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ON THE COVER:
Contents
Little Creek Farm, North Salem, NY Photo by Lynn Edens.
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EPDs for Everyone By Lynn Edens
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Influencing Cria Gender By Kim Gleason PhD
Showtacular 2017 Editor Susanne Bienenstock Production Design Selle Design Group Ryan Price David Keller Deidre Cole Jared Johnston Printing: Smart Source, LLC No material from the magazine may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted or distributed in any way without the express written permission of Showtacular. Modification of the materials for any other purpose is a violation of copyright and other proprietary rights. Contact: Susanne Bienenstock Susanne@LCFAlpacas.com
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Nunoa Project Veterinary Mission: Peru 2017 By Steve Purdy DVM
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River Hill Ranch’s Sizzling Steak Recipe By Alvina Maynard
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Auction Items – Showtacular 2017
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Showtacular Show Sponsors & Show Committee
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Empire Alpaca Association Roster
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New England Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association Roster
Showtacular 2017 | 5
EPDs for Everyone
Ribbons are nice, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. By Lynn Edens
Incorporating EPDs into your Breeding Decision-Making
Though I will grant it may be the first time this issue has been broached in the first sentence of a show-book article, I think the majority of alpaca growers will readily agree that making breeding decisions based on an animal’s show results is not a great idea. But why is this this case, given that fleece traits in particular are highly heritable? Most breeders are familiar with the following idea: Phenotype = Genotype + Environment In other words, we understand that the phenotype of the animal we see is the result of its particular genetics plus the effect of the environment in which it was conceived, raised, and lives. When animals are evaluated by a judge in the show ring, that judge does not know or care why they look the way they do. When we make breeding decisions, however, we care a lot about why an animal looks the way it does: Is that male fine because of his genetics, or is it because of where he lives and what he is fed, for instance? And how likely is he or she to be prepotent for the 8 | Showtacular 2017
characteristics we want, and pass them on reliably to his or her offspring? Estimated Progeny Differences, or EPDs, can provide tremendous assistance with these aspects of a breeder’s evaluation, because they are estimates of what individual animals are genetically likely to contribute to specific fleece traits of their offspring. They are widely used in other livestock industries to estimate animals’ genetic propensity to reproduce traits of value. They can even drive the pricing of seed stock genetics. While EPDs are just one tool, they are an important one – yet many alpaca breeders do not currently have EPDs calculated for their own animals, or use them to evaluate others’. This is in part due to the fact that, as the products of complex mathematical analysis, EPDs seem opaque and difficult to understand. This short article explains them conceptually, and briefly demonstrates how you can use them to your benefit. It also addresses some of the common, and important, issues with using EPDs.
Why You Care
There are many questions to which we breeders would like answers before we make a breeding decision.
Some of those are difficult to answer without EPDs. Here are some examples: • I love the look of a male but don’t know much about the animals in his pedigree. How likely is he to reproduce his fleece quality in his offspring? • I haven’t been getting the fineness that I want in my program. Do I need to add some different genetics, or is it more a function of my husbandry? • I purchased a beautiful older female, but her fleece is pretty short. Is that mostly due to her age, or do I need to make breeding for more staple length in her offspring my first priority?
Why EPDs are Useful
A conceptual understanding of how EPDs are calculated will help you understand their value and use them more confidently. Each year, thousands of histograms are submitted to AOA from animals located on farms and ranches around the country. Most of those animals are related to some degree with others for which histograms have been submitted, and the degree to which they are related – the amount of genetics they share -- is quantifiable. By comparing the histograms of the animals on, say, your farm to related animals located on other farms, with the degree of genetic relationship incorporated in the analysis, the analytical process produces an estimate of relative phenotypic impact of living on your farm, in your environment. Here is a simplified example. Say you feed your animals a high protein grain because you think it is very beneficial to their health, even though you also have observed it coarsens their fleece somewhat. The statistical analysis might find that, in fact, the animals on your farm average a micron coarser in AFD than related animals living on other farms. It will estimate that the effect on phenotype from living on your farm adds a micron to the AFDs of the fleeces of your animals, relative to related animals that live on others farms, and will then adjust for that in estimating what your animals are likely to genetically contribute to fineness of their offspring. A conceptually similar process is used to adjust for the effect of aging and gender on animals’ phenotypic fleece measures, as well as to adjust for environmental differences from year to year. EPD analysis starts with phenotypic information in the form of histogram data (along with birth weight, weaning weight, and birthing ease, if submitted by the owner), incorporates pedigree data that reveals the genetic relationships between different animals in the EPD program, adjusts for environmental differences and the impact of age and gender, and 10 | Showtacular 2017
provides you with the estimated genotypic effect on fleece (and other) traits. Genotype is what we want to understand when we are making breeding decisions. As mentioned above, the statistical analysis produces estimates of the genetic propensity to produce certain trait results; that is, the best prediction based on all of the data available. If there is a lot of data – a good number of histograms for a particular animal, its offspring, its relatives on the same farm or elsewhere, and others on the farm on which it resides – then the accuracy of the estimate will be high, and closely capture the likely impact of the animals’ genotype on the phenotypes of its offspring. If there is relatively little data, then the estimate is more inexact. It’s important to know how accurate the EPD estimate is likely to be before you base any decisions on it, and that’s where the quoted accuracies come into play. In the example that follows, we will show you how to incorporate accuracies so you can compare the EPDs of animals for decision-making.
Why You Need To Consider Accuracies
Let’s say you are considering two herdsires to breed to a female, and are looking to produce a cria with as fine a fleece as possible. The two sires, “X” and “Y”, are different ages and live on different farms, so you know that a comparison of their respective histograms is limited in what it can tell you, because the histogram results reflect environmental and age differences that can obscure what you really care about, which is the characteristics of their fleece that are attributable to their underlying genotypes, and therefore can be passed on to their offspring. Sire X’s fee is also $500 more than sire Y’s, which raises the stakes further. However, both sires have EPDs calculated for them, and you would like to use this information to help overcome the evaluation issues associated with differing environments and ages. You note that Sire X has an EPD for AFD of -2.50 microns, and Sire Y has an EPD for AFD of -1.50 microns. This means that historical histogram data available for both sires, their offspring and/or their relatives combine to suggest that sire X will produce crias that are one micron finer in AFD on average (and all else constant) than those of sire Y (because -2.50 is one micron less than -1.50). You think about it and decide you’d be willing to pay $500 more for sire X if he really does make crias that are finer on average than sire Y’s, but you are not sure how confident you should be in the EPDs. This is where you need to consider the accuracies of the EPD estimates. To do this, you need to refer not just to the animals’ EPD accuracies, but also to a very important table called “Possible Changes In Value for Various
Accuracy Levels by Trait” that is printed in the AOA EPD Producer Report produced and made available on the AOA website each year. The 2016 table is reproduced here for your reference, and what you are interested in is the ranges implied by the possible changes in EPD value shown for each accuracy level. The best way to show you how to use these is to continue with our example. Let’s say that the owners of both of your prospective sires have been active participants in the EPD program, and as a result the accuracies of the EPD estimates of their sires are relatively high, at 0.60. You check the reference table, and see that the “possible change in value” for the EPD AFD at that accuracy level is 0.47 (it’s highlighted in green to help you find it easily.) Here is what that means: 1. While our best estimate of sire X’s true EPD for AFD is -2.50, it is more likely than not to lie in the range between -2.97 and -2.03. (That is, -2.50 +/- 0.47, the “possible change in value.”) 2. And while our best estimate of sire Y’s true EPD for AFD is -1.50, it is more likely than not to lie in the range between -1.97 and -1.03 (again, +/- 0.47). Comparing the EPD estimate ranges implied by the accuracies for these two animals, you note that they
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do not overlap. You are therefore reasonably confident (though not completely sure) that sire X is likely to produce finer crias than sire Y, all else constant. But what if both owners had only just begun participating in the EPD program, and historical histogram data for their animals and related animals was very limited? This will reduce the confidence in the EPD estimates for their animals. Let’s do the same exercise assuming that the accuracies for these two sires’ EPDs for AFD were only 0.20, implying a “possible change in value” of 0+/.94 (highlighted in yellow): 1. While our best estimate of sire X’s EPD for AFD is still -2.50, the range in which it is more likely than not to lie extends from -3.44 to – 1.66. 2. At the same time, the range in which Sire Y’s APD for AFD is more likely than not to lie ranges from -2.44 to -0.56. You will have noted that these ranges overlap, and this means that we are not entirely confident that Sire X will produce finer crias on average than Sire Y. It’s still our best estimate, but the information we have available is too limited for us to feel very certain.
