Alpaca Advocate 2014 Winter

~ WINTER Edition 2014~ Alpaca Advocate ~ WINTER Edition 2014~

Newsletter of the AAA South Queensland and Northern NSW Region—Region of Many Colours

2014 WINTER Edition

~ WINTER Edition 2014~ Alpaca Advocate ~ WINTER Edition 2014~ 2

South Queensland & Northern NSW AAA Ltd Region

Regional Calendar of Events 2014 16th February REGIONAL MEETING - McLaren Vale Alpaca Stud - Contact: Leanne Tunny Ph 0755438988

22nd February The Nutrition Workshop - Murwillumbah Showground

2nd March The Wonderful World of Alpacas Workshop Nattermeri Alpacas Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

26th –29th March Toowoomba Royal Show Contact: Convenor Marg Hassall Fleece: Pauline Glasser (02) 66476454

29th March - 6th Apr AUSTRALIAN ALPACA WEEK Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

10th - 23rd April Royal Sydney Show (Judging Animal/Fleece Show & Display) Contact: Paul Haslin 02 48789429

26th - 27th April Caves Show (Judging Animal/Fleece Show) Contact: Kelly Pfeiffer 0409129953

7th May Maclean Agricultural Show (Regional Display) Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

9th & 10th May Grafton Colourbration Show (Judging Animal/Fleece Show & Display) Contact: Colin Glasser (02) 66476454

11th - 19th May AAA Ltd National Conference Adelaide Convention Centre

15th—17th May Gympie Show Contact: Robyn Harrison Ph 0418748585

16th –18th May Coffs Harbour Show (Regional Display) Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

16th - 18th May Ipswich Show (Regional Display) Contact: Lynn Kincade Ph 0421093574

1st June REGIONAL MEETING NATTAMERI ALPACAS Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

8th –9th June New England Show Contact: Cathy Reid Ph 02 67787449

19th—21st June Primex Agricultural Industries Expo Casino Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

28th June Murwillumbah Inaugural Alpaca Show Contact: Rosemary Eva 02 6677 7500

28th - 29th June Mudgeeraba Agricultural Show (Display) Contact:Steve Rowley 07 55463971

12—13th July Queensland Colourbration—Alpacas on Show Contact Marc Mullette 0401071574

19th – 20th July Mid North Coast Show Contact: Lindy Brown Ph 02 65660439

20th July The Wonderful World of Alpacas (MCLAREN VALE ALPACAS QLD) Leanne Tunny Ph 0755438988

27th July ANNUAL REGIONAL MEETING – Longueville Park Alpacas

3rd August The Wonderful World of Alpacas (NATTAMERI ALPACAS) Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

8th –17th August Royal Queensland Show ~ Ekka (Judging Animal/Fleece Show & Display) Contact: TBA Fleece: Pauline

Glasser (02) 66476454

31st August Gold Coast Show (Regional Display, Judging Animal) Contact: Leanne Tunny Ph 0755438988

18th—21st September NATIONAL SHOW - Judging & Fleece

20th & 21st September Nimbin Show (Regional Display) Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

16th —18th October North Coast National LismoreShow - (Regional Display) Contact: Bob Coxon 026645 9092

14th —15th October Bangalow Show (Regional Display) Contact: Bob Coxon 02 6645 9092

23rd November REGIONAL MEETING - TBA - QLD


Advertisers:

Creekside Alpaca Stud

Grandeverge Alpacas

Lakehaven Alpacas

Melleah Jane Hewitt Photography

McLaren Vale Alpacas

Wahgungurry Alpacas

Contents

Dear Members,

Welcome to the Winter edition of Alpaca Advocate, due to lack of articles sent in

by members, this edition has a trendy retro feel, I have revisited Advocates of the

past and used articles etc from members over the past 5 years.

Alpaca studs across our region have opened their farms to the public and we have

had a number of shows which are an exciting part of our industry.

