Alpaca Summer 2023

Alpaca British Alpaca Society quarterly magazine

SUMMER 2023

British Alpaca Society The fibre breed

www.bas-uk.com

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

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CONTENTS

National Alpaca Farm Open Days

Events ranged in size tremendously from 12 to 6,000 participants.

24 Is my cria doing okay?

EDITORIAL Editor: Liz Wright alpaca.ed@kelsey.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Wendy King Talk Media Sales Tel: 01732 448748 Email: wendy@talk-media.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg 07306 482166 jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk KELSEY MEDIA The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 MANAGEMENT Divisional Managing Director: Steve Kendall Group Publisher: Fiona Mercer Retail Director: Steve Brown Renewals and Projects Manager: Andy Cotton Senior Subscription Marketing Manager: Claire Aspinall Subscription Marketing Director: Kevin McCormick Print Production Manager: Georgina Harris Print Production Controller: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Limited 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000 www.seymour.co.uk Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850

www.kelsey.co.uk Cover photo: Bozedown Celestial with three unrelated cria. She is the ultimate mother of all to the herd and chief babysitter at Beck Brow Alpacas © Barbara Hetherington

A fun, easy and abundant natural dye. Ann Nickerson explains how to use this humble weed.

26 Antibody levels

Testing antibody levels in colostrum is a useful management tool during the unpacking season and for subsequent breeding and husbandry decisions.

18 No tractor needed

Exploring the tractor-free grass care options available to alpaca farmers.

28 Getting the best start for crias

42 An alpaca on the bed

30 Do you know the quality of your fibre?

46 Rising from the flat lands

Dr Ami Sawran MRCVS, Westpoint Farm Vets, Chelmsford looks at how plasma saves lives.

Helen Babbs finds out how UK alpaca fleece becomes high quality duvets.

20 Going back to basics Animals’ needs are influenced by environmental and metabolic factors and can vary throughout their lives. Thankfully, there’s a comprehensive range of simple, but effective forages to suit.

Kelsey Media 2023 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

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40 Dock leaf

8 Obituaries 10 Shows

HOEAG Fiesta, NWAG Alpaca Championships, Cornwall Alpaca Show, Northumberland Alpaca Championship.

38 HOEAG skirting and noodling workshop

There are many accessible ways to learn how to evaluate fleece on and off the animal.

We meet Krystal Humphries and her herd.

36 Spotlight 22 Dealing with fly strike

South East Alpaca Group.

50 Dog attacks

Dog attacks on sheep continue to be an issue for alpaca owners.

50 Dates for your diary

Alpaca SUMMER 2023

3

WELCOME

FROM THE EDITOR E: alpaca.ed@kelsey.co.uk

I

’ve written elsewhere in this magazine about my pleasure in taking the online introductory Alpaca Assessment Course so all I’ll say here is that the amount of knowledge delivered in four sessions was incredible and it was clearly given. I’m so glad I did these sessions.

I also had a try at noodling some fleeces at a friend’s alpaca business on a practical basis. One of the benefits of editing Alpaca is the people (and alpacas) that I meet, the dedication to improving fibre and the passion of those who are not only trying to produce quality fibre but also offering other alpaca activities such as therapy, meeting alpacas and offering weddings at their farms.

The natural beauty of alpacas strikes a chord in most people and they have wonderful days out on alpaca farms. The Farm Open Days on 2-3 September will no doubt attract more visitors into the world of alpacas, generate interest in alpaca fibre and an awareness of the care these animals need. Some people will be inspired to become alpaca owners themselves. Everyone has to start somewhere and the value of these days are not to be underestimated. A big thank you to all those who are taking part and there is still time to sign up if you haven’t done so.

And to everyone I have met and to all those I hope to meet, a big thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge, news and views with me so I can share them in Alpaca magazine.

Photo: Karen Harvey

CEO NOTES...

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Duncan Pullar: ceo@bas-uk.com

he BAS Education programme does a good job for members as they develop in their alpaca ownership.

There is a level of course for everyone from novice to experienced. So far this year we have had four “Introduction to alpaca assessment” courses (two online and two face-to-face) and later in the year there will be one more in Northern Ireland. There is a near-full “Intermediate Alpaca Assessment” course in the Autumn and, if there is enough demand, we will run the Advanced course again in early winter.

The desire to understand fleece characteristics and use that knowledge in a breeding programme to produce ever better fleeces is a good sign for the future of the industry. A higher volume of good quality fleeces to process will help consolidate the processing services in the UK. There will be a benefit from this focus on improved fleece quality across the whole industry through

a trickle-down effect. Owners who are not interested in fleece quality will find the improved genetics in their herds as they buy the alpacas that are good, but not good enough to stay in the herds that are very focussed on fleece improvement.

Alongside improved breeding, improved fleece management at, and after, shearing is crucial. It was good to see the number of people at the National Show who were engaged with the skirting demonstrations, expertly delivered

by Emma Taylor. The HoEAG also took the initiative with a skirting and noodling workshop that was well attended. If you haven’t caught up with the skill of noodling, then it is well worth the time because your fleece storage will be transformed.

Continued focus on producing high quality fleece is certainly a good stand to have running through the Society and can continue alongside the many other diverse ways that members work with their alpacas.

ALPACA DEADLINES

Do you have something to share? Why not write it for your Alpaca magazine? Either send it to us by email or give the Editor a call to discuss. If you don’t feel you want to write it, then we can do it for you – but most of all we’d like to hear from you. You can reach the Liz, the editor, on 07951 753991.

Autumn/Winter 2023 issue: Deadline for copy – 11 September. The magazine will be mailed on 23 October.

We are especially looking for news and items on fashion from alpaca fleece as winter approaches!

Looking for photos of garments and stories from those who make and design them.

We are also looking for news from the studs for a regular feature on new arrivals, stud males and show successes – plus anything else you want to tell us about.

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

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NATIONAL ALPACA FARM OPEN DAYS

I

t is pretty obvious that BAS members love alpacas. They love their own alpacas; they love other people’s alpacas and they love talking about their alpacas to anyone and everyone.

Sharing your enthusiasm for the thing you love is easy to do.

Perhaps because of these factors the two years we have held the National Alpaca Farm Open Days have been a resounding success.

"We had a wonderful time on Saturday… It was a really enjoyable day for visitors, helpers and me too. Can’t wait to do it again."

Events ranged in size tremendously from 12 to 6,000 participants. But that was the beauty of the idea – everyone who wanted to be involved could be involved on a scale that suited them. Having said that there were one or two reports back that indicated some hosts were surprised by the response and had a few more people than they bargained for…

"We had an absolute blast at the weekend!

We have never run an event at the farm and are not open to the public so this was a first!

We had about 800 visitors over both days.

A lovely steady stream all day from start to finish. All the feedback since the event and on the day has been wonderful and people have been very appreciative of the chance to see the farm and meet the animals."

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

In a change from previous years established alpaca farms already open to the public are encouraged to join the initiative in 2023 because entry fees will be allowed for farms participating in the promotional weekend. Farms just need to make clear on their promotional material if an entry fee is being charged or not. Free entry or charging will be flagged on the interactive map.

Farms that are routinely open to the public are encouraged to add a little extra something to their normal offering to mark the weekend.

For BAS members that already open to the public it is a chance to get a boost in awareness and for others it could be a first venture in promoting the animals that BAS members are so passionate about.

"We were blown away by the turn out we received. It was a great day and the smile on all of the kids' faces was amazing and lovely to see."

The aim will be to have as many alpaca farms open to the public over the same weekend supported by a central promotional campaign in the weeks that lead up to the event. The chosen dates are 2-3 September 2023.

Events on either day over that weekend would qualify for support. Events on weekends either side of this one will work too!

"Both the response and atmosphere were amazing with visitors ranging from those with a passing curiosity to those with a desire to pursue ownership".

The aim is to make the 2023 weekend 2-3 September as good, if not better than the previous two events.

If you would like to be part of this event and promote the joys of alpacas to the general public then please make contact with BAS CEO, Duncan Pullar by email ceo@bas-uk.com.

The key things to remember are that you should organise an event that you can cope with in terms of people coming, traffic and times of opening.

This event is a great shop window for British Alpacas and their passionate owners.

“….we had a FANTASTIC event! We incorporated our Alpaca Farm Day with a Charity Event raising funds for our local Neonatal Unit which is close to my heart as my identical twin grandsons were in there for nearly five weeks. We had over 550 visitors throughout the day. There was live entertainment, disco and games, market stalls, children’s activities which included meeting the reptiles and crafts and face painting and of course a bouncy castle. The alpacas were very inquisitive and loved the attention, we had a set time that they were all up at the fence when we fed them and some people were given carrots to hand feed them, which they loved.”

IT’S IN OUR DNA

Alpaca SUMMER 2023

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OBITUARIES

Mike Coghlan of Blenheim Alpacas: 1937-2022

M

ike was involved in alpacas from the start of the BAS and served on the board from 1998-2000 as board member and chairman. His comment when interviewed about his life as an alpaca breeder early on was "I've never had so much fun in my life!"

He was one of the first to qualify as a BAS judge and went on to judge shows and win prizes at all the main shows including Sire’s Progeny.

He was involved in the fibre cooperative but when that failed he set about finding a market for his fleece and producing high end goods which he sold at shows and trade fairs and at the local farmers market.

His early life was spent on his family’s smallholding learning how to look after all sorts of animals in Post war Britain and developing a love of animals, an ability to grow food and a love of cooking. His enquiring mind, optimism, and academic ability helped him in whatever he did.

He read medicine at Pembroke College, Cambridge but decided that he did not want to be a doctor so he became a salesman instead. He Sources:

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had an aptitude for this role with his infectious enthusiasm and gregarious personality plus the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. This stood him in good stead as he took on the mantle of one of the most successful alpaca breeders in the UK up to 2012. When visiting Blenheim alpacas to select animals to purchase, buyers often left with a few chickens or ducks as well as alpacas, such was his enthusiasm and ability to sell.

With anything that he got involved with Mike threw himself into and alpacas were no different.

Planning to sell his packaging business and tiring of mowing the grass on his newly acquired smallholding in Oxfordshire he came across a pen of alpacas at the Bath and West show and it was love at first sight! He set about learning all he could about alpacas. Mike went shopping, did his own fencing and prepared for the arrival of 6 females from Arunvale.

As his knowledge of alpacas developed, Mike made a couple of decisions. Firstly he decided he did not want to be an agent for another breeder but wanted to breed his own stock for sale.

Secondly, he decided that he would never enter

an imported animal in the show ring. He wanted to see the standard of British-bred alpacas improve to prize-winning quality.

He attended the third International Alpaca Fiesta in Arequipa in 1997 with some other British alpaca owners and was completely bowled over.

At the Fiesta, he learned of the Accoyo herd.

This was developed at Macusani, Peru, by the renowned alpaca breeder, Don Julio Barreda.

He has bred a line of alpacas with exceptionally uniform phenotypes and fine fleeces. Mike just knew that he had to obtain some Accoyo animals but at the time it was impossible to export them to the UK. He was helped by a Canadian breeder to choose and import animals from Canada arriving at Heathrow in August 1999 – on the day of the solar eclipse.

Thus Mike was the first person to import Peruvian alpacas into the UK. One male and two females were imported for Pat Bentley of Syke House alpacas – a good friend in the alpaca world and one of the first to own alpacas in the UK. Mike was left with Don Carlos, a white male, and Don Camillo, a fawn animal, and seven females who went on to put Blenheim alpacas on the

www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/1883386.birth-blenheim-alpacas---claire-waring-talks-mike-coghlan-trip-peru-start-accoyo-herd/ www.stackyard.com/news/2012/03/events/04_peruvian_alpacas.html# www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9636699.top-alpaca-breeder-sell-off-half-herd

Alpaca SUMMER 2023

map and provide the genetics to many other breeders through stud services and the sale of progeny.

Almost immediately, Mike began winning prizes at major alpaca shows with their offspring.

