Alpaca Autumn 2020

Alpaca British Alpaca Society bi-monthly magazine

British Alpaca Society The fibre breed

www.bas-uk.com

KELSEYmedia

FEBRUARY 20202020£2.95 AUTUMN £5.99

KELSEYmedia

ISSUE 81 | AUTUMN 2020

£

Alpaca www.bas-uk.com THE BRITISH ALPACA SOCIETY c/o Grassroots Systems Ltd, PO Box 251, Exeter EX2 8WX. Tel (within UK): 0845 3312468 Tel (Overseas): +44(0)1392 437788 Fax: +44(0)1392 437788 Email: info@bas-uk.com BAS CHIEF EXECUTIVE Dr Duncan Pullar Tel: 07496 578781 Email: ceo@bas-uk.com EDITORIAL Editor: Liz Mason alpaca.ed@kelsey.co.uk Studio Manager: Jo Legg jo.legg@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Wendy King 01233 555735 wendy@tandemmedia.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION Tandem Media Ltd Ad Production Manager: Andy Welch Alpaca@tandemmedia.co.uk 01233 220245

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CONTENTS

Fleece prices Guidelines Peruvian fibre suppliers take action 9 Camelids key to new Covid-19 treatment?

12 Miscreants, alpacas and the NHS 14 Severn Hospice appeal 16 Open Day goes virtual 18 Meon Valley Life

Two cria, called Vini and Harvey have made extraordinary recoveries after they failed to receive enough essential first milk from their mothers..

32 Cria gallery

Alpaca editor Liz Mason reveals the winning entries in the second BAS Alpaca cria gallery introduced to celebrate the arrival of the cria class of 2020.

34 Castrating alpacas 36 Making headlines

Karen Oglesby never dreamt alpacas would shape their lives quite as much as they have.

KELSEY MEDIA The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING DIRECTOR: Gill Lambert SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Kate Chamberlain PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss

30 Fighting for life

38 Speaking out for alpaca 20 Time for a reseed?

Well managed grass is the cheapest feed for your alpacas so it pays to make the most of it. BAS CEO Duncan Pullar examines why early autumn is a good time to consider reseeding tired paddocks.

Lulu Oliver is a retail business owner specialising in alpaca fibre products. She responds to the decision by high street retailers to stop selling alpaca.

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23 The effect of temperature on the alpaca sex ratio 26 Birthing at Redens

40 Champion of Champions Fleece Show 2020

Having had over 200 births Linda Mackintosh feels Redens Alpacas have begun to understand the complexities of alpaca birthing.

44 BAS regional spotlight

The first of a new series of articles highlighting the work of BAS regional groups starts with the Cornwall Camelid Association (CCA).

Cover photo: Mullacott Alpacas: Perdy with her cria Mullacott Appaloosa Angel

Alpaca Autumn 2020

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FROM THE EDITOR

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T: 01959 541444 E: alpaca.ed@kelsey.co.uk @BritishAlpacaMagazine

elcome to Autumn! Covid-19 is continuing to affect life in the UK but alpaca owners are adapting to the new normal. Of course, without the county shows and BAS halter shows breeders have not had the chance to meet and compete. In their absence fleece shows have helped to fill the › Liz Mason competitive gap, thanks to the hard work and dedication of BAS regional groups and judges.

In this issue we include results from the BAS National, The Three Counties, organised by the West Shires Alpaca Group and the first Cornwall Camelid Association Fleece Show. More fleece shows are scheduled for later this autumn and they are a fantastic opportunity to have alpacas evaluated by a BAS qualified judge and to learn more about fibre.

The arrival of more cute cria over the summer is also celebrated in our second Cria Gallery. Congratulations to the winning entry Kim Inglis Jeffries from Blencogo Farm Alpacas. Thank you to everyone who entered and to BAS CEO Duncan Pullar for taking on the task of judging. After a good response and some stunning entries we hope to run the competition again next year.

The arrival of cria is such a big part of the alpaca year that we wanted to share the excitement, and on occasion the heartbreak. In Birthing At Redens Linda Mackintosh, from Redens Alpacas, shares her experience and passes on advice that may help other owners.

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Enabling owners to learn from each other is a big part of this magazine’s remit. With this in mind Jodi Fellows wanted other owners to learn about the survival of her two cria – Vini and Harvey born with life threatening failure of passive transfer. Both cria thankfully survived after intensive care and Jodi now has two healthy boys to join her therapy team This issue also includes a feature from Harry Edwards of Mulberry Alpacas. Harry is a lead chaplain at Severn Hospice, which has two hospice sites and has helped to organised the Fibre Zone at the BAS National Show for several years. In his feature he explains how alpacas support his work and help hospice patients.

Many charities, including Severn Hospice, have been hit hard by Covid-19 and have lost funding as shops, and other income sources were closed down. Severn Hospice is one of them and given the link with the BAS through the National Show – the Hospice receives all money from the entrance fee as a donation – Alpaca magazine has launched a JustGiving appeal.

It would be wonderful if readers could donate – perhaps the price of entry to the BAS National – to compensate in some way for the cancellation of this year’s National Show due to Covid-19. The JustGiving Link is: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/britishalpacamagazinesevernhospiceappeal Thank you to all our contributors. I hope you find this issue interesting and informative. If you would like to contribute to future issues please send your stories, pictures, letters or comments – they are all welcome.

CEO NOTES...

Duncan Pullar

he British Alpaca Society is passionate about all things alpaca, and within the UK helps to ensure the wellbeing of the animals its members love, as well as celebrating and promoting them to members and the general public to ensure they have a bright and long-lasting future in the UK. The welfare work of the Society is not something that is often headline news, rather it goes on quietly in the background. The last few months have been typical of the welfare work we do. Alpacas have been rehomed, shorn and in some cases received vet treatment to help maintain their welfare.

Sometimes alpacas need rehoming because they aren’t being looked after well enough, and that is often tricky to deal with unless, or until, the owner realises

there is a problem. But alpacas need rehoming for all sort of reasons. Recently we have had several cases where the ageing human owner decides they can’t give their animals the attention they need and its clear to see it’s a difficult decision but they know the time has come to find their animals a new home.

BAS members play an important role in the welfare work we do. Often BAS members are the first to see a problem, or a friend or neighbour refers a problem to them. Often, I will ask a BAS member who lives near a potential problem to go and have a look “over the fence” to get an independent view of the issue (which on one occasion revealed llamas rather than alpacas). And if it comes to it there are members who are happy to rehome alpacas that need it.

Thanks to all of you for what you do for alpaca welfare.

Become a BAS member www.bas-uk.com

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

British Alpaca Society The fibre breed

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Let us inspire you with the complete alpaca experience.

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

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FLEECE PRICES Britain’s biggest buyer holds fleece prices

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evon based company UK Alpaca has confirmed that it has held its alpaca fleece prices despite a slump in the price of wool which has seen some sheep farmers dump hundreds of fleeces on compost heaps.

UK Alpaca co-founder Rachel Hebditch said the company, which is the largest buyer of British alpaca fleece, has not dropped the prices it pays to owners for alpaca fleece although trading has been difficult through lockdown.

The company make a range of fully worsted hand and machine knit yarns which aim to show British alpaca at its best.

Rachel said: “The commodity market for brown and black fleece is very challenging so although we are still buying it from breeders who have always sold us their fleece, we are not buying from those who are not existing vendors.

“Good quality white and fawn fleeces are what we want and more is always welcome. The spinners, dyers and sock makers have all started up again so stock levels are improving.

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Bradford company drops prices

radford based company DB wools has told breeders that prices for all types of alpaca fleece are considerably less than last year.

The company, which began buying alpaca fleece last season to support a niche market for UK alpaca, has thanked breeders for their patience. In a letter sent to breeders the company said it had spent a lot of time in recent months speaking to potential clients under difficult circumstances who are still working or returning to work due to the virus.

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“We have lost ten yarn shows so far and anticipate that the big three autumn Knitting and Stitching Shows in London, Dublin and Harrogate are unlikely to run either. These shows make up a very large part of our turnover and of course the wholesale side of the business has suffered as well with yarn shops closed down and the people who buy our alpaca socks shut down.

“To make up for all of this we have invested heavily in e-commerce and continue to do so. I am happy to report that it is working and that we continue to dream up innovative products made from British alpaca.”

UK Alpaca’s continuing innovation comes as British Wool, which sells wool on behalf of most sheep farmers, has come under criticism for its poor response to the slump in demand. British Wool is reported to have 16m tonnes of unsold fleece following a shutdown in the global market for crossbred wool due to Covid-19. The shutdown, from February to June, came at the busiest time for wool traders and has caused wool prices to plummet.

Prices have fallen to well below the cost of shearing for many farmers but payment for finer white wools is higher than mountain or hill breeds.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

“The effect of the virus has been quite severe, and it has been difficult to obtain market valuations for alpaca fibre. In addition to this the PETA campaign in Peru regarding treatment of the animals has had an effect on world prices and markets with some retailers taking alpaca products from their ranges.

“This is a great shame as we know the UK breeders are meticulous with all aspects of animal husbandry,” DB Wools said in its letter.

With this in mind the company offered breeders the following prices: Huacaya fleece/saddle white

£2.50/kg , Huacaya fleece/saddle coloured £1.00/kg; Suri fleece – all colours £0.70/kg, all seconds £0.50/kg; all thirds £0.30/kg. Older animal fleece only £0.50/kg.

Best white Huacaya was reported to attract £5/ kg last season. “We appreciate these prices are considerably below last season, but they do reflect the consequences of the issues in our business.

Unfortunately, the market for Suri style alpaca is virtually non- existent at the moment,” the letter said.

GUIDELINES

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Green light for trekking

lpaca trekking businesses have welcomed back visitors after local authorities have given them the green light for reopening following the Covid-19 lockdown.

Alpaca walks are now taking place, with extra Covid-19 precautions, and some businesses have introduced alpaca picnics as popular new ventures. Businesses are asking members of the public to ensure they book before visiting.

The welcome boost for alpaca businesses, follows the government’s decision to allow animal attractions to reopen. Government guidelines

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aim to ensure businesses stay Covid-19 safe and visitors who touch or feed animals are advised to make sure they wash their hands thoroughly.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has advised that all visitors to animal attractions must continue to follow social distancing guidelines. In line with the government’s general guidance DEFRA is advising people to wash their hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals. Farms should ensure there are sufficient washing facilities available and accessible to members of the public.

Common sense precautions

spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: "Members of the public may visit outdoor attractions across Wales, but we would encourage those visiting any such attractions to adhere to the guidelines on physical distancing, and for those visiting animal attractions to make sure they pay proper attention to hygiene, particularly if likely to handle or feed any animals.

"There is no evidence that alpacas might transmit Covid-19 to humans – though, as with any animal, there is a small risk that someone with the virus might pass it on via the coat/fur of an animal after petting or handling. As such, usual common sense precautions – including thorough hand-washing – are advised."

DEFRA said there is no evidence to suggest that the virus that causes Covid-19 can be transmitted to people and there is no need to wash pets after a case was confirmed in a cat in England.

All available evidence suggests the cat contracted the disease from its owners who had tested positive for Covid-19. The cat and its owners made a full recovery.

Although this is the first confirmed case of an animal infection with the coronavirus strain in the UK, there is no evidence to suggest that the animal was involved in transmission of the disease to its owners or that pets or other domestic animals are able to transmit the virus to people, DEFRA said.

The advice from Public Health England is for people to wash their hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

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PERUVIAN FIBRE SUPPLIERS TAKE ACTION M ichell Group, the biggest textile company in Peru, has taken action to improve shearing practice at its research farm after undercover filming by animal rights activists.

Global clothes brand UNIQLO is the latest company to ban the sale of alpaca fibre following the shocking film by a radical animal rights group.

The decision by the Japan based retail giant, follows a similar decision by Marks & Spencer (M&S) who join Overstock, a US retailer, and Esprit in stopping sales of alpaca. Other big High Street names including Gap Inc, who own brands including Banana Republic, and fashion chain H&M have cut ties with the Michell Group in Peru.

The film shows shocking mistreatment of alpacas during shearing at the Mallkini farm owned by Michell Group, Peru’s biggest alpaca textile company.

M&S decision

In response to the BAS, who questioned the M&S decision, the company stressed the importance of animal welfare: “Whilst we only use an extremely small volume of alpaca fibre in some of our knitwear products, we have taken the decision to eliminate alpaca from all future product developments until we can be absolutely confident we can trace the fibre back to the farm source and verify the appropriate levels of animal welfare."

The BAS asked M&S to rethink its decision to stop using alpaca fibre from all sources and invited M&S (and any other retailers) to observe shearing in the UK and the excellent wider alpaca care that is practised in this country.

The BAS condemns any poor practice that happens when alpacas are shorn anywhere in the world. Shearing should always be done with care for the alpaca as the number one priority.

Peru reacts

A Michell Group statement said: “The shocking images transmitted in the video undoubtedly show excesses that we deeply deplore and affect us profoundly. They have clearly been edited and show unacceptable mistreatment practices carried

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

out by negligent shearers who go against the established procedures for shearing on our farm.”

Michell Group said its Mallkini farm is a research and support centre. Most of the fibre it processes comes from hundreds of Andean communities. Their main livelihood is alpaca breeding and at such high altitude it is difficult to have any other economic activity, In its latest statement (23 July) Michell Group said investigations, headed by an independent specialist found: • Careless handling over the immobilisation of some animals • Lack of proper expertise and skills from two workers • Lack of control and supervision over the shearing protocols • Shearing of pregnant females showed proper care, no harm or miscarriages.

The PETA video was made, during the 2019 November shearing season by two overseas visitors “with a precise objective”. From 6 Nov

2019 to 15 Nov 2019 figures showed 1.39% of the 2380 alpacas sheared were treated for injuries, supervised by a professional veterinarian.

• 0.88% of alpacas sheared presented a mild injury • 0.50% of alpacas sheared were properly sutured using the correct anaesthetic.

“Despite our aim for zero incidents, the number of shearing injuries during the season is very low,” Michell Group said.

Actions following the investigation include: • Restructuring of Mallkini Management • Dismissal of two shearers.

• Complete review of shearing procedures, including immobilisation and handling • Strict training in shearing protocols.

• Installation of video technology and control cameras in the shearing area.

Michell Group said the actions being taken at Mallkini Farm will help ensure that it does have any animal mistreatment, or mishandling at any time.

›UK alpacas are shorn to the highest welfare standards

CAMELIDS KEY TO NEW COVID-19 TREATMENT L lamas and alpacas could hold the key to a breakthrough treatment for patients with severe Covid-19, scientists have found.

UK researchers have announced that antibodies derived from llamas have been shown to neutralise the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Covid-19 in laboratory tests. The breakthrough, with a llama called Fifi, follows similar research with alpacas by a Swedish team at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The UK team includes researchers from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxford University, Diamond Light Source and Public Health England.

They hope the antibodies, called nanobodies due to their small size, could eventually be developed as a treatment for patients with severe Covid-19.