Its Shearing time soon and a revisited article from Michelle is in this edition as a

reminder of being organised before the shearing commences. Many of our

breeders have their animals tested before shearing day to help with fleece

decisions

This edition has many “Photos tell the story!” thanks to

members who have forwarded their info. Keep sending

info to me or interest stories to research just drop me an

email.

Take care,

“Happy Alpacaring!”

The Editor and South Queensland & Northern NSW Region

Committee of the AAA accept no responsibility for the opinions

expressed, information supplied or advertisements published. All

submissions are subject to editing.

Copyright : The material published in this magazine is subject to

copyright. And may not be published in part or whole without written

permission of the author.

Articles page

Presidents Report 5

Mangowood Farm 6

Marketing &

Merchandise

13

Diatomaceous Earth DE 14

Inaugral Murwillumbah

Show

16

Caring for ruminants 19

Herd Sires 29

Knitting is back! 24

Shearing Time! 31

Front Page:

Melleah Jane Hewitt Photography


2014 Advocate Advertising Rates

Full Page $ 85.00

Half Page $ 40.00

Quarter Page $ 25.00

Classified—Business Card size $ 10.00 (4 for $36)

Special Offer: 10% discount for 4 Adverts - discount applied on the 4th Advert.

Subscription— 4 copies $22.00

Advertise on the

SthQLD-NNSW web page

Cost:

$20 for 3 months

$30 for 6 months

$50 a year

Contact our Webmaster for more in

details.

Your 2013 –2014 Regional Committee

President: Leanne Tunny 0407748477 [email protected]

Vice President: Steve Rowley 07 5546 3971 [email protected]

Secretary: Bernadette Hunt [email protected]

Treasurer: Christine Chidgey 0402234528 [email protected]

Past President: Sue Challacombe 02 6642 3336 [email protected]

Marketing: & Merchandise: Bob Coxon 02 66459092 [email protected]

Newsletter Editor: Pauline Glasser 02 66476454 [email protected] Webmaster: Steve Rowley 07 5546 3971 [email protected] Health & Safety Officer : VACANCY

Education Officer: Leanne Tunny 0407748477 [email protected]

Fleece Liaison Officer: VACANCY

Next Regional Meeting 23rd November 2014 ~ 10.30am. Venue ~ TBA

mailto:[email protected]






From our President’s Desk

Hello members,

I had the privilege recently to observe (from afar), how members of the Australian

Alpaca Association (from various regions), made welcome, a couple that had attended

the Murwillumbah Show to ‘discover’ alpacas. A man and his wife made contact via

email through the regional website to enquire about the Murwillumbah Show. The

committee responded to their email and invited them to the show to meet members and to see alpacas up close.

After spending about 1.5 hours talking with the couple, at 12.30pm, I wished them well and headed off into the show

ring. Over the next few hours, I noticed the couple were still at the show - every time I saw them, they were

engrossed in conversation with a member. At 4.30pm I met up with the couple again and commented that they were

still here! Their response made me very proud to be a member of the Australian Alpaca Association: “We cannot

believe how friendly and generous everyone has been with their knowledge and time”……….what a wonderful group

of people we are!

On behalf of the committee of the SQNNSW Region, I

would like to thank the following members for their

substantial contribution to the alpaca industry in the last

few months;

Maclean, Coffs Harbour Show displays:

Bob & Jackie Coxon, Pauline & Colin Glasser spent days at

the Maclean and Coffs Harbour Shows with their alpacas on

display answering questions and promoting the alpaca

industry in our Region.

RNA Rural Discovery Day – Judy Barlow, Lyn & Col Barron

Judy Durkin and her alpacas together with Lyn & Col Barron

and their hand made alpaca products, participated in RNA

Rural Discovery Day. RNA Rural Discovery Day promotes

Queensland's primary industries to city children and

showcases where the food and fibre comes from.

Primex Agricultural Industries Expo

An amazing amount of organization goes into running a

successful three day AAA display at Primex - thank you to

Bob & Jacki Coxon, Col & Pauline Glasser, Roland

Schwertner, Judy Barlow, Shane Barlow, Stacey & Jan

Krzewina Lehanne & Bruce Robinson and Di Smart for your

amazing contribution of resources and time.

