Keeping accurate records is an absolute must in this business and while we have purchased a software system called Herd Logic which we use to maintain all our alpaca records, it is by no means essential. In fact to be brutally honest it is one of the most unfriendly pieces of software that I have used in a long time.

One of the most simple systems is just to have a large envelope for each animal into which you can put the ARI certificate, the Yocom McCall histogram and papers that you receive from the vet which are relevant to that animal such as a BVD test or blood test.

If you have a web site (and you should seriously think about getting one if you want sell alpacas) then some of this information can also be displayed on the site, obvious really.

But keeping track of breeding dates, birth dates and the various injections requires some sort of system so pick one that will work for you. If you don't really like using a PC and only log on two or three times a week to collect e-mail then a PC based system is probably not for you.

Keep a clip board, together with paper and pen in the barn at all times. Then you can quickly and easily make notes and not rely on your memory which if its anything like mine is a seriously risky proposition!

Adrian Stewart

There is a great deal of enthusiasm among smaller alpaca breeders in particular to raise the interest in and usage of alpaca fibre among spinners and knitters.
So a local group decided to hold a fibre show and fibre arts competition this fall at the same time as the local alpaca show.



So far so good.

Unfortunately the local alpaca fleece and halter show will be regulated by AOBA the governing body for alpaca breeders in the USA and so the associated fibre show and competition would also be regulated by AOBA. This cause a real problem because AOBA request a $6 entry fee for each piece entered plus an additional $10 if the entrant is not an AOBA member.

The local breeders are trying hard to get AOBA to waive the fees in order to "kick start" the whole use of alpaca by fibre artists but so far AOBA are resisting and I can't see that stance changing.



This type of conflict can be very destructive so I sincerely hope the issue is resolved very soon.

Adrian Stewart

Taking a days holiday...back tomorrow.
Adrian Stewart

The temperature was pretty high today and even though the alpacas were shorn they were feeling the heat.

Whenever it gets really hot they will make their way into the shade if at all possible. Once in the shade the question quickly becomes what should we eat? Our guard Llama, Allegra has a height advantage when it comes to eating branches, so the alpacas an only look on in admiration.



For some of the other alpacas there is simply nothing to beat getting your feet in a trough of ice cold well water. As demonstarted here by Conman.







Adrian Stewart

Earlier this spring I rented an over-seeding machine and over-seeded most of our pastures.
It then becomes very hard to tell what the new grass is going to look like and if and when it has germinated.

Well, today I noticed a spot in our car park where there was a patch of grass.



I then realised that is where I had cleaned off the over-seeding machine before returning it to the rental company. Now if this seed can germinate and grow in a barren car park. Made of built up 3/4 minus stones, then the stuff can grow anywhere.



I was starting to lose confidence but will now keep a sharp eye out in the pastures to see if I can spot any new growth.

The next time I overseed I will sow some into a seed tray so I know exactly what it looks like at each stage of its development.

Adrian Stewart

Dear Blog Readers
Sorry not to have been keeping the Blog as current as usual. But I have been wrestling with a series of problems. On of which is that the SPAMMERS have found my Blog and each day they post comments onto the Blog entries promoting gambling and pharmaceuticals.
Its the usual rubbish but their systems are automated and keeping up with them is now a real problem
So you may find that you are unable to add comments to some of my Blog entries. This is because I have had to block them in order to keep the SPAMMERS robots out.

On a more positive note this week will see post the 250th image to the Blog quite a picture gallery all told.

So sorry for the delay and normal service will now be resumed. Thank you for your patience.

Adrian Stewart

Well there is certainly plenty of variety in our alpaca farming lifestyle right now.
We have just completed our first US tax return for 2005, I know its late, but we did ask for an extension.... the system is so very similar to the UK yet completely different at the same time. Thank goodness for accountants and Quick Books

The fertilizer we used in the spring is really starting to kick in now and the grass is growing steadily in all the alpaca pastures and in the hay field. I also spread some on the garden lawn and in the orchard, that too is now growing like topsy and has to be mowed at least once a week....perhaps doing the garden lawn wasn't so smart after all.

The local builders are now very busy and we have managed to secure a large amount of fairly decent soil that is being removed from a green field site. We use it to fill holes where we have pulled rocks and fill in old irrigation ditches. The stuff is now arriving thick and fast and certainly much quicker than we can spread it.

Tomorrow one of our vegetable growing neighbours is coming round to fill their trailer with alpaca poop which will be a relief as the pile is becoming quite considerable.

In between all of this its really very pleasant to take the time to just look out of the window and see the alpacas sat chewing their cud with that slow grinding side to side action which tells you all is well in the world.