Possible change values for various accuracy levels by trait in the Huacaya population. Source: 2016 AOA EPD Report Accuracy 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
FD 1.17 1.06 0.94 0.82 0.7 0.59 0.47 0.35 0.23 0.12 0
SD of FD 0.35 0.32 0.28 0.25 0.21 0.18 0.14 0.11 0.07 0.04 0
SPIN 1.17 1.05 0.93 0.82 0.7 0.58 0.47 0.35 0.23 0.12 0
Percent of Fibers > 30μ 5.37 4.83 4.3 3.76 3.22 2.69 2.15 1.61 1.07 0.54 0
CURV 2.48 2.23 1.98 1.74 1.49 1.24 0.99 0.74 0.5 0.25 0
AFD = Fiber Diameter SPIN = Spin Fineness CURV = Mean Curvature MED = Percent Medullation That, in a nutshell, is how you interpret EPD results. How you actually use them is another matter. You likely would not choose a male to breed to one of your females based solely on the AFD shown on its histogram, or even on the entirety of its histogram – not without first assessing the animal physically, and subjectively considering a lot of other information as well. You should not use EPDs in this way either. What EPDs do is adjust for the effect of environment and aging on fleece characteristics, and consider the phenotypic qualities of related animals that share some of the animal’s genetics, to give you the best sense of the genetic potential that lies under that fleece.
Valid Concerns About EPDs
Understanding the concerns about EPDs that have been raised by alpaca industry participants can make you a better user of EPDs, so listen closely to them. Here are some common issues raised with regard to the EPD program, and what they can teach us: Objection: The number of animals with EPDs is small compared to the entire alpaca population of the U.S., and the results are therefore not useful for breeding decisions. Response: It is true that you cannot use EPDs to compare an animal with EPDs calculated for it to one without any EPDs. But the comparison between two animals with
SD of CURV 1.27 1.14 1.02 0.89 0.76 0.63 0.51 0.38 0.25 0.13 0
MED 5.24 4.72 4.19 3.67 3.14 2.62 2.1 1.57 1.05 0.52 0
SL 4.21 3.79 3.37 2.95 2.53 2.1 1.68 1.26 0.84 0.42 0
FW 0.47 0.42 0.38 0.33 0.28 0.23 0.19 0.14 0.09 0.05 0
BW 0.95 0.86 0.76 0.67 0.57 0.48 0.38 0.29 0.19 0.1 0
SL = Staple Length FW = Fleece Weight, SD = Standard Deviation BW = Birth Weight EPDs is a relative one, and not directly affected by the number of other animals with measurements. Additional information, properly used, can lower decision-making risk. Given a choice, you should prefer to have access to analysis that looks beyond phenotypic differences to assess likely genotypic differences, as EPDs do, rather than to not have such analysis available to you. The weight it assumes in your decision-making may vary, but keep in mind that EPDs have been successfully used to improve the economics of animal production in other livestock. Even if you use EPD results only when making breeding decisions within your own herd, you may find opportunities for marginal inter-herd gains you haven’t spotted yet. Objection: People who submit histograms for EPDs often “cheat” by only submitting histograms for their best animals and those animals’ best offspring. Why would I rely on that information? Response: Some people may do this, and I wouldn’t even call it cheating. For instance, many people save the $55 and don’t register a cria they don’t think will be worthy of breeding as a matter of economic rationality. Some people don’t do histograms on poor quality registered animals, either. And they don’t take the crappy offspring of their fabulous sire into the show ring. In fact, because they reflect the phenotypic fleece measurements for all the
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related animals in the EPD program, wherever they live and whoever owns them, the EPDs for individual animals do a better job than most of the information we consider when it comes to adjusting for these understandable biases in the information we receive. Fewer observations will reduce accuracies, however.
are not yet EPDs available. These are legitimate presentation issues, but do not affect the value of the EPDs of the growing number of animals that have them.
Objection: For me, nothing will replace the ability to look at a number of the animal’s offspring – that is how I tell if it is “good” genetically.
Response: EPDs are one tool, and should be used in conjunction with other assessments, in particular a phenotypic evaluation of the animal that will include many attributes not measured by a histogram and therefore not reflected in the EPD analysis of the animal. Additional important business-related breeding goals, like producing animals with readily marketable genetics, for instance, or of particular colors, will also be factored into many if not most breeding decisions.
Response: You have to wait a long time to see a lot of offspring from a sire, and may never see it from a dam. Using this method of assessing an animal’s genotype increases the generational interval of your program, which means you will make genetic progress more slowly than if you use EPDs to help you with this assessment. Objection: AOA has presented EPDs as a marketing tool, and that is so misleading. Response: Certain elements of AOA’s EPD presentation, in particular the “Top 1% banners, have been found off-putting by some industry participants, who feel that they promote a detrimental focus on single traits in the breeding decision-making process, and fail to acknowledge the majority of registered alpacas for which there
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Objection: People who use EPDs to make breeding decisions are going to get in trouble because they are not paying attention to other important traits.
You can get in trouble using any tool or method incorrectly – that does not mean the tool is not useful, though. Being a capable EPD user is up to you. Capable users recognize both EPDs’ strengths and limitations, and as a result neither deny their potential usefulness nor rely on them to the exclusion of other important information. If you understand this, you are ready to use EPDs to the advantage of your breeding program.
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Time of Breeding Can Influence Cria Gender Ratios in Alpacas
Kim Gleason1, PhD, Lynn Edens2, and Arturo Pena2 1 Dancing Horse Farm, Pemberton, NJ; 2 Little Creek Farm, North Salem, NY
There is a lot of interest in gender control in livestock for economic gains. Historically, various technologies have been utilized to aid commercial livestock operations in producing more of the gender that could benefit them the most. Examples of these
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technologies are sperm sorting and embryo biopsy. Both of these gender selection methodologies are not only minimally successful, but are extremely labor intensive and cost prohibitive to the average producer.
For sperm sorting, ejaculates are collected manually and then processed through a machine that separates them into X (female producing) or Y (male producing) sperm. Whichever the livestock owner desires is then placed into receptive females via artificial insemination (AI) procedures. For gender selection by embryo biopsy, embryos must be flushed from the female’s uterus and brought into a laboratory where they are biopsied and incubated. The biopsied samples are then typically sent out to a specialized reference laboratory where their chromosomes are evaluated after a highly intricate molecular biology process to reveal the gender of each embryo. Embryos of desired gender must then be transported back to the producer and are placed into receptive females via embryo transfer (ET) procedures. Because of the high costs and low rewards of these processes, and considering the challenges of AI and ET themselves in alpacas, it is inconceivable that the alpaca industry could readily benefit from technologies available to other livestock producers for gender selection.
Alpaca Reproductive Tract
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Unfortunately until now, there has not been even the suggestion of a process or technology for gender selection in alpacas that could ultimately lead to faster profitability for many breeders. About 6 years ago, the authors began a large-scale research study to determine if it could be possible to use simple management practices to pre-determine gender in alpacas. The study sought to investigate the role of hand-breeding alpacas at certain times of the day to control gender ratios; a study based solely on science and the reproductive-specific physiology of alpacas. There are certain distinct reproductive particulars of alpacas that can be capitalized on and with good management practices, can be manipulated to result in cria of desired genders. Namely, alpacas are uterine sperm depositors, induced ovulators, and are largely hand-bred. This makes for an optimal efficient reproductive process and environment that is absent in many other livestock species. Induced ovulation means that the act of breeding itself will release an egg if it is timed correctly. In other
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animals that spontaneously ovulate, the act of breeding does not guarantee that an egg will be in the reproductive tract at that time. In alpacas, the faster an exposed female cushes in the presence of a male, the higher the likelihodd that she has a mature egg capable of being fertilized. For purposes of gender pre-selection, the authors prefer that a female cushes within 15 seconds of male exposure. Alpaca males deposit sperm directly into a female’s uterus, and thus very close to the site of fertilization. This serves to actually reduce the time from breeding to conception, thus increasing reproductive efficiency. It is suggested that the conditions inside the oviduct at the time of breeding are about the same as the time of conception I this situation. This differs from many other species like cattle, horses, humans that deposit sperm into the vagina, thus requiring a lengthy passage through the cervix, up through the uterine body and then up the oviduct to hopefully meet an egg. In these cases, the conditions within the female tract would have changed drastically from the time of breeding to the time of conception, which could be 24 or more hours later.
Finally, alpacas are widely hand-bred by owners, in contrast to the majority of livestock producers who pasture breed their herds. The ability to hand-breed further increases the reproductive efficiency, by managing the exact time of breeding, thus conception. To get an understanding of how all this can work to make a particular gender, we should understand what goes on inside the female reproductive tract. Based on scientifically published results by Kim Gleason studying fluid from oviducts (fallopian tubes) of cows, it is known that the female reproductive tract is a very fluidly changing environment. In her work, it was demonstrated that the actual macro-molecular and protein content within normal oviductal secretions are continuously changing throughout a normal reproductive cycle. These changes become very active and distinct around ovulation, and the composition of this milieu which unites sperm and eggs for conception changes literally by the hour. Therefore, the environment within the female tract before conception, during conception, and after conception is remarkably different. Different to such an extent, that these hourly changes can alter
the way in which sperm travels through the reproductive tract and also how sperm interacts with eggs at the site of fertilization. The authors hypothesized that perhaps these dynamic changes could even go so far as to favor or deter either X or Y sperm as they travel up the female tract to meet an ovulated mature egg. Their study spanning 6 years and including 92 females from 2 production herds and 2 different locations has in fact demonstrated that breeding at certain times of the day can result in changes in gender ratios. During the breeding season of May through November, they found that hand-breeding before 9:00am resulted in a higher percentage of female cria; nearly 100%. In contrast, breedings performed between 9:00am-4:30pm generally reverted back to approximately a natural 50:50 male:female ratio. Contrarily, breedings that occurred after 4:30pm produced male cria nearly 100% of the time. It should be noted that there was a noticeable influence of temperature, whereby the percentage of females dropped slightly on hot summer mornings and afternoons, favoring males during these times.
Joe & Carole Rost Renfrew, PA 724-316-6853 asgard@embarqmail.com www.asgardacresalpacas.com
Champio n H
f Color o s e r erdsi
aking Champions M s c i Proven Genet Michael & Alma Gelorme Washington, PA 412-849-1662 heavenshill@hughes.net www.heavenshillalpacas.com
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Results of the study demonstrate that breeding early in the morning or late in the evening can alter gender ratios in alpacas, presumably influenced by a changing oviductal environment. Hand-breeding during mid-day resulted in gender ratios typical of normal population genetics, with an approximate equal percentage of males and females. Managerial manipulation of gender can have significant impact on most farm business models. Unlike the advanced reproductive technologies of other commercial livestock operations, simple management control of gender is accessible to any breeder. Preconceptual gender selection can also revolutionize the industry’s overall economic growth and increased textile development through larger production herds. The authors currently have ongoing research in this area to further study the effects of ambient temperature, alpaca body temperature, hours of daylight, and breeding during winter months.
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Figure 1: Huacahuasi along the Inca Trail as viewed from one of the hikes to see a mountain herd.
Nunoa Project Camelid Veterinary Work in Peru
July 2017
By Steve Purdy DVM In July, Steve Purdy DVM of the Nunoa Project, traveled with a nine member group of pre-veterinary and veterinary students and a Peruvian veterinarian to remote areas of Peru. Their mission was to evaluate herds of local llama and alpaca farmers and identify changes that would improve their production. The people of the Altiplano rely on camelids of all kinds in order to survive and even small improvements in the health and fertility 26 | Showtacular 2017
of their herds have the potential to be a huge benefit to these rural families.
Llamas of Huacahuasi
The trip began with visits to work with 10 llama farmers in Huacahuasi, which is about 3 hours’ drive into the mountains from Urubamba, near Cusco. The scenery there is beautiful and the community is along the Inca
Trail to Macchu Picchu so on occasion the team saw groups of tourists with pack horses and mules carrying their gear. In this instance, the team was working with the Llama Pack Project from Urubamba to make initial veterinary contacts with farmers located along the Inca Trail. The overall goal of the project is to assist the farm families there to increase their income by using their llamas for packing with a secondary goal of generating income by providing meals to travelers and/or selling their beautiful hand woven crafts. Packing was the traditional use for llamas in the Andes but they have been replaced over time by packing companies using equines. Equines have been very destructive to the trails used by the local people for travel and have also contaminated the land and water with feces and urine as they work. The environmental impact of llamas is much less due to their more discrete defecation and urination habits. The llama herd evaluations included looking at animal stature and body condition in regard to suitability for packing and overall nutritional status. In addition ultrasound pregnancy exams were performed on llamas and alpacas to assess the efficacy of the breeding management plans of individual farmers –overall fertility results were good.
Figure 2: Llama herd in a corral high in the mountains before starting evaluations.
Going forward the Nunoa Project will be working with the Llama Pack Project to get more families to join, with 5 new families added during the July 2017 visit. The farmers overall were very interested in getting their llamas into productive work. Some farmers were a bit shy about working with the team but this is common in the Andes and these were all new herds. They expect to return to this and other communities on future trips.
Alpacas of Pucara, Lampa & Picotani
The Nunoa Project has been working for three years with farmers in the Pucara/Lampa area and this year
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breeding management program. He should teach this program to other farmers in the area. 3. Two farmers are interested in having Nunoa Project help them to select new breeding males in December 2017 during the next work trip. 4. It appears that enterotoxemia was not a major concern in the area this past birthing season. 5. Further training on reproduction record keeping to identify fertility of females and males would be useful for farmers who wish to employ it. 6. Cria mortality rates were normal for the altiplano, usually at approximately 10%. Figure 3: student volunteers Laura Pepin, Brittany Lister, and Vanessa Silvia evaluate a breeding male with Dr. Purdy.
added a new location to study, Picotani, which is located further north and east. In Picotani, they partnered with the US nonprofit, Quechua Benefit, which has many humanitarian projects in Peru. The eight Pucara and Lampa herds which were evaluated varied in animal quality and nutritional and reproductive status as in past years. Most were very good but some could use better nutrition. This is difficult at this time of year because it is cold and dry with poor pasture until rainy season starts in November. At one location in Pucara Mario Idme and his wife Bonita Gomez had the highest pregnancy rate Dr. Purdy had ever seen in Peru (or the US for that matter) in their small herd at 96%. The farmers continue to improve their herds and they are increasingly aware of changes they can make to improve production. Nunoa Project plans to travel with several farmers in December to assist them to select and purchase top quality males to improve their herds at their request. Three farmers are particularly interested in improvements and seem to be natural leaders to help others in the area. It is their goal also to work with these people to take over their own improvements after training them.
Pucara and Lampa Summary:
1. Body condition scores of animals were low in some locations and it was suggested that animals get more access to pasture and water. 2. Pregnancy rates were what was normally seen for most farmers in the altiplano at 70 to 80%. One farmer achieved a 96% rate with an uncomplicated
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7. Training on breeding behavior of breeding males and females might be of use to some farmers. 8. Most farmers are very enthusiastic about continuing to work to improve their herds. The alpaca work in Picotani was Nunoa Project’s first visit to the area, made at the request of Quechua Benefit. Over three days they visited three different parts of the community: Toma, Cambria, and Picotani proper. The team worked with 7 alpaca herds total in the area. The people in this area have had no veterinary assistance for at least 8 years. The most common problems included lack of sufficient water and pasture resulting in poor body condition and low pregnancy rate in one herd. The last herd visited was doing very well, with top quality fiber animals in good condition. The herd of vicuna, which Picotani has stewardship over numbers at approximately 10,000 animals. You can see their small groups as you drive along the road to visit the farmers’ herds.