Antibodies are produced by the body to fight infection caused by bacteria and viruses. Scientists have discovered that llamas, camels and alpacas naturally produce quantities of small antibodies that can be turned into nanobodies. The UK team engineered their new nanobodies using antibodies taken from llama blood cells. The scientists found the nanobodies bind tightly to the spike protein of the virus, blocking it from entering human cells and stopping infection.

The team started from a laboratory-based library of llama antibodies. They are now screening antibodies from Fifi, a 10 year old female and one of fifteen llamas at Reading University. First results show Fifi’s immune system has produced antibodies that will enable scientists to test “cocktails of nanobodies” against the virus. More llamas from the Reading University herd are set to join the research effort as the work expands.

Prof Gary Stephens from Reading University’s school of pharmacy said: “We’re pleased that the University of Reading is using its combined expertise in drug research and animal husbandry to keep a llama herd, and help the scientific effort to develop a treatment for coronavirus.

“The big benefit of using nanobodies produced by llamas is that they may be able to target the virus more effectively and are less prone to be attacked by the human body’s natural defences.”

Currently there is no cure or vaccine for Covid-19.

But doctors have found transfusion with serum from recovered patients containing human antibodies

›The SARS-CoV-2 virus. Spike proteins covers its surface

©Rosalind Franklin Institute

against the virus has greatly improved the outcome for critically ill patients.

But transfusion is not straightforward. A lab-based product which can be made on demand would have considerable advantages and could be used earlier when it is likely to be more effective, scientists say.

Professor James Naismith, Rosalind Franklin Institute director and Professor of Structural Biology at Oxford University said: “These nanobodies have the potential to be used in a similar way to convalescent serum, effectively stopping

progression of the virus in patients who are ill.”

Professor Ray Owens from Oxford University, who leads the Franklin nanobody work said: “This research is a great example of team work in science, as we have created, analysed and tested the nanobodies in 12 weeks.

“This has seen the team carry out experiments in just a few days, that would typically take months to complete. We are hopeful that we can push this breakthrough on into pre-clinical trials.”

The team’s peer reviewed findings have been published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

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DESIGNER SHAWLS A nniken Allis, one of the UK’s leading lace designers, has created two stunning new shawls using British Suri yarns from UK Alpaca.

The two lightweight shawls, knitted with Suri yarns from the Devon based company, were commissioned by two knitting magazines, The Knitter and Simply Knitting.

Chas Brookes, from UK Alpaca, and Classical MileEnd Alpacas, said: “Both have been warmly received by the designer and knitters alike.”

Anniken’s shawl for The Knitter was made from three natural shades of UK Alpaca’s super soft Suri 4ply – described by the magazine as “a yarn with a lovely subtle marl effect and beautiful drape”.

Pictured on the magazine’s Facebook page the shawl featured “alternating bands of lace and striped garter stitch finished off with a pretty picot cast-off” Perfect for a summer walk.

The shawl’s designer Anniken Allis grew up in Norway and fell in love with lace knitting after teaching herself the specialist technique. She designs a variety of garments, shawls and accessories but specialises in lace knitting.

Anniken teaches workshops across the UK and online and her designs have been published in many British magazines. Her self published patterns are sold through Patternfish and Ravelry.

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SHELTER OFFER

llipse Fabrications is offering 5% discount on all orders for its AGRI Shelters placed before 31 August, 2020.

The shelter, designed and registered by the County Durham based company, aims to provide “innovative and adaptable” housing and shelter for

all types of livestock, including alpacas, and storage for fodder, vehicles and machinery.

It offers the flexibility of uses provided by a portal frame design at a price more usually associated with a polytunnel. The key to this, say the company, is a heavy duty PVC membrane used as roof cladding with a life expectancy of

more than 15 years.

The AGRI shelter comes as standard with galvanised corrugated steel to a height of 1.2m (4 ft) on three sides, with pressure treated space board above – other options are available. Price for a 10' x 16' AGRI Shelter is £2,750 + VAT. Contact the company for a quote and bespoke design.

Thank you Tom Williams Dear Editor, I sent a letter to the BAS (8 June) regarding the shearer Tom Williams from Newtown, Wales.

It would be rewarding to see the shearers mentioned in your lovely Alpaca magazine, especially for carrying on during lockdown.

Every time I read my magazine there is nothing about any other alpaca farms in Wales or in the north. I know we only have four alpacas but this young man went out of his way to make sure I was on his shearing list.

Last year I tried everywhere but none of the shearers I contacted would come and help us because we only had four alpacas.

Tom Williams is reliable and a credit to the Society as I said in my last letter. During lockdown he has taken his team from Wales to Cannock.

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I hope he is at the top of your shearing list. It is encouraging that the Society supports young shearers, we need them.

I’m sorry to write again but I hoped for a response or his name in your magazine.

D. Thornton Builth Wells, Powys Editors note: Thank you to all the shearers throughout the UK who have worked hard this year, under difficult circumstances, to get alpacas shorn safely during the Covid-19 crisis.

Letters to the editor are welcome and I hope we can include more features in the magazine from Wales and the north in future issues.

Email your letters to the editor: alpaca.ed@kelsey.co.uk

Feed as Nature Intended 100% natural forage feeds.

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MISCREANTS, ALPACAS AND THE NHS

ockdown has taken its toll on businesses around the UK including the alpaca industry. But during this pandemic we’ve learnt the value of our communities, writes Phillippa Hampson, Kings Reading Alpacas.

We’ve reached out and helped one another, witnessed the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and gained a new found respect for each other’s health and for those in the NHS who safeguard it.

For us, lockdown meant our gates were firmly closed and the alpacas had the run of the entire place – including the front lawn. For the first time our alpacas were freely visible for passersby to see. As restrictions eased more people would stop and ask questions whilst our expectant females sat on the driveway looking on, blissfully unaware of how the world had changed outside.

No sooner as the first businesses had started to return to work, we were approached by Miscreants London with the vision of using alpacas as part of their next campaign. Lillie Hand, the founder and creative lead of Miscreants, came and visited our small herd and outlined her plan for the campaign to collaborate with local businesses and locations in aid of the NHS. And so, the date of the photoshoot was set!

As we enter a world post-lockdown, we felt it was so important to continue to support our local community and businesses – especially in aid of a cause such as the NHS. Luckily for us, involving the alpacas was no hardship; they were all used to meeting people frequently and their generally curious nature served them well in front of a full production team. Our boys served as the main stars of the show, Hercules and Perseus being the most forthcoming, and some of

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the girls enjoyed a snack or two in exchange for their compliance.

The two models were quickly welcomed into the herd, showcasing Lillie’s rebellious and extravagant designs set in the Essex countryside. On top of this, having models who were ethnically diverse further tied together a photoshoot that represented all the progress, and hardships, that the last few months have brought to light, and for this reason, among many others, we are incredibly proud of what we achieved.

About Miscreants

Miscreants’ Duchess collection is a reawakening of innate confidence, femininity and glamour inspired by the hedonistic spirit of the '90s supermodel party culture, says creative lead and Miscreants’ founder Lille Hand.

Global lockdowns prompted the designer to shoot her collection in Essex, her home county, and local farms, with their charming beauty became the campaign backdrop. “Being in quarantine made me appreciate my surroundings. What I had around me to utilise. I think that this has been an important learning curve for me in regards to sustainability.”

Profits from the collection are being donated to the NHS; with members of Lille’s family working for the NHS she wanted to produce a campaign to give back to local heroes.

The eclectic Duchess collection brings together candy-coloured gingham, iridescent rainbows, high-shine scuba co-ordinates, glitter gloves and wild print hats.

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INCREASED DEMAND

how organisers are seeing more entries for fleece shows as the uncertainty around Covid-19 has forced the cancellation of BAS regional halter shows.

The Eastern Alpaca Group (EAG) has announced with deep sadness that its Halter Show due to take place October 18 has been cancelled. But more space has been made available, due to high demand, in the group’s fleece show taking place on August 15 in Essex.

In a statement announcing its decision to cancel the halter show EAG said: “We know that this will come as an enormous disappointment to both the exhibitors and sponsors who expressed an interest in attending the show.

“This is not a decision the EAG committee has taken lightly but with the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 our primary concern is always the responsibility we feel towards our exhibitors and partners who fund the show and who also contribute to its success.”

EAG thanked judge Roger Clarke for his understanding, and said: “We look forward to seeing you in 2021 with a bigger and better show!”

The South West Alpaca Group (SWAG) halter show due to take place in September at the Somerset County Show has also been cancelled. But the SWAG fleece show will still go ahead on 17 September. Judging will take place in East Huntspill, Highbridge.

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

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“SHEER JOY AND LOVELINESS”

Harry Edwards, is lead chaplain at Severn Hospice and, together with wife Roz and daughter Chloe, is an alpaca owner at Mulberry Alpacas. He describes how a love for alpacas has changed their lives and continues to influence his work.

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n 1995 Roz was enjoying teaching at Packwood Haugh School – a Prep School which caters mainly for boarders. I was working as coordinator of spiritual care/ lead chaplain at Severn Hospice – a hospice with a non-religious foundation open to patients of all faiths and none. Our daughter Chloe was just four and already loving living in the country looking after her six hens when one afternoon disaster struck and the hens were no more. Mr Fox had decimated our mini poultry enterprise! We were all shattered by the experience.

At the same time we had been contemplating keeping livestock on our field and somewhere we heard alpacas were excellent guards for poultry and other livestock. Our journey into the world of alpacas had begun. Roz sent me on an alpaca husbandry course, more research followed and our three boys moved in founding Mulberry Alpacas.

Nine weeks later our eleven month old white boy was in the show ring at The Royal Three Counties Show and proudly, we walked out with a third prize rosette! Quite a feat as we hadn’t been to an alpaca show previously let alone attempted halter training – I have to say we did have great support from

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some lovely established breeders.

The steep learning curve continued and we became even more entranced with the sheer joy and loveliness of alpaca keeping. We were totally smitten with their fleeces and began to work enthusiastically with this spectacular fibre. There was such a thrill in producing quality articles which were traceable to the actual alpaca on the field.

Our lives had changed and our love of alpacas had moved us, after much research, to purchase two pregnant females with sound genetics.

Simultaneously the steep learning curve continued as it continues today. We are a small herd and will remain so – however – our challenge is to continually improve the quality of our herd.

Looking carefully at the genetics we breed for both quality fleece and for temperament.

Hospice visits

Over the years we have welcomed many visitors – some individuals, some groups, individually and to workshop days. Visits from some of the boarders at Roz’s school, as well as staff and patients from Severn Hospice have been a huge privilege to host. Our herd have always provided a very warm welcome.

Alpaca visits to the hospice are a regular occasion. It is a great joy to see the therapeutic value of these very special animals as they interact with patients, their visitors and staff. We were very moved last year to receive a phone call from a bereaved mother of a 32-year old patient to thank us for the alpacas which had brought joy and contentment to her daughter and seven year old grandson on her daughters last day of consciousness. This lady was convinced that Grampian and Pilot had contributed to her daughters peaceful death and to her family’s well being. What a privilege for us all!

We so much enjoyed our founding years in Shropshire, but equally enjoy the loveliness of North Wales since moving just over the border four years ago.

Our on-farm shop has been an opportunity to showcase much of our own work but also to provide superior alpaca products for the discerning and we look forward to taking this online soon.

Chloe has particularly enjoyed working with the herd and continues to head up our halter training programme as well as being a very competent herdsman. This has led her very clearly into the equine world where she is establishing herself.

S

BRINGING HOPE

evern Hospice has been a very important part of our lives for many years, writes Harry Edwards. I have seen it grow and touch the lives of more and more families in Shropshire and Mid Wales and its work now extends far beyond the buildings in Shrewsbury, Telford and Newtown and well into the communities which it serves. Last year the hospice cared for almost 3,000 patients and their families.

I see my work there as a great privilege and I am passionate that my team led ‘spiritual care’ in its widest sense – i.e as ‘the spiritual’ being part of human existence not just being about the religious. I deeply value the unique and great worth of the individual and all aspects of equality and diversity in life. The sense of privilege in each human encounter is profound.

My understanding is that we are all on an individual journey in life and we have a responsibility to nurture ourselves on that journey. I ‘feed’ myself and grow on my own journey in two ways. Firstly, in religious terms I am proudly a member of the Sodality of Mary (SMMS) – a dispersed, international group of Anglican priests who adhere to high standards of personal religious observance and are totally committed to inclusivity and mutual valuing and understanding.

Secondly – in wider spiritual terms – I gain insight and life-giving understanding through working with the alpacas. By engaging with the herd I see: • The unique and great worth of each individual through their differing personalities, interactions and characteristics. What incredible personalities we see in our small herd.

• The fascination of how they have evolved to live in the conditions of their

native place and environment. We live in the alpaca world with the wonder, awe and beauty of creation.

• A daily living with the fragility and preciousness of life and birth • The power of sometimes predictable but often unpredictable genetics.

An example of spiritual understanding, reflection and learning was through Jezzy – one of our lovely girls. She gave birth last year for the first time to a most beautiful 10kg girl – an absolute stunner! A week later the cria died and we all felt something of the level of pain and distress that we saw in her behaviour around her dead cria – she was absolutely lost and frantic. In some way she seemed to lose her sense of purpose and future.

Ten days later when the next cria arrived on the paddock, she showed herself as a very attentive and caring ‘aunty’. It brought joy to all of us to see the new cria not only feeding off his own mum but also lovingly being fed by Jezzy who at least seemed to be rescuing something positive from the death of her own cria. Mutual care and support within the herd is often quite remarkable.

Jezzy’s ability to find consolation as a caring aunty became a source of inspiration when trying to find something hopeful and positive in the midst of the adversity of many patients and families at the hospice. There are definitely parallels between the community feelings of a herd of alpacas and the community feelings here at the Hospice. The hospice is a place of hope and positivity in the midst of adversity.

I have also been delighted that the BAS has been keen to support the Severn Hospice every year by donating the entrance fee to the National Alpaca Show, held in Telford’s International Centre, to the Hospice – an excellent example of the two communities supporting each other.

SEVERN HOSPICE APPEAL S evern Hospice has a mission. It exists to provide the best care and a better life for people living with an incurable illness, and for their families.

Covid-19 has dealt the Hospice a devastating blow with instant and far reaching effects on funding and day care services.

In the first week of the Covid-19 emergency the Hospice was caring for almost 250 families. In 2019 the Hospice cared for almost 3000 patients. Some (one in five) are cared for in specialist inpatient wards in Telford and Shrewsbury but most are supported by community teams in their own homes in towns and villages across Shropshire and mid-Wales.

Day services are delivered beyond the Hospice

walls to hundreds of families every year. At the Hospice the day care team includes complementary and creative therapists, nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, chaplains and volunteers. But day services and clinics at the two sites have now stopped to limit the risk of Covid-19 infection.

Figures show the Hospice spends about £23,500 every day on care and it needs to raise £2 for every £3 spent – a huge fundraising task in a normal year.