Don Carlos and Don Camillo were hired out as stud males and soon their offspring from other females were also lining up for prizes in the show ring.

Cria were given classical names beginning with letters of the alphabet to denote the year of birth.

Some of the names confounded buyers and show organisers – many from the opera, literature and sometimes lesser known plants. The list would be drawn up for the year and as a cria was born Mike would choose a name from the list that he thought most suited the animal.

Mike was one of the organisers of the first BAS National Show at Purston and was involved in showing and exhibiting during his time breeding alpacas. He often had a trade stand and sponsored alpaca and other events – once taking his alpacas on to the real tennis court to present the cup to the winners.

Despite some major health problems – a stroke in his 60’s and then bladder cancer some years later, he took things in his stride as always, and arranged enough support to enable him to continue breeding and selling alpacas until he sold the herd in 2012/13.

Dr Gina Bromage: September 1956 - March 2023

G

ina was born into a farming family in Essex where her parents kept dairy cattle and pigs. In 1965 the family emigrated to Western Australia where they farmed Merino sheep. Gina returned to England in 1970 and read Veterinary Medicine at Girton College, Cambridge.

After graduation she entered general practice before travelling to the USA, where she passed the National and State Board veterinary examinations and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine by the State of Maryland. She then came back to England and practiced in surgeries in Yateley, Crowthorne, Wigan and Yeovil.

Her mother began keeping alpacas in 1999 and Gina soon developed her expertise in the care and management of camelids. She wrote Llamas and Alpacas: A guide to Management in 2006 and this immediately became a leading reference book for camelid owners. Authoring a book to share her knowledge and experience

was characteristic of Gina’s love of helping others learn, a skill she also displayed in teaching motorcycle riding.

Gina retired in 2018 due to health considerations but continued to live a full and rewarding life. She passed away on 2 March 2023. Her husband, Peter, and her four children Jenny, Stevie, Bruce and Frankie were at her side.

Alpaca SUMMER 2023

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SHOWS

HOEAG FIESTA 14-16 April 2023. Report by Julia Corrigan-Stuart.

T

his year’s Fiesta started with a complete revamp of the main arena, providing excellent lighting of the show ring and seating for spectators and the public. The number of public attendees throughout the weekend was amazing.

Roger Clarke was our BAS Judge, taking on the challenge of judging circa 300 alpacas.

Roger’s informative, educational and entertaining oral reasonings for his placings, alongside modelling three very dapper tweed jackets, was an absolute joy to behold. Gary Naish, our “Man in Black” and resident Ring Steward, had the onerous task of keeping both alpacas and handlers under control – thank you.

Our Champion and Reserve pen was in constant use throughout the weekend, giving exhibitors the opportunity to get close up and personal with the alpacas who had received the top positions, an opportunity not to be missed.

This year for the Junior Handler competition

which was kindly judged by Shirley Bettinson, we had two entries: Georgia Hey of Inca Alpacas and Maeve Murray of Capital Alpacas.

Both proved to be extremely capable handling their alpacas over obstacles and also very knowledgeable about alpacas in general, actually handling their alpacas better than some of us seasoned pros! This year, Georgia came out on top, with Maeve a very close second. Well done to both of you.

Our annual Craft Competition, sponsored and run by Lulu Oliver of Softly Softly Alpacas and judged by Shirley Bettinson from Toft Alpacas, was again a great success. This year the Judge’s Challenge Trophy (being Neck Wear) kindly donated by Kerry Lord, was won by Kasa Lake Alpacas. Hand Spun Yarn was won by Moat Farm Alpacas and Mill Spun Yarn by Dunreyth and Backyard Alpacas; Wearable Items was won by Dunreyth Alpacas and Household Items

by Backyard Alpacas; Toy Section was won by Tickhill Alpacas and the Miscellaneous Section

Supreme Suri Champion: Backyard Parrissi

10 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

was won by Rowen Barn Alpacas.

Our thanks also go to Cypher Crystal for continuing to provide the Colour Champion trophies. Huge thanks go to Ingrid Weel, photographer extraordinaire – check out her website www.ingridweelmedia.com for all the Fiesta photographs. Last, but definitely not least, huge thanks to our resident commentator, Rob Bettinson, who kept everyone entertained over the whole weekend, what would we do without you?

The winners

• The Supreme Huacaya Champion went to Beck Brow Round of Applause and the Supreme Suri Champion went to Backyard Parrissi.

• Best British Huacaya was awarded to Beck Brow Round of Applause and Best British Suri was awarded to Lane House Zephyr.

• Judges Choice in the Huacaya went to Artwork VV American Flyer and Judges Choice in the Suri went to Winsaula Trendsetter.

Junior Handler Champion: Georgia Hey

Suri Judges Choice: Winsaula Trendsetter Junior Handler: Maeve Murray

Supreme Huacaya Champion: Beck Brow Round of Applause The special HoEAG awards were: The Chairman’s Perpetual Trophy – awarded for the most successful HoEAG member – went to Bozedown Alpacas. The Large Breeders Award went to Beck Brow Alpacas; the Medium Breeders Award to Lane House Alpacas and the Small Breeders Award to Backyard Alpacas.

The Colour Champions for the Huacayas were: • Grey Female: Velvet Hall Lakota • Grey Male: Capital Dauphin • Modern Grey Female: Snowshill Anna Blue • Modern Grey Male: Lane House Olympus • Black Female: Inca Oklahoma • Black Male: Inca No Strings • Brown Female: Inca Prada • Brown Male: Artwork VV American Flyer • Fawn Female: Beck Brow Sweet Bedlam • Fawn Male: Artwork Jack the Lad • Light Female: Beck Brow Round of Applause • Light Male: Bosedown Secret Service • White Female: Brillbury Francesca Faithful • White Male: Beck Brow Centre Stage The Colour Champions for the Suris were: • Grey Female: Lane House Mystical Maeve • Grey Male: Lane House Grey Masquerade • Modern Grey: Snowshill Aerin • Modern Grey Male: Snowshill Leonides

• • • • • • • • • •

Black Female: Faraway Irma VEP Black Male: Bozedown Soul Shaker Brown Female: Dark Sky Hnoss Brown Male: Winsaula Unforgotten Fawn Female: Beck Brow Angel Eyes Fawn Male: Winsaula Trendsetter Light Female: CS Alpacas Happy Light Male: Lane House Zephyr White Female: Dark Sky Kahlua White Male: Backyard Parrissi The Progeny Classes: • Huacaya Light Dam’s Progeny: Melford Green Lupe Lamora • Huacaya Light Sire’s Progeny: Bozedown Blaze of Glory • Huacaya Dark Sire’s Progeny: Inca Lewesdon • Suri Light Sire’s Progeny: Wellow Witches Challenger • Suri Dark Sire’s Progeny: Snowshill Seraphim We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our sponsors, exhibitors and HoEAG helpers. We are very grateful for your support and could not put on such a show without your generosity.

We very much look forward to next year’s Fiesta, 12-14 April 2024. Good luck to you all in the forthcoming shows and hope to see you back at the Fiesta in 2024.

Huacaya Judges Choice: Artwork VV American Flyer

SHOWS

NWAG

The NWAG Alpaca Championships is always a popular halter show on the show circuit, and the 2023 event was again fully subscribed within hours of opening.

Huacaya Supreme

Judge’s Choice Huacaya

T

Best of British and Judge’s Choice Suri

he show was held in the Exhibition Hall at the Borderway Mart, Carlisle, where the ample cooked breakfast and legionary steak pies on offer were an added draw for exhibitors who attended from across the UK. With a busy schedule it was an early start for our BAS judge Julia Corrigan-Stuart, who judged with great efficiency and with thorough oral reasoning. As always, the stewarding team were excellent at keeping the show running smoothly. The NWAG show etiquette course appeared to have been put in to practice with well presented alpacas (and exhibitors) on show in the ring (aided by our ring steward Charles Henderson). The new Grassroots system was used and results recorded electronically at the show (thank you Debbie Maxwell) and was found to be very helpful when processing colour changes.

Huacaya results • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Grey Male Champion – Capital Dauphin Grey Female Champion – Capital Titania Modern Grey Male Champion – Florens Matrix Black Male Champion – Beck Brow Never Missed A Trick Black Female Champion – Beck Brow Take A Chance Brown Male Champion – Beck Brow Ready or Not Brown Female Champion – Beck Brow The Movie Star Fawn Male Champion – Beck Brow Just The Business Fawn Female Champion – Hannahston Tia Maria Light Male Champion – Beck Brow Money Talks Light Female Champion – Beck Brow Round of Applause White Male Champion – Beck Brow Centre Stage White Female Champion – Legacy Tango In The Night

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Suri Supreme

• Best Appaloosa – Natterjack Appaloosa Totem • Supreme Champion & Best of British – Beck Brow Centre Stage • Judge’s Choice – Beck Brow Never Missed A Trick

Suri results • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Black Female Champion – Alyswood Gardner’s Mollie Brown Male Champion – Beck Brow Suri Quest Brown Female Champion – Alyswood We All Adora Kia Ora Fawn Male Champion – Capital Artorius Fawn Female Champion – Beck Brow Angel Eyes Light Male Champion – North West Suri Gladstone Light Female Champion – North West Suri Lady Godiva White Male Champion – North West Suri Gariboldi White Female Champion – North West Suri Goose Girl Best Appaloosa – Beck Brow Bish Bosh Supreme Champion – North West Suri Gladston Best of British – Beck Brow Suri Quest Judge’s Choice – Beck Brow Suri Quest The show committee extend a big thank you to all those who exhibited, helped before and during the show, and all our sponsors who are vital to the success of the event.

2024 date for the diary: Saturday 6 April Judge Mr Roger Clarke

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13

SHOWS

CORNWALL On 7 May the Cornwall Camelid Association put on the 2023 Cornwall Alpaca Show – combining the CCA annual Halter Show with a complete alpaca experience for members of the public to enjoy.

A

fter advertising on social media, with show posters in all our villages and via several very large banners near the venue at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, we were delighted to have 500 visitors.

In the main ring, 12 herds from CCA members competed in the centrepiece event – the Halter Show, judged by Julia Corrigan-Stuart.

Although run to BAS rules, this is a show currently just for members, designed to welcome those new to showing alongside those with more experience. We had three entrants who enjoyed their first show and a competition for ‘Young Handler’s’ at lunch time. Julia was able to give informative oral reasoning on every one of the 63 alpacas in the show due to the small class sizes, providing assessments that will help owners decide their next steps in breeding and developing their alpaca herds.

Competition was keen, rosettes and sashes were awarded and the colour champions paraded in the Huacaya and Suri Supreme line ups. Little Acorn Alpacas won both the Supreme and Judges choice Huacaya with Little Acorn Almond and Popham Archer respectively. Dark Sky Alpacas were awarded Supreme and Judges Choice Suri with Dark Sky Du Maurier and Dark Sky Hnoss.

In our second ring, husbandry and ‘alpacagility’ demonstrations were provided throughout the day to bring to life what owning, caring for and

Suri and Huacaya Supreme and Judges Choice winners

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training alpacas involves. In the spinning and weaving zone members of the public could see the team of volunteers working to show the process of spinning yarn and making it into products – and could have a go themselves. From the interest and engagement of visitors we really got a sense that people learned more about what goes into creating beautiful alpaca garments and why they are worth the expense.

For the kids there was a special Alpaca Fleece Art activity where they used real alpaca fleece to stick on to their alpaca outline and make an artwork to take home with them – and a fair few adults also got involved!

With some champion fleeces available to view under domes, there were also extra ‘feely’ buckets of Huacaya, Suri and sheep wool so everyone could ‘feel the difference’ and appreciate the luxurious feel of alpaca.

Seven CCA members set up their trade stalls with a wide range of alpaca products, many including their own spun yarn and spanning from alpaca knitted children’s toys to alpaca jewellery and hand drawn alpaca cards and decorated plates. Sales were good and three stalls earned Special Award Rosettes – West Kestle Alpacas for hand dyed and hand spun yarns, Sampford Alpacas for knitted teddy bears and animals and Margaret Retallack at Carpalla for her alpaca drawings and cards. In truth, everyone deserved one!