Figure 4: Alpaca herd at 14,000 ft. in the community of Alto Pucarayllu, Pucara.
Figure 5: One of the Picotani alpaca herds which was evaluated.
The people in Picotani are very anxious to have help with alpaca herd improvement and there is quite a lot which can be done for them. The team could have worked with other farmers had the time schedule not been limited but they certainly are interested in going back there in the future. As in other areas of the altiplano the basis for Nunoa Project’s work is animal evaluation, problem solving, and education. They also learn from the Peruvian farmers on every visit.
Picotani Summary:
1. Low body condition scores were common in multiple herds. This is indicative of a nutritional (pasture and/ or water) or genetic problem. 2. The area has a water problem which needs to be addressed. Options to consider would be drilling wells and/or using some type of water reservoirs to collect rain water. 3. Farmers want their herds evaluated, several were turned down due to time and distance. 4. Training is needed in these areas: (1) body condition score evaluation, (2) breeding management, including evaluation of breeding males; and (3)adult and cria
health and alpaca diseases- all farmers could receive a Nunoa Project disease picture book for reference. 5. Enterotoxemia vaccination could reduce or eliminate cria mortality on farms where there is a problem. The farmers need a training program for this and consistent guidance from outside experts to get it started and keep it going correctly. Quechua Benefit is interested in getting this program started. 6. Nunoa Project personnel are experienced working in the altiplano and can continue to evaluate herds, identify problems of individual breeders, and work to solve those problems 7. Nunoa Project can also provide the needed training with seminars, hands on demonstrations, and written materials. The training and animal evaluations should eventually be turned over to local community technicians. In the review of the work from July, Nunoa Project is very enthusiastic about the positive changes they have made, the new farmers they have met and what they can do in the future. Dr. Purdy is always saddened when the Nunoa Project volunteers go their separate ways but also feels that he has made another set of lifelong friends who Showtacular 2017 | 29
have experienced the challenges and rewards of working in the Peruvian altiplano. He expresses many thanks to the veterinary and pre-veterinary students who participated on this trip and to his Peruvian veterinary colleague, Gerardo Diaz, whose input is critical to the success of the Nunoa Project’s work. It is a pleasure to be able to work with the volunteers and the Peruvian people. During the fall academic semester in western Massachusetts Nunoa Project’s North American Camelid Studies Program, Dr. Purdy works with the returning and new undergraduate students in the Alpaca and Donkey Reproduction and Camelid Management courses. Approximately half of the Peruvian work volunteers have taken courses as undergraduates or veterinary students. He recommends 5- students for veterinary school admission each year.The future is bright for large animal veterinary medicine and international agriculture based on these excellent young people. Please help support the work of the Nunoa Project through their website at www.nunoaproject.org. Private donations fund all of the work each year. Should you have any questions regarding the Peruvian and US work of Nunoa Project please call Steve Purdy, DVM at (413)658-7718 or contact him by email at: srpurdy@nunoaproject.org.
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Figure 6: A small portion of the 10,000 vicuna being managed by the communities in Picotani.
River Hill Ranch’s Sizzling Hot Strip Steaks By Alvina Maynard
Ingredients: Olive Oil Alpaca Strip Loin, Tenderloin or Chops Garlic Swiss Chard Italian Bread Himalayan Salt Block (for grilling) The fool proof way to grill absolutely amazing alpaca chops, strip loin, or tenderloin: Start charcoal or turn your gas grill on low. Place the salt block on the grill. For a gas grill, slowly increase the heat to high over 30 minutes. Cut the fat off the strip loin. Cut the strip loin into manageable pieces (so they fit on the salt block). Brush olive oil on the 32 | Showtacular 2017
meat (using an oil with a higher flash point will stop flare from the grill, but we just deal with our salt block being black). Once the grill reaches approximately 450 degrees (when a water drop instantly evaporates when dropped on the salt block), place the meat on the block. Turn after 2 minutes. Remove after 2 minutes (4 minutes total grilling time). Let rest for 5 minutes. While the meat is resting, place 3-5 cloves of minced garlic on the salt block. Cook until starting to brown. Place 1 lb washed Swiss Chard onto the salt block with the garlic. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Turn the chard with tongs to allow it all to wilt. Remove once it’s thoroughly wilted. Serve chops or sliced strip loin over chard with Italian bread (or other fluffy bread of choice). Pour dressing from the chard platter into a dipping bowl for the bread. Enjoy!
Friday, October 20, 2017
The Showtacular Annual What’s In It For You: Friends; Open Bar; Increasingly Friendly Friends; Delicious Free Dinner; The Rising Star Herdsires
We cajoled the owners of these exciting young males for breedings to offer you, because when it comes to genetic advancement, you need to go first to be first!
CCNF Leviathan Donated By: Stillmeadow Farm Color: Brown This 8x champion never placed lower than first when he walked into a halter ring. Pretty sure you want one of Leviathan’s crias on your own show lead when the next generation hits the ring!
Cinco C’s Chicago Donated by: Cinco C’s Alpacas Color: Grey Carol has been fending off offers to purchase this compelling male since he was born. Not only are his fleece and phenotype outstanding, but his West Coast genetics provide an important diversification opportunity. Ready for 2018!
Snowmass Blue Diamond XX Donated by: The Virginia Alpaca Group Color: Black This gorgeous 9x champion black male by Snowmass Black Out and out of Jeremiah’s Peruvian Black Silk has quickly made a name for himself as a sire with his first crias. Closed to outside breedings.
Snowmass Royal Caribbean Donated by: Little Creek Farm Color: White What do you get when you combine the seminal Snowmass Elite Legend bloodline with a Caligula-line dam? You get a herdsire carrying an ultra royal fleece with a five pound skirted blanket weight. Perfect!
WP Elite Maximillion Donated by: West Penn Alpacas
Color: Light
His sire The Elite Maximus was one of the most important sires of his generation, but never available for outside breedings. And the multiple champion WP Elite Maximillion also brings the powerhouse genetics of his champion fawn dam to your program.
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Auction of Awesome
and Amazing Stuff Auctioned to Benefit Incredible Affiliates. Not to mention Brett Kaysen! And There’s More: Exciting One-of-a –Kind Opportunities to Do Well by Buying Good!
The Crocco Basket De L’Annee So awesome, we have to describe it in French: Ici nous avons un autre panier de raffinement, elegance, et, bien sur, produits delicieux de la ferme L’Etoile Cuivre! Donated by Copper Star Farm. Cute Kids Custody Battle! Gentle, trainable dwarf Nigerian dairy goats are popular as pets, but a high butterfat content makes their milk excellent for cheese and soap-making too. In other words, we all need a few of these, but only one lucky bidder with take this pair of kids home! Donated by Morning Beckons Farm. Wine and Cheese With A Movie Theme Tell Susanne and Lynn your favorite movie, and they will provide a fabulous movie-themed cocktail party at your farm display at a mutually agreed-upon alpaca show. The only thing they won’t do is Dallas. Donated by Susanne Bienenstock and Lynn Edens Whoa! A Snowblower! Ladies, we always have something awesome in here for the guys, so you can buy that shawl. And what man-about-farm won’t love this brand-new Toro Power Max 826 OE snowblower, just in time to man-vanquish whatever winter brings. Donated by MB Tractor & Equipment, Locations in NH, ME & MA. Herd Consultation By Randy Strong No jokes here: This is an amazing opportunity to put the insights and market knowledge of one of our industry’s top professionals to work for your program. Randy will come to your farm and assess your animals, breeding plans and business in a valuable daylong consultation. You pay travel expenses from/to western PA. Donated by Randy Strong. Front of the Queue Processing At Autumn Mist Fiber Mill You want it when? Now? Of course you do, and now you can have it. Move 25 lbs of your fiber to the front of the queue for processing at Autumn Mist Fiber Mill, and receive free dyeing! Leslie works over-overtime: Priceless. Donated by Autumn Mist Alpacas and Fiber Mill. Evening Beckons Basket Oh, boy…. Donated by Morning Beckons Farm.