Mudgeeraba Display – Jo Jekel, Belle Byrne & Wayne Singh

Jo Jekel and her alpacas together with Belle Byrne & Wayne

Singh spent the day talking to the public about alpacas and

promoting the alpaca industry.

Ipswich Display – Lynn Kinncade Lyn and Keith spent three

days talking to the public about alpacas and And credit goes

to Lancelot, Galahad and Simpli Lightening the three great

alpaca guys who made it all possible!

Murwillumbah Inaugural Alpaca Show

The Murwillumbah Inaugural Alpaca Show was a

fabulous success, Rosemary Eva said a few years

ago that “Murwillumbah” needed an alpaca

show….she was right, the public agreed, they

arrived in droves. Heartfelt congratulations are

given to Rosemary Eva for her role as Convenor and

Liz Coles, Pauline & Col Glasser, Lehanne & Bruce

Robinson, Di Smart, Greg, Judy & Shane Barlow,

Noel Reid, Deb Freeman, Jeff Willis, Esther Sanders

and Bernadette Hunt for their contribution of time

and skills.

We are very fortunate to have such a charitable

group of breeders in the South Queensland,

Northern NSW region.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics in more

detail, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

Leanne Tunny

Leanne Tunny – President, South Queensland,

Northern NSW Region AAA Ltd

Phone 0407 748 477; Home: 07 5543 8988

[email protected]

Regions website: www.qldnsw.alpaca.asn.au


Mangowood Farm Alpacas

Breeding coloured alpacas though specialising

in Black and Grey Suri

Mangowood farm Alpacas is owned and operated by Bruce Porter and Barb Ransby at Lillian Rock, situated between Kyogle and Murwillumbah in the Richmond Catchment

area of the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales.

Lillian Rock has the best of both worlds, rural living but within 20 minutes travelling time

to Kyogle, 40 minutes to Lismore or Murwillumbah and an hour to Tweed Heads and

the Gold Coast, and the International Airport.

Our introduction to Alpacas started with a trip to Primex at Casino, and the Alpaca

stand, those beautiful animals in the pen, and their silky soft fleece, how beautiful.

After collecting information and buying some fleece to spin, we embarked on many months of researching alpacas, on the net, talking to other

breeders and then on a trip down south we ended up in Victoria visiting Angela and Ian Preuss at then Pinjarra Alpacas.

Ian showed us how the farm was set up with paddocks running off a main laneway, where animals could easily be moved from paddock to

paddock, and then into the shed for shearing or health care as required.

In front of the house was the nursery paddock, where they could keep an eye on

alpacas as they unpacked, on the day we were there it must have been about 8

degrees or less, raining with sleet at times, it was bitterly cold, better inside watching

beside the fire and then racing out with cria coats as required.

After arriving back home we made a decision to breed black and grey suri alpacas,

there was something magic about them. It was April 2006 when we purchased our first

black suri girls but it was Christmas 2006 before they arrived on our property.

In the meantime Bruce and I spent many months fencing and building sheds, installing

the water troughs, making sure there were no weeds that could poison our girls, and today as our alpaca numbers grow we are still out

fencing, fencing and fencing

As we worked with our animals and grew to love them more and more we kept on researching, and finding different bloodlines which we could

add to our breeding programme, at present we are watching the results as the crias

run around the paddock.

Our aim is to produce the ultimate grey Suri Alpaca, at present we are on track, with

our beautiful grey suri crias being born this year.

We are advertising our grey suri sire El Kobar Silver Lining on our updated website;

www.mangowoodfarmalpacas.com.au

We are members of Australian Alpaca Assoc. and AABA and also the Q-Alpaca

Program.

With our many coloured fleeces, I am picking, carding, and spinning with my electric

spinner, and knitting and crocheting the spun wool.

I have also learnt to felt, being blessed with Polly Stirling the renowned Nuno felter as a neighbour, taking her classes whenever I can. I have

taken a fancy to felting hats using my carded alpaca fleeces, and exