dogs. Cuddling and being cuddled are alien behaviours to them which only a minority will accept or tolerate. Taking them to venues where many people are going to want to stroke them is not going to work for all animals. Their toleration of being stroked although initially accepting may be limited. For example, some of my camelid boys did a morning stint at a local mental health facility and after two hours were very, very ready to come home.

However, we can teach our alpacas to trust us, and through repeated interactions they can become extremely trusting of the work we want them to do and very sensitive to clients and their needs. The fact that they are smaller and less intimidating than horses, for example, makes they more approachable (and often, more easily transported.…)

Not all alpacas are going to be suitable for this work. Ex-stud males who have been gelded have normally been extensively handled (especially if they have been shown) and can be ideally suitable for this work, whereas pregnant and nursing females usually do not. Animals who have been ‘rescued’ and rehabilitated may have a function in enabling clients to talk about their experiences of being excluded or marginalised. I took on one male who was going to be euthanised after attacking other males, his cria and at least two sets of owners. After I had him gelded and retrained him he turned into a lovely animal who went to a new home as a therapy animal.

Clients may ‘choose’ the animals they want to work with on the basis of perceived shared experience, and the animals too, may express a preference by picking a client to work with.

This particular animal was very popular as his history struck many chords with clients. Adult geldings, in my opinion, are ideal and avoid the problem of over friendly, over handled babies. I have selected a number of these (from 3-8 years old) for this type of work and they have proved to be wonderful and tolerant animals. Older, nonbreeding females may also be suitable. I remember choosing one of my girls to work with an autistic young woman. The alpaca was superbly calm, but would only walk on when given the correct signal, in effect she taught the young woman how to handle her!

WHAT DO WE NEED THEM TO DO? Very often we need them to do nothing, while things are done to them, such as stroking, haltering or toenail trimming. We may also want them to go for a walk or go over obstacles. Clients (and probably the professionals working with them) are going to need instructing on how to get alpacas to behave in appropriate ways, and it is up to us to elucidate the ‘house rules’ on how to work with our animals successfully.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 61

THERAPY ANIMALS At my farm, for example, visitors are informed that: • alpacas like to be stroked on their necks, not the top of their heads and that it is polite to do this with the back of your hand first; • we approach the animal from the side, not from the front; • we use the midline catch and halter helper when handling or haltering the animal rather than grabbing it round the neck; • when leading, we always clip the lead rope to the frontmost side ring rather than underneath.

Being led from there is a much more pleasant experience for the animals; • that alpacas prefer it if we try to speak with a low volume and to keep hand gestures to a minimum.

These are all useful points to show clients and are about making the alpaca feel safe, something to which clients may be able to relate to. When I teach courses, I often talk about alpacas being prey animals and how they perceive us acting like predators and how we can stop doing it. Teaching this to some client groups may also be of benefit.

I remember being surprised and impressed when one young man informed me that alpacas didn’t like to be grabbed by the neck because it was a very vulnerable area.

The other important thing we want them to do is to act safely. Learning about the ‘kick button’ and when and why camelids spit are very useful pieces of information. Alpacas, like horses, are ‘spook monsters’. Alpacas can exhibit challenging behaviours such as rearing and there needs to be an awareness of when this might occur. When leading, a healthy distance from the animal helps both participants feel safer. Use a longer lead than you think you need to, this will allow the person leading to drop most of the length of the lead and still keep the animal under control. This sets both parties to the leading exercise up for success, not failure.

HOW CAN WE TRAIN ALPACAS TO BE SUITABLE THERAPY ANIMALS? I have found that some people have the idea that we need to make our alpacas ‘bomb proof’ before they will be suitable as therapy animals, they also believe that they should be very friendly and take 62 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

food and receive stroking and petting happily from people. I am sympathetic to this, but only to a degree and would argue that if we want such an animal we would probably be better off using a Golden Retriever or a Shetland pony. I believe that we should not be trying to change alpaca nature too much, nor should we risk getting over-friendly animals, an issue with which many petting zoos have had to contend.

There are many, many animals who have been rehomed from petting zoos who have become ‘too difficult’. This is as a result of isolation from the herd and normal social alpaca behaviour, from over handling and too much hand feeding and treating. I have two rejects from this type of zoo at my farm. One loves being stroked by everyone, but is very difficult to handle and the other one spits at all the other alpacas because the public were encouraged to hand feed the animals at ‘carrot time’. Without an awareness of the risks, this could happen to our therapy animals. I recently took on two Icelandic ponies from an special school and had to retrain them. An over-reliance on food treats meant that when I acquired them they were like the crocodile in a Punch and Judy show. To say that they liked to bite was an understatement….

I believe the keys to success include: • Train the animals using non-coercive methods e.g. CamelidSense/Camelidynamics and/or clicker (operant conditioning) work. Clicker training gives us such an effective means of communicating with our animals. There is also TagTeach (www.tagteach.com) which is an excellent way of teaching new skills to humans, and might be well worth investigating for your therapeutic enterprise.

• Don’t let your animals get stressed or jaded with overwork. Balance a lot of hanging about in their field with bouts of therapy work. I notice that when I bring my animals in too often for work on my clinics they are less well

behaved than when I alternate using ‘the girls’ with ‘the boys’.

• Train your client group in the correct methods of handling.

• Desensitise your alpacas to everything you can think of before you start taking them anywhere new to do work. Take them to lots of places and expose them to lots of stimuli in a neutral setting. I thought my boys were bomb proof but on a visit to a nursing home on a hot day they were completely terrified of the large parasols on the patios!

• Don’t overhandle your youngsters! Work with your cria in the ways I have elucidated before in this magazine and others, but don’t do any extra work. Leave introducing them to therapy work until they are older, I would say about a year at the earliest. Hopefully they are going to have a long and fulfilling working life, you need to ensure you don’t put too much pressure on them at this early age, before they are mentally and physically developed. Some of the easiest horses I ever worked with were Arab horses who had had some early training and handling and who were then turned away to mature and brought back into work at 4-5 years old.

Good luck with your ventures and I wish you all success, and hope that you, your client groups and your alpacas all enjoy this work. Sadly, the jury still seems to be out on whether therapy with animals provides a lasting effect, but I feel that interacting with animals and learning about them without harming them or exploiting them can only benefit those involved.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE See www.carthveanalpacas.com for details of courses, previous articles and our online store of equipment books and DVDs. Contact Julie Tayor-Browne at taylor.browne@clara.net

Available for sale: Mothers with cria, pregnant females, open females, breeding males and starter herds. Also alpacas for pets and to guard lambs/chicken.

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BRISAN

Never knew ALPACA FELT

By Francis E.B. Rainsford

66 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

BRISAN

Whilst working on an alpaca garment finishing project in the Centro de Innovacion Tecnologica Textil (CITE Textil) of the Instituto Peruano de la Alpaca y Camelidos (IPAC) in Arequipa some years ago, Erika Muñoz was curious to see if it was possible to felt alpaca fibre and produce different and interesting qualities of finished cloths and garments.

Her colleagues advised her that it was not practical due to the small scale count (when compared to wool) on alpaca fibres but, nevertheless, it was a thought that would nag her until 2009 when she formed her own company, Brisan E.I.R.L. (www.brisantextiles.com), and commenced to produce a range of knitted garments and accessories in alpaca.

Once her knitwear range was established, she turned her attention to woven fabrics and, in particular, the finishing techniques that could enhance them.

this way Ladies’ and childrens’ felted alpaca coats from Brisan’s collection.

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 67

BRISAN DEVELOPMENT OF FELTING TECHNIQUES FOR ALPACA Being only a small-sized business - the company has a staff of eight employees - the challenge to mount a research and development programme to investigate how best alpaca could be felted was a daunting one and Muñoz decided to consult local alpaca finishing expert, Andres Manrique.

Manrique, with almost thirty years experience of applying various finishing applications to alpaca garments, was keen to get involved.

He explained, “Our approach was to focus on techniques that could be applied on a small scale allowing Brisan to offer bespoke and unique products rather than anything on a larger basis and without losing the characteristics that define and identify alpaca to the final consumer.”

In 2012, they applied to the Peruvian government’s Innovate-Peru scheme for small business development and were awarded funds by its Fondo de Investigacion y Desarrollo para la Competitividad (FIDECOM) based on their proposal to felt alpaca fabrics and garments in regular cylindrical drum washing machines (in Brisan’s case a machine made in Spain).

Muñoz and Manrique contacted the main suppliers of textile finishing chemicals and enzymes in Peru and laid out a programme of experimental conditions to encourage alpaca to felt using their specialised products.

The parameters that they defined as a priority were to control the variables associated with the water used in the machine, namely temperature, pH and the relationship between immersion in an aqueous solution and the application of steam.

Then, the mechanics of the machine process were governed with regard to the process’s timecycle and drum speed (rpm). Here the amount of time the garment is in the machine and the speed Andres Manrique and Erika Muñoz with some of Brisan’s felted alpaca garments.

68 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

with which the agitation process is carried out at are seen as critical in achieving the balance sought between felting and retaining fibre properties.

The measurement of the success of their experiments was determined by the retention of alpaca’s smooth handle, overall appearance, drape, elasticity, dimensional stability and comfort factor.

Muñoz recalled, “Once we received the funding our work commenced in earnest and, two years down the track, we now have a range of felted products such as coats, jackets and tops for both ladies and children in a range of different weights which we sell in our domestic market and, following contacts made during the Alpaca Fiesta (10th to 15th November 2014) in Arequipa, we have commenced to trial and sample abroad.”

Brisan’s full felted range is comprised of 100% Baby Alpaca, 70% Baby Alpaca/30% Wool and 60% Superfine Alpaca/40% Wool.

It has also successfully felted a blend of 70% Baby Alpaca/30% Silk which has a surprisingly agreeable handle though, as Muñoz points out, its commercial viability and value is yet to be established.

EXPANSION OF COMPANY’S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES The successful commercialisation of a range of felted alpaca garments has helped Muñoz define a new strategy for the business and open up new avenues of opportunity.

She explained, “Whilst the knitted garments that we have produced since 2009 are a key aspect of our place in the world of fashion, it has to be said that the market for small alpaca knitwear manufacturers in Peru is increasingly more competitive.”

“Our development of felted woven garments has taken us into a new market niche but, equally

MAIN HEADING

A ladies’ felted alpaca poncho from Brisan’s collection.

“Alpaca is renowned for its softness of handle and excellent drape in tailoring.

Garments that have been felted are very much in fashion and command higher price levels, especially in export markets.”

ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 69

BRISAN important has been our focus and specialising on felting as just one of various textile finishing processes now available to us.”

The company has been able to branch out and offer commission services for other small manufacturers who require their knitted panels and fabrics to be washed prior to final packaging.

Brisan is currently contracting its services to local manufacturers of garments and fabrics in cotton, wool, alpaca and blends.

This service has recently stepped-up to include laundering and care services for hotels and corporations where bedding materials, towels, furnishings, tableware and uniforms are laundered with Brisan’s trademark of retaining the items’ original tactile characteristics.

The range of processing includes laundering (both wet and dry), stain removal, steaming, ironing, making buttonholes, sewing-on buttons and labels.

A nagging curiosity and the will to conduct an investigation of the prospect of felting alpaca has resulted in a success story for Erika Muñoz and Brisan E.I.R.L. The business model that she has created

enables small orders for felted alpaca products to be realised using standard, affordable machinery in Arequipa’s small business textile sector which increasingly operates on a Prato-like basis where individual companies offer their services to both allies and competitors alike.

It is a good example where, instead of pursuing a large scale production path, an entrepreneur has shown that the added value of a final product can offset its lack of production volume.

From the alpaca industry’s viewpoint the fact that alpaca and blends can be felted successfully helps keep it in contention with other natural fibres in a fashion world that is ever more competitive.

Looking to the future, Muñoz said, “Felted alpaca gives the fibre a new texture and different properties and is one way of overcoming some of the limitations that have excluded it from certain fashion applications. Brisan has had a useful learning experience in the possibilities offered by finishing techniques in general. I believe that we can build on this and explore new techniques to improve and enhance the fibre’s natural characteristics for the benefit and pleasure of the final consumer.”

One of Brisan’s medium-felted ladies’ alpaca coats

One of Brisan’s fully-felted ladies’ alpaca coats.

A nagging curiosity and the will to conduct an investigation of the prospect of felting alpaca has resulted in a success story for Erika Muñoz and Brisan E.I.R.L.

70 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

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EMAIL: lulu@lusialpacas.co.uk ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE | Spring 2015 | 73

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Alpha Alpacas Di Davies, Woodstock, Mapperton Lane, Melplash, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3UF. Tel: 01308 488661 / 07739 382483.

Email: didavies@alpaca.fsnet.co.uk Web: www.alphaalpacas.com A small elite herd of Huacaya alpacas where top quality fibre, biosecurity and supporting our clients is paramount. The quality of our herd has been confirmed by their superb show record. Stud services available, breeding stock (male and female) and pet males for sale.