Covid-19 has meant the Hospice lost most of its ability to generate that income overnight. Lockdown forced the closure of its 28 high street shops and a new eBay shop. Planned summer fundraising events were cancelled and fundraisers and support groups were asked to stop their activity.

Key sources of charitable income, amounting to more than £100,000 a month, were turned off one by one.

Despite fantastic support from the community the Hospice faces a daily fundraising challenge.

Each year the BAS supports Severn Hospice by donating money raised from the BAS National Show entrance fee to the charity.

This year that donation was not possible; Covid-19 meant the BAS had to cancel the show – if you can donate, even the price of an entrance fee – it would help in some small way to make up the shortfall.

BAS members’ generosity would also be much appreciated by the Hospice team, including lead chaplain and alpaca owner Harry Edwards.

You can support Severn Hospice by going to our online JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/britishalpacamagazinesevernhospiceappeal Alpaca Autumn 2020

15

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OPEN DAY GOES VIRTUAL

orth Devon alpaca owners Brenda and Philip Leonard are joining farmers to invite people to take part in a virtual farm tour on LEAF (Linking Environment and Farmers) Open Farm Sunday.

The nationwide event, on Sunday September 20, will take place online due to Covid-19. Caroline Drummond, LEAF chief executive said: “We have consulted widely with our host farmers, sponsors and supporters and whilst there is the drive and enthusiasm to share our farming story with the public, there continues to be many concerns regarding hosting on farm visits this year due to the

continuing Covid-19 situation.

“After much careful consideration, taking into account farmer feedback and using other similar events and shows as guidance, we have taken the decision to cancel all face to face on farm LEAF Open Farm Sunday events this September. We are all looking forward to welcoming the public back on farm next year on Sunday 13 June 2021.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday was set up to allow people to see behind the gates of a working farm and discover the story of British food from field to fork, as well as gaining an insight into how farmers are caring for wildlife and the environment.

KEY TO SUCCESS A pple Tree Farm is a small care farm in North Devon, writes Brenda Leonard. Philip and I took over the smallholding and its existing herd of alpacas and Ouessant sheep in early 2018 and we have developed it to support children with special needs and disabilities.

The idea to offer educational and therapeutic animal interactions evolved from the need to help our own daughter, now aged five, cope with her own differing abilities. Moving from the London suburbs to the countryside helped Emilia, who has hemiplegic cerebral palsy, cope with her anxieties and physical abilities much better. The peace of the animals and the environment helped her confidence and with confidence she achieved more.

Since taking over we have improved the facilities, added a variety of livestock, and educated ourselves in keeping them. It was a steep learning curve most of the time but one we cherish. No one is perfect, especially not from the beginning!

Focussing on education and therapy allowed us both to engage with the local community and schools as well as the local authority and within 14 months of opening the farm gates we were on our way to a fully booked school year. We have grown to support over 50 children per week with a range of special educational needs and disabilities.

The key moment in our emerging success has been taking part in LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday event in June 2019. This was the first year Apple Tree Farm had engaged with LEAF to welcome the public and we attracted over 300 visitors on the day.

Among the visitors were commissioners interested in our services for children and young people and individuals interested in talking about

16 Alpaca Autumn 2020

the work being done at the farm, including alpaca breeding for therapeutic purposes and breeding Ouessant sheep, the smallest naturally occurring breed of sheep in the world.

Our success in 2019 spurred our farm team on to put on an even bigger and better event for Open Farm Sunday 2020. Unfortunately, everything came to a halt when the country (and world) went into lockdown in March. This forced the postponement of Open Farm Sunday from June to 20 September.

The event has now been adapted and will be held virtually instead and Apple Tree Farm are hoping to host live Facebook sessions during the day. The Covid-19 crisis has crumbled entire nations and no doubt we will see repercussions

for many years to come. For us at Apple Tree Farm it meant complete closure for 13 weeks while the workload and financial commitment of looking after the animals and land has continued.

The farm was lucky enough to receive support from the local authority and we are now slowly and safely resuming service and preparing for a busy period running holiday clubs during the summer holidays before some normality resumes in September when the schools return.

Meanwhile, the alpacas and other farm animals are thoroughly enjoying seeing visitors again and feeling truly spoilt. We look forward to 2021, when we will be back with LEAF for a proper day out on the farm.

Meon Valley Alpacas Hampshire

Here at Mulberry Alpacas we have:

Alpaca socks Lovely knitted items Penrose alpaca duvets and pillows Alpaca yarn and fleece Cuddly toys And a herd of friendly Alpacas So, come and visit soon!

Are You Doing The Rounds ? …

With over 22 years Experience we can help you select your breeding stock, or pets, from our prize-winning herd of friendly Huacayas – and we’re friendly too!

Visit our website or call Karen 07913 247144

www.mvalpacas.co.uk Beginner & Advanced Courses by Arrangement

Mulberry Grange, Red Hall Lane Higher Penley, Wrexham LL13 ONA Tel: 07713 639 447 or 01978 710224 Email: mulberryalpacas@btconnect.com We’re 4 miles north of Ellesmere OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ❘ TELEPHONE ORDERS WELCOME

www.mulberryalpacas.co.uk

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

Contact Roger Mount on 01386 853 841 or 07711044106 Email: snowshillalpacas@btinternet.com Web: www.snowhillalpacas.com

We have a large selection of potential Stud Males, Pet Males and Breeding Females available in a variety of colours.

Stud Services – we have several proven/championship winning Huacaya and Suri boys to choose from.

Pre-arranged visits are very welcome.

We adhere to good biosecurity practices and badger deterrent fencing has been in place since 2009.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

17

MEON VALLEY LIFE When we bought our two pet boys around 22 years ago, we never dreamt alpacas would shape our lives quite as much as they have, writes Karen Oglesby, Meon Valley Alpacas.

A

lpacas looked quite different in those days, (as did we!)

They were fragile looking creatures with little fleece coverage (now that’s us!) There were not many of them around, and they were all expensive to buy. Not many people had ever seen an alpaca back then or knew anything about them.

With no alpaca courses, and no computer for background research, we had to use our horse knowledge, common sense and learned many lessons the hard way. At first we purchased them because we liked their colour, or their personality – it took a while before we had enough training and knowledge to be able to select animals with correct conformation and good fibre characteristics.

Our aims have always been to improve quality in conformation and fleece with each generation, the shows of course helped us to compare our breeding programme with others and learn from them, and were, and still are, an incentive to improve. We purchased some good males and females to breed with over the years and so we had a good foundation.

Gradually the “business” evolved, we got a website, and had to learn about marketing. We advertised and exhibited at county shows and very soon our little hobby turned into a profitable business and we were selling alpacas for field pets and for breeding all over the UK and into Europe.

18 Alpaca Autumn 2020

Back in 2010 we purchased a share in a group of fabulous stud males from the world renowned Snowmass herd in the US and this had a big impact on our herd quality. Along with a couple of our homebred studs we have produced a successful show team each year. Going through our herd now almost all of our breeding stock has been successfully shown.

I have attended many courses with BAS, been on the BAS Board and organised our regional group and show. With a background as a riding instructor I naturally progressed to running alpaca courses, sharing the knowledge to new and potential owners. I also offer experience mornings, which are very popular and the revenue comes in handy with running costs.

Over the years we have seen the alpaca industry develop in the UK. From the first very small shows held on grass and car parks behind a rope, where pretty much any member of the public could line them up in order from outside the ring, to the stunning animals we have here now, and in all colours, who are comparable to the best in the world, and are exhibited in their hundreds in the plush indoor arena settings of our annual BAS National and regional shows.

Most animals are still kept as delightful and easy field pets for people with small acreages. And now there are many successful alpaca related enterprises from fleece sales and fibre products, tourism attractions, therapy animals, walking and experiences. Alpacas are very much here to stay and with all these outlets

Scotfield www.ScotfieldAlpaca.co.uk

Family run Berkshire farm breeding high quality Suri and Huacaya alpacas Alpacas sold, with full after-sales support and husbandry training

bring a very healthy market for the sale of our livestock and their fibre.

We have around 40 alpacas on our farm, along with a few pet sheep and a couple of horses, which keeps me pretty busy. My husband helps with the tractor driving and heavy jobs and Rebecca, our daughter, who has grown up with the alpacas, is always happy to lend a hand with the husbandry and shows.

I always feel so fortunate to live on our small farm and to have our “alpaca breeders’ lifestyle” but even more so with the coronavirus pandemic going on.

To be honest, apart from not seeing friends and family, life has really been no different, and I loved how quiet the roads were during the first few weeks of lockdown. While we had to close the farm to visitors for courses and experiences, I was still busy with sales, and of course our birthing season, which as usual had the odd challenge, including a breach that was retrieved by our lovely vet Laura who came to the rescue on her day off, bless her!

I’m currently bottle feeding our last born, a sweet little chap who had a shaky start, luckily I’m not planning a holiday away anytime soon!

It is great to be going out with the alpacas on studwork now, seeing clients and friends with their alpacas helps to bring some normality back. We have missed the shows though and hope that next year we will all be able to return to normal … whatever that may be!

Visit our online shop for hats, gloves, scarves & more designed & made right here on our farm.

Totally natural, hypo-allergenic , no dyes, no blends purely 100% alpaca yarn.

Office 01344 486969 Lisa Hipkin 07770 455534 alpaca@scotfieldalpaca.co.uk Scotlands Farm, Warfield, Berkshire RG42 6AJ Alpaca Autumn 2020

19

TIME FOR A RESEED?

Well managed grass is the cheapest feed for your alpacas so it pays to make the most of it. BAS CEO Duncan Pullar examines why early autumn is a good time to consider reseeding tired paddocks.

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enewing pastures regularly is important for maintaining productivity and feed quality.

Why?

There are many reasons why a reseed might be the right approach. It could be that: • The pasture has been damaged through excessive footfall or machine traffic causing compaction (compaction is where the soil structure is crushed so solid that the grass roots can’t penetrate deep enough into the soil and has to be broken up by ploughing) • Severe drought or water logging has killed the grass • Weeds have taken over and out-competed grass.

Photo: ©Mark Steele from Patou Alpacas

When?

Successful reseeding relies on enough rain to allow the sown seeds to germinate and grow on and a lack of frost so that the tender young shoots are not killed. This means the most successful times for a reseed are later spring, when frost risk has passed, or early autumn, before the frost risk is back again!

SPRING PROS

• Greater window of good

CONS

• Lose peak growth • Shorter window for soil to

• Less impact on field conditions for establishment availability • No heading in first season • Seedbed has time to settle • Better opportunity to over the winter allowing outcompete weeds good structure to form

settle before alpacas are introduced

20 Alpaca Autumn 2020

AUTUMN

• Weed competition can

be significant with late reseeds • Narrower window of good establishment conditions

How?

There are two basic approaches to reseeding which can be used depending on the situation. The least disruptive is slot seeding within an existing pasture because soil preparation is limited. The second approach is a full seed bed preparation where all the existing pasture plants are killed and then a seed bed is prepared. Slot seeding is fine if the weed burden is not very high and there is no compaction. A full cultivation is better when weed species are extensive and the soil has become compacted.

Slot seeding – a two step approach

Step 1: You need to get the existing grass under control through very hard grazing so the paddock is nearly bare. (You could use chemical suppressants as well but you need to remove as much foliage as possible).

Step 2: Depending on what is available you could use a light harrow or disc to break up the surface a little and then broadcast the seed (and then harrow to cover the seed) or a disc drill that makes a channel to drop the seed in and then closes the channel and firms the soil (often called a direct drill).

› A well grazed sward ready for slot seeding

Seedbed preparation

Removing most of the herbage is a good start but not essential. You can graze down or spray off. The seed bed can be prepared by ploughing or heavy discs. If another pass is needed to get a fine seedbed then use a power harrow/rotavator or discs. If you have a compaction layer you need to get deeper than that layer to break it up. A fine seed bed is needed to stop grass seeds falling too deep between big lumps of soil.

Drilling

Although seeds can germinate at any soil depth, a shallow sowing depth is critical for successful establishment. As the plant has limited energy stores in the seed, the seedling needs to reach the soil surface and start to produce leaf material in as short a time as possible before it runs out of energy. For best results aim to sow seed within 1–2cm of the soil surface. For very small seeds, such as clover, a sowing depth of less than 1cm is necessary to ensure emergence.

› A rich and diverse old sward

Rolling

Consolidation of the seedbed after drilling is extremely important as it helps to ensure good seed-to-soil contact, reduces water loss and may help control pest issues.

Continued on the next page >>

PROS PLOUGHING OR HEAVY DISCS

CONS

• Good seed soil

• Expensive due to the contact number of cultivations • Can remove • Deep ploughing removes compacted layers in nutrient-rich soil from topsoil surface • Achieves a level and • Light soils can dry out even seedbed quickly • Buries pests and trash • Disturbs seed bank of weeds in soil

• Cheaper than full MINIMUM plough CULTIVATION, • Fertile soil remains at EG DISCING, surface ONE-PASS • Limited disturbance of soil structure

› More compaction – an area for deep cultivation to break the pan

• Difficult to remove trash • Decaying trash can release

organic acids hindering germination

• Hard for new plants to SLOT SEEDING • Opportunity to maintain existing compete against existing sward sward • No cultivation • Not suitable for dry, hard reduces costs ground • No disturbance of soil structure

› Compaction leading to bare patches Alpaca Autumn 2020

21

Which grasses?

There are lots of different grass species that are successfully used around the UK so local knowledge is important. Which ones are right for your situation will depend on your weather and soil type, how you want to use your paddock (grazing or cutting or both) and your use of fertiliser (or not). Most grazing swards are sown with a mixture of grass species and may include clover and herb species.

The main species include:

› A good ryegrass and clover mix five years after reseeding › Cocksfoot grass

› Timothy grass

PERENNIAL RYEGRASS • Establishes rapidly, even from autumn sowing • Produces dense and persistent swards and is useful for long-term leys and establishing permanent pasture HYBRID RYEGRASS

• Good winter hardiness and disease resistance • Yield improves in second and third year • Quite drought resistant

COCKSFOOT

• Drought tolerant • Hard wearing • Good summer production especially in dry

conditions

• Lower feed quality than rye grasses

TIMOTHY

• Grows at lower temperatures than ryegrass,

MEADOW FESCUE

• A long duration grass that is often sown with

so can be good for early season grazing, especially in cold, late springs • Good mid-season growth • Good winter hardiness and ground cover • Can be slow to establish and yields are likely to be lower than rye grasses timothy to provide hay or grazing

• For longer term leys it is an alternative to

› Red clover – not good for alpaca grazing

perennial ryegrass, especially in upland areas

• More persistent and drought tolerant than

perennial ryegrass but slower to establish

WHITE CLOVER

• Red clover is not very suitable for grazing • White clovers are categorised on leaf size.