Dinner and Hockey Game in Montreal Head north to Montreal with two center ice Club seats to see the Montreal Canadiens vs the New York Rangers on Saturday October 28th at 7pm. Top the evening off with a pre or post game dinner at Bier Marketlocated near the Bell Center. They have over 150 beers from over 30 countries. Winter is coming, and it’s really long-go have some fun! Donated by Cas-Cad-Nac Farm. Holiday Party-In-A-Box Vintage, one of a kind hand-embroidered holiday table linens, candles, crystal glasses, liquors and recipes for holiday drinks, lots of party accoutrements and, best of all, alpaca ornaments to trim your tree -- all in an antique red-lacquered trunk. Donated by Little Creek Farm. NEAFP Takes Care of You Not only do you get one of their incredibly popular new convertible shawls with a coordinated selection of accessories, but Shelley and Chris Riley have included a valuable coupon for a 10% discount on your next wholesale purchase from New England Alpaca Fiber Pool. Stock your farm store for Christmas! Donated by NEAFP. Celebrity Dinner With Bud Matt Damon really wanted this opportunity, but we could not pass up on AOA man-in-charge Bud Synhorst’s offer to host an all-expenses-paid dinner for up to eight people during an upcoming, mutually agreed-upon alpaca show. Talk shop or talk %&$*. Donated by Bud Synhorst and Little Creek Farm. Light Livestock Better Fecal Starter Kit This kit has everything you need to start doing your own fecal analyses, saving you money and improving your alpacas’ health. Plus you get to say the words “fecal analysis” whenever you want, which really comes in handy. Donated by Light Livestock Equipment. Stained Glass Art Back by popular demand and the incredible generosity of the artist, this year’s unique stained glass item will brighten your favorite room with warm color. Donated by Kim Bisceglia Showtacular 2017 | 35
SPONSORS The Empire Alpaca Association and NEAOBA would like to thank the following farms, vendors, exhibitors and show committee members for their dedication in making this show a success.
Double Diamond Coffee Sponsor Morning Beckons Farm
Double Diamond Sponsors
Buck Brook Alpacas • Cas-Cad-Nac Farm, LLC • Copper Star Alpaca Farm • Elf-Paca Meadows Little Creek Farm • Stillmeadow Farm
Diamond Sponsors Alpaca Road, LLC
Platinum Sponsors
Alpaca Palace • Cabin View Alpacas • Cinco C’s Alpacas • Heaven’s Hill Alpacas Highland Airs Alpaca Ranch, LLC • Majestic Meadows Alpacas • West Penn Alpacas
Gold Sponsors
Gray Alpaca Company • La Paix Alpacas, LLC • Quarry Ridge Alpacas • Sugartown Farms • The Wood Farm • Woodland Meadow Farm
Silver Sponsors
Arrow Acres Farm, LLC • Shalimar Alpacas of Warwick
Halter Class Sponsors
Sallie’s Fen Alpacas • Small Paws Farm
Showtacular Staff
Show/Volunteer Coordinators................................................................. Ken Clark & Joe Crocco Barn Managers...................................................................Lennie Foss, Joe Crocco & Ken Clark
Show Accounting.............................................................................................................. Jen Lutz Show Superintendent........................................................................................................ Sue Ives
Fleece Show Superintendent........................................................................................Cheri Seiler Walking Fleece Superintendent............................................................................. Judy Schroeder Showtacular Liaison..........................................................................................................Sue Foss
Youth Exhibition Liaison...................................................................................Cindy Cuykendall Auction............................................................................. Julie Butler, Lynn Edens & Susanne B.
Photo Contest.............................................................................................................. Ruth Fegela Product Booth..................................................................................................... Jennifer Tomkins
Silent Auction ......................................................................................Holly Jacobs & NEAOBA Showbook Editor..........................................................................................Susanne Bienenstock 36 | Showtacular 2016
Empire Alpaca Association Membership A~C
Alpacas In The Glen Todd & Holly Jacobs 701 Route 41 Smithville Flats, NY 13841 607-863-3180 hblod625@aol.com Autumn Mist Alpaca Farm & Fiber Mill LLC Jeff & Leslie Jorritsma 11579 Wessie Road Prattsburgh, NY 14873 607-868-5401 www.autumnmistalpacafarm.com autumnmistalpacafarm@gmail.com Black Pine Farms Tracie & Jason Siragusa 5320 Ellicott road Brocton, NY 14716 (716) 785-1415 (716) 785-7841 blackpinefarm5320@gmail.com Buck Brook Alpacas Justin & Kara McElroy 99 Bestenheider Road Roscoe, NY 12776 845-807-3104 www.buckbrookalpacas.com BuckBrookAlpacas@yahoo.com Cabin View Alpacas Christine & David Houseworth 9435 Congress Street Ext Trumansburg, NY 14886 607-279-3567 www.cabinviewalpacas.com info@cabinviewalpacas.com Claddagh Farm Alpacas Sarah & Carl Lamanna 6905 Stebbins Road LaFayette, NY 13084 315-243-3782 www.claddaghfarmalpacas.com claddaghfarms@gmail.com Cleo’s Alpacas, LLC Betty Lou Herter and/or Cleo Ellen Kuhl 211 Cedarcrest Drive Mooresville, NC 28115 704 663-9785 www.keuka-lake-pitos.com/alpacas bherter66@aol.com 38 | Showtacular 2017
Copper Star Alpacas LLC Barbara & Joe Crocco 132 Carson Road Millerton, NY 12546 914-924-9197 www.copperstaralpacafarm.com barbara@copperstaralpacafarm.com
Four Season Alpacas & Rug Weaving Brett Wicker 4418 Six Corners Rd Dundee, NY 14837 607-243-7076 floydwicker@frontiernet.net www.fourseasonalpacas.webs.com
Countyline Alpacas Dana and Tim Pence 12946 West Main Street Randolph, NY 14772 716-720-8323
Gentle Breeze Alpacas Kevin & Martha Cady 1079 County Hwy 19 Burlington Flats, NY 13315 607-965-8729
Dresserville Alpacas (Assoc.) John & Kathi Sovocool 5196 Dresserville Road Moravia, NY 13118 315-406-1774 sovocool@verizon.net
Gray Alpaca Company Nancy & Don Lake Jeff & Beth Hull 595 Dyer Road Mercersberg, PA 17236 240-469-8835 240-329-1767 www.grayalpacacompany.com nlake@grayalpacacompany.com
D~H