Pennybridge Alpacas Joy & Peter, Pennybridge Farm, Greywell Road, Up Nately, Hook, Hants RG27 9PJ Tel: 01256 764824 / 07801 132757 Email: joy@pennybridgealpacas.co.uk Web: www.pennybridgealpacas.co.uk The Pennybridge Herd & Stud. Alpacas for sale. Most colours available, even the rare appaloosa. Quality starter herds, proven and potential stud males, stud services, pets and sheepguards. Free advice and after sales support provided.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE Houghton Hall Alpacas Mick & Liz George, Houghton Hall Alpacas, Mere Way, Houghton, Cambs P£28 2BL. Tel: 01480 461510. Mob: 07764 469132.

Email: info@houghtonhallalpacas.co.uk Website: www.houghtonhallalpacas.co.uk BAS National 2014 Double Supreme Winners. Proven Award Winning Genetics.

Elite Stud Males. Top Quality Pregnant Females. Premium Huacaya & Suris in a wide range of colours. Pet Males.

Full Support & After Care. We have an alpackage© to suit you.

DEVON Classical MileEnd Alpacas Rachel Hebditch & 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 breeding farm with 18 years alpaca experience. Show winning herd sires with British, Australian and American genetics available for outside stud servicing. Wide selection of quality alpacas for sale as pets or breeding stock. We maintain rigorous management of on farm bio-security including full farm perimeter wildlife fencing. Excellent customer support and training with visitors welcome by appointment.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Pure Alpacas Jay & Hilary Holland, Torsend House, Main Road, Tirley, Glocs. GL19 4EU. Tel: 01452 780327.

Email: jay@purealpacas.co.uk Web: www.purealpacas.co.uk A family-run herd of both huacaya and suri with a range for sale from pets and guards to elite breeding stock. Sensibly priced and all backed by professional, unrivalled support and advice. Our herdsires are all proven and available for outside services.

We run a variety of courses which cater for all levels of experience. Exports to Europe a speciality.

Snowshill Alpacas Roger Mount, Snowshill Hill Barn, Temple Guiting, Cheltenham, GL54 5XX. Tel: 01386 853841 / 07711 044106.

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 a wide selection of proven sires. After sales support and advice. We also have fabrics for sale, all made from our own alpacas and spun, woven and finished in the UK.

Watership Alpacas Keith Taylor, Greenacres, Thruxton Down, Andover, Hants SP11 8PR Tel: 01264 889206 Email: info@watershipalpacas.co.uk Web: www.watershipalpacas.co.uk Watership Alpacas invites you to visit and meet our prize-winning alpacas. We have all colours of BAS registered huacaya breeding females, young males, potential studs and pets for sale. Inexpensive stud services all with full support and guidance.

NORFOLK AzSu Alpacas Nikki Lenk, The Low Farm, Letton, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 7TB. Tel: 01362 820097. Mob: 07798 522178 Fax: 01362 821333 Email: nikki.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, Burnt Fen, Horning, Norfolk, NR12 8LA. Tel: 01692 630553.

Email: annie.alpaca@icloud.com Web: www.burntfen.co.uk We are long established alpaca breeders and have developed a fantastic friendly herd bred from excellent pedigree stock. We sell quality breeding females through to gorgeous pet animals with genuine after sales support and processing advice for your fleeces.

YORKSHIRE Fowberry Alpacas Jenny MacHarg, Crambe Grange, Barton Le Willows, York YO60 7PQ. Tel 01653 619520.

Email: info@fowberry-alpacas.com Web: www.fowberry-alpacas.com Supreme Championship winning herd, including the overall Championship winning Huacaya Sire of the biggest show in Europe (2012). We offer super-fine genetics; correct conformation and happy healthy alpacas; knowledgeable advice and after-sales assistance; regular introductory and advanced courses; on-line shop and as importantly, our support to achieve your alpaca goals.

WARWICKSHIRE Toft Alpacas Rob & Shirley Bettinson, Toft Manor, Toft Lane, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 6NR. Tel: 01788 810626. Fax: 01788 522347 Email: shirley@toft-alpacas.co.uk Web: www.toft-alpacas.co.uk Alpaca Stud Farm, est 1997. Pedigree stock for sale in all colours. Superior stud services.

Stud males for sale or lease. Pets for sale.

Introductory and advanced husbandry workshops. Fleece and fibre workshops. 24/7 advice and support. Holiday cottage on farm.

Luxury alpaca products online and on-farm shop.

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.

74 | Spring 2015 | ALPACA WORLD MAGAZINE

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