An Alpaca Photo Booth rounded off the public attractions – after

The Huacaya Supreme line up posing with an alpaca, people were able to transport themselves to exotic locations via the magic of green screen and get a unique photo momento of the day on their phone – most popular location was the moon!!

To keep us all fed and watered, we were delighted to have Brew Cornwall providing hot drinks and cakes and Kerno Forno making wonderful pizzas – both parked up just outside the hall and busy bees all day long!

I think all involved thoroughly enjoyed the day which finished up breaking even from a financial point of view (in fact it raised a tiny bit of money to help with other CCA activities!)

"It was an absolute pleasure to judge the CCA Halter Show at its excellent new venue, the Royal Cornwall Showground, showcasing the quality of the alpacas being bred in Cornwall and Devon. The Show was extremely well run, with a great atmosphere ringside and the added attractions of the fleece related stalls and activities available, brought an astonishing number of public in to learn all about alpacas. Well done to everyone involved," said Julia Corrigan-Stuart.

Huge thanks must go to all our sponsors who made the show possible and helped us to attract such a great crowd. We had brilliant local businesses in addition to contributions from our on call vet Sarah (The Human Vet), Colin the Alpaca Shearer and several CCA herds.

A big shout out also to Kate, Mullacott Alpacas, who put on all the demonstrations in ring two, sponsored the kids activity and allowed her alpacas to feature in the photo booth. And last but not least, the many volutneers involved in making the day happen – the spinners and weavers, helpers on the door and manning the activities, our amazing volunteer show photographer Jane Wilkinson and photography students from the local college who ran the photo booth, the Halter Show organisers and stewards, the set up and break down team and the whole CCA Show committee – a very good team effort!

Sponsors: Cornish Mutual, Calweton Farm Vets, Masons Kings, Wadebridge Kitchens, ATC Advisors, Ralph & Co Solicitors, Halse South West, Proactive Communications Ltd, R J Bray & Son, The Human Vet, Colin the Alpaca Shearer, Mullacott Alpacas, Alpacas of Cornwall, Polgrain Alpacas and Dark Sky Alpacas.

Halter show in action

Spinning and weaving demonstrations

Leaning about alpaca handling The Alpaca Photo Booth taking people to the moon!

The Huacaya Evie, one of the Junior Handlers

Alpaca fleece art Alpaca SUMMER 2023

15

SHOWS

NORTHUMBERLAND

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Report by Rachel Vaclik, Chief Steward of the 2023 event.

he Northumberland Alpaca Championship took place as part of the North County Show at Bywell, Stocksfield on 27 May 2023. Run by the North East and Borders Alpaca Group (NEBAG), the show was organised by Chief Stewards Rachel Vaclik and Paul Vaclik (Munaycha Alpacas). Warm sunshine and bright blue skies welcomed exhibitors and visitors alike allowing the show to take place outside, which was a delight for both the judge and the 138 alpacas taking part.

We were very pleased to welcome Shirley Bettinson to Northumberland to judge this year. Shirley brought a wealth of knowledge and experience and gave a very high standard of judging. Her feedback and verbal reasoning was very informative, educating the exhibitors as well as engaging the huge crowds throughout the day.

The show continues to attract a large number of entrants, with entries reaching capacity in a matter of days of opening. As well as entries from the local area, we were pleased to welcome back familiar faces from Yorkshire, Perthshire, Nottinghamshire and Scotland. We always love attracting new breeders to the show and this year was no exception, welcoming four new herds, including some altogether new to showing.

We would like to give a big thank to all our sponsors who continue to support the show and help to make it a continued success. And we would also like to thank all those who helped both prior to and on the actual show day, helping the whole day run smoothly and efficiently.

As always, the entries brought an extremely high standard across the board, both Huacaya and Suri and made for a really interesting and competitive show. Champions came from within and outside the region, for instance Fangdale Alpacas, Rivenherd Alpacas, Fellside Alpacas and Orchard Corner Alpacas. Supreme Champion, kindly sponsored by double gold sponsor Black Nero, was awarded to Acton Hill Alpacas for their fawn female Acton Hill Mis-chief and they were presented with the Vicki Ridley Memorial Trophy. Reserve Supreme Champion, sponsored by Stagshaw Alpacas was awarded to Fangdale Alpacas for their white male Fangdale Sterling and the Suri Supreme, kindly sponsored by Munaycha Alpacas was awarded to Balnuith Alpacas for their light male, Balnuith Harley. The Best Northumbrian, sponsored by Nero Black alpacas was awarded to Nero Black Tourmaline.

For a full list of results please see the BAS website.

This year also saw the return of the Young Handlers class, a pleasure for both participants and audience alike. The class consisted of various ages and they were put through the paces to negotiate a mini slalom course.

The children rose to the challenge and performed exceptionally well and everyone was keen to demonstrate their alpaca handling skills. We are firm believers that the alpaca breeders of the future should be encouraged at an early age and the enthusiasm and skill shown on the day was praiseworthy.

The show itself had a record number of visitors (just under 29,000) and as always, the alpaca section drew an immense interest from the public. The public viewing area was busy for the majority of the day as well as attracting a large crowd outside watching classes, learning from the judge and waiting for the all important results. We continued to focus on both entertaining and educating the public which we feel is always a very important part of our show, broadening their knowledge, awareness and interest of these wonderful animals. We had educational banners, examples of fleece, both alpaca and llama, and it was great to welcome back the Tynedale Guild of Spinners who are always a highlight for the public and help demonstrate the stages of animal, fleece, yarn and product. The extra marquee space provided an ideal spot for NEBAG members to sell their alpaca products which was met with a lot of interest, generating a steady flow of customers.

This year we turned our thoughts to accessibility and provided signage and information in Braille, as well as tactile exhibits such as fleece. This is an area we would like to continue to develop and, with the support of the North County Show, plan to build on next year, including sign interpreters for the classes.

It was great to be back in the tent once more, It's one of our favourite places to be, the chatter, the excitement, catching up with old friends and sharing experiences and knowledge with friends and fellow breeders. That, along with the fantastic weather made for a truly wonderful day and many happy memories made on what is one of the most prestigious shows of the North East alpaca calendar. As show organisers we are looking forward to a little break over the summer, but we are always thinking of ways to make the show bigger and better and planning will soon begin in the Autumn for 2024! We would love to see you there so keep an eye on the BAS website and newsletter for details around the beginning of March 2024 when entries will open. For any queries, contact us at rachel.vaclik@gmail.com

Huacaya Supreme Champion

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Suri Supreme Champion

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NO TRACTOR NEEDED

Jasmine Lawes of Farm Tech Supplies Ltd explores the tractor-free grass care options available to alpaca farmers.

M

ost agricultural machines and implements require a tractor, but what if a tractor isn’t available? Any tractor, even a compact one is a large investment.

However, for those not ready to take that step, there are options which can be attached to everyday 4x4 vehicles, quad bikes, and other all-terrain vehicles!

Easy mowing

A tractor would usually have a drive shaft fitted to power any machinery.

This would include implements such as a mower or rotovator. Any non-tractor mounted attachment which requires drive should usually have its own independent engine, so they do not need any external power.

ATV mowers are ideal in this situation, as they can be fitted to ATVs and 4x4s usually by a tow ball hitch. There are options for both topper and flail mowers, so just like their tractor mounted counterparts, they can tackle overgrown areas, but also maintain lawns and paddocks when used regularly.

Flail mowers can even achieve a fine finish. For the best results, it is advised to run these mowers at walking pace for ATVs and low first gear for 4x4s.

18 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

Essentially ATV equipment with engines are a great short-term alternative to tractor mounted if on a budget. But it is worth noting you are running two engines with the vehicle/ATV and machine, so long term it isn’t as cost effective. Also, if you are looking to upgrade and mow larger areas or tougher materials a tractor mounted mower will often have more drive and options for widths as you can use a more powerful and larger tractor and cut more efficiently.

Handy harrows

Maintaining paddocks and pasture isn’t all about the mowing. Land users should regularly remove any old thatch or moss and the soil should be kept both aerated and well drained.

Grass drag harrows are perfect for smallholdings and paddocks, whether attached to a tractor, ATV or 4x4 vehicle. These are attached using a draw bar with a ring hitch, which trails a blanket of interlocked tines behind it. Grass drag harrows can remove thatch from fields as well as levelling mole hills and keeping horse gallops up to scratch. This also aerates the soil and encourages new growth for the healthiest grass.

Similarly, three-way paddock drag harrows are a great bit of kit for smallholders and equestrian users. The tines offer more versatility, as they can give three different intensities of harrow, depending on the way they are turned. The primary position gives the most vigorous harrow, removing moss and weeds, as well as aerating the soil. When the bar is fixed to the opposite side of the harrow bed, a medium strength harrow is achieved. This loosens surface clods of earth and crusting, but also can be used to spread a layer of manure or compost over freshly prepared ground quickly and easily. Lastly, when the harrow is flipped over, the upturned tines are perfect for levelling soil and raking over seeds. These harrows make maintaining grassy areas and levelling soil quick and easy tasks.

Tough tractors

Towable equipment can be a great interim solution for your estate or smallholding for basic grass care. However, if you are looking for something more long term with the flexibility to fit lifting equipment, more powerful mowers or even run groundcare and cultivating equipment then investing in a compact tractor may be a better option. You may be unsure where to start and what is best for your needs now or in the future. There are many companies up and down the country offering compact tractor and machinery hire, this can be a good short-term solution and allow you to make sure you are happy with the size of tractor, power and general set up before taking the plunge.

Jasmine Lawes has been providing help and advice to estate managers and small farming concerns on the best choice of groundcare equipment for over ten years. Farm Tech Supplies Ltd have a large range of implements and compact tractor attachments available from stock along with a UK-wide network of local agricultural dealers. paper-plane www.farmtechsupplies.co.uk 📞 01420 520510

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19

HEALTH AND WELFARE

‘

GOING BACK TO BASICS

Back to basics’ is a phrase sometimes used when referring to very natural forage feed for grazing animals, and of course there can’t be a more natural feed for alpacas than grass! The term ‘basic’ though, doesn’t necessarily reflect how many types of forages are on offer or the complexities within these very pure feeds and in their conception. Even pure, whole feeds that seem simple can actually be quite bespoke and the result of much research and growing experience. Animals’ needs are influenced by environmental and metabolic factors and can vary throughout their lives. Thankfully, there’s a comprehensive range of simple, but effective forages to suit.

For instance, for alpacas that don’t need the richest of forage top-ups, Fibre Fabulous is a short-chopped pure grass feed with a lower protein analysis – typically 9%. Years of planning and trials in growing and harvesting have taken place in the development of this widely requested high fibre feed. A unique mix of eight specially selected fescue and meadow grass varieties were chosen for their lower sugar-producing properties to

Fibre Fabulous Chop

20 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

make the chop and its companion feed, Meadow Magic Grass Pellets.

Grasses such as Crested Dogstail, Common Bent Grass and Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass are in the mix The grasses aren’t blended after harvest but simply grown together in the fields. They’re carefully managed to be harvested at just the right stage when more mature, similar to hay. The grasses are cut and collected in soon after being cut and then flash-dried very quickly at high temperature – up to 800°C. The result is a very high fibre feed with nutrients from forage locked in. If your alpacas need their grass supplemented but less digestible energy is preferred a high temperature dried, high fibre chop is practical all year round. With nothing applied – no preservatives, mould inhibitors, additives or any other ingredients whatsoever, you can be sure the feed is pure. It’s practical too, having a two year shelf life due to the heat process!

“We were being asked a lot for a lower energy grass feed. Research into new grass varieties helped us develop the right mix for Fibre Fabulous Chop and Meadow Magic Grass Pellets ,” said Peter Burchnall (farmer and director).

Farmer Peter with Lana from Faraway Alpacas

Grass-tastic –

a soft and nutritious, palatable grass feed. 100% pure, short-chopped grass www.emeraldgreenfeeds.co.uk

“Thoroughly recommended. The alpacas clearly find the Grass-tastic and Grass Pellets delicious.

