Just after midday, our vet Tara Timpson and her technician Anita arrived to draw blood on the remainder of the alpaca herd and microchip a handful of castrated alpaca fibre boys.

Everything went smoothly and we drew blood on 20 animals. Which has now gone off to OSU Vet college for BVDV testing using the PCR test. We should get the results in a few days.

The five female alpacas we have "off farm" for breeding will have to go into quarantine and be tested when they return. They will then have to remain in quarantine until we get the results.

Quite a pain but the only way to ensure we are under control.

I do not believe any other farms in the area are testing at the moment but there is some talk of testing becoming compulsory for some shows. So time will tell. Having been through a foot and mouth epidemic in the UK I know that standards are currently way too relaxed for testing alone to be effective. The BVD Virus can remain active for up to 72 hours on the floor so there is real risk of transmission from faeces and urine on boots and shoes even the tires of trucks.

Interestingly the vet and her technician had previously been working on Angus cattle before coming to our farm so took the precaution of changing their clothes and shoes before coming onto the farm. A sign of things to come maybe.

By Adrian Stewart