Larger leafed varieties tend to be higher yielding but are less tolerant of grazing and compaction • For grazing choose small leafed varieties • Clover helps grass growth by fixing nitrogen • Excess clover can cause bloat so don’t let it take over Taking time now to check your paddocks are in good shape, and are fit to grow a range of grass species, will pay future dividends whether they are grazed or cut for hay.

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22 Alpaca Autumn 2020

THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE ALPACA SEX RATIO

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By Lynn Edens, Snowmass Alpacas and Accoyo America First printed in The American Alpaca Journal: January 2020

ome years back we were ruefully joking about the “boys of summer” – the run of male cria births that seem to arrive like clockwork every July – when it occurred to us that we were collecting enough data from our growing breeding effort to see if this was indeed a pattern, and if so, possibly determine why it was happening. We started what would become a multi-year effort to determine the impact of temperature – both ambient temperature and animal body temperature – on the sex ratio of the crias born on our farm.

Our study showed that at our farm in southern New York state, hot weather on the day of breeding is associated with a statistically significant increase in the ratio of male versus females crias produced: We have recorded 64% male births from breedings that occurred on days when the high temperature was 80° F degrees or greater, versus 48% male births on days when the high temperature fell short of 80°. (For the statistically minded: χ2(1, N=258)=4.09, p=0.04).

Temperature effects on sex ratios have been found in other mammals. For example, a nine-year study of beef cattle in south Texas revealed that about 1.5 times more bull calves than heifers were born when conceived in the hot summer months relative to the rest of the year.1 Similarly, research on a herd of dairy cows in New Zealand revealed that the sex ratio of the dairy cows’ offspring increased

(that is, shifted in favour of males) following periods of higher temperatures, greater evaporation, or both.2 A laboratory-based study to determine the effects of elevated ambient temperatures on the pregnancy outcomes of rats revealed that higher ambient temperatures both at the time of conception and beyond biased sex ratios in favor of males.3 Only the female rats were exposed to higher ambient temperatures in this experiment.

Heat stress affects animals in a variety of ways that may in turn influence offspring sex ratios. Heat stress-induced changes in the function of the endocrine system may affect the viability of x versus y chromosome-bearing sperm in the female reproductive tract, for instance, or the timing of the induced ovulatory response to mating. Heat stress may also differentially affect the viability of female versus male embryos. Effects from correlated environmental differences are also possible.4 A review of our own breeding results suggested that we needed to look beyond the weather for sources of heat stress: In our data we could see intimations Continued on the next page >>

<< that heat stress was likely affecting our animals at times when ambient temperatures were more moderate than those of mid-summer. A higher sex ratio (more males) from conceptions that occurred in the month before spring shearing led us to think that our fully-fleeced animals were possibly experiencing heat stress at a time of year when we were still typically wearing our winter coats. We saw a similar result from pregnancies conceived on what we would experience as pleasantly warm but not hot days in the late fall.

We knew, too, that our animals’ temperatures varied as a function of other factors, including differences in housing, shade availability in their pastures, and individual behavior, as well as differences in physiology. Finally, we knew that environmental conditions varied on other farms in ways that would affect the predictive value of the impact of ambient temperatures on sex ratios at our farm for results at theirs. For these reasons, in late 2016 we began to record the body temperatures of dams and sires at our New York operation immediately before breeding, rather than relying on ambient temperatures to infer the presence or absence of heat stress in our animals at that moment.

We understood that even body temperatures would incompletely represent the females’ temperatures during the period between breeding and conception: While alpacas are induced ovulators, we don’t know how soon after breeding ovulation and conception occur. Many hours could pass between our body temperature assessments and the fertilization of the egg, with the females’ temperatures varying over that time. In addition, we knew that any variable impact of high ambient temperatures on the numbers or independent viability of x versus y chromosome-bearing sperm produced by the male would be only indirectly captured at best by his temperature at the moment of breeding, via the seasonal correlation in daily temperatures.

To date, 196 crias from breedings where body temperatures were recorded have been born at our farm. The correlation between dam and sire temperatures observed at breeding was 0.67. We found no statistically significant link between male body temperatures and the sex ratio of the resulting crias.

However, there was evidence that female body temperatures do affect the sex ratio. Of the 39 crias resulting from breedings where the female’s body temperature was 101.3°F or greater, 64% were male, versus 50% of the crias born from the 157 breedings where the female’s body temperatures was less. (χ2(1, N=196)=2.61, p=0.11). These percentages look relatively close to those

observed when the high ambient temperature for the day was 80°F or higher versus below those levels. However, our statistical confidence in the result is less. In the temperature analysis discussed previously, the results indicate that there is a 96% probability that ambient temperatures of 80°F or greater result in a higher sex ratio on our farm than do lower temperatures. But for our body temperature study, the confidence interval implies only an 89% probability that female body temperatures of 101.3°F or higher result in a higher sex ratio. That said, while falling short of a scientific standard of confidence, this result was still notable enough that we felt it valuable to report, especially in the context of the established impact of ambient temperature on gender ratio.

Why do we have less statistical confidence in the predictive value of elevated female body temperatures on the sex ratio? The most important reason is that we have fewer observations in this study: If we had the same number of observations backing the female body temperature results that we did in the ambient temperature study, the probability that higher female body temperatures were in fact shifting the sex ratio in favour of males would rise to 94%.

Implications for breeding management

Keeping females cool during breeding and for a period thereafter is easier said than done in many areas of the country. Shifting the breeding season to fall and/or winter when the animals are often (though not always) cooler can create incremental costs, including modifying existing facilities to better accommodate cold weather births, enhanced shelter and coats for crias who experience winter conditions at a young age, and so on. There is even an implied time cost associated with waiting to breed or rebreed a female. But at the same time, cooling females in the summer heat is not always possible.

We had long been curious whether belly-shearing our dams in mid-summer might help keep heat stress at bay. We tried a small experiment with six dams in early August 2019, when the temperature and humidity was predicted to be consistent over a two-day period. We took our females’ temperatures at 8:00am and noon on the first day, belly-sheared them in the early afternoon, and then took their temperatures at 8:00am and noon the next day. The females’ temperatures were 90% correlated at 8:00am and 83% correlated at noon, day over day. The average temperature recorded dropped by 0.8°F in the two days between shearing. However, the primary change day over day was

90

101.5

80 101 Average ambient highs (Line)

70 100.5

60 50

100 40 99.5

30 20

99 10 98.5

0 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Month

24 Alpaca Autumn 2020

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

›

Three-year average breeding day ambient high temperatures and dams’ body temperatures by month: Over three years, we recorded the lowest ratio of males (36%) from breedings conducted in May after shearing.

And over the same interval, we recorded our highest ratio of males (70%) from breedings conducted in the month of July, when body temperatures at breeding are high and ambient temperatures reach their peak in our region

in the 8:00am temperatures recorded, while the noon temperatures declined by relatively little, perhaps because our females derived their primary cooling benefit from belly shearing when they were cushed on the cooler ground overnight. In any case, it is not clear to us from this small test that there is any meaningful value to be derived from belly-shearing, at least in the relatively moderate (for our region, that is: It would still be extreme relative to the altiplano conditions in which alpacas evolved) summer conditions in which our test was conducted.

Something else we contemplate is whether our animals’ susceptibility to heat stress will be affected over time by our breeding goals. As one example, the Accoyo America white program is largely focused on producing animals with genotypes for increased density and staple length. If those traits also make our animals less able to tolerate warm weather without experiencing heat stress, we would expect a number of deleterious effects in addition to a trend towards higher sex ratios. However, increased density and staple length might also make our animals less susceptible to heat stress: Research in wool sheep has

demonstrated that denser animals and those with more fleece growth actually stay cooler in hot weather because their denser wool creates a more robust solar radiation barrier, and also traps more air next to the skin that provides additional thermal insulation. We have just begun to study these interactions in our own herd, and at this time can only note that these phenotypic issues are complex and, in the context of climate change, a subject of intense study in other livestock breeds, which may yield information useful to alpaca breeders.

In the meantime, to help minimise the number of male crias produced by your breeding program, we recommend you avoid breeding on hot days and when your animals are in full fleece prior to shearing. If this is difficult to do in your region, as it can be in ours, we recommend spot checking your dams’ body temperatures throughout your breeding season to help you understand how your females are managing the heat in your farm’s unique environment.

This will help you assess both the desirability of making changes in your farm’s structures and/or operation to help your females stay cooler, and the cost and potential benefit of making such changes.

1 (Lukefahr, S.D., “Characterization of a composite of beef cattle in subtropical south Texas and the effect of genes for coat type and color on preweaning growth and influence of summer breeding on sex ratio”, The Professional Animal Scientist, 33:604-615, 2017.)

2 Roche, J.R, Lee, J.M., and Berry, D.P, “Climactic Factors and Secondary Sex Ratio in Dairy Cows,” J. Dairy Sci. 89:3221-3227, 2006 3 Hamid, H.Y., Zakaria, Z., Meng, G.Y., Haron, W., and Mustapha, N.M, “Effects of Elevated Ambient Temperatures on Reproductive Outcomes and Offspring Growth Depend on Exposure Time”, The Scientific World Journal, Volume 2012 4 For instance, periods of heat stress might broadly correlate with other environmental factors that affect sex ratios. For example, other research has documented a link between female condition and/or changes in her condition and sex ratios, with females that are either in good condition or gaining condition more likely to produce males than are females who are losing condition or are of average or poor condition to start with. If warm summer temperatures are linked to improved conditions in our animals, this could also be affecting the sex ratio of their offspring. That said, to date we have not observed a residual seasonal bias in our sex ratio after adjusting for temperature.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

25

BIRTHING AT REDENS

Having had over 200 births I feel we have begun to understand the complexities of alpaca birthing, writes Linda Mackintosh, joint owner at Redens Alpacas with BAS chair Ron Mackintosh.

But every year something new happens just to keep us on our toes as we strive to deliver healthy cria.

W

e have had almost every type of birth from upside down, head back, legs back, neck back and uterine torsion, uterine prolapse and a caesarean. So each birthing season brings excitement and trepidation in equal measure although over 90% of births are problem free.

Birthing is only half the journey; once born we want them to stand up, suckle and also for mum to accept them. We also ensure there are no health issues with either mum or cria. We dip or spray the umbilical cord soon after they are on the ground, and as this is an easy site for infection, we do it again a few hours later. Short cords need extra attention. We use a poo sample pot for dipping and also spray the area as well – but be prepared for over protective mums trying to grab your hair with their teeth!

Our birthing season began with a first time mum Redens Brigitte, demonstrating a classic birth perfect delivery. I was watching this classic birth when as soon as the cria was on the ground mum took off to the other end of the paddock. At this point I wanted to scream at her for being such a selfish mum - it was so sad to see this tiny cria on its own. Brigitte took 20 minutes before she showed any interest in her cria – progress at least. We then made

26 Alpaca Autumn 2020

a pen and put both in until the cria suckled and mum accepted her cria. It turned out well this time.

With 40 cria due this year we rarely relax and are constantly monitoring the cameras on the computer so we can see what is going on while allowing them peace from us being too intrusive. Early mornings just in case and late night checks before it gets dark, all part of the process for 12 weeks of the year! We spend a lot of hours waiting and watching.

All was going well until on the same day two first time girls (maidens) started to birth and it became obvious they were not making progress. Time to examine them and find out what was going on. Both females were so tight we knew we had to help get the cria out. It took one hour for the first one and at this point we had called the vet who arrived in time to get the second one out. Ron was so exhausted I doubt he could have managed to deliver two!

A positive outcome we thought despite a horrendous time, but they do hate Ron now and he can’t get near them! We always give antibiotic and pain killer after doing internal examinations with this type of birth.

Continued on the next page >>

Sleepless nights

<< Unfortunately, one of the cria was not getting up and when he finally did we could see he was dysmature (low birth weight) down on his pasterns, despite being 350 days. Luckily mum had lots of milk which was easy to express. We gave her milk to the cria but decided a plasma transfer (PT) was needed. Our vet came next morning and PT went well, we kept them in the barn but the cria did not progress as normal after PT so a couple of sleepless night followed for us both. Two days later, and after a lot of attention to make sure he was feeding, the cria was standing, drinking from mum and starting to play with the others, also putting on weight. We had the biggest grin on our faces that day! Everything sadly changed when Athena, the cria’s mum died suddenly from an anaphylactic shock from an insect sting. We are still finding it hard to believe and now we have our first bottle fed cria in all the 11 years we have been breeding.

Endeavour, Athena’s cria is doing well with being bottle fed and we are very pleased that he is keen to get back to the herd after each feed as we do not want him turning into a berserk male which can happen with over handling.

As black breeders we are doing well with colour this year, but there is always the odd light one and this year so far two gorgeous fawn boys – they do stand out that’s for sure!

We weigh the cria weekly after the first week and all have their blue or red collars on. When they are not around their mums as much they become more independent and confuse us as to who belongs to who as they look so alike. I love it when they have a character trait that stands out such as fluffy ears or a personality like Eliza’s, although small she is one of the fastest in the group and comes close then does a flip of the head as if to say, you can’t catch me! They stand on the scales now and are so strong it’s hard to hold them while they wriggle about! Then as they get older standing on the scales becomes the norm.

Early morning and evenings brings on the derby races and we never tire of watching them flying around the paddock with anxious mums looking on. They are so agile, how they don’t hit each other amazes me. Any cria not joining the group rings alarm bells and we check them over but usually as soon as we go near they are off. It’s such a good sign they are doing well and are healthy when we see them flying around.

We start ADE injections at four weeks old – a very noisy process as mums worry about us handling their cria.

With over 120 females to choose from we try to only mate the easy birthers but

of course with maidens we just never know if they will have any issues until they start to birth. Choosing the right male also takes a lot of research and planning.

We find it so frustrating when one year the match is perfect then with the same mating for the following year we have a completely different outcome!

At the time of writing this article we have 30 cria on the ground and 10 more to go. We have two paddocks of 20 pregnant girls and once the second group started birthing our heads were all over the place. Luckily with three of us we can take turns in watching. Kerri our new herdsperson, and new to alpacas, is thoroughly enjoying the whole process. She worries they will be born at the weekend when she is not here and has been known to come in just in case! She has just finished the 10 weekly Webinar Series by Mourne Alpacas which she found very informative and enjoyable.

We found the May/June births were so slow sometimes a week between each one, yet in July/August we have one or two born nearly every day!

With so many births we accept there will be more challenges and sure enough a uterine prolapse which the vet dealt with as an epidural injection was needed to stop the contractions. We thought it was sorted but she prolapsed again in the night. This time the vet thoroughly cleansed the prolapse gave a calcium injection and put a ribbon stitch in place. It did the trick and the female is none the worse.

We feel she prolapsed the second time because a large piece of the afterbirth had been left inside her. She was given antibiotics for five days and a painkiller on day one. She was munching grass and letting the cria suckle soon after; they never fail to amaze me.

This year cria sired by Aga, one of our home bred studs are being born.

We have found this so exciting and even a little emotional as Aga was a very premature cria who we nursed back to robust health, and they look so like him, it’s almost like having grandchildren!