Definitely the most liked grass product on the market.”

Nikki Hayton, Faraway Alpacas.

Alpaca SUMMER 2023 21

HEALTH AND WELFARE

DEALING WITH FLY STRIKE

By Joy Whitehead of Bozedown Alpacas.

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ct fast! Blowfly strike is a painful and sometimes fatal condition caused by greenbottle flies laying eggs on an animal with soiled fleece or wounds. These hatch into maggots that eat the flesh of their host. Then bluebottles or blackbottles attack areas which are already damaged.

Blowfly populations are greatest during the summer months, although due to changes in climate we now recognise the risk period as being from March to October on our farm, also with more frequent attacks. The entire life cycle from egg to adult can occur in less than 10 days in favourable conditions. It is important to notice the condition quickly and start treatment.

The eggs hatch into first stage larvae within about 12 hours. These larvae feed on skin and faecal material, becoming mature third-stage maggots in as little as three days when temperature and humidity are at optimum 22 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

levels. Third-stage maggots then drop to the ground and pupate; mature flies emerge after three to seven days. Flies can over-winter in the soil as pupae and emerge as soil temperatures rise during the spring.

Early shearing may prevent flystrike altogether, but will certainly make any flystrike easier to spot. If any of your alpacas have a dirty rear end due to diarrhoea, trim the fleece back to clean fleece to deter the blowflies laying their eggs, and if your alpaca has any sort of wound treat it and spray around it with Crovect or similar fly deterrent. As far as spotting fly strike, it can appear anywhere at all on the alpaca. I have noticed what just looks like a damp patch on the fleece, and on getting closer to the alpaca that rather unforgettable smell rings alarm bells in my head!

Treatment: Clip the fibre as closely as possible around the affected area and pick off the maggots. If there is open exposed flesh

clean carefully with antibacterial soap solution.

Diluted hibiscrub kills the eggs but should not be used on exposed flesh. (Be careful if you try and get the maggots off with a hose pipe as the maggots are liable to go in all directions and may catch in the fleece.) After washing, clean the wound with iodine solution, allow to dry, and then use a flystrike spray. Then you can use a product such as Crovect around the outside of the infected area to keep it clear. We find we rarely have to re-treat the alpaca, but do stay alert to the possibility.

However, if the alpaca appears lethargic and depressed, this could be a symptom of dehydration and shock from the toxins which get released by the flies and maggots. In this case the alpaca may need IV fluid support of a balanced electrolytes solution. But if the alpaca is eating and drinking normally there is no need for antibiotics, which would only be required if the wound becomes septic.

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Alpaca & Llama handler training with...

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Understand why camelids behave the way they do and learn kind and efficient methods that are science-based, for safe handling and husbandry that’s fun.

Tell your vet that we have courses for them too.

For those interested in finding out how this approach can inform and support your human/alpaca interactions in the therapeutic arena, we are now offering courses for owners and professionals.

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

23

HEALTH AND WELFARE

IS MY CRIA DOING OKAY?

By Claire E Whitehead BVM&S MS DACVIM FHEA MRCVS RCVS Specialist in Camelid Health and Production Director, Camelid Veterinary Services Ltd.

O

Monitoring

ne of the best ways to know if your cria is doing okay is to weigh your cria daily. This is most important during the first two weeks as this is the most critical period for newborn crias. After the first 24 hours, crias should gain weight consistently each day. Most problems in crias are pre-empted by either a failure to gain weight for a day or two, or a loss of weight. Recognising this early will give your vet the best chance to correct the problem before it is too late. The next indication that something is wrong is often a “crashing cria”.

Monitor nursing behaviour. If a cria is seen constantly nursing this may suggest that the dam does not have sufficient milk and supplementation may be needed. Also, make sure that you actually see the cria latched on to a teat and that its head is not just in the right general area.

Watch your cria’s activity level. Most crias will be running around playing, especially at dusk, once they are a few days old. If this is not happening, there may be a problem.

Finally, trust your instinct. If it doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Get your vet out and do not be afraid to pursue further diagnostics if clinical examination at first seems normal – crias can be a lot sicker on paper than they appear!

Ensure sufficient colostrum intake

Ensuring adequate colostrum intake (10-15% of body weight) over the first 24hrs of life is vital.

Colostrum is the mother’s first milk and this is thicker than normal milk: it contains the important antibodies from the dam that will protect crias from infections during the first few months of life.

This is known as “passive transfer of immunity”.

Crias are born essentially without any antibodies

at all because unlike humans, there is no transfer of antibodies across the placenta – it all transfers via the colostrum. There is only a narrow window of opportunity: within hours of birth, the gut will start to lose its ability to absorb antibodies from the colostrum and after 24 hours, virtually nothing will be absorbed. This is why nursing within the first few hours is so critical.

Check for adequacy of passive transfer of immunity This can be achieved via a simple blood test. The best time to take the blood sample is between 36 and 48 hours after birth so that you have time to address any problems before the cria gets sick, but you can test any time between 24 hours and seven days. Remember that even crias that look pretty good initially may have Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) and later succumb to infections, so it is worth testing if you are in any doubt.

The best and quickest test of passive transfer is the DVM Rapid Test II that gives results within 10 minutes once the test reagents have warmed to room temperature. We offer this test at Camelid Veterinary Services Ltd (www.ukalpacavet.com), but we also sell the whole test kit too if you are interested in purchasing your own.

If your cria isn’t doing well, and you can’t wait to get the results of the camelid-specific IgG test, your vet can get a crude idea of passive transfer by looking at a total protein concentration and comparing this with PCV. However, if a cria hasn’t been drinking milk, it may be dehydrated and this may result in a falsely elevated protein concentration. This can lead you to believe that transfer has been adequate. Comparing the protein to the PCV helps determine if a cria is likely to be dehydrated. I always recommend checking other parameters at the same time,

Scan the QR code to sign up to the newsletter for updates paper-plane https://tinyurl.com/Alpacavetsubscribe 24 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

including haematology, as this will allow us to see if the cria is already dealing with an infection, and biochemistry to evaluate hydration status, organ function, electrolyte abnormalities and glucose.

This information makes managing any sick crias much easier. Just giving plasma might not be enough on its own.

My cria has FPT. Now what?

Once you’ve established Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT), the only way to rectify this is to administer a plasma transfusion to the affected cria. This needs to be given via an intravenous catheter and normally will take around one hour.

Your vet will need to do this for you. This process transfers antibodies from the animal that donated the plasma directly into the bloodstream of the cria. Remember that plasma alone may not be sufficient if a cria is already showing signs of illness. Further medication including ongoing IV fluids may be required.

If you’d like to learn more about cria care, take our new Ultimate Cria Care Course, launching in late July! We will post details on our website and social media channels. We will also be running our other courses over the second half of the year.

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HEALTH AND WELFARE

ANTIBODY LEVELS

T

esting antibody levels in colostrum is a useful management tool during the unpacking season and for subsequent breeding and husbandry decisions. Identifying inadequate colostrum at birth, allows for supplementation during the critical six-hour period, reducing the risk of Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) and sepsis in the cria from not receiving enough antibodies, and the need for a plasma transfusion.

What are antibodies?

Antibodies are proteins generated by the immune system in response to an unrecognised organism entering the body, such as viruses and bacteria.

Cria are born with a completely naive immune system, leaving them highly susceptible to diseases they will encounter in the environment. Cria are therefore reliant on antibodies in the colostrum, which is the first custard-like milk, produced by the dam. These will be used as protection in the first couple of weeks of life whilst the crias’ own immunity is developing.

Stimulating an immune response in the dam by vaccinating in the final trimester of pregnancy, will boost the antibody level in the colostrum. This is particularly important for Clostridial diseases, as this group of bacteria live in the soil and can be fatal. It is important that your vaccination programme meets the needs of your herd and should be discussed with your vet.

How can we measure antibody levels in colostrum?

A refractometer is a handy tool, that can be used animal-side, to quickly and easily measure the density of the colostrum, which correlates to the antibody level in that sample.

Only a small blob of colostrum is required to get a reading, which is best obtained before the cria has sucked. It is only necessary to take a sample from one teat, meaning you can leave the remaining wax seals undisturbed to maintain protection to the udder.

An “off the scale” reading provides real peace of mind but where this tool really proves its value, is when the colostrum is deemed unsatisfactory within that first six hours of life, when you still have the time to supplement the cria orally to boost the antibody level.

The refractometer can also be used to test the quality of the supplement you are using, and before freezing if you are harvesting colostrum – remember that you only want the best stored as the process will naturally reduce the quality. Blood serum from the cria can also be measured to support a diagnosis of FPT. Barbara Hetherington of Beck Brow Alpacas said: "The refractometer was useful on day one of arrival... it confirmed our 17 year old, who is fit and had 14 cria, is producing off the scale colostrum quality. It also identified that some of the cows colostrum we had in the freezer was not up to the required quality and we've supplemented the cria within six hours of life."

Catriona, Hilltop Alpacas recommends: ‘’I wouldn’t be without it now."

Colostrum management: ‘The five Q’s’…

The channels will start to close following the first feed, so make it count!

1: Quality

Ensure the dam has produced colostrum with sufficient antibody levels by testing before the cria has sucked. Keep a record.

Antibodies cannot be absorbed after 24 hours of life.

2: Quantity

Stress can initiate gut closure and reduce the time the cria spends feeding during the critical period – avoid too much intervention unless necessary and manage any birth-associated pain in both the dam and cria.

A cria requires at least 10% of its body weight of colostrum.

3: Quickly

Cria need to have enough, good quality colostrum within the first six hours of life. This time period is critical as beyond six hours, the channels in the gut that absorb the antibodies, start to close.

2 hours of life: 35% lgG absorbed NB. The level is still not very high even if consumed

The flow of fluid through these channels will initiate gut closure It is vital that the first feed is of sufficient quality for maximum absorption of antibodies

22 hours of life: 5% lgG absorbed

4: Quietly

5: Qualifies

If you deem the quality and/or quantity of colostrum inadequate, the cria will require a replacement/supplement. Immucol Platinum is a freeze-dried product that contains natural, harvested antibodies. This is a safer option than having colostrum from other farms due to the risk of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) and Johnes.

If you are in doubt that ‘The Q’s’ have not been achieved in the critical period, have the cria’s blood tested. This will assess how much antibody has been absorbed through the gut – the levels will peak between 24-36 hours of age.

About the author

Sarah Caldwell is an experienced farm vet based in Cornwall, UK. She has a specialist interest in alpacas that has developed into a consultancy business – TheHumanVet Ltd. Offering support and interactive, hands-on training to owners, vets and students.

If you are interested in owning your own refractometer, please send an enquiry to Sarah: info@thehumanvet.com The set includes: • Refractometer • Case • Maintenance tools • Alpaca specific notes. paper-plane For more information visit www.thehumanvet.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram

26 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

27

HEALTH AND WELFARE

GETTING THE BEST START FOR CRIAS Dr Ami Sawran MRCVS, Westpoint Farm Vets, Chelmsford looks at how plasma saves lives.

H eventuality.

opefully unpacking season is running seamlessly, but it is always helpful to be prepared for the possibility that a new cria may be compromised in its early life. It’s not too late to consider banking some plasma for this

Passive transfer of immunity

Passive transfer occurs when antibodies (or immunoglobulins) (the building blocks of the immune system) are passed from the dam to the cria via colostrum. These allow the cria to start building its own defences against disease challenges. If a cria doesn’t get enough colostrum or isn’t able to absorb antibodies from it (due to poor quality or an issue with digestion) then it cannot mount immune responses to challenges effectively. Cria with failure of passive transfer (FPT) are more likely to become septic, and septic cria can go downhill very quickly.

A difficult birth, caesarean, premature arrival, or birth weight under 6kg may give you a clue that a cria is going to need extra support. Other indicators include weight loss after the first 24 hours (during the first 24 hours this is normal as they dry off), or failure to gain weight. Cria with poor suck reflexes, or those born at term who appear a little dysmature or ‘dopey’ may also suffer from a lack of passive transfer of immunity.