Adrian Stewart

There has been quite a bit of talk this week on the Alpaca Nation website about the Ideal Alpaca community and what its all about. I did post a couple of replies myself to add to the debate and thought it might be useful to say here exactly where the Studmaster males fit in to our community.

The key to the success of the Ideal Alpaca Community (IAC) is the reference herdsires the IAC calls Studmaster males. The Studmaster males have been initially selected based on their pedigrees, performance, and their progeny. These elite animals are owned by participating IAC members. Each of the males is owned jointly by four farms. This shared ownership allows the males to be tested in several herds over a large number of females. The ongoing evaluation of their progeny will provide the records necessary to establish Estimated Progeny Differences (EPDs).

The Studmaster males form the foundation of the sire reference system. Each will be profiled by a sire summary. Over time, each male's progeny will define his potential. Some will turn out to be better than others. Some will be superior for one trait, but not another. As the EPDs accumulate, the picture will become clear.

Replacement sires from the participating herd will be progeny-tested and the best of these will become new Studmaster males. As these genes are spread across the entire membership, the herd will become more uniform and superior, both in phenotype and in genotype.

Adrian Stewart

We are about to run water through our ditch system to flood irrigate the hay field.
What I have learnt in the last two years is that if you have a system like this then you must keep the ditches open and be constantly redirecting water in order to get the whole field wet.



This year I sprayed the ditches with Roundup, while they were dry, and this has really stopped the build of vegetation which I had last year and which slowed down the water flow considerably. We don't like using herbicides but in this instance there is little alternative and of course the alpacas do not have access to the hay field.


Adrian Stewart

The recent competition we ran attracted about 600 hundred entries and all but a handful managed to get the correct answer to our quiz question.

So two lucky winners have been pulled from the hat and they will both be receiving copies of the Marty McGee DVD on Camelid Dynamics.

The one and only alpaca-specific training DVD. Join Marty for up-to-the minute alpaca training and handling methods that will maximize your efficiency as well as create a confident and companionable alpaca. Marty will guide you through these techniques as only she can. Topics on the DVD include:
? how to present yourself as leader without using force,
?organizing your farm or ranch to support effective training methods,
? force-free injections and toenail trimming,
? approach, halter & lead with refinement,
?stepping in the show ring with confidence,
? early lessons for babies and weanlings,
? re-training challenging adult alpacas to accept a halter.




If you are interested in learning more about Camelid Dynamics click here.

Adrian Stewart

Today is the main day of the AOBA annual nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. This will be the 15th year the show has been held and it really is an event that is packed with content.
I was hoping to go again this year but just couldn't find the time.

The show includes obviously halter and fleece judging plus a fibre spin off, fibre arts and skein competition. educational seminars, gala dinner and a host of other useful and entertaining events. Including a gala dinner tonight and auction of alpacas last night.

There are just under 90 lots in the auction including some very nice looking alpacas. I particularly likes this one from Alpacas of America.




Not sure what the price will be, I will report back when the auction is over.

Adrian Stewart

The weather changed quite quickly last night and the rain and strong winds have left our once proud hay field flattened. I am pretty sure its not a complete disaster, as it would be with a crop such as wheat. But time will tell.





We continued the treatment of Santos feet with Atroban and they are now making a steady recovery which is excelent news as we are planning to show him later this year.

Adrian Stewart

There are two problems with some of our alpaca pastures. Well maybe I shouldn't say problems maybe I should say "challenges" .The first challenge is the star thistle, which was every where when we arrived here. But with constant mowing and irrigation the grasses have really come on and ultimately out competed the star thistle.





The second challenge is the dreaded fox tail grass... Water just appears to encourage this stuff and the Amba Orchard grass which I planted this spring isn't really competing effectively..so far...but the jury is still out to be fair.



Now some of my alpaca pastures are totally free of Fox Tails so at some point in the past they were taken out. The key now is to find out who did it and then get them to tell me how...once I know I will of course share the secret...if there is one!

Adrian Stewart

Our biggest fleece by weight this year was 7lbs 4 ozs, this was a joint first with Santo our most promising boy and Moon River one of our most promising girls.

The biggest saddle weight was Moon River at 4lbs 7ozs which is pretty impressive,

In total we sheared 126 lbs of fleece.

We will enter the fleeces from Moon River and Santo into some of the fleece shows to see how they rank.

Now to start selling the other fleeces and see what happens. Some I will sell locally some on Ebay and some I will send away to be processed into knitting yarn.

Overall I am very pleased at the improvement we are seeing after just two years of selective breeding.



Adrian Stewart