The first cria are now picking at grass, hay and pellets. This is such a good sign and prepares their stomachs for digesting food ultimately giving the mums a rest from the milk bar. As the cria grow they can be so tall some have to sit on their knees to drink from mum!

With all its ups and downs, there is nothing more wonderful than seeing new life arrive and watching them grow. The cycle of life is what the future is all about and we will continue to breed these amazing animals for as long as we are fortunate enough to do so. The stud boys are already here working to produce next year’s cria for 2021.

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FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Two cria, called Vini and Harvey, owned by therapist Jodi Fellows, have made extraordinary recoveries after they failed to receive enough essential first milk from their mothers.

V

ini, “a healthy and beautiful” 14 month old boy, is now working with Jodi as a therapy alpaca. Weighing just 3kg at birth Harvey gained 10.5 kilos in eight weeks and is also set to join the therapy family at Avant Alpacas.

Jodi began keeping alpacas through her friend Sue Loach, a BAS Board member and alpaca breeder at Putjade Alpacas, writes Alpaca editor Liz Mason.

Her herd started with six females, who arrived with two three month old boys. After getting used to the alpacas Jodi bought six more females to reach her herd target of 12.

“I’ve kept horses all my life, as well as cats, dogs and other animals, but I’ve never had

alpacas,” she says.

“It was a baptism of fire really because I thought alpacas would be so similar to horses but they’re not.

They are maybe 50% similar – the other 50% I have had to learn on my feet. Sue has been brilliant and when I’m not sure about anything she is always happy to answer any questions.”

As a therapist, for more than 10 years with a background in sports and fitness training, remedial and cognitive therapy, Jodi uses natural, organic remedies to help people become “fitter and healthier mentally and physically”.

She used her therapeutic skills, and knowledge of nutrition, to nurse new born Vini and Harvey after they were both diagnosed with failure of passive transfer.

›Steve’s dad was most happy being with the animals

30 Alpaca Autumn 2020

This is a potentially life threatening condition caused when cria don’t have enough colostrum (or first milk) containing vital antibodies from their mothers. The recommended veterinary treatment is a blood plasma transfusion to deliver essential antibodies.

Vini was only the second cria born on the farm.

“Our first called Charlie came out with his boots on and we thought that was easy. His mother gave birth easily so we thought it was going to be a doddle,” Jodi says.

Vini was unable to take enough milk from his mum.

“We had to try to milk her which she did not enjoy and we had to nurse him. We took him to the vet to have a blood test to see what was going on and she told us he was suffering partial failure of passive transfer.

“I’d realised within a short period of time after he was born that he hadn’t got what he needed from his mum and I had given him natural probiotics, vitamins minerals, include spirulina (an algae) and honey to try and get his body fighting.

“Our vet said not all partial failures need a plasma transfusion, it depends on their clinical examination and how bright they are. Vini was full of beans and his vitals were within normal ranges, so she said ‘carry on with what you’re doing as it seems to be working!’”

Vini recovered, but another cria with partial failure of passive transfer who arrived at the surgery at the same time didn’t survive. “I didn’t know at the time but unfortunately his owners lost him,” Jodi says.

Shortly after Jodi started working with alpacas as therapy animals and Vini was first to join the team.

“I thought he’s had a tough start to life so he would be good for therapy. He works with people that have eating disorders and other communication issues. He’s so popular they love him and he doesn’t stop talking to them because he is so good at communicating.

“I call it walk and talk. I ask people who they want to take out - I always take Vini with me - and we go for a walk around our big field. I can talk about alpaca nutrition and we talk about Vini and how important it is to fuel the body with the right food. It is a good way to talk about nutrition with people who have eating disorders.”

Vini, who was born in May 2011 has thrived under Jodi’s care. “He is big and strong and beautiful and is still as affectionate now as he was then.”

Harvey’s story

Harvey was born in May 2020. He was more than a month premature and weighed just 3kg. He survived with ten days of intense care from Jodi. She was unable to give him a transfusion of blood plasma after a blood collection event at her vets was cancelled due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

In late spring this year one of Jodi’s alpacas gave birth on 22 May – days after a visit from the shearers.

He was 33 days early and her “little man” was 3kg. The tiny alpaca looked unlikely to survive; he was so weak he was unable to lift his head.

“I immediately went and got one of the special smoothies I used to make for Vini and we tried to get him to get up to feed but he couldn’t.

“His mother deserted him because she thought he was dead. We dried him and wrapped him in a cria jacket – it was enormous on him and we shut Harvey and his mum in the alpaca house to try and get them to bond. We laid him on a blanket with hot water bottles all around him but his mum wouldn’t have anything to do with him.

“We tried everything. We tried to get milk into him but he was cold and his temperature was low. I thought I can’t do this – I am just watching him die.

“I had to make the horrible decision to take him away from his mum because it seemed a life or death situation.”

Jodi took the tiny cria into the house and placed him under a heat lamp. “I was doing physiotherapy with him and massaging him. He had no muscle he

was just literally skin and bone.

“I just persevered and kept him moving as much as I could. I was getting up every two to three hours to see to him and on the fifth evening poor little Harvey took a turn for the worse and his breathing became extremely laboured, I genuinely thought that I was going to lose him that night but he fought his way through the darkness and came out the other side. “ “Unfortunately, my husband Steve’s father passed away at the time unexpectedly which hit us both so hard as he was a huge part of our lives and he loved coming up to help us with the alpacas.

“I know sometimes life is cruel. But I am someone who has got to try and every day with Harvey I was taking tiny steps forward.

“It took 10 days of persistently annoying his mother for her to suddenly allow him to feed without someone holding her still. We had to corral the two of them together. I think she just thought Harvey didn’t smell like her baby because he had been in the house with me.”

At two weeks old Jodi took Harvey to the vets for a vitamin AD and E injection; he weighed 5.6kgs.

A blood test showed his liver and kidney enzymes looked good and there was no evidence of infection or anaemia.

Claire Brown, at Field Equine Vets said it was difficult to assess failure of passive transfer at that stage because it was best done 48-72 hours after birth. But Harvey’s globulin levels were very low, this along with his prematurity, very low birth weight and

weakness were strongly suggestive of a full failure of passive transfer.

Six weeks later Harvey had a second AD and E injection and he was a healthy 13.5 kg – a remarkable recovery.

Neither Vini or Harvey received blood plasma transfusions to treat failure of passive transfer. Jodi rang local alpaca owners but was unable to source plasma for Vini. In April this year she planned to take a couple of suitable alpacas to a “blood drive” at her vets but the event was cancelled due to Covid-19.

“I was panicking in case we had another case like Vini’s and then Harvey arrived. It was just impossible to find plasma– we didn’t have the luxury of having that option. Hence all the hours of care and fighting for his life.

“But of course, when we can, I will definitely be taking a couple of them for some plasma just in case.”

Like Vini, Harvey will not be leaving Jodi’s care. After winning his own fight for life he is set to join Avant Therapy Alpacas as a therapy alpaca helping people through their own difficult life issues.

Videos featuring Vini and Harvey are available on www.avantalpacas.com or on YouTube under Avant Therapy Alpacas.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

31

CRIA GALLERY

Alpaca editor Liz Mason reveals the winning entries in the second BAS Alpaca cria gallery introduced to celebrate the arrival of the cria class of 2020.

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› First place:

Kim Inglis Jeffries, Blencogo Farm

e had a fantastic response to our first BAS Alpaca cria gallery competition. This issue the gallery is back, by popular demand, to include entries from owners with later born cria. Thank you to all who entered and to BAS CEO Duncan Pullar who again judged the entries.

In first place is Kim Inglis Jeffries, Blencogo Farm. Kim wins free BAS membership for a year.

Runner-up is Sue Steele with her amusing picture of Cinnie and Cicely who receives £50. Third place is Dr Manda Rawlings from Bock-O-Dale Rare Breeds who wins £25. All prizes will be credited to the winning entrants BAS account.

› Second place: Cinnie and Cicely – Sue Steele, Patou Alpacas

32 Alpaca Autumn 2020

HIGHLY COMMENDED

B C

A. Jane Hodgson, King Garth Alpacas B. Paula Winsor, Winsaula Alpacas C. Danielle Dharman D. Myra John, Garth Mountain Alpacas E. Rachel Hebditch, Classical Mile End Alpacas F. Elaine Evans G. Lizzie Ross, Stony Pasture

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

33

CASTRATING ALPACAS

Ashley Marshall from Westpoint Farm Vets York offers a straightforward guide to castration.

› Two 20 month old males at Sandhills Alpacas before and after castration. Testicles are always removed surgically by a vet.

C

astrated males (geldings, wethers) can be a lovely addition to a pet or commercial herd and are increasingly popular. In a commercial herd, these “uncles” can be a great guide for young weaned males and a steadying influence.

Males are generally not castrated until they are over 18 months old. This is to reduce the risk of urolithiasis – stones that can block the urethra – as well as to avoid orthopedic issues associated with delayed closure of the growth plates. When closure is delayed, the alpaca can be “leggy” with signs of skeletal instability. Early castration can sometimes be justified when males are over aggressive/affectionate or have berserk male syndrome where they are dangerously aggressive towards humans.

Older males that are not to be used for breeding or retired studs should be considered for castration; being exposed to other breeding males, or females being in the vicinity is stressful for them, and can lead to inappropriate mating behaviour that causes trauma to the penis.

Choosing the right time of year to castrate is important and it is mostly done

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34 Alpaca Autumn 2020

when there are no or very few flies around. Appropriate fly control should always be used. NADIS (National Animal Disease Information Service) provides a blowfly alert system which can be very helpful in timing your castrations (https://alerts.nadis.org.uk).

How is it done?

Castration is always carried out surgically by the vet. Reports of banding with rubber rings are becoming more frequent – on welfare grounds, this method should never be used. It can cause huge trauma and pain to the alpaca, as well as increasing the risks mentioned above.

The castration should be done somewhere clean and dry, where the alpaca can be handled safely and the lighting is good. A table for equipment is always helpful and a bucket of warm water should be provided.

The vet will give anti-inflammatory drugs and may give antibiotics to any alpaca being castrated. Method differs between vets but the alpaca will either be down and sedated or chukkered, or standing. The testicles are infused with

Weather: Protecting against adverse weather Ventilation: Provide good air flow Flies: Shelter against summer heat and flies Adaptability: Water drinkers, troughs and deep bedding can all be added Husbandry: A great place to complete feet-trimming, vitamin drenches or as a quarantine area Appearance: Practical and attractive Size: Various options and sizes available.

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About the author

Ashley graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013 and went straight in to large animal practice in Oxfordshire. After a year, she relocated to York to pursue a purely farm career, focusing on beef cattle and camelids. She splits her camelid time between commercial herds and small holder work, enjoying both individual and herd based medicine. She is keen to promote a positive relationship between vets and alpaca owners.

Ashley spends her time with her husband Chris, visiting family and friends, and exploring the sights and sounds of Yorkshire.

She has three cats despite being a dog person!

Westpoint Farm Vets York is a livestock only practice based out of Murton in York. The four vet team is well versed in alpaca medicine. local anaesthetic and incisions are made into the scrotum. The blood vessels and cords to the testicles are tied off with dissolvable suture material and the testicle is removed. The incisions in the scrotum are left open to drain – this is normal procedure and these openings will heal with time. Further pain relief or antibiotic therapy may be indicated however your vet should discuss this with you at the time.

Post-operative care

Minimal bleeding should occur post castration but as a general rule of thumb if you can comfortably count the drips then it should be fine - if you can’t call the vet.

Always monitor the scrotum for swelling. Some swelling is to be expected and can be from fluid gathering or blood clots, especially when the castration has not been straight forward. Keeping the alpaca in a clean and dry environment will reduce the risk of post-operative infection. When there is pus or the alpaca is in a lot of pain advice should be sought from the vet. The scrotum should also be checked for maggots, particularly when you have chosen to have the castration done during the warmer months.

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35

Photos: ©Keith Cummings

MAKING HEADLINES

V

elvet Hall Alpacas made national news headlines after a photographer captured stunning images of new born cria and New Zealand shearer Nigel Wood in action on the Scottish Borders’ farm.

Stuart Ramsay, who owns the Velvet Hall herd with his partner Jean Macdonald, said he was contacted by photographer Katielee Arrowsmith after she saw the alpacas on social media.

“To get a photograph of one of our cria on the front pages of The Times and The Scotsman was just tremendous,” Stuart said. “We didn’t know she was going to publish them – we thought she was just coming to take pictures.”

The Times frontpage picture featured the two day old grey cria under the caption: “Standing to attention. An alpaca farm on the Scottish Borders has announced the arrival of two cria”. It added that three more births were due later in June.

The Scotsman’s frontpage announcement of two cria births at Velvet Hall included a picture of “proud mother Nanuvut showing off her one day old girl”.

Inside the full story included a photograph of the other cria with her dam Iqaluit.

“Shear joy” for blissed out Steely Dan

The Daily Mail also published an article with photographs of New Zealand shearer Nigel Wood and his team at work at Velvet Hall shearing a “totally relaxed” alpaca called Steely Dan. The article was published the day before the Mail’s report on the PETA video, filmed in secret by the animal rights group, showing “disturbing footage” of rough treatment and a screaming alpaca during

36 Alpaca Autumn 2020

shearing at the Mallkini Ranch in Peru.

But the Mail’s Velvet Hall shearing article published a day earlier ran under the headline: “Shear joy for alpaca who loses his 7lb coat in lockdown haircut to help him cope with the unseasonable 80°F heat”.

It went on to explain that Steely Dan, and 34 other alpacas, are “shaved to keep them cool through summer”. The “unusual photographs show a blissed out alpaca appearing to have a great time as his heavy coat is sheared away for the summer”, it said. The article went on to say the three year old alpaca “looked totally relaxed” as his coat was removed by the shearing team.

Stuart said PETA’s “one sided” video footage highlighted the need to shear alpacas properly. “I’ve had Nigel for the past four or five years and we like the way he handles the animals and the way his team works.

“It (shearing) is done quickly and very efficiently to minimise any stress on the animal.”

The Covid-19 pandemic meant Stuart, and many other British breeders, were unsure when Nigel could travel from New Zealand. Fortunately, he arrived in the UK in mid- April and began shearing almost immediately traveling around Britain in a camper van.

“Ideally we aim to be done by the middle of May,” Stuart said. “This year we were a couple of weeks late and Nigel came to us on the second of June. “ Starting at Velvet Hall in the morning Nigel and his team of two helpers had finished shearing 35 alpacas by lunchtime. The best quality fleece is made into hats and scarves by a skilled local knitter; the rest is sold to hand spinners.

TALKING POINT

Alpaca welfare at shearing is under scrutiny after Marks and Spencer, and other retailers, decided to stop using alpaca fibre. Paul Vallely, from Art Of Fibre, suggests UK alpaca owners can learn from the Australian merino sheep industry and introduce animal welfare guidelines.

P

eople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) publicly released video footage of alpacas being shorn at a large alpaca farm in Peru on 31 May. The release was headed ‘undercover investigation reveals alpacas hit, kicked, tied up and mutilated’.

The video revealed unacceptably rough handling of alpacas and highlighted at least one showing signs of extreme stress when stretched out on the shearing table, undoubtedly exacerbated by the harsh operating environment it was subjected to. Many people would find the video highly disturbing, and regrettably, potentially drawn in by PETA’s insinuation that the footage was typical of alpaca shearing. Soon afterwards, reports emerged of retail brands distancing themselves from alpaca fibre.

Sixteen years earlier, PETA used similar tactics to draw attention to the Australian merino industry by filming the practice of mulesing. Mulesing is the removal of skin from a lamb’s breech area for the cited reason of reducing the risk of blow-fly attack.

While I do not want to intervene with how alpaca associations deal with PETA’s campaign, I suggest there may be lessons drawn from the manner in which the merino industry responded to the anti-mulesing campaign.

From my own perspective, I detest mulesing, and did not mules sheep on my own merino growing property. In fact, I became an advocate for the cessation of mulesing in Australia and eventually was contracted by a luxury Italian garment manufacturer to establish a ‘welfare driven’ supply chain for non-mulesed merino, which continues today.

Because of the graphic nature of the mulesing video, major purchasers of wool abandoned the fibre.

In November 2004, the wool industry served the head of PETA with a summons on live TV during a debate with the wool industry CEO. This commenced a long and high-profile legal battle.

It was the merino industry’s first mistake. Not only did it antagonise a battle-hardened, well-resourced protest movement, it also put the issue of mulesing in the headlines for much longer than if the

campaign had been left to just PETA to dish out.

Its second mistake was its attempt to focus on justifying the practice. In any form of livestock rearing, if your customers find some practices inhumane, you either cease the relevant practice and/or promote your overall approach to producing your product as heavily geared towards animal welfare, and provide clear evidence that it is.

In 2014, I was asked by the merino industry to consider a future direction given the on-going market reaction to the mulesing issue.

The report relied on numerous interviews with companies involved in the merino supply chain. We found all companies were very much aware of the risks posed by animal welfare activists, particularly the luxury end of the trade. They remembered companies that once were regarded as market strongholds, ending up closing their doors due to successful ‘animal rights’ protest campaigns.

The fact that some animal rights organisations are not so much driven by animal welfare, but more a support base to vegetarianism or the cessation of any forms of rearing animals for production purposes, was immaterial to many of the companies – what mattered was the potential outcome of being targeted by one of their campaigns.

Interestingly, all companies wanted to use Australian merino, but only if the raw product could be shown to have been sourced from farms exercising animal welfare minimum standards.

Furthermore, the existence and adherence to such standards needed to be verified. In the wake of a protest campaign, they expected us to deny the allegations, however, words were simply not enough.

The merino industry now has numerous programs aimed at upholding animal welfare and environmental credentials at the farm level.

These include rather informal minimum standard guidelines that do not require compliance through to stringent and more encompassing contractual requirements covering welfare and sustainability.

The most successful of these animal welfare standards are those that include a system of auditing and a form of branding/logo for market

›Paul Vallely differentiation. Further, any system of “trace-back” to provide an accountable pathway from farm to fashion was seen as highly influential in securing orders where animal welfare was an issue.

Having been involved in alpaca fibre marketing, I am convinced it is now time to consider proactively asserting alpaca fibre’s intrinsic welfare and environmental credentials, perhaps using a set of ‘minimum standard guidelines. Not just because of the PETA campaign, but because welfare credentials are undoubtedly one of alpaca fibre’s opportunities rather than one of its risks.

From 2005 to 2009, I coordinated the Australian Alpaca Ultrafine Scheme. This had the aim of showcasing alpaca to the world’s luxury markets and was successful at getting labels such as Giorgio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna to use alpaca fibre.

It soon became obvious these known brands were attracted to alpaca partly because, in the main, the owners love their alpacas and exercised a high degree of care towards them.

I might also mention the training and skilling benefit of such guidelines for animal welfare cannot be understated.

After packaging the lessons learnt from the wool industry, it is reasonable then to suggest the alpaca community might embark on a proactive campaign to consolidate and promote the welfare and environmental credentials of alpaca, and not to allow radical animal rights activists exclusive access to the ears and eyes of consumers.

Alpaca Autumn 2020

37

SPEAKING OUT FOR ALPACA

Lulu Oliver is a retail business owner specialising in alpaca fibre products. She designs and sells items from her own Lusi Alpaca herd and imports high quality products from Peru for her Softly, Softly online shop. This is her response to the decision by high street retailers to stop selling alpaca.

T

he day I had been dreading finally arrived last month – a video of alpacas being shorn went viral on the internet. To make it worse it was released by PETA, (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) who have 6.5 million followers and supporters worldwide.

Let me say to begin with that I would never condone any harsh or cruel treatment for any animal. Parts of the video, filmed undercover in Peru, made for very uncomfortable viewing.

Subsequently the company involved have taken far reaching measures, to ensure this behaviour never happens again, and released detailed statements on the steps they are taking.

38 Alpaca Autumn 2020

Unfortunately, within days, several high street companies, M&S, Gap, Esprit and H&M reacted in a very alarmist and kneejerk way. Also, given the timescale of their response, without due research into the validity and truth behind the video. They released press statements saying that all alpaca products lines would be withdrawn from their retail shops.

PETA are well known for their radical propaganda campaigns. The actions of these retail companies gave validity to Peta’s shock tactics.

Most people reading this will know not shearing is far more dangerous and harmful to alpacas, with the real risk of heatstroke and suffering in the summer heat resulting in many deaths. Therefore,

the following statement, taken from PETA’s website, is mistaken when applied to the non-shearing of alpaca: “PETA believes in non-violence and does not advocate or support actions in which anyone, human or non-human, is harmed.”

On the same website they state: “The best thing that you can do for alpacas is to refuse to buy anything made of their fleece. It’s easy to check the label when you’re shopping. If it includes the word “alpaca”, leave it on the shelf.”

Sadly, if the general public followed this advice, the alpaca fibre market would disappear resulting in the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of alpacas.

Those that remained would be solely bred for their

meat and fur. Also the businesses, livelihoods and survival of thousands of people around the world, particularly in South America where the indigenous farmers have been breeding alpacas for their fibre for generations, would be destroyed.

Unfortunately, alpaca shearing can look somewhat barbaric. We have all come across the hormonal and stressed alpaca that needs firm handling to get them onto the shearing station, or the full grown male stud that is more than a match for one handler. There is yet to be a better system to get this vital task performed in the most efficient way. These animals are far too large and strong to be sheared without restraint, to do so would endanger both man and beast and be far more cruel than the present system. So until we have a ‘car wash’ style grass coloured conveyor belt, where the alpaca can stand whilst being shorn by a gentle machine, eating hay and listening to pan pipes this is the best way to treat our beloved alpacas.

This video also prompted a varied response from the BAS members on social media. But as I write I cannot find anything on the BAS website in relation to this issue, even the good news that BAS is involved in the ‘Textile Exchange’ initiative to develop a ‘Responsible Alpaca Standard’. Details on this are available if you do some research (see the link below).

In a statement sent to M&S BAS said: “M&S could confidently stock products made from UK alpaca fibre.” There were suggestions on social media that: “There may be an opportunity here to get UK alpaca into some major retailers”. And: “UK garment producers will need to be capable of supplying any

demand” Sadly there are no garment producers using UK fibre that could in any way produce the numbers, supply chain and logistics to satisfy a high street retailer.

The only company selling UK alpaca products into main stream high street retailers, including Harrods, are Penrose Products, specialist bedding manufacturers who use fibre that would otherwise be thrown away! " Don’t get me wrong I fully support UK alpaca fibre producers. I design, make and sell products from my own herd, but in reality there is not nearly enough fibre in the quality and quantity from the UK to have a meaningful impact, even if fibre producers were to form a coalition to pool all the suitable fibre together. This initiative has been tried on numerous occasions but to no avail, whether it’s a clash of ideas or personalities I don’t know but it has never gained any traction or momentum. It would seem to be every breeder for themselves, and as long as this continues alpaca fibre will continue to be a cottage industry in the UK. The general public, as a rule don’t care where their alpaca jumper comes from, they buy it because they want to buy alpaca. We should be supporting all alpaca producers in bringing this amazing fibre to the front of the retail shelves.

I import alpaca products from Peru because we can’t produce items here in the same way, alpaca/ silk blend shawls that weigh only 65 grams, machine woven throws in myriads of colours. One of the reasons I do so is that the more people see the variety and choice that can be produced from alpaca fibre then they will wish to buy more. Not to mention

the sustainability, and eco friendly benefits of alpaca over its main rival, cashmere.

Yes, it would be fantastic to have products made from UK alpaca fibre in the shops but this is not a realistic possibility anytime in the future, so in the meantime we should be supporting all alpaca businesses. The more buyers see the product then they will learn more about it, and recognise it for what it is. If we don’t try to support other alpaca producers and are happy for alpaca products from other countries to be lost from our shops without any way of replacing it with our own UK fibre, then this is a spectacular own goal.

Let us look at this from another angle, maybe it’s a good thing that alpaca has been removed from mid range high street shops. Look what happened to cashmere. It used to be the most luxurious expensive fibre, the crème de la crème of fashion. In recent years it has become so devalued and over produced that 100% cashmere jumpers are available in supermarkets, allegedly machine washable, though they pill the first time of wearing and after machine washing look like something the cat dragged in. The worldwide thirst for cashmere has also resulted in huge numbers of goats that have turned vast areas of Mongolia and China into deserts.

Alpaca can now step forward as the exclusive top end fibre, it is sustainable, eco friendly and ethical.

So if its harder to find and more expensive to buy then that will maintain the reputation of the fibre.

Think ‘Loro Piana’ not ‘Poundland’ And with that I’m off to clean the house with my very ‘upmarket’ duster!

www.textileexchange.org/textile-exchange-animal-welfare-standards-our-position-on-alpaca/ Alpaca Autumn 2020

39

THE BAS NATIONAL SHOW

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS FLEECE SHOW 2020 › Champion Huacayas

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he National Fleece Show took on a new format this year, writes show organiser, Julia Corrigan-Stuart, CS Alpacas. In previous years it was always the last show of the season and most fleeces had been entered into two or more regional shows and were no longer at their best for showing. Instead it was decided to introduce a Champion of Champions Fleece Show, open to all fleeces that had achieved Champion or Reserve status at one of the BAS Regional Shows earlier in the season.

The uptake was fantastic in both the Huacaya and Suri, with exhibitors keeping their fleeces for this show once they had received a champion or reserve sash, and the fleeces looked fabulous. Also, as an added bonus, everyone looked forward to seeing the best of the best fleeces on display at the BAS National Halter Show at Telford, showing the excellent quality Great Britain’s alpaca industry has to offer.

› Champion Suris 40 Alpaca Autumn 2020

All the fleeces had been delivered, weighed and the six samples taken from each fleece and tested by Art of Fibre (previously AAFT) to ascertain the average micron across each fleece. Everything was packed up in preparation for going to the National Halter Show in March when Covid-19 struck and Britain went into lockdown.

The National Halter Show was cancelled, but we still hoped that when the restrictions started to lift, there would be an opportunity to judge the Fleece Show with Tim Hey judging all of the fleeces.

Eventually the Champion of Champions Fleece Show was judged on 2 July.

Tim Hey, Duncan Pullar (BAS CEO and scribe extraordinare for the day) and myself (as chief general dogsbody putting out and away the fleeces, recording scores on the system, issuing rosettes) took on the mammoth task of getting the Champion of Champions Fleece Show completed.

Supreme Champion Huacaya Ashwood Kontor – Urcuchillay Alpacas

Reserve Champion Huacaya Beck Brow A-Lister – Beck Brow Alpacas

Supreme Champion Suri Bozedown Outlaw II – Bozedown Alpacas

Reserve Champion Suri Bozedown Call of the Wild – Bozedown Alpacas

Best British Huacaya The Whole Shebang – Bozedown Alpacas

›Duncan and Tim with Supremes and Judges Choice Strict social distancing was adhered to with two stations consisting of three fleece tables being set up so that the scribe and judge were at one station (2m apart). After the three fleeces at that station had been judged they moved to the next station, making it possible for me to put away the judged fleeces and put out the next three.

It worked very well, and it was an extremely tiring, but pleasant day. Even break and lunch times were affected by Covid-19, with the need for gloves, hand sanitiser, pre-packed/sealed sandwiches and fruit, individually wrapped biscuits and individual cans/bottles of drink. Needless to say there were a lot of empty biscuit wrappers at the end of the day!

Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to display the fleeces after judging due to the pandemic. I took as many photos as possible (I apologise for the quality, but I’m no photographer) which are now on the BAS website as a gallery of the Show – at least we have a record of these fantastic fleeces!

Huge congratulations to all the owners of the other eligible fleeces in the classes: Amberly, Brook Farm, Churchfield, Faraway, Latton, Legacy, Little Acres, Pinnacle, Pottery, Rushmere, Sheriff, Snowshill and Usk Valley Alpacas.

What needs to be remembered is that every fleece that reached the Champion of Champions Fleece Show, was already a champion or reserve champion from around the country, which is such a fantastic achievement in itself, so well done!

Hopefully everyone will now be entering their fleeces into the regional shows, with the aim of being eligible to be judged at the Champion of Champions Fleece Show 2021. Hopefully we will then be back to some sense of normality, with the fleeces being judged by the International Judges on the Friday of the National Halter Show 2021 and then displayed in the main hall for the whole weekend for everyone to see.

In the meantime everyone please take care and stay safe.

Best British Suri Pure Coralie – Pure Alpacas

Judges Choice Huacaya Toft Tarkhan – Toft Alpacas

Judges Choice Suri Winsaula Joker – Winsaula Alpacas Alpaca Autumn 2020

41

COLOUR CHAMPIONS AND RESERVES

Black Huacaya Champion: Silverstream Night Fever – Crewenna Alpacas Reserve: Redens Agamemnon – Redens Alpacas

Black Suri Champion: Reserve:

Bozedown Badlands – Bozedown Alpacas Bozedown Don’t Stop Me Now! – Bozedown Alpacas

Grey Huacaya Champion: Houghton Xtreme – Butlers Farm Alpacas Reserve: Velvet Hall Storm Surge – Velvet Hall Alpacas

Grey Suri Champion: Reserve:

Winsaula Joker – Winsaula Alpacas Pure Shylock – Pure Alpacas

Brown Huacaya Champion: Toft Tarkhan – Toft Alpacas Reserve: Houghton Miguel – Butlers Farm Alpacas

Brown Suri Champion: Reserve:

Bozedown Think Outside the Box – Bozedown Alpacas Amber Valley Magic – Amber Valley Alpacas

Fawn Huacaya Champion: Lythe Brow Alchemist – Lythe Brow Alpacas Reserve: Old Felton Diplomat – Old Felton Alpacas

Fawn Suri Champion: Reserve:

Wellow Classic Moonlight – West Wight Alpacas Wellow Golden Arrow – Beck Brow/West Wight Alpacas

Light Huacaya Champion: Bozedown The Whole Shebang – Bozedown Alpacas Reserve: Florens Butterbean – Florens Alpacas

Light Suri Champion: Reserve:

Bozedown Outlaw II – Bozedown Alpacas Bozedown Call of the Wild – Bozedown Alpacas

White Huacaya Champion: Ashwood Kontor – Urcuchillay Alpacas Reserve: Beck Brow A-Lister – Beck Brow Alpacas

White Suri Champion: Reserve:

Pure Coralie – Pure Alpacas Bozedown Soul Survivor – Bozedown Alpacas

42 Alpaca Autumn 2020

SHOWS

Royal Three Counties Fleece Show ›

Roger Clarke with the Supreme, Reserve Supreme, Best of British and Judge's Choice fleeces

A 1

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fter the “proper” Three Counties Show was cancelled, the West Shires Alpaca Group Committee decided to hold the fleece show a month later than normal to give entrants a greater chance of alpacas being shorn in time, writes Roger Mount, Snowshill Alpacas.

This proved to be a good decision, as we received 157 entries (including an encouragingly high number of Suri fleeces) from herds far and wide.

Roger Clarke did an excellent job of judging all of the fleeces over two days in Adam and Julia Berry’s barn at Apple Cross Alpacas. Julia was chief fleece steward ably assisted by husband Adam, Anne Cheston, Liz Welch and Trish Tatchell.

The standard of the fleeces was very high, with many achieving scores of over 80 points (including the darker colours – even blacks!). This made for a very tightly contested competition with only a few fleeces achieving scores of less than 70 points. Consequently, we were pleased that all Champion and Reserve Champion Sashes easily qualified to be awarded for each colour.

Several classes had 10 or more entrants and some with only half a point or, a point separating the placings. It is worth saying that some of those placed seventh and below still had respectable scores in the 70s. So don’t despair – it may be well worth entering those into one of the later shows (and re-skirt them – if that was a comment on your score sheet).

The Supreme Champion Huacaya fleece and receiver of the West Shires Alpaca Group Shield and Best British Bred sash was the Champion Light fleece (87 pts) belonging to Beck Brow Edison Dix owned by Paul and Barbara Hetherington.

The Reserve Supreme Champion Huacaya fleece was the Champion White Fleece (85 pts) belonging to Ashwood Maddison owned by Steve Powell. The Judge’s Choice Sash was awarded to the Reserve Champion Light fleece belonging to Evolution Firebreather owned by Nick Harrington-Smith and Shirley Isseyegh.

The Supreme Champion Suri fleece and receiver of the Houghton Hall Shield

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5

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1. Beck Brow Edison Dix – Supreme Champion; Champion Light 2. Evolution Stetson – Reserve Supreme Champion 3. Ashwood Maddison – Reserve Supreme Champion; Champion White 4. Evolution Firebreather – Reserve Champion Light 5. Winsaula Casey Mack – Best British Bred 6. Evolution Blue Moon – Champion White

went to the Champion White fleece (86 pts) belonging to Evolution Blue Moon owned by Nick Harrington-Smith and Shirley Isseyegh.

The Reserve Supreme Suri fleece went to the Reserve Champion White Suri fleece (83.5 pts) belonging to Evolution Stetson owned by Nick Harrington-Smith and Shirley Isseyegh. The Best British Bred sash was awarded to the First placed Junior Light fleece of Winsaula Casey Mack owned by Mark and Paula Winsor.

Finally, the Judge’s Choice Sash was awarded to the Reserve Champion Light fleece of Beck Brow Falco owned by Paul and Barbara Hetherington.

All other Champions, Reserve Champions and placings can be found via the BAS website.

The West Shires Alpaca Group would like to thank everyone who entered their fleeces, the Judge, the Stewards and especially our generous sponsors who were as follows: • Supreme and Reserve Supreme Sashes: UK Alpaca Ltd and Classical MileEnd Alpacas • White Championship Sashes: Ashwood Alpacas • Light Championship Sashes: Colin the Alpaca Shearer (Colin Ottery) • Fawn Championship Sashes: Latton Alpacas Ltd • Brown Championship Sashes: Snowshill Alpacas • Black Championship Sashes: JG Animal Health • Grey Championship Sashes: Pure Alpacas • Best of British and Judge’s Choice Sashes: Snowshill Alpacas

Alpaca Autumn 2020

43

BAS REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT

The first of a new series of articles highlighting the work of BAS regional groups starts with the Cornwall Camelid Association (CCA).

Cornwall Camelid Association CHAIR: Nigel Retallack, Carpalla Alpacas SECRETARY: Sandra Muriel, Alpacas of Cornwall, the Crewenna Herd TREASURER: Linda Thomas, Linberry Alpacas WELFARE OFFICERS: Nigel Retallack, Sandra Muriel, Wendy Scott MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Liz Brealy NEWSLETTER/WEBSITE OFFICER: Wendy Scott (Dark Sky Alpacas) NON-OFFICE HOLDERS: Tom Scott (Dark Sky Alpacas) Barry Pearce (Linberry) Mark and Sam Norman (Lakemoor Alpacas)

 www.cornwallcamelidassociation.co.uk

cornwallcamelidassociation 44 Alpaca Autumn 2020

T

he Cornwall Camelid Association is a thriving regional group of alpaca owners, breeders and enthusiasts, writes Sandra Muriel, CCA secretary.

Most of our members are based in Cornwall but some live over the border in west Devon.

Many are members of the British Alpaca Society (BAS) but not all. We have our own website and a members’ only Facebook page.

The committee officers are elected for two years and can be re-elected. They bring a broad span of talent and experience delegated to the various roles. This means we have a pro-active, successful committee to roll out our annual events, respond to issues and represent the group when necessary. We used to meet bi-monthly but for the past two years we have a closed Facebook page for the committee to keep contact, discuss issues and plans and vote on decisions. This works very well as our committee members live across Cornwall and Devon and meetings were sometimes difficult to arrange to include everyone. We currently have more than forty members with two honorary members, and owners’ herds range in size from three to ninety alpacas.

Our constitution is revisited each year; the opportunity to consider new amendments is given and proposals are democratically voted on. This is done at our annual general meeting (AGM) in

February with a dinner and the ever popular and hotly contested quiz. This is always the first event of our CCA calendar, followed in May by our members only halter show. In the autumn we have our vets’ day always kindly hosted at Popham Alpacas, courtesy of Gary and Felicia Sanders, which is well attended and enjoyed.

New fleece show

This year we are holding our first BAS Fleece Show in August, planned as a one day show. Entries sold out before the closing date and our organisers are working hard to ensure a well-orchestrated and presented show.

The decision to hold the first Cornwall Fleece Show was taken before the Covid-19 crisis which decimated this year’s halter shows. We were excited to have a fleece show already in the pipeline at a time when I believe fleece showing will have a greater status than usual. We greatly appreciated the support the show has been given from BAS members across the country who entered their fleece and Val Fullerlove of the BAS Show Committee.

Due to the Covid-19 crisis we could not hold our halter show in May but we are all planning for 2021.

We like to consider it a friendly show, and a training ground for new members to learn the ropes of the

show ring, but we all like to take home our black, white and gold Champion rosettes in the Cornish colours.

Throughout the BAS show season, several CCA members show alpacas at BAS shows which is another opportunity for members to meet, help each other and share in success (and sometimes disappointment) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is always good to have friends around. The CCA members have been successful not only at our own shows and county shows, but at the BAS National Show.

Popham Alpacas have had particular success with two National Supreme Huacaya Champions and a National Suri Supreme Champion and multiple National Colour Champions. In 2017 Crewenna Alpacas returned with the National Black Male Champion, Amadeus and in 2019, Rosecraddoc Greyson returned to Cornwall with the National Reserve Grey Champion sash. Most of these alpacas started their show careers at our CCA Halter Show as juniors.

We release four email newsletters a year including current topics, a message from the Chair, a roundup of recent events, veterinary advice, BAS show and events calendar and any sales members might wish to advertise. We encourage members who have used their fleeces to make clothing or items to share their inspiration and results.

We are fortunate to have a member shearer based in Cornwall (Allen of Cornish Alpaca Shearing) who shears many of the herds and groups, starting

â&#x20AC;şNigel Retallak, CCA chairman, Carpella Alpacas in mid-April this year due to the Covid-19 crisis and the warm weather. There are other shearers who come west to shear, but it is very satisfying to know that most of Cornwalls' alpacas are all sheared (usually) by the end of June.

Alpaca UK has two fleece collection points across the count; Alpacas of Cornwall in the west and Pophams in the east. This means there is an opportunity for all to drop off and sell fleeces.

At the moment our new Fleece Show is absorbing most of the organisers spare energy as they continue to run their herds during the birthing season, but the summer newsletter went out on time as usual. Occasionally we ask what else we could do

for members, but we seem to come to the same conclusion each time; it is best that we continue with our already successful schedule of events and put our energy and ideas into keeping them contemporary and well executed.

Our experienced owners are always on hand to share experience and knowledge about all aspects of alpaca ownership with new members. To sum up, I think we are an association of people, based in the unique County of Cornwall and over the border, with a shared interest at different levels in the most ethereal and extraordinary creature known as alpacas - that interest is expressed in camaraderie, competition, respect and shared knowledge.

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Alpaca Autumn 2020

45

FIRST CORNWALL FLEECE SHOW

Report by show organisers Sandra Muriel, Alpacas of Cornwall and Cornwall Camelid Association (CCA) secretary, and Wendy and Tom Scott, Dark Sky Alpacas and CCA committee members.

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he inaugural Cornwall Fleece Show, hosted by the Cornwall Camelid Association (CCA), was held on 1 August at Dark Sky Alpacas, on the edge of beautiful Bodmin Moor.

Sandra Muriel, and Wendy and Tom Scott got together to put on the show and were thrilled at the support and both number and quality of entries.

Sandra participates in fleece shows across the country and collaborates with fashion houses and creative jewellery designers in addition to making her own woven scarves, selling fleece and yarn – so it’s safe to say she wants to encourage others to get involved and celebrate their alpaca fleece too.

“There used to be a fleece show as part of the North Devon Show, but once that stopped, the South West was a bit out on a limb – so we thought it would be good to fix that.

“With the added incentive of the new National Fleece Show entry criteria, requiring fleeces to qualify from a regional show in order to participate, it felt like a great time to launch a new show. To cap it all, as we started the planning, the pandemic hit, taking the whole season of halter shows out and, in our view, making fleece shows an even more important part of the calendar.”

The CCA team work hard to encourage all their members, regardless of size and experience, to get together, learn from each other and really enjoy their alpacas and everything that comes with them. Like many people across the country, some members are a bit nervous about entering shows. The

›Tim Hey at the top table

46 Alpaca Autumn 2020

CCA wanted the Cornwall Show to be an opportunity to take that step – even if people didn’t feel they had a fleece they could enter this year, there were opportunities to help out and see a show in action. Hopefully it would be a perfect confidence booster and a way into showing.

Wendy and Tom Scott volunteered to host the show at their farm where they were confident they would be able to create a safe environment. The couple were also able to see the fleeces first hand and learn from watching the judge at work. To keep everyone fed and watered, the multi-talented chef and alpaca shearer, Allen Muriel, agreed to put on lunch.

Confident there was a demand and the logistics could work, the next question was who would judge? “It’s great to have input from different judges across the season in both halter and fleece shows, so we approached Cathy Lloyd of EP Cambridge who has made a recent return to the circuit and were delighted when she accepted.”

The show opened for entries and was full before the closing date. But the pandemic intervened making it impossible for Cathy to have any certainty about travel to the UK from Australia in time for the show.

After a quick discussion, it was obvious there was only one man for the job! With very grateful thanks from the CCA, Tim Hey agreed to judge. He also offered a question and answer session for CCA participants once the judging was complete – a real bonus and a great learning opportunity just as we had hoped.

Many thanks to the whole team and we are looking forward to making it even bigger and better next year!

The competition standard was excellent and results were as follows:

Supreme Huacaya Popham Gabine, owned by Mr and Mrs Roger Clarke

Best British Bred Huacaya Carpalla Fonz, owned by Nigel Retallack

Judge’s Choice Huacaya Usk Grenade, owned by Mr and Mrs Morgan

Champion White Huacaya Popham Gabine, Reserve Champion White Huacaya: Carpalla Fonz Champion Light Huacaya Sandhills Jinx Reserve Champion Light Huacaya: Carpalla Gretal Champion Fawn Huacaya Fowberry Earl Marshall Reserve Champion Fawn Huacaya: Snowshill Serena Champion White Huacaya Popham Gabine, Reserve Champion White Huacaya: Carpalla Fonz Champion Brown Huacaya Usk Valley Grenade Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya: Snowshill Luciana Champion Black Huacaya Crewenna Amadeus Reserve Champion Black Huacaya: Hilly Ridge Hamilton

Supreme Suri Winsaula Casey Mack, owned by Mr and Mrs Mark and Paula Winsor Champion Grey Huacaya Inca Grey Limelight Reserve Champion Grey Huacaya: Rosecraddoc Iceberg Best British Bred Suri Winsaula Casey Mack, owned by Mr and Mrs Mark and Paula Winsor

Judge’s Choice Suri Winsaula Rags to Riches, owned by Mr and Mrs Mark and Paula Winsor Champion Grey Suri

Winsaula Rags to Riches

Champion Black Suri Shadow Wood Night Moves Champion Fawn Suri Silvercloud Laura Rose Champion White Suri Winsaula Casey Mack

›The show team

›Tom and Wendy Scott of Dark Sky Alpacas with Timy Hey judging

Alpaca Autumn 2020

47

Alpacas for sale

A list of BAS members who are breeders and advertising their alpacas for sale

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

ALPACA EVOLUTION

Herts AlpAcAs

We are committed to the success of the British Alpaca industry and realising the potential and possibilities this offers. We are passionate about the Alpaca, and continuing to progress the quality of our herd of 700 plus alpacas, both Huacaya and Suri, without compromising our high standards in ensuring excellent herd welfare. Offering unrivalled experience and support to our clients, and helping them achieve success is core to our business ethos.

15 years of selective breeding and dedication has successfully proven our genetics both in and outside the show ring, winning multiple Herts Alpacas championships and of course one of the British Alpaca Futurity’s major Best Breeder awards.

We offer a full range of alpacas for sale, stud males, breeding females and pets as well as learning opportunities for all levels of experience. We welcome visitors by appointment. Located in Buckinghamshire.

We offer a range of courses including: ‘Introduction to alpacas’, ‘Birthing’, ‘Husbandry’, and a day long ‘Advanced’ course.

Alpacas for sale in all colours, at prices to suit all pockets, but more importantly from elite herd sires and proven bloodlines.

Our farm in Hertfordshire offers: feed, supplies, coats, halters etc. Importantly we deliver total customer care. See website for customer reviews and details of our award-winning herd sires.

PENNYBRIDGE ALPACAS The PennyBridge Herd and Stud. One of the first alpaca farms set up in the South of England, still producing show winners from champion stock. Good quality starter herds, proven and potential stud males, stud services, fancy grazers and sheep guards available. Please phone to book a viewing with no obligation to purchase.

Situated in North Hampshire, close to the Surrey and Berkshire borders with good access to ports and airports, less than five minutes drive from both J5 and 6 of the M3.

TEL: Nick 07979 651742 & Alexandra 07795 843790 EMAIL: enquiries@alpacaevolution.com WEB: www.alpacaevolution.com

tel: 01763 271301 or 07802 433155 emAil: beckwith904@aol.com Web: www.hertsalpacas.co.uk

TEL: 01256 764824 or 07801 132757 EMAIL: joy@pennybridgealpacas.co.uk WEB: www.pennybridgealpacas.co.uk

SCOTFIELD ALPACAS

SNOWSHILL ALPACAS

ADVERTISE HERE

We are a family run farm in Warfield, Berkshire, breeding high quality Huacaya and Suri alpacas from show winning sires. We would like to welcome you to Scotlands Farm to see our wonderful herd of both white and coloured animals.

We are happy to discuss your requirements, be it for pet males, stock guards, or breeding females to suit your budget but with no obligation to purchase. We have over ten years of experience with these adorable animals. Give us a call and let us see if we can help you.

TEL: WEB:

Sue Hipkin 07770 455533 Lisa Batup 07770 455534 www.scotfieldalpacas.co.uk

Established in 2002 and situated on the North Cotswold hills close to the picturesque village of Snowshill, the current herd numbers over 300.

We breed both Huacaya and Suri alpacas (approximately 85% are Huacaya). Although our breeding programme is biased towards the darker colours, we do also have superb quality whites and beige alpacas.

Full range of alpacas for sale, attractive pets to top show quality breeding girls and stud boys. Large choice of stunning stud males available to service your girls. Also offering natural alpaca fabrics made in the UK from the fleece of our own herd.

TEL: 01386 853841 or 07711 044106 EMAIL: snowshillalpacas@btinternet.com WEB: www.snowshillalpacas.com

For only £280 +VAT for the year which includes an online listing, you can advertise in the Alpacas for Sale classifieds.

TEL: 01233 555735 EMAIL: wendy@tandemmedia.co.uk

SOUTH EAST

LIGHTFOOT ALPACAS Lightfoot Alpacas are situated in Hawkhurst in the Weald of Kent. We have been breeding alpacas since 1997 and have over 450 Huacaya and Suri. Lightfoot is a closed herd, we believe that the bio security and health of our animals is paramount to their breeding and care. We always have for the full range of colours and ages, mainly Huacaya with some Suris. Our animals are known for being friendly as we spend time with them and know them individually.

We provide after sales advice and back up services when we sell our animals. Whether you are looking to improve or expand your herd or just thinking of alpacas as pets, why not contact us to arrange a visit.

PINNACLE ALPACAS

ALPACA ANNIE

Situated in the beautiful Surrey hills, the Pinnacle Huacaya herd can be found grazing in badger fenced, lush pastures.

We are passionate about alpacas and committed to maintaining the highest standards in our breeding programme.

Breeding quality, friendly alpacas on the Romney Marsh, we pride ourselves on the relationship we have with our animals and our high welfare standards.

Whether you are just starting out or wish to enhance your breeding programme from our outstanding, world renowned genetics, we would be delighted to help you. Every Pinnacle alpaca carries an exceptional pedigree and is halter trained from an early age. We have a selection of quality animals for sale from pet males, through to breeding females and herd sires.

As BAS Affiliate Trainers we provide learning opportunities at all levels and always give full support with ongoing aftersales care.

TEL: 07802 263589 WEB: www.alpacabreeder.co.uk EMAIL: graham@alpacabreeder.co.uk

TEL: Hilary 07957 689002 WEB: www.pinnaclealpacas.com EMAIL: info@pinnaclealpacas.com

EAST MIDLANDS

WEST MIDLANDS

JANDJ ALPACAS

JandJ Alpacas WE SPECIALISE IN COLOURED ALPACAS

The family run JandJ Alpaca herd was established in 2005 with four pregnant females, today we have over 90 beautiful animals. We are located in Lincolnshire on the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leiceistershire border just off the A1.

With years of experience our aim is to help you choose the best alpacas to start you journey, whether it be pregnant females, stud males, pet boys or girls.

Please feel free to get in touch.

TEL:

Martin or Clare 01636 626990

EMAIL: jandj.alpacas@zen.co.uk WEB:

www.jandjalpacas.co.uk

48 Alpaca Autumn 2020

TOFT ALPACAS We offer over 150 pedigree alpacas in all colours, ages and price ranges and are confident that our prize-winning herd will live up to all your alpaca expectations. We will be delighted to share our extensive experience to guide you towards your alpaca aspiration, whatever that might be. Through the TOFT studio we run an extensive programme of practical husbandry and textile, crochet and knitting workshops throughout the year. The TOFT studio retails exclusive luxury yarn from throughout the world. Come and see for yourself – the complete alpaca experience.

TEL: 01788 810626 or 07970 626245 EMAIL: shirley@toft-alpacas.co.uk WEB: www.toftalpacastud.com

Many of the herd have been halter trained and are great walking companions. We can help you find anything from a fleecy friend to a show winning fleece.

For new keepers we have well bonded starter herds available with a full support package including – training with our head herdsperson, home visits, shearing, ongoing phone/ face-to-face support and a ‘Home for Life’ guarantee as standard. So please come on down and meet the herd!

TEL: 01303 870527 EMAIL: becca@alpacaannie.com WEB: www.alpacaannie.com

NORTH WEST

POTTERY ALPACAS Pottery Alpacas are a family run farm located in Lancashire, we focus on breeding high quality animals from elite bloodlines. We have a wide range of alpacas for sale, with everything from Pet Quality males and females to Stud males and show quality stock. We offer first class support and advice with every purchase and are more than happy to discuss your requirements with no obligation. We are here to help you every step of the way on your alpaca journey!

TEL: 01254 419069 MARK: 07702 540270 AMANDA: 07882 456084 EMAIL: mark@potteryalpacas.com WEB: www.potteryalpacas.com

SOUTH WEST

CENTRAL ENGLAND

URCUCHILLAY ALPACAS

FAERIE TALE ALPACAS

For over 10 years we have bred multiple-champion alpacas, selecting the best genetics while working to very high ethical standards. Our reputation and many awards are testament to our passion, commitment, knowledge and experience.

We have BAS registered and halter trained alpacas for sale in a range of colours, ages and quality, champion studs in a range of colours with a variety of sought-after genetics from New Zealand, Australia, America and the UK. We offer alpaca walks, experiences, events and parties as well as a shop. Visits are welcome by appointment.

TEL: 01458 860052 or 07570 511299 EMAIL: carla@urcuchillay.co.uk or carla@fibreofthegods.co.uk WEB: www.urcuchillay.co.uk or www.fibreofthegods.co.uk

Faerie–Tale Alpacas is a small family run farm based in Kenilworth in Warwickshire J15 of M40. We focus on breeding sound, healthy, friendly, elite alpacas with gorgeous fleeces and top class genetics at very reasonable prices.

We know each alpaca and have most colours available from blue black to dazzling white. Whether you are new to alpacas or wish to expand your herd we have an alpaca to suit you! Prices to suit all budgets and with full after sales support given.

We offer: • Quality breeding stock • Starter herds • Stud services • 2 hour alpaca experiences • Alpacas for weddings and events • Luxury range of hand knitted alpaca garments and accessories using our own fleeces TEL: 07950 671672 FACEBOOK: Faerie Tale Alpacas EMAIL: info@faerietalealpacas.co.uk WEB: www.faerietalealpacas.co.uk

Fibre Processors and Retailers RETAILERS/WHOLESALERS IN BRITISH ALPACA PRODUCTS

ANIMAL HEALTH

JG ANIMAL HEALTH suitable for all camelids.

• Premier Camelid Drench • Premier Mineral Supplement • Premier Mineral Bucket • A, D3 & E Paste TEL: 07866 607466 EMAIL: jganimalhealth@aol.com WEB: www.jganimalhealth.co.uk

PROCESSORS OF FIBRE – MINI MILLS AND OTHER

Everything you need for your alpacas delivered to your door! We are a one-stop-shop for alpaca supplies, including headcollars and leads, vitamins and nutritional supplements, healthcare and welfare supplies, colostrum, coats for cria and adults and microchipping equipment.

We also have a good selection for your other animals, including dogs, chickens and horses, as well as a range of farmhouse items and gifts, including our famous home cheese-making kits.

We are alpaca owners ourselves and we are always happy to help with your questions and enquiries.

Order direct from our website or by phone. You can expect fast, friendly service and advice.

TEL: 01295 713188 EMAIL: homesteadfarms@btinternet.com WEB: www.homesteadfarmsupplies.co.uk

M.R.Harness was founded in 1995 after existing part time for a number of years. Mary herself is a qualified engineer and is well placed to assess materials and their useage.

Classic Carder produce a full range of British, handmade drum carders for fibre preparation. Featuring our unique interchangeable drum system which allows quick and easy

Company policy is to test as many of the webbing designs as possible before release, as each item is unique to the animal it is designed for. This has led M.R.Harness to become the supplier of choice for headcollars, leads, coats and harness for all the various smallholding animals, but specialising in alpacas and llamas, and working ponies.

All items are hand crafted ‘in house’, in England, so you can be assured of good workmanship and quality products that last.

So please come and try the ‘Choice of Champions’.

TEL: 01299 896827 EMAIL: mary@mrharness.co.uk

EMAIL: paulbrittain@mac.com WEB: www.classiccarder.co.uk

Become a BAS member Single membership £74 per annum Joint membership £95 per annum Herd registration fee £25

www.bas-uk.com

Medisave

The Professional Solution

25% OFF

5% OFF

ALL products Safe4disinfectant www.medisave.co.uk Terms and conditions apply

Discounted Prices on Microchips*

Terms and conditions apply

10% OFF

AGRI Shelter® Terms and conditions apply

M.R.HARNESS

CLASSIC CARDER

TEL: 01746 714130

BAS Members get free membership to My Society and can benefit from a number of exclusive offers. Here are a few:

HOMESTEAD FARM SUPPLIES

High specification organic chealated nutritional supplements

drum change for carding different fibres.

BAS Members exclusive

2 FREE worm counts worth £40 for NEW BAS members then 25% OFF Worm Counts after that*

www.ellipsefabrications.co.uk Terms and conditions apply

Wildwood Animal Health www.wildwoodanimalhealth.co.uk

Free bag of Camelibra NG2

Terms and conditions apply

Terms and conditions apply

(worth £28 & free delivery)

Checkout these and many other offers on The My Society page on the BAS website by going to the moving carousel on the home page and clicking on the My Society link www.bas-uk.com The British Alpaca Society cannot be held responsible for any issues regarding products, offers or services offered under the My Society scheme. All offers can be withdrawn or changed without notice. The British Alpaca Society does not endorse or recommend any of the companies listed under the My Society Scheme. * Full terms and conditions of the My Society offers can be seen on the BAS website.

British Alpaca Society The fibre breed

www.bas-uk.com Alpaca Autumn 2020

49

SEASONAL RAMBLINGS

Our regular diarist, who has been in isolation during lockdown, finds motivation in difficult times after the arrival of this summer’s cria and is cheered by a great year for alpaca sales.

I

n these strange and unprecedented times, where the future has never been more uncertain, and making plans for the weeks ahead is almost impossible with no halter shows for the foreseeable future, I did wonder if I would lose the motivation that drove me forward from one year to the next.

The alpaca year comes in a repeated cycle; mating followed by autumn and winter, spring then shows, summer and birthing and back to mating again. We have to think ahead for next year and so as soon as the cria started to come along I could feel myself getting excited for next year and the prospect of showing these new offspring.

How many times have we breeders said: "These are the best I’ve bred.” I can't wait to get back in the ring and be with friends again, finding out what they have been doing, catching up with the gossip, sharing the laughter, seeing their new alpacas.

Yes, after seeing the cria the motivation has come back – in buckets. I can’t wait for next year and the shows and all the excitement that comes with it.

Staying with showing, I wonder what the new normal at alpaca shows will be?

How will we manage the distancing, pens and walk ways, judge and handler, masks and the crowds to keep us all safe. Many alpaca owners seem to be older and may have underlying health issues. Let’s not forget these vulnerable people when organising future shows. It will be a great big headache for the show committee. But I’m sure we will all pull together, stay safe and have a great time.

Transport check

As we have not been travelling to shows our lorries and vans have probably not been used as much, if at all this year so they will be in need of a good service and the same with trailers. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has announced that it will be carrying out checks on all types of trailers 750kg to 3500kg.

50 Alpaca Autumn 2020

Trailer checks will include tyres, breaks and lights to ensure the vehicles are safe and roadworthy. If you are towing a trailer you may need to be qualified to do so, so check before setting out. Always carry out safety checks before starting out on a journey and remember your cargo is precious.

There is a National Trailer and Towing Association (NTTA) that promotes safe and legal towing. It offers free trailer checks through member garages including wheels, lights, tyres and axles. There are no MOTs required for trailers but if a trailer is pulled over and found not to be roadworthy an immediate prohibition can be issued and the trailers could be taken off the road until repaired. You can also be issued penalty points and at the same time your insurance would be null and void.

When driving animals in a van or horse box you may need a Transporter Authorisation Certificate. The type of certificate depends on how many hours you drive in one hit and if you drive outside the UK. Type one is for UK transport and a journey of up to eight hours. You may also need breakdown cover which includes the rescue of animals on board. There are plenty of horse insurers who will cover you for alpacas.

Retail therapy

Isolation can do funny things to alpaca breeders. Anyone who is remotely involved with alpacas must have sat in front of their computers wondering how they can cheer themselves up. “Yes, I have an idea lets buy an alpaca or three, but what sort Suri or Hucaya? How old and what sex and what colour?"

I was very worried about going into lockdown and was wondering if people could afford to buy, or would still want to buy alpacas when money and jobs are tight and the outside world so uncertain. How wrong I was. What a great year we are having selling alpacas. I’ve never had so many enquiries for both males and females, all ages. It has just been incredible.

Friends and fellow breeders are saying the same so let’s hope it continues.

Supreme Champion alpaca breeders with 26 years experience Inca Jealousy - Female

We are proud to offer: Detailed guidance and support for new owners.

Business planning for breeding herds.

Elite pedigree breeding and pet stock for sale.

Help obtaining planning permission for a dwelling using alpaca breeding as justification â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we did it and have helped others.

www.incaalpaca.co.uk Please call Tim and Tracey to talk more about alpaca ownership: +44 (0) 7875 532827

incaalpaca.co.uk