The ‘golden window’ of time where a cria is best able to absorb antibodies from colostrum is the first six to eight hours of life. After this, the channels through which they are absorbed from the intestine become smaller. It’s not impossible for them to absorb immunoglobulins later in that first 24 hours, but it is less likely, so if cria are not noted to be drinking effectively within six hours, it’s sensible to think of a plan B.

Alternative options

Colostrum replacers are available, but it’s worth noting that if you plan to source colostrum from another farm, it carries an inherent disease risk, so it’s sensible to source from herds that are tested free from infectious

ALPACA

PODS

28 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

diseases such as Johne’s. Commercial (powdered) replacers are also available but vary in quality – it is worth a discussion with your vet as to what they recommend. It is important not to ‘tube’ a cria with colostrum or milk if it is unable to hold up its head. Cria in this state should have an immediate veterinary assessment.

Another method of combating failure of passive transfer is intravenous delivery of fresh, frozen plasma. Because plasma is administered directly into the blood stream, absorption of antibodies is not time-limited like oral delivery would be, and because it is derived from animals within your herd, it gives a compromised cria the best chance of survival.

It is important for you to have your own supply of fresh frozen plasma, as plasma cannot be legally stockpiled and supplied by your vet for general use. This requires some forward planning, as plasma is taken from the herd of origin to ensure that it delivers antibodies to relevant on-farm disease challenges. Moreover, blood products should not be transferred between units due to potential disease transmission, except in the case of ‘first generation’ cria from camelids bought from the specific unit you are sourcing from.

Being able to deliver plasma to compromised cria relies on it having been collected prior to an emergent need for it, otherwise there may be delays in collecting and processing it.

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07791 881556

sandhillsalpacas@aol.com Sandhills Alpacas, Sandhills Farm Cottage, Ness Lane, Tockwith YO26 7QL

KW Animal Services_Alpaca_JB.pdf

1

23/09/2020

12:39

Donation

Quite a bit of work goes in to preparing a bag of plasma; not all veterinary practices are able to process blood into plasma on the same day, which is why preparedness pays. A blood drive involves: • Selecting calm, handleable, healthy, vaccinated donors (usually males, or good-sized open females) • Ensuring safe, clean handling facilities, as they will have to sit still for a short time • Having your donors assessed by the vet prior to donation • Clipping and cleaning the area on their neck • Placing a needle into the jugular vein • Taking a unit (approximately 450ml) of blood, quietly and calmly • Monitoring the donors for any adverse effects (such as bleeding, bruising, collapse or lethargy) • Your vet will then either process it sterilely into plasma pouches or send it for processing, after which the pouches are frozen for you to keep on farm.

The assessment and transfusion process

Though we can assess a cria’s need on clinical signs and history in general, you can determine the definite need for plasma transfusion with a blood test that looks for a specific immunoglobin (IgG) in the blood.

Other tests are available, but results must be determined in the context of the case.

Once your vet has determined that plasma is required, a single bag should be gently defrosted in a body-temperature water bath (never in a microwave). A single bag is usually sufficient per transfusion; the amount needed depends on the cria’s weight, and some may not need a whole bag. The remains of defrosted bags should be discarded as they will no longer be sterile or suitable for refreezing. The plasma is generally delivered directly into the jugular vein. If a cria is too dehydrated to allow for this, initial hydration may occur before attempting an infusion, or your vet may administer plasma into the abdominal cavity. This is not advisable in a colicky or already septic cria. It is less effective than intravenous administration but may be a last resort. Oral plasma administration is even less effective. Anti-inflammatories are likely to be administered alongside plasma treatment, and the cria monitored for any potential (but rare) reactions. Antibiotics may be given to counter any infection.

If you are interested in finding out more about blood drives for plasma donation, it is wise to speak to your vet as soon as possible so that they can plan a day around you and your camelids, giving your cria the best possible chance in the unfortunate event that you need assistance.

Are you looking for or in need of a little extra help with your animals and their routine husbandry tasks?

KW animal services offers that extra pair of hands. Jobs include: Shearing of alpacas | Vaccinations | Worming Halter training | Foot trimming | Microchipping I can also offer advice and help with a range of other issues such as matings, birthing, common husbandry problems and paddock management. Reasonable rates

Why not contact me to discuss your requirements Tel: 07748 613771 | Email: kwilde1@yahoo.com

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13/01/2023

15:22

oak view alpacas Garry and Andrea Naish, Wickwar, South Glos.

Tel: 01454-227124 Mob. 07785-116211 Small selection of females for sale Call for details

About the author

Ami graduated from Liverpool in 2011 and went on to undertake a production animal internship and complete a PhD in dairy cattle lameness at the Royal Veterinary College.

Working in farm practice ever since, she has found her clinical niche catering to the health and welfare of camelids. Ami sits on the VetPartners Clinical and Farm Executive boards, and is Clinical Director of Westpoint Farm Vets in Chelmsford.

The practice caters to a wide range of species, with both commercial and smallholder clients, with a focus on proactive healthcare.

Westpoint Farm Vets are a team of 100% farm veterinary practices. We proudly cater to the needs of commercial farms, smallholdings, open farms and owners of companion farm animals, with a multidisciplinary team of dedicated livestock vets and technicians to ensure the health and welfare of animals in their care. paper-plane www.westpointfarmvets.co.uk

Breediing happy, healthy, quality alpacas…

Breed ....with fiibre to DYE for!

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

29

FIBRE

DO YOU KNOW THE QUALITY OF YOUR FIBRE?

There are many accessible ways to learn how to evaluate fleece on and off the animal writes Liz Wright, Alpaca editor.

O

ne of the advantages of belonging to a Society that has always focused on fibre as part of their alpaca journey, is that it brings access to all, keepers of alpacas, expertise in evaluating the quality of fleece and an understanding of what it is important to look for in your herd.

I think it is fair to say that all alpaca owners are proud of the ability of these animals to produce a unique product and want to produce better fleeces with every generation. But in order to do this you first have to know exactly where you are with your own stock.

Even if you started with a couple of pets or your main reason for keeping them is not fibre, then you are still aware that the alpaca is a fibre producing animal, you will still have to shear and produce fleeces and you’ll have to decide what to do with them. You will therefore need to know what quality fibre you are producing.

As soon as you think about breeding you’ll need to be able to compare your current herd’s fibre with possible matings. It’s tempting to just pick the stud male with the finest fleece and instantly expect it to raise the game of your fibre. In reality you might want to look at the science behind breeding and build up the fleece quality in a planned way, leaving that superstar stud for when your own animals have fleece quality that is closer to his.

You’ll get the best chance then of producing future generations that consistently have desirable qualities in their fleece. It’s also important to understand that both Huacaya and Suri can be evaluated although the visual process is different of course, if you are inspired by Suri be reassured that there is plenty to help you understand where their fleece will stand in quality. An increasing number of people are keeping Suris and it is important to know what is important in their fibre.

30 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

Where to start to find out more about fibre BAS offer accessible courses so this is a logical way to begin. Some people begin before they even buy alpacas. The Affiliate courses offer basic husbandry in nine modules with 4, 5 and 6 covering basic evaluation of the alpaca, shearing day (being well prepared will benefit all fleeces) and what to do with your fleece. 35 affiliates have been trained to deliver these courses and they are spread around the UK – look on the interactive map and book directly with the trainer.

There are three Alpaca assessment courses, Introduction, Intermediate and Advanced. The Introduction is offered online and also face to face. I cannot recommend the Introduction to Alpaca Assessment course highly enough. It is truly value for money and although I would love to have done it face to face, I thought it worked superbly well online for me. It was spread over four evenings so I had time to check through what I had learnt and recheck the fibre samples that are mailed for practical assessment.

I think for me, I would be happy now I have done this to do it again face to face there is so much to learn and I feel now that I have a rock

Sampling for alpaca fleece testing

Research has shown that the most representative area of the animal for fleece testing is the mid-side. Two fingers' width of staples is enough for staple measurement (five staples is enough) with the sample cut as close to the skin as possible. Samples can be taken at any time but are more commonly taken just before shearing. Please ensure that all individual samples are clearly labelled. paper-plane www.wtaeurope.com/alpaca-testing

solid base to work from. Mary- Jo Smith from Bozedown with her confident online delivery of the course, made it easy to follow quite complicated information and inspired future fascination with better understanding of fibre.

The sessions cover conformation, overview of fibre and then a session evaluating Huacaya fibre and the final session looked at Suri fibre.

She made the point clearly at the start of the fibre session that we are breeding alpacas for fleece production, to create the primary source of raw material for the UK industry.

Fibre is important, whatever else you choose to do with alpacas. She also talked about working with your shearer to ensure that whatever quality your fleece is, it has the best chance when it is taken from the animal. Her advice for learning more about alpaca fleece after this course?

• Go on and take the Intermediate Assessment (A three-day, hands-on course).

• Volunteer at shows and listen to what the judge is saying.

• Help with shearing different herds.

• Download the Fleece Handbook and study it.

• Always keep learning and questioning. >> Continued on next page

Mid side

> Evaluating fleece at Gorefield Alpacas

FIBRE

> The Kit that is sent in the post which is easy to use

<< Regional groups – These frequently offer hands-on fleece assessments, have fleece shows or members get togethers. Recently HoEG offered a day on the ‘noodling’ reported in this magazine.

The methodology

> This image shows the clusters of fibres within 1mm2 which are counted to provide a follicular density score

> We can see this fleece is disposing good organisation within the clusters and across the skin surface as the clusters are aligned

32 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

As well as being trained in what to look for in a quality fleece, science is also moving forward all the time. Fleece testing is an obvious way forward so you can record each of your animals. Fortunately we have Art of Fibre and Wool Testing Authority Europe who offer fibre testing.

It is no doubt an investment to be sure exactly where your fleece sits on a scientific scale and testing is just a few pounds, which decreases per animal as the number of samples rises. It’s really important that you have the knowledge to interpret the data and to be able to apply practical solutions. On the Wool Testing Authority Europe website is a clear guide to how and where to get the sample. Get as close to the skin as possible, ideally clippers but scissors will work. You can also use ‘grid testing’ where you take more than one sample from the same animal but be sure to mark exactly where it has come from on a diagram for your own information.

The Art of Fibre website also clearly describes sampling and this is part of their advice for sampling.

• Always use the same sample site. This will enable you to effectively compare results from year to year or animal to animal. The preferred and most commonly used site is the mid-side. The mid-side is located half way between the fore and hind leg and half way down the body mass.

• To breed for reduction in variation of fibre diameter across the fleece, three sample sites may be used. In this case, the mid-side, the shoulder area and the pin-bone (hip) are recommended.

• For OFDA2000 testing, the size of the fibre sample needs to be only the width of two fingers. >> Continued on next page

Enhance your herd from our successful breeding programme

Animals for sale from this home of champions! Quality genetics in a range of colours, including pregnant females. Starting your journey?

We provide full training and an unprecedented level of ongoing support.

With over 10 years’ experience, we are here to help you Tony & Hilary Monkcom • 01306 628003 • info@pinnaclealpacas.com • www.pinnaclealpacas.co.uk

Testing for density.

By a breeder, for breeders

What makes Skin Imprint® different?

Humane sample collection

Easy to collect sample kit

UK based laboratory testing service

Learn how many fibres are growing within 1mm2 to compare to other alpacas within your herd and the UK

Easy sample collection Using a Skin Imprint® sample collection kit, the breeder takes a mould of the skin, using approved materials. This captures a profile of the skin humanely, without the need for a biopsy or a vet.

Sent out to your home it’s an easy process which provides in-depth analysis to help you with breeding decisions.

Visit www.skin-imprint.com or email info@skin-imprint.com Alpaca SUMMER 2023

33

FIBRE

> Fleece shave

25/04/2023

Lambda House Ba3ord Mill, Harpenden, AL5 5BZ,

>Operator: Caroline Barugh Anthony Holland

Report ID: 456841

Animal & Sample Description Animal Lambda Name: House Rango Ba3ord Mill, Sex: Male Harpenden, AL5 5BZ,DOB: 1/03/2019 Animal

25/04/2023

Breed: Alpaca Animal ID: 98765

Sample Date: 1/04/2023

Sample Location: Side (R)

Colour: Brown Laboratory Results Sample Image Mean Fibre Diameter: 26.4 µm Standard Deviation: 2.91 µm

Diameter Coefficient of Variation: 11.0 % Fibres Greater Than 30 µm: 12.8 % Fibres per 1mm2: 41 8 7

Frequency

6 5 4 3 2 1 0

20

> Applying resin

21

22

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24

25

26

27

28

29

30

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Diameter ( µm )

Lambda House Ba3ord Mill, Samples Mean Standard Deviation Minimum (µm) (µm) (µm) Harpenden, Fibre 39 line: Hair26.4 2.91 19.7 AL5 5BZ,Diameter Yellow crosses: Hair Yellow Diameter Measurement Fibre Count 41 33.97 µm 27.74 µm 25.46 µm 25.46 µm 24.41 µm Hair Length Analysis 33.61 µm 27.31 µm 25.20 µm 25.20 µm 24.41 µm 30.91 µm 27.31 µm 25.18 µm 25.18 µm 24.33 µm 30.04 µm 26.96 µm 25.18 µm 25.18 µm 24.20 µm 29.98 µm 26.69 µm 25.18 µm 25.18 µm 23.81 µm 29.15 µm 26.69 µm 25.08 µm 25.08 µm 23.33 µm 28.96 µm 26.68 µm 25.04 µm 25.04 µm 22.67 µm 28.84 µm 26.66 µm 25.02 µm 25.02 µm 21.51 µm 28.65 µm 26.54 µm 24.91 µm 24.91 µm 19.69 µm 28.00 µm 25.75 µm 24.56 µm 24.56 µm

32

33

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25/04/2023 Maximum (µm) 34.0

Yellow crosses: Hair Yellow line: Hair Lenth Measurement

> This is a sample report. It shows a snap shot of micron and shows visually how the fibres are growing in the clusters and also how many fibres are growing within 1mm2.

34 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

> Dried resin

New developments mean that Skin Imprinting has become competitive in price

want to know more about the fibre capacity of their alpacas. It is such a benefit to know the follicular density, the uniformity (or not) of cluster sizes and the fleece style.

There is a further method of evaluation now added to the toolkit, the Skin Imprint which records density like the now banned skin biopsy.

It is another exciting idea that enables the owner to make good decisions for now, for that animal, and for the future of the herd. Caroline Baraugh of Sherriff Alpacas was determined to be able to evaluate her prize winning herd in a welfarefriendly way by testing for fleece density and began her research three years ago. In addition to this she completed all the stages of BAS assessment, the introduction, the intermediate and the advanced.

She came up with the ‘Skin- Imprint’. She stated that she is increasingly excited by the possibilities of having a direct map that is the skin print to the skin follicles. "It is unique and captures so much information," she said. Looking at the skin surface can tell you about micron, density, how the fibres are organised and the indication of uniformity. She has joined forces with Kim Murray of Capital Alpacas (follow them on Facebook – they often post about fibre). They have purchased a new microscope which means they can offer a reduced cost due to being able to test more animals. The cost now per Skin Imprint is around £35, a huge reduction on the earlier tests and brings it into the range of all those who

There are full instructions on her website www.skin-imprint.com or email them on info@skin-imprint.com. But its easy, the ‘Skin Imprint’ is taken using a type of putty which you squeeze on to a shaved area of skin only one centimetre wide. This means it is not invasive and will not be noticed if showing.

With a similar texture to toothpaste it is not difficult to apply and then it dries within a couple of minutes. This has been developed so it can easily be done at home by the owner.

This way the UK herd as a whole will be able to build up a picture of fleece quality. She has experienced interest worldwide in the process.

But Caroline is not stopping at having a successful assessment tool, she wants to continue her research on cluster size to see if that gives an indication of density and fleece style. Already she has a big breeder in NZ interested in this.

Her advice to all alpaca owners? “Interpret the results and be interested in the information.”

Fibre evaluation techniques are important for all owners, not only the big breeders and are readily accessible tools. All owners have the means to find out the quality of their fleeces through manual assessment and scientific analysis. It’s for everyone to use and get familiar with fibre.

It’s so easy!

ALPACA FLEECE TESTING SERVICES BOOK AND PAY FOR FLEECE TESTS ONLINE VIA OUR WEBSITE A successful breeding program requires accurate & reliable fleece data.

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FIBRE

SPOTLIGHT South East Alpaca Group

R

H

ST EA

ALPAC

A GR

OU P

SOU T

egional groups can be a great way to get involved with other breeders in alpaca related events, providing a networking opportunity and a chance to share and gain knowledge with fellow enthusiasts and multiple opportunities for learning and trying out new things. Until recently, SEAG had been a pretty dormant group, but having taken over the reigns, Tony and Hilary Monkcom are trying to change this for the South East Region.

Saturday 1 July gave the first opportunity for a get together as Pinnacle Alpacas hosted a Fibre Clinic at the Ark Facility and invited Art of Fibre and Paul Vallely to fly in from Ireland with his OFDA 2000 fibre testing machine. The event was open to all and despite it being in the middle of the birthing season, we had a great turn out. In a thoroughly relaxed environment, Paul explained the history behind the testing of alpaca fibre, all about how this can best

S.E.A.G GET INVOLVED: If you would like to get involved with the South East Alpaca Group and have ideas of what you would like to see organised next please get in touch with Tony and Hilary or sign up on the Facebook page.

facebook-f @South East Alpaca Group 📞 07957 689 002 ENVELOPE tonyandhilary@pinnaclealpacas.com

36 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

be undertaken and patiently went through in huge detail what each, and every aspect of the histogram report refers to and how this can give invaluable insight to a breeder when making their breeding decisions. On screen ‘live fibre tests’ were run, so that participants could see the machine in action as the histogram information was built by the machine before our very eyes with the camera scanning and counting the hundreds and thousands of fibres it was scanning and measuring. There was plenty of opportunity for Q&As and with Paul’s depth of knowledge and experience of alpaca fibre testing, it was indeed a wonderful opportunity to learn more about this crucial tool in the breeder’s armoury of decision making as they seek to make improvements across their herds and for this fibre industry.

In addition to explaining all about the fineness of the micron, SD (Standard Deviation), CF (Comfort Factor), and the importance of CEM (Course Edge Micron) in understanding

the variation of micron across a staple, we discussed how the histogram can also show us what has been going on throughout the year as we observed the SD Along report and the chart produced from the tip (last year’s shearing edge on the left) to the cut edge (this year’s shearing on the right).

‘Reading’ a fleece

Following a break for lunch, we then moved on to relating the reports to a fleece on a skirting table and Paul explained how to ‘read’ a fleece on the table and how to skirt the fleece to maximise the value of the fibre for commercial processing and further sample tests were run so that we could see and understand exactly what we were looking at. Most people are familiar with the taking of mid side samples and may well proudly display a histogram stating the micron of their animals, but Paul also explained to the group how widely micron can vary across the animal and how taking multiple samples can give even more

information about what the animal is producing in their fleece. Of course, this is why we see judges taking samples across the animal when assessing them in the halter shows and when assessing fleeces at the fleece shows.

Taking a sample of fleece from an animal A couple of alpacas kindly attended the Ark, one as a ‘buddy’ so that Paul could demonstrate where and how to take a sample from one of the animals, rather than just selecting a sample from the fleece at shearing. Knowing how to do this can enable a breeder to confidently take a sample ahead of shearing which can further assist in the assessment of the herd’s fleeces.

Paul proceeded to take a ‘shoulder’, ‘mid side’ and ‘hip’ sample and these were tested in front of the group to illustrate the variations that can be found over the fleece. These animals, despite having been shorn in early May, had already grown back sufficient fleece to enable a test to

be run. All credit then to Pinnacle Dreamweaver who tested within 0.8 of a micron over the three areas and he and his companion were back in their paddock grazing away within minutes!

We also talked about the benefits of noodling fleeces, both for storage and for when showing fleeces and demonstrated just how easy it is to noodle up your skirted, show fleeces in the correct gauge and sizes of garden fleece (which have been approved by the judges) to protect the fleeces and make displaying them at a fleece show so much easier for the stewards.

For those unable to make it on the day, the Fibre Clinic still provided an opportunity to send in fleece samples for testing in the UK and we are grateful to all who participated.

It is safe to say that everyone enjoyed the day and there was plenty of laughter and smiles throughout as we got to know one another better and I think we all went away with our heads buzzing with all the information that had been taken on board.

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Alpaca SUMMER 2023

37

FIBRE

HOEAG SKIRTING AND NOODLING WORKSHOP The HoEAG held a skirting and noodling workshop in June, run by Shirley Bettinson and Julia Corrigan-Stuart.

A

ttendance at the skirting and noodling workshop was great, with both new owners/breeders, as well as seasoned alpaca breeders, all wanting to get the most out of their fleeces.

The workshop consisted of slide shows on skirting and noodling, hands-on skirting sample tasks, skirting complete fleeces and then noodling those fleeces. Tara from Art of Fibre was also on site for the whole weekend, testing previously sent in samples, as well as drop off on the day samples, she was kept busy the whole time.

Most alpaca people are hearing the word “Noodling” in association with preparing fleeces for fleece shows. However, noodling, in reference to alpacas, is basically the rolling up of the blanket fleece, without any of the fibres coming into contact with each other, not just for preparing fleeces for shows.

Noodling can also be used at shearing time, using materials such as paper, tarpaulin, plastic etc. The chosen material is placed on the floor under the body of the alpaca being shorn and the shorn blanket fleece falls onto this and is then pulled away from the shearing area and rolled up like a sausage or sleeping bag shape, ready for skirting at a later date. This is really

38 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

beneficial for those who do not have lots of help on shearing day and it takes away the pressure of having to skirt the fleeces as they come off the alpaca as, by rolling it up, when it is unrolled on a skirting table it is just the same as when it came off the alpaca at shearing.

Then fleece can be skirted, making sure the skirted fleece is uniform in length, character, micron, colour, handle and free from vegetable matter, twigs and debris, second cuts and poop.

After the fleece is skirted it is then time to transfer the fleece onto the “show fleece mesh” rather than using paper, plastic or tarpaulin, ready to send off to a show, for processing, or to store for later viewing. At this stage the “show fleece mesh” is usually garden fleece plant protection heavyweight mesh in sizes 2mx2m for huacaya fleeces and 1.6m x 1.6m for suri fleeces. The reason the size of the mesh is stated for huacaya and suri is so that the fleece show organisers do not have to remove the fleece from the mesh in order to weigh the fleece as all the fleeces are wrapped in the same size mesh.

Process of noodling the skirted fleece on the “fleece show mesh”: 1. Gently lift the skirted fleece from the skirting table onto a clean piece of mesh, cut side up.

2. Gently push the fleece together, being careful not to overlap parts of the fleece – you do not want it all spread out as it does not hold its shape as well if you do this.

3. Fold the long sides of the mesh over the fleece to completely cover the fleece.

4. If the fleece is still very wide, fold it in half lengthways.

5. Gather up one end and tightly roll the fleece up (like rolling up a sleeping bag) 6. Secure the mesh.

7. Place in a clear plastic bag.

The fleece is now virtually ready for either being sent to a show - just needing the entry form to be included in the bag, sent off for processing or just stored for future viewing.

Those who attended the Workshop also picked up valuable tips on how to move fleeces from noodled wrapping used at shearing, onto the skirting table; tips on skirting and most importantly, how easy it is to transfer the skirted fleece onto the show mesh without disrupting the fleece!

A great day was had by all, despite the searing heat.

FIBRE

DOCK LEAF A fun, easy and abundant natural dye. Ann Nickerson of Burnt Fen Alpacas explains how to use this humble weed.

