Excellence.
We are learning all the time and constantly updating our approach to Alpaca husbandry and to breeding from the finest genetics
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Our herd includes Championship winning Alpacas and the 2018 National Supreme Champion Huacaya
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From the best genetics we seek to breed fineness and density into our Alpaca’s fleeces while improving their conformation.
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The welfare of our Alpacas is a priority and we are committed to high levels of husbandry and responsible ownership.
Our Approach
Conformation, colour, fleece fineness, density, lustre and amplitude are all heritable qualities in Alpacas.
We research the genealogy of our females and mate them with champion herd-sires, including our own, whose genetics will enhance our breeding programme. We continuously evaluate our herd and strive to make improvements in our breeding through the process of layering phenotypical traits primarily fleece and conformation. In so doing, we have brought in elite females and stud males including from New Zealand.
The economic value of Alpacas is allied to fibre production.
We seek to breed Alpacas producing high yielding fine fleeces with good density and staple length.
Healthy Alpacas are happy Alpacas!
Good husbandry and nutrition are paramount to the conditioning and welfare of our herd and we continuously update our management techniques.
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The Fleece
Each year our Alpacas are sheared and we send a sample of fleece off to the Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing lab (AAFT) so that we can monitor individual Alpaca fleece statistics year on year and take breeding decisions.
What we are aiming for is an ultrafine fleece (<18.01 microns) with little variation across the fleece (low SD, low CVD); longevity of fineness with age; good staple length and crimp (high CRV). While these fleece attributes are heritable they can be affected by other factors such as nutrition. The second diagram displays fibre growth profiles over time that are sensitive to changes in nutritional status.
When we started breeding our Alpacas, we tended to simply monitor fineness but now we are paying more attention to nutrition which enhances attributes such as fleece density sometimes at the expense of fineness.
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The Shows
Over the last few years, we have started taking our Alpacas to shows across the country. Feedback through the judging process has allowed us to see how our small breeding programme is progressing and the experience has taught us so much about what a prize winning Alpaca should look like!
We initially had high hopes for our Alpacas with excellent fleece stats. We soon however realised that in the show ring conformation and fleece traits hidden by these statistics such as lustre, style and handle are all important too.
We are delighted that a number of our Alpacas have now achieved success in the show ring culminating in Jubilation being awarded Supreme Huacaya at the National Championships. Eva, Ziggy, Titania, Roxanne, Pheobe, Tally, Lucky, Rooney and our stud male Crafter have all been awarded sashes in the show ring.
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Welfare and Husbandry
We are committed to high levels of welfare and husbandry and this underpins our breeding programme.
Good nutrition through pasture management and supplementary feeding is important especially with the vagaries of the North Yorks Moors weather! Fortunately with Nicky’s medical experience we are able to monitor our herd health and undertake many aspects of husbandry ourselves (vaccinations, vitamin supplements) supported by an excellent veterinary practise.
We regularly body score our Alpacas, monitor weight and ensure that toe nails are clipped. This year we spun plasma for the first time and started our own faecal testing for gastrointestinal parasites thereby avoiding blanket immunisation that encourages resistance.