Dun Roving Farm Darlene Lander 454 Dodge Road Frewsburg, NY 14738 716-569-2198 www.dunrovingfarm.com darlene@dunrovingfarm.com Enchanted Forest Alpacas David & Martha McCutchen 7477 Selden Road Leroy, NY 14482 585-786-7219 mamccutchen@earthlink.net Fabi, Karen Faraway Farms Leda Blumberg & Steve Cole 1315 Baptist Church Road Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 914)-962-2110 914-262-1336 www.FarawayFarmAlpacas.com ledabc@optonline.net Finger Lakes Alpacas Polly & Ken Michaelis 8418 Cooper Road Weedsport, NY 13166 315-258-8770 www.FingerLakesAlpacas.com info@fingerlakesalpacas.com
Green River Hollow Farm Suzanne & Bob Werner 446 Overlook Drive Hillsdale, NY 12529 518-325-6002 www.openherd.com/farms/7633/greenriver-hollow-farm Heavenly Sunset Carolyn Clark 134-1166 County Route 99 Woodhull, NY 14898 607-458-5499 or 607-377-4340 c2@zoominternet.net Hemlock Hills Alpaca Farm Bob & Mary Ann Thompson 4151 Clay Street Livonia, NY 14487 585-339-8642 Hickory Meadows Alpaca Farm LLC Bob & Kelly Foster 382 Ridge Rd Newton, NJ 07860 973-300-0388 www.hickorymeadow.openherd.com Dksfoster123@earthlink.com
Hidden Alpacas Carol Huff 90 E Varog Road Horseheads, NY 14845 Highgate Alpacas Jane McKee 1515 North Shore Rd Algonquin Highlands, ON K0M 1J1 Canada 705-489-2519 www.openherd.com/farms/7636/highgate-alpacas Hillcrest Farm Judy & John Hargreaves 9987 Roberts Rd Sauquoit, NY 13456 315-737-0244 920-277-4157 www.openherd.com/farms/3702/hillcrest-farm Home Again Farm Alpacas Gail Marsh 37098 Schell Road Theresa, NY 13691 315-628-5302 www.homeagainfarmalpacas.com marshny@aol.com Hy-Haven Farm Debby Carlson-Filer & Mike Filer 516 Johnson Hollow Road Cuba, NY 14727 716-378-0457 www.hy-havenfarm.com grandmagoats1@hotmail.com
J~O
Jay Mountain Alpacas Calvin & Pat Coolidge 284 Glen Road Jay, NY 12941 518-946-7617 www.jaymtnalpacas.com silentcal@frontiernet.net Kellogg’s Farm (Assoc.) Phil & Robin Kellogg 3071 Pixley Hill Rd Scio, NY 14880 585-593-4982 www.kelloggsalpacas.com
Kendall Creek Alpacas Chris & Lori Works 41 Looker Mountain Trail Bradford, PA 16701 814-362-4561 814-558-0346 www.kcfalpacas.com lori@kcfalpacas.com Lanart (Assoc.) Victor Hernandez Angelo Ponce 202 S Old Statesville Rd Huntersville, NC 28078 877 ALPACAS (704) 622-4604 www.lanart.net angeloponce@lanart.net Limestone Creek Alpacas Leslie Oliver 3537 Pompey Hollow Road Cazenovia, NY 13035 315-655-4898 www.limestonecreekalpacas.com lcalpacas@windstream.net Little Creek Farm Alpacas Lynn Edens 321 Hardscrabble Rd North Salem, NY 10560 917-952-5184 www.lcfalpacas.com ledens@nyc.rr.com Log Cabin Alpacas Karen Clark & Helen Harris 178 Hurd Road Harpursville, NY 13787 607-693-2299 www.logcabinalpacas.com logcabinalpacas@tds.net Lone Spruce Alpacas Jeanne Angell 683 County Road 13 South Otselic, NY 13155 315-653-7582 www.lonesprucealpacas.com jeanne@lonesprucealpacas.com
Marble River Alpacas Sue & Bob Holbrook 127 County Route 39/PO Box 44 Chateaugay, NY 12920 518-497-6009 www.marbleriveralpacas.com hobysue2@gmail.com Massasauga Meadows Warren & Kathy Engell 7002 Island Rd Cicero, NY 13039 315-558-4529 warengell8@gmail.com Morning Beckons Farm Julie & Vern Butler 343A Sand Dam Road Thompson, CT 06277 (860) 821-0627 (508) 238-5233 www.morningbeckonsfarm.com julie@morningbeckonsfarm.com NEAFP Shelley & Chris Riley 645 Sanford Road Westport, MA 02790 (508) 672-6032 (508) 642-9314 www.neafp.com chris@neafp.com Never Ending Alpaca Farm Jerry & Kathy Scutt 1285 Lillibridge Road Portville, NY 14770 716-933-8561 www.openherd.com/farms/478 jkscutt@roadrunner.com Nyala Farm Alpacas Andy & Ann Merriwether 104 Rockwell Road Vestal, NY 13850 607-785-8226 www.alpacanation.com/nyalafarm.asp andym@binghamton.edu amerriwe@binghamton.edu
Maple View Alpacas Deborah Bratton 185 Adams Road Brandon, Vermont 05733 802-247-5412 www.mapleviewfarmalpacas.com info@mapleviewfarmalpacas.com Showtacular 2017 | 39
Empire Alpaca Association Membership P~S
Patchwork Meadow Alpacas Susan & Ike Caston 151 S Buel Road Canajoharie, NY 13317 518-673-5130 www.patchworkmeadowalpacas.com sue@patchworkmeadowalpacas.com Pohopoco Creek Alpacas, LLC Mary Baxter 216 Merwinsburg Road Effort , PA 18330 570-242-3587 www.PohopocoCreekAlpacas.com PCAlpacas@gmail.com Quarry Ridge Alpacas Faith & Herb Perkins 453 Quarry Rd. Salem, NY 12865 (518) 854-7008 (518) 859-7659 www.quarryridgealpacas.com faith@QRalpacas.com Rosehaven Alpacas Michele Armour & Rob Bruce 540 County Road #164 Callicoon, NY 12723 914-953-2506 www.rosehavenalpacas.com michelearmour@yahoo.com robbruce2@yahoo.com Ruebarb Alpacas Larue S. & Barbara E. Austin 10089 Co. Rd. #23 Houghton, NY 14744 585-567-8255 www.ruebarbalpacas.com larue_barb@ruebarbalpacas.com Russell’s Alpaca Acres Jay & Jean Russell 4047 Newtown Road Burdett, NY 14818 518-817-1805 www.russellsalpacaacres.com jrussell7522@yahoo.com
Seven Acres Alpaca Farm Bill Bundy 9457 Dinglehole Road Phoenix, NY 13135 sevenacresalpaca@aol.com 315-678-5038 Shalimar Alpacas Patricia & Olivier Gillotin 164 East Ridge Road Warwick, NY 10990 info@shalimaralpacas.com 845-258-0851 Simply Natural Alpacas Small Paws Farm Dawn & James Evans 4963 Route 82 Salt Point, NY 12578 845-741-9885 845-741-9885 smallpawsfarm1@gmail.com Smiling Moon Alpacas Thomas Burch & Christina Gaeta 7734 North Branch Rd Friendship, NY 14739 (585) 973-2290 (585) 307-8625 www.smilingmoonalpacas.com info@smilingmoonalpacas.com Song Meadows Alpacas Cindy & Karl Cuykendall 5197 DeWitt Road Skaneateles, NY 13152 315-685-7410 www.songmeadows.com cuykendallfarms@aol.com Stagecoach Trail Alpacas LLC Ken Nolte & Alyssa Hallstead 255 Promenade St #345 Providence, RI 02908 Stillmeadow Farm Pam Brewster 116 Al Harvey Road Stonington, CT 06730 stillmeadowfarm1@gmail.com 860-821-9492 Stoney Elm Alpaca Farm (Assoc.) Roger Keymel 4836 Walworth-Ontario Rd Walworth, NY 14568
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T~Z
Tartan Acres LLC Brenda & Ken Clark 707 Houghton Hill Road Homer, NY 13077 315-729-9358 www.tartanacres.com tartanacres_2001@verizon.net The Wood Farm Kevin & Libby Stover 14 Wood Road Franklin, PA 16323 814-758-1063 www.thewoodfarmalpacas.com info@thewoodfarmalpacas.com Thistle Creek Alpaca Farm Jeanne MacLeod-Lang; Brad Lang 1091 Ostrander Road East Aurora, NY 14052 716-725-8199 www.thistlecreekalpacas.com thistlecreekalpaca@gmail.com Twilight Alpacas LLC Irene & Jeff Kulis 2670 State Route 34 Venice Center , NY 13147 315-730-5925 www.jeffandirenekulis@yahoo.com twilightalpacas@yahoo.com Virginia Breeze Alpacas Pat Rice & Pat Hamilton 13300 Hensley Rd Chesterfield, VA 23112 804-641-4811 – Rice 804-641-3698 – Hamilton www.virginiabreezealpacas.com pegs@cstone.net Woodland Meadows Farm Chuck & Elaine Gerber 40 Bullard Lane Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-368-1106 woodlandmeadowfarm@gmail.com
NEAOBA Membership A~D
Abby Normal Farm Debbie McQuilkin 757 Oenoke Ridge New Canaan, CT New Canaan Abbynormalfarm@gmail.com Qskidz@optonline.net Alpaca East, LLC John & Carol Chickering 2 Schoolhouse Lane PO Box 257 Etna, NH 03750 chick@valley.net
Angel Hair Alpacas Maureen Agley Jay Cohen 66 Wesson St N Grafton, MA 01536 Imjcmoe@charter.net www.angelhairalpacas.webs.com Barron Hill Alpacas Lesley Bracker 3223 County Road Windsor, VT 05089 lesleybracker@gmail.com www.barronhillalpacas.com
Brontti Farms Kevin Brown 123 Witchtrot Road South Berwick, ME 03908 kbusa2uk@aol.com Carrageen Suri Alpacas Carol & John Furman 82 West Gray Road Gray, ME 04039 carrageens@twc.com www.carrageensurialpacas.com Cas-Cad-Nac Farm, LLC Ian & Jennifer Lutz 490 Wheeler Camp Rd Perkinsville, VT 05151 info@ccnfalpacas.com jenclutz@gmail.com www.CCNFalpacas.com
Alpacas of Mamalu Farm Sherry & Mark Pasquariello 391 Grange RD North Smithfield, RI 02896 mspasq96@gmail.com
Big Red Acres Jennifer & Tom Boshar 159 Holt Road Andover, MA 01810 bigredacres@verizon.net www.bigredacres.com
Alpacas of NH @ Stonewall Fields Ronald & Brenda Berg 142 Matthews Rd. Fitzwilliam, NH 03447 stonewallfields@hotmail.com www.stonewallfieldsalpacafarm.com
Blue Opal Alpaca LLC Ruth & John Fegela 24 Mohawk Trail Way Strafford, NH 03884 maliburuthi@metrocast.net maliburuthi@hotmail.com
Alpacas of NH at Sleeping Monk Farm Susanne & Bob Evon 116 Ashby RD PO BOX 261 New Ipswich, NH 03071 sue@sleepingmonkfarm.com bob@sleepingmonkfarm.com www.sleepingmonkfarm.com
Blueberry Farm Alpacas,LLC Abigail Fitzgerald 170 Melvin Heights Road Camden, ME 04843 bbf@roadrunner.com
Chakana Sky Alpacas William & Janet Bernhart 36A Turkey Hill Rd Chester, CT 06412-1132 wbernhart@comcast.net www.chakanaskyalpacas.com
Borgstein Alpaca Farm Karen Borgstein 86 Plain Street Medfield, MA 02052 borgsteinalpacas@comcast.net www.borgsteinalpacafarm.com
Champlain Valley Alpacas Les & Jenny Foshay 152 Merino Lane Bridport, VT 05734` alpaca@wcvt.com www.champlainvalleyalpacas.org
Bramblecroft Farm Michael & Stephanie Quick 1354 Lancaster Ave Lunenburg, MA 01462 mike@bramblecroftfarm.com www.bramblecroftfarm.com
Cinco C’s Alpcas Carol & Chris Howard 198 Sartwell Creek Road Port Allegany, PA 16743 carol@cincocsalpacas.com www.cincocsalpacas.com
Alpacatrax, LLC. Elyse & Joshua Arnow 12 Fancher Rd. Pound Ridge, NY 10576 arnow@optonline.net www.alpacatrax.com Andean Dawn Alpacas Lisa Prozzo 313 Ball Hill Road Princeton, MA 01541 prozzo@icloud.com www.andeandawnalpacas.com
Celtic Hill Farm John Beck 54 Gager Hill Rd P.O. Box 291 Scotland, CT 06264 firepig451@gmail.com
Clear Mountain Alpacas, LLC Cindy & Ed Garrow 45 Pioneer Heights Somers, CT 06071 cindy@clearmountainalpacas.com www.ClearMountainAlpacas.com
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NEAOBA Membership Contoocook Alpaca, LLC Karen & Tom Berry 897 Gould Hill Rd. Hopkinton, NH 03229 contoocookalpaca@gmail.com www.Contoocookalpaca.com Coopershearing Malcolm Cooper 37 Tarbell Rd Peterborough, NH 03458 Coopershearing@gmail.com Copper Star Alpaca Farm Barbara & Joe Crocco 132 Carson Road Millerton, NY 12546 barbara@copperstaralpacafarm.com www.CopperStarAlpacaFarm.com Countryside Alpacas Pam & Jon Stenman 172 Rugg Brook Rd. Winsted, CT 06098 info@countrysidealpacas.com www.countrysidealpacas.com Coventry Falls Alpacas Mary & Jim Cobb 380 Heermanville rd Irasburg, VT 05845 tigger00123@hotmail.com Curly Q Farm Scott Johnson PO Box 549 Warner, NH 03278 curlyqfarm@gmail.com Dream a Little Dream Alpaca Farm Tammy Armstrong 156 Armstrong Lane Cavendish, VT 05142 tammyjarm@gmail.com
E~I
El-Dorf Alpacas Doris Foss 244 Willowick Way Venice, FL 34293 suefoss@metrocast.ne
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Elf-Paca Meadows, LLC Sue & Lennie Foss 296 Walnut Street Rochester, NH 03867 lennie@elfpacameadows.com sue@elfslandscaping.com www.elfpacameadows.com Faraway Farm Alpacas Leda Blumberg Steve Cole 1315 Baptist Church Road Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 ledabc@optonline.net www.FarawayFarmAlpacas.com Foggy Bottom Ranch Alpacas, LLC. Tracey Upton Kathy Parsons 814 Merrill Mountain Road Landaff, NH 03585 info@foggybottomranch.com traceyupton@hotmail.com www.foggybottomranch.com Fraggle Rock Farm Damon & Megan Burt 38 Garland Road Strafford, NH 03884 Fragglerockfarm@gmail.com Damon.burt@unh.edu www.fragglerockfarm.net Golden Touch Farm Shelley & Chris Riley 645 Sanford Road Westport, MA 02790 shelley@neafp.com www.goldentouchnaturals.us Green River Hollow Fram Suzanne & Robert Werner 446 Overlook Drive Hillsdale, NY 12529 skhwerner@gmail.com robertwilliamwerner@gmail.com Happy Snowman Alpaca Farm Janice & David Ciszkowski 51 Slater Street Attleboro, MA 02703 Janski1963@yahoo.com
Hidden Hollow Alpacas Tom Avila Kim Belenger PO BOX 202 North Dighton, MA 02764 tomav@comcast.net Hill Crest Alpacas Shirley & Roger Lanouette 338 Old Fall River Rd N. Dartmouth, MA 02747 r_lanouette@comcast.net www.hillcrest-alpacas.com Hope Alpaca Farm Hope & Bill Ryan 134 Maple Ave Little Compton, RI 02837 Hopealpacafarm@gmail.com Horsemunn Farm LLC Judy Van de Geer 23 Munn Road Monson, MA 01057 judyvandegeer@gmail.com www.metamorphosisplace.org Howling Hill Farm Kitt Hollister 323 Apple Hill Road Nelson, NH 03457 kitt@howlinghillfarm.com www.HowlingHillFarm.com In the Meadow Farm Jacqueline & Gerard Chabot 40 Page Street Lunenburg, MA 01462 inthemeadow40@gmail.com jchabot212@comcast.net Indigo Moon Farm Kris Moody Ellen Willis 550 1st Crown Point Rd Strafford, NH 03884 Info@IndigoMoonFarm.net www.IndigoMoonFarm.net
J~N
Juniper Knoll Farm Thomas & Gail Garfield 307 Bean Hill Road Belmont, NH 03220 juniperknollfarm@gmail.com
Just A Dream Farm Kathleen & Philip LaRoche 138 Durrell Mtn. Rd. Belmont, NH 03220 klaroche@metrocast.net www.justadreamfarmnh.com
Marble River Alpacas Sue & Bill Holbrook 127 County Rt 39 PO Box 44 Chateaugay, NY 12920 hobysue2@gmail.com www.marbleriveralpacas.com
Kave Rock Farm David & Karen Medeiros 142 Reservoir Ave Rehoboth, MA 02769 kaverock@gmail.com kaverockalpaca.com
Misty Acres Alpaca Farm Connie & Red Laliberte 3071 West River Rd. Sidney, ME 04330 info@mistyacresalpaca.com cllaliberte@roadrunner.com www.mistyacresalpaca.com
Kings Highway Alpacas Ellen & Gary Barlow 108 Kings Hwy Middleton, NH 03887 voxcon@hotmail.com info@kingshighwayalpacas.com www.kingshighwayalpacas.com Lanart Angelo Ponce David Hernandez 202 S Old Statesville rd Huntersville, NC 28078 angeloponce@lanart.net orders@lanart.net www.lanart.net Lil Bit of Heaven Terry Larouche 504 Nashua Street Apt 401 Milford, NH 03055-4985 tlarou07@aol.com Lilymoore Farms LLC Diana Bellissimo 21 Moore Rd. Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 lilymoorefarm@gmail.com www.lilymoorefarm.com Mainely Cali Alpacas Roberta Kluthe 338 New Durham Road Middleton, NH 03887 rjkluthe@gmail.com Maple View Farm Alpacas Deborah & Marshall Bratton 185 Adams Rd Brandon, VT 05733 mvfalpacas@gmail.com www.mapleviewfarmalpacas.com
Mother Teresa’s Alpaca Farm Teresa Cotnoir Madison Philbrook 242 Reservoir Road Westhampton, MA 01027 tmcbooks@comcast.net madiphilly24@gmail.com Morning Beckons Farm, LLC Julie & Vern Butler 343A Sand Dam Road Thompson, CT 06277 julie@morningbeckonsfarm.com www.morningbeckonsfarm.com Music Vale Alpacas Carrie Neri 65 Music Vale Rd Salem, CT 06420 carrie.i.neri@pfizer.com Mystic Meadow Alpacas Michael & Marlene Olson 210 Olson Drive Brattleboro, VT 05301 contact@mysticmeadowalpacas.com www.mysticmeadowalpacas.com New Maine Farm Sarah & Warren Collins 100 Coach Road Guilford, VT 05301 Newmainefarm@gmail.com Nodrog Farms Gordon & Robin Long 125 Mallego Road Barrington, NH 03825 info@nodrogfarms.com nodrog@metrocast.net www.Nodrogfarms.com
Our Father’s Farm Kathy Paternoster 83 McVeigh Road New Hampton, NY 10958 ourfathersfarm@earthlink.net www.ourfathersfarm.net
P~S
Paca-Luve Alpaca Farm Miriel & Bill Dorsey 210 Town Farm Road Pascoag, RI 02859 townfarmgirl@cox.net townfarmbill@gmail.com Parris Hill Farm William & Linda Ley P.O. Box 313 637 Brownsville, VT 05037 leys@parrishillfarm.com www.parrishillfarm.com Peruvian Link Co. Karina & Michael Pomroy 589 Airline Rd Amherst, ME 04605 info@peruvianlink.com www.peruvianlink.com Pine Hill Alpaca Farm, LLC Howard & Becky Hopps 148 Pine Hill Rd Sterling, CT 06377 Info@PineHillAlpacaFarm.com www.PineHillAlpacaFarm.com Pine Meadow Alpacas Jeff & Heidi Paine 109 Marion Rd Mattapoisett, MA 02739 aparts@snet.net www.pinemeadowalpacas.com Plain View Farm Keith Tetreault Debra Intrieri 130 Gardner Rd Hubbardston Hubbardston, MA 01452 ktetreault@charter.net debrayi66@gmail.com www.plainviewfarmalpacas.com
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NEAOBA Membership Pohopoco Creek Alpacas, LLC Mary Baxter 216 Merwinsburg Rd. Effort, PA 18330 pcalpacas@gmail.com www.PohopocoCreekAlpacas.com
Rock and Root Ranch Donna Young 70 Coffey Hill Rd Ware, MA 01082 ruhorsingaround@comcast.net yruhorsingaround@yahoo.com
Skyeview Alpacas Susan King P.O. Box 299 Elkins, NH 03233 swking@tds.net www.skyeviewalpacasnh.com
Ponderosa Paca Farm Suzi & Steven Mancuso 20 Natures Crossing Middleboro, MA 02346 BagsBySuzi@gmail.com www.AlpacaBagsBySuzi.com
Round Hill Alpacas Randall Hall 56 Round Hill Rd. Coventry, CT 06238 rhall1127@charter.net www.roundhillalpacas.openher.com
Snowfield Alpacas Sandra Chouinard 105 Oak Hill Rd Enfield, NH 03748 snowfieldalpacas@yahoo.com www.SnowfieldAlpacas.com
Purgatory Falls Alpaca Farm LLC Timothy Welch 195 Purgatory Falls Road Lyndeborough, NH 03082 twelch11@mac.com www.purgatoryfallsalpaca.com
Sallie’s Fen Alpacas Jack Dibb 186 Swain Rd Barrington, NH 03825 jack.dibb@unh.edu www.sfalpacas.com
Quarry Ridge Alpacas Faith Perkins 453 Quarry Road Salem, NY 12865 Faith@QRalpacas.com www.quarryridgealpacas.com
Shalimar Alpacas Olivier & Patricia Gillotin 164 East Ridge Rd Warwick, NY 10990 info@shalimaralpacas.com shalpaca@hotmail.com www.shalimaralpacas.com
Snowshoe Farm, LLC Ronald &Terry Miller P.O. Box 280 520 The Great Rd Peacham, VT 05862 terry@snowshoefarm.com ron@snowshoefarm.com www.snowshoefarm.com
Quinnipiac Valley Alpacas Linda Hettrick 30 Homestead Pl. Cheshire, CT 06410 leolalin5@sbcglobal.net River Bend Alpacas Cynthia Astapczyk Jeffrey Holmes 14 Greenbriar Rd Oxford, CT 06478 witchywoman69@live.com Rock and Pebble Farm Marilyn & Jacob Plowman 19 Bridges Point Rd Penobscot, ME 04476 mcaplowman@gmail.com
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Shechem Alpacas Andrew & Rachael Schilling-Payne 66 Baer Road Rollinsford, NH 03869 shechemalpacas@gmail.com www.shechemalpacas.com Shepard’s Way Farm Carolyn Fox 1084 Grove Street Framingham, MA 01701 shepardswayfarm@gmail.com Six Paca Farm Linda Adelman 38 Bozrah St Bozrah, CT 06334 info@sixpaca.com www.sixpaca.com
Southwind Farms LLC Jim & Penny Mullen 223 Morris Town Line Highway Watertown, CT 06795 info@southwindfarms.com www.southwindfarms.com Spring Pond Farm Debra Cilley 81 Muzzey Hill Road Greenfield, NH 03047 Rcspringpond@aol.com djc52@earthlink.net www.springpondfarm.com Stagecoach Trails Alpacas LLC Alyssa Hallstead 68 Bartlett Ave RI Cranston, RI 02905 ajhallstead@att.net www.StagecoachTrailsAlpacas.com Stillmeadow Farm Pamela Brewster Sylvie Remingol 116 Al Harvey Rd Stonington, CT 06378 Stillmeadowfarm1@gmail.com www.Stillmeadowalpacasfarm.com
Stonycroft Farm Pam & Sandy Stoddard 340 Moose Hill Road Guilford, CT 06437 pamstod@hotmail.com
T~Z
Tall Grass Farm LLC Marion & Michael Beaudry 125 Christian Lane Whately, MA 01093 info@tallgrassfarm.biz www.tallgrassfarm.biz The Blue Alpaca Ranch Ben Cowan 182 Pitcher rd BELFAST, ME 04915 Bluealpacaranch@gmail.com www.bluealpacaranch.com
The Lazy K Ranch Alan & Ann Kinsley 71 Beaver River Rd West Kingston, RI 02892 Alankinsley1979@yahoo.com Ann.m_2011@yahoo.com
WildWood Acres Alpacas Vikki Butynski 8 Wildwood Acres Rd Newfane, VT 05345 bellawolf@hotmail.com www.wildwoodacresalpacas.com
Diane Thome 9 Root Road (PO Box 115) Middlefield, MA 01243 tdiann@gmail.com
Woodland Meadow Farm, LLC Elaine & Chuck Gerber 40 Bullard Lane Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 woodlandmeadowfarm@gmail.com gerberent1@msn.com www.wmfalpaca.com
Tilton Hill Goat Farm + Alpaca Noreen Rollins 310 Tilton Hill Rd Pittsfield, NH 03263 nikkinomar@yahoo.com
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