I

f you fancy dabbling with natural dyes without buying expensive pigments the humble dock leaf is a great way to start experimenting.

On white, or very light fawn alpaca, dock leaves give a beautiful range of limey greens to rusty golds, and are one of my favourite garden dyes. Found along most lanes, in fields and in gardens – well mine at least has loads! – it’s an abundant plant to dye with. After spending years digging up dock to get rid of it, I’m now quite happy to give over a section of the

Fresh Dock Leaf

garden to this erstwhile disenchanting plant.

The dye process is very easy, basically brew up the dock leaves for about an hour, strain and then add your yarn and brew up again! To get a good colour you will need to use mordanted yarn. I use an alum mordant which is extremely easy and readily available online. You can find recipes for both the dock dye bath and the alum mordant on the next page.

If you want to explore the world of natural dyes further, please check out my natural dye courses at Burnt Fen Alpacas, www.burntfen.co.uk.

Dock Leaf in pan Woven shawl using dock leaf dyed yarn

Mordanted white alpaca yarn Dyed yarn

Dock Leaf cooking

Important

• Always pre wash yarn before dyeing or mordanting.

This removes any conditioners or finishing products used at the mill, as these will act as a barrier to the dye and mordant.

• Always pre wet yarn before mordanting and dyeing.

Soak overnight or for at least two hours.

• Never add cold yarn to hot liquids or vice versa.

Always cool mordant and dye baths before adding fibre to ensure you don’t “shock” (felt) your yarn.

• Label your yarn.

Use the date, dye stuff and ratio of dye stuff to fibre and mordant used.

Scotfield ScotfieldAlpaca.co.uk

Dock dye bath: what you need • • • • • •

Large stock pot type saucepan Wooden spoon Sieve Bucket or second large saucepan.

Notebook to keep records and sample of the dyed yarn.

Dock leaf – I use four times docks to weight of fibre e.g. 100g fibre will need 400g fresh dock leaf.

• Yarn – pre mordanted with alum mordant.

Dock method • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Cut four times dock leaf to weight of dry fibre/yarn.

Cover dock leaf in hand hot tap water.

Don’t worry if the pot is very full, it will reduce down as it heats.

Bring to a simmer and simmer for one hour.

Stir now and again to prevent burning on bottom of pan.

Cool dye liquor before straining.

Leaving to steep overnight improves colour slightly.

Strain dye liquor into bucket or other pan and discard used leaf.

When cool add mordanted and wetted out fibre to dye bath.

Bring slowly to simmer.

Simmer for one hour.

Gently move yarn every 10 minutes or so to ensure an even colour.

Turn off heat and leave fibre to cool in dye bath or overnight.

Remove fibres and allow to dry before washing.

Rinse in tepid / cold water until water runs clear.

Clothing and accessories designed and made here on our family run farm.

Made with 100% alpaca yarn Totally natural, hypo-allergenic, no dyes & no blends.

For Alum Mordant: what you need • • • • • •

Large stock pot type saucepan Wooden spoon Measuring spoons Heat proof jug Alum (Aluminium sulphate) Cream of tartar

Method

• Fill a large stainless steel pot with water.

• Dissolve the alum and cream of tartar in ½ Litre of boiling water and add to the pot and stir well.

• Use two level teaspoons Alum and 1½ level teaspoons Cream of Tartar per 100g dry fibre.

• Add pre wetted yarn and push down so that all fibres are covered.

• Bring slowly to simmering point and simmer one hour.

• Move the fibres gently from time to time to make sure all the yarn is covered.

• After an hour leave yarn to cool a little.

• Lift fibres out and rinse, in a sink of water which is the same temperature as the fibre.

• Note: You can keep mordanted yarns damp in a bag for three days before dyeing or dry completely and store until needed.

Scotlands Farm, Warfield, Berkshire RG42 6AJ alpaca@scotfieldalpaca.co.uk

01344 486969

Alpaca SUMMER 2023

41

FIBRE

AN ALPACA ON THE BED? Helen Babbs finds out how UK alpaca fleece becomes high quality duvets.

Alpaca fibre ready for processing

A hopper feeds the clean alpaca fibre into the carding machine

Shaun Daniels, Luna Textiles

Shaun Daniels with some of his alpaca herd 42 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

Sorting the fleece

Although he’s been an alpaca keeper for over 20 years, Shaun didn’t set out to get involved with camelids. “We went to a petting zoo in south Yorkshire to meet up with my sisterin-law and her children,” Shaun explains.

“They had alpacas there, and I simply fell in love with them.” After keeping a starter herd at a large alpaca farm in East Sussex for several years, Shaun and his wife bought a smallholding near Hebden Bridge, and moved their alpacas there. “The most we’ve had was 55 alpacas, but now we just have 20 alpacas and five llamas, which are basically pets.”

At the same time, Shaun started a small

import business, selling alpaca products from Peru at regional shows. “We sold some alpaca duvets, too,” he recalls, “but we couldn’t get enough to satisfy the demand – they simply weren’t made in a big enough volume.” With a potential market on hand, Shaun obtained grant funding to set up a textile mill, with state-of-the-art machinery for making alpaca duvets. This Luna Textiles business is still going strong, and has now diversified into wool duvets too, but alpacas remain Shaun’s first love. “I wouldn’t change them for the world. I also served as Chairman of the Board for the BAS from 2010-12, and Honorary Chair for the World Alpaca conference in 2012, which was a great privilege.” paper-plane www.lunatex.co.uk

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atural fibre duvets such as alpaca provide a superior night’s sleep compared to polyester fibres in terms of breathability, moisture control and temperature regulation. They’re hypo-allergenic and cruelty-free, unlike a down duvet, and are even biodegradable, so they won’t pollute the environment after you’ve finished with them. So, how does the fleece from your alpaca, grazing peacefully in the field, become a warm and fluffy duvet on the bed?

into 150kg bales and sent off as a one tonne batch to the scouring plant.” When the fibre comes back a fortnight later, it’s cleaner and with a lot less odour. “Nobody wants to sleep in a bed smelling of warm alpaca!” Shaun chuckles. >> Continued on next page

The carding process produces a fine ‘web’ of alpaca fibre

Sheets of the carded ‘web’ are layered together to make the duvet filling

Sourcing and scouring

“Alpaca duvets are made from Huacaya, in order to have the softness and ‘bounce’ a duvet needs,” explains Shaun Daniels, whose Luna Textiles company in Yorkshire makes natural fibre duvets, including for many ‘big name’ retailers such as John Lewis. “We source all our alpaca fibre from the UK – Inverness is about the furthest north we’ve ever collected from – and mostly use white for the duvets.”

As the fibre comes in from the farms, Shaun and his team spread it across a mesh sorting table, which takes out the vegetable matter and dust. “It’s sorted into three grades – first, second, and third – which we then blend together to get a suitable mix. It’s then packed Alpaca SUMMER 2023

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Into the mill

The clean bales are taken into the main mill, opened and tipped into a hopper which feeds into the carding machine, where a series of huge rollers resembling wire hair brushes comb and fluff the fibre. “These turn it into a light, carded web with lots of ‘loft’,” says Shaun. “It comes off the carding line as a huge uniform sheet, 3m wide and 5mm thick.”

This carded web next moves into the cross-folder, which has lots of conveyor belts in different directions that take the fibre web and fold it into layers. “We alter the speed and weight of the web going into the cross-folder, to make different weights of duvet: it runs

faster for a thinner, summer-weight duvet, or slower to put in more layers for a thicker winter-weight one.”

The folded layers are then sandwiched between sheets of cotton fabric and pass along the conveyor belt into an industrial stitching machine, which quilts the fibre and fabric layers together. This giant sheet of duvet then chopped into panels for specific sizes of duvet by a computer controlled guillotine cutter. “It’s all highly automated,” Shaun explains, “so the bale of fibre goes in at one end and comes out as duvets at the other. Once it’s all running, it doesn’t take very long. We can turn out 150-200 alpaca duvets in a day.”

Each duvet is finished by hand 44 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

The quilting machine in action

All boxed up

When they come out of the machinery, the cut panels of duvet fabric are taken to the finishing room, where the sewing crew bind the edges, and add the labels. “It’s about ten minutes work to finish,” Shaun estimates, “then the duvets are into the boxes and ready to go.”

A completed king-size duvet weighs 4-5kg, with the weight of the outer fabric making up about a kilogram of this. “That means it’s got about 3.5 kilos of alpaca fibre in there,” notes Shaun, “so it’s the equivalent of having two alpacas sitting on your bed!”

Finished and boxed duvets

TOFT A

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EST. 1997 Let us inspire you with the complete alpaca experience.

Celebrating over 25 years of alpaca breeding.

Pets, studs, breeding stock, livery and workshops.

Pedigree stock from elite award winning genetics Reorganisation sale in progress 2023-24 www.toftalpacastud.com Rob & Shirley Bettinson Toft Manor Lodge, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 6NR | shirley@toftalpacastud.com | 07970 626245

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.

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MEET A MEMBER

RISING FROM THE FLAT LANDS

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We meet Krystal Humphrey and her herd.

n a cool day in late Spring, the beauty of a calm and friendly herd of alpacas stood out against the green of just getting going grass and against a blue sky. With me was Krystal Humphrey, owner of Gorefield Alpacas whose dedication to producing quality fleece is a major part of a farm which also opens to the public and even goes on alpaca visits to residential homes and the community. She is a one woman advert for the beauty and versatility of alpacas which helps raise the profile of our favourite animal and the qualities of the fleece.

But how did it start?

After ten years working in the local Secondary school as Pastoral Support worker looking after whole school attendance, a responsible and demanding job, she came back to work on the family farm, a fourth generation arable farm with oilseed rape, sugar beet, barley and wheat that lies within the Cambridgeshire Fens. paper-plane www.gorefieldalpacas.co.uk

46 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

Krystal started by keeping sheep on the farm. She bought three Texel ewes but understandably still had a lot of grass over in an eighteen acre field. Then for her birthday her boyfriend Steve bought her three alpaca males which were followed by four females at other birthdays and Christmas. Gorefield Alpacas was born!

The alpacas came from Woodbine Alpacas who have now retired from keeping alpacas and then four pregnant alpacas with cria at foot, were also bought by Steve from Furze Park Alpacas (owner is Bob Hyde) and have the bloodlines of a UK Progeny Champion, The Diplomat.

Krystal is keen to use bloodlines to continue to improve the fibre and to that end, completed her introduction to alpaca assessment course and takes samples for fleece analysis. She also shows when she can. Her male, Zarza Marley Rizardo II won his colour at the BAS National Show when she exhibited a few years ago and was a good stud. Producing quality fibre is at the heart of the farm and she recently chose some fibre to send to the Alpaca Mill and has now received the finished balls which she will sell in her shop.

Meeting the public

Although Krystal was pleased with her showing success she really enjoys showing her alpacas to the public for their enjoyment. She goes on care home visits especially in the winter and offers ‘Meet and Greet’ and ‘Walk with Alpacas’ at her farm, details of which can be found on the website. You can see from the photos how friendly her herd is and unphased by human contact. I’ve never been greeted by such enthusiastic alpacas. She’s currently

working with a community farm locally and took part in the King’s Coronation celebrations nearby.

She said: “People are endlessly fascinated by alpacas and they attract interest and lots of questions such as what foods do they eat and how do you look after them? I love to see their growing confidence as they get to know the alpaca and I’m sure they will always remember alpacas with affection and interest”

In praise of poo tests

Krystal is a huge fan of poo testing on the farm for worm counts which she does herself. She went on a Practical Parasitology Course with Sue Thomas at Lyme Farm Alpacas who is an advocate of taking your own on farm tests (though Sue also offers an analysis service).

“Testing yourself makes it immediate” says Krystal, “ But it is vitally important that you know which alpaca it came from so careful recording is paramount.

BAS Open Days

Last year Gorefield Alpacas took part in the Open Farm days. The first one she did had over 1,200 people visit the farm, while 2022 saw over 2,000 attend. Krystal was thrilled with the day, although she had to suddenly clear out all the barns due to a wet weather warning (which didn’t happen).

“We had some amazing crafters and stall holders come along selling their wares from garden furniture, glass items, hats and accessories to dog treats. The alpaca fibre spinning demonstrations from Gillian and the bee’s stall were certainly firm favourites with everyone! Not forgetting our local McCormick tractor dealership very kindly brought over some tractors old and new that seemed to be a big hit with the children and quite a few big kids too! A highlight of the weekend was on the Sunday when we had a fabulous falconry display from the crew at Fens Falconry who brought along some stunning birds of prey!

The alpacas all fully enjoyed their weekend, which for them was like Christmas and new year rolled into one... They had plenty of feed and treats and loved having lots of selfies with their fans! People were particularly appreciative as the day was free and it was a great chance to get close to alpacas.”

This year she is not holding an Open Day but for a very good reason, she is getting married around that time. After the formal part of the wedding she’ll be coming back to celebrate with the alpacas too! We wish her and her husband all the very best for the future.

What advice would she give those just starting with alpacas? “Breed a good type of animal that is healthy and fit with quality fibre which you strive to improve. If you can, make sure other people also get enjoyment from your herd as this will promote alpacas but also give you real pleasure as it does me”

Photographer Photos by Karen Harvey

paper-plane www.karen-harvey.co.uk

Krystal Humphrey

Photo: Gorefield Alpacas

Alpacas for sale

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

SOUTH EAST

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

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: office@alpacaannie.com WEB: www.alpacaannie.com

LIGHTFOOT ALPACAS

MORALEE FARM ALPACAS

Lightfoot Alpacas are situated in Hawkhurst in the Weald of Kent. We have been breeding alpacas since 1997 and have over 250 Huacaya. Lightfoot is a closed herd, we believe that the bio security and health of our animals is paramount to their breeding and care. We have a range of colours and ages, mainly Huacaya and some Suris. Our animals are known for being friendly as we spend time with them and know them individually.

Moralee is a family-run alpaca farm in West Sussex. We care for a herd of high-quality Huacaya alpaca with award-winning genetics.

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.

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

Our mission is centred on breeding for improvement – focussing on white and light-coloured alpacas with fine fleece in a gentle and caring environment. All our alpaca are kept in small groups, so are used to human contact and receive lots of attention.

Our services include: the sale of Females for Breeding, Drive-by Stud services and Male-Field Pets.

TEL: 07809 731164 EMAIL: claire@moralee.farm WEB: www.moralee.farm

SOUTH WEST

BRIDE VALLEY ALPACAS A proud family run business who love and cherish each and every one of our beautiful, happy and healthy, prize winning alpaca.

Providing the highest quality service for all your needs...

• Alpacas for sale • Coloured Alpaca • Males and females • Halter Trained • Backup Support • Suit your budget • Agistment Services • All BAS registered.

TEL: 07554 675543 WEB: www.bridevalleyalpacas.com

DARK SKY ALPACAS

Located in rugged and beautiful North Cornwall, we focus on Suri and have a herd of elite alpacas with some of the best and varied Suri genetics in the country. Alongside our own animals we have invested in top quality alpacas from specialists in the UK and New Zealand.

Our farm has been ‘custom made’ for alpacas, with biosecurity and welfare of paramount importance, and we love and care for the herd ourselves.

We offer full stud services and in particular Suri starter herds, quality breeding stock and luxury alpaca products.

WENDY: 07712 136949TOM: 07825 105530 EMAIL: tomandwendy@darkskyalpacas.com WEB: www.darkskyalpacas.com

WINSAULA SURI ALPACAS

We specialise in breeding the rare and majestic Suri Alpaca, which account for approximately 7% of the overall UK Alpaca population. A multiple UK award winning ‘Best Small Breeder’ we are home to multiple Champions and Supreme champions in all Alpaca colours, but primarily specialising in top quality black and the very rare grey Suri. We have animals to suit all budgets from groups of pet boys, to elite pregnant female starter herds with Cria at foot, and champion stud males. We also offer stud services from champion fawns and browns to multiple supreme champion grey studs and Champion black studs imported from New Zealand, bringing the top black genetics into the UK if you are looking to introduce new genetics into your herd.

TEL: Paula 07540 124768 Mark: 07748 844990 EMAIL: prwinsor@icloud.com / mwinsor@me.com

SOUTHERN ENGLAND

PENNYBRIDGE ALPACAS

SCOTFIELD 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, fancy grazers and sheep guards available.

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.

‘Home of The Alpaca Experience’.

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.

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:

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

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

SNOWSHILL ALPACAS

Sue Hipkin 07770 455533 Lisa Hipkin 07770 455534 WEB: 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 80% are Huacaya). Although our breeding programme is biased towards the darker colours, we do also have superb quality whites and beige alpacas.

NORTH WEST

WHITE PEAK ALPACAS Here at White Peak Alpacas, we have been breeding alpacas for over 30 years. Originally located in the Peak District, we are now located in Cheshire.

We offer a wide variety of pedigree alpacas. We are happy to

KING GARTH ALPACAS

King Garth Alpacas

Located on the Solway Firth, in Cumbria, King Garth Alpacas is a family-owned herd where we aim to breed beautiful, happy, healthy and friendly alpacas with top show winning genetics.

We have alpacas to suit everyone and all budgets; from pet boys to starter herds, elite females and stud males. We offer full support and advice before and after sales.

discuss your requirements, just get in touch!

Please feel welcome to get in touch and chat about your alpaca needs.

PHONE: 01565 872 012

We also offer stud services, alpaca experiences, luxury alpaca products.

EMAIL: adrian@whitepeakalpacafarm.co.uk WEB: www.whitepeakalpacafarm.co.uk

48 Alpaca SUMMER 2023

TEL: 07762 286050 WEB: www.kinggarthalpacas.co.uk

POTTERY ALPACAS

Pottery Alpacas are a family run farm located in Blackburn, 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!

Herd Reduction Sale MARK: 07540 115329 AMANDA: 07882 456084 EMAIL: mark@potteryalpacas.com WEB: www.potteryalpacas.com

WEST MIDLANDS

WYNNES OF DINMORE

The Specialist Country Store in Herefordshire.

Breeders of Huacaya Alpacas, Pygmy goats, Poultry, Zwartble and Ouessant sheep. Point of lay Hybrid hens available ALL YEAR – Seasonal selection of bantams, ducks and quail. Extensive range of supplies, equipment, bedding and poultry housing. Specialist feed merchant: Alpaca; Pygmy goat; Pot-bellied pig; Poultry pellets with wormer; Organic Range, Hay, Straw, Dog Food (Skinners, Dr John, Vet Spec, Hypoallergenic) Visitors welcome: Tuesday-Friday 9am-4.30pm Saturday 9am-12.30pm Hope under Dinmore, Leominster, Herefordshire. HR6 0PX. TEL: 01568 797314 EMAIL: info@wynnes.co.uk WEB: www.wynnes.co.uk

EAST MIDLANDS

TOFT ALPACAS

JANDJ ALPACAS

Based in North East Warwickshire we offer over 120 pedigree alpacas in all colours, ages and price ranges. We run a number of prizewinning stud males and offer on farm and mobile mating services. We are confident that our prize winning herd will live up to all your alpaca expectations.

Shirley and I have been qualified BAS judges for a great number of years and have judged throughout the UK and Europe.

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

We run regular alpaca husbandry workshops every month throughout the year. We have been breeding alpacas for 25 years and are dedicated to sharing our extensive experience to guide you towards realising your own alpaca aspiration whatever that maybe. Please ring to book.

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

TEL: Shirley 07970 626245 / Rob 07973 123008 EMAIL: shirley@toftalpacastud.com / rob@toftalpacastud.com WEB: www.toftalpacastud.com

Stud services also available from top coloured genetics.

TEL: Martin or Clare 01636 626990 EMAIL: sales@jandjalpacas.co.uk WEB: www.visitalpacas.co.uk

CENTRAL ENGLAND

Herts AlpAcAs

FAERIE TALE ALPACAS

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

TEL: 07950 671672 FACEBOOK: Faerie Tale Alpacas EMAIL: info@faerietalealpacas.co.uk WEB: www.faerietalealpacas.co.uk

Fibre Processors and Retailers

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

RETAILERS/WHOLESALERS IN BRITISH ALPACA PRODUCTS

M.R.HARNESS 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.

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.

The Professional Solution

20% OFF

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

HOMESTEAD FARM SUPPLIES 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

Discounted Prices on Microchips*

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

Terms and conditions apply

Terms and conditions apply

Safe4disinfectant Terms and conditions apply

Wildwood Animal Health www.wildwoodanimalhealth.co.uk

Free bag of Camelibra NG2 (worth £28 & free delivery) Terms and conditions apply

Checkout these and many other offers on the BAS website by clicking on Join the BAS link

www.bas-uk.com

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’.

BAS Member's exclusive

FIBRE BUYERS AND PROCESSORS

CLASSIC CARDER Classic Carder produce a full range of British, handmade

ANIMAL HEALTH

JG ANIMAL HEALTH High specification organic chealated nutritional supplements suitable for all camelids.

drum carders for fibre preparation. Featuring our unique

• Premier Camelid Drench

interchangeable drum system which allows quick and easy

• Premier Mineral Supplement

drum change for carding different fibres.

• Premier Mineral Bucket

TEL: 01746 714130 EMAIL: paulbrittain@mac.com WEB: www.classiccarder.co.uk

• A, D3 & E Paste TEL: 07866 607466 EMAIL: jganimalhealth@aol.com WEB: www.jganimalhealth.co.uk

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D

DOG ATTACKS

og attacks on sheep continue to be an issue for alpaca owners. The National Sheep Association (NSA) has already demanded meaningful action on legislation surrounding the devastating issue of sheep worrying by dogs in a letter recently sent to the Secretary of State, Therese Coffey, and Farming Minister, Mark Spencer.

The action follows alarming findings and feedback from a recent survey by NSA that has shown sheep farmers across the country are experiencing an increasing occurrence of dog attacks on their livestock and dealing with the ongoing devastating impact of these. A rise in attacks on sheep has also been widely documented across social media with shocking accounts shared by farmers who have been

through the distress of sheep worrying. NSA demands that the impacts and suffering cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.

But the problem is that the key legislation in the Kept Animals Bill is still sitting in Westminster and despite the lack of opposition to the Bill, does not look like it will now be enacted. This would have been a significant tool to tackle dog attacks. Contrast this with the Scottish approach with the introduction of Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021. This legislation imposes a maximum fine of £40,000 or 12 month prison sentence to those found guilty of allowing their dogs to worry livestock, a far cry from the menial £1,000 proposed under English legislation.

Please report all incidents to the Police and also to the BAS by emailing ceo@bas-uk.com

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

www.bas-uk.com/alpaca-shows-and-events/bas-alpaca-shows The shows in this list all have alpaca classes. Always best to check the show timings.

13 September 2023

Westmorland Show 2023 Venue: Lane Farm, Crooklands, Kendal, Cumbria, LA7 7NH

16-17 September 2023

Somerset County Show – Halter and Fleece Venue: Taunton Racecourse TA3 7BL

23 September 2023

Stokesley Show www.stokesleyshow.co.uk This is a new show to be hosted by the Yorkshire Alpaca Group.

Venue: Stokesley Agricultural Showground

7-8 October 2023

East of England Show organised by EAG Venue: Beechwood Equestrian Centre, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8DY

14-15 October 2023

Yorkshire Alpaca Group Halter Show Venue: York Auction Mart, Murton, York YO19 5GF

21 October 2023

Welsh Alpaca Show Venue: Welshpool Livestock Market

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Supreme Champion alpaca breeders with 29 years experience Inca Leading Edge – Supreme Champion Male

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 and export to the EU, Middle East and India.

Help obtaining planning permission for a dwelling using alpaca breeding as justification – we did it and have helped others.

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

incaalpaca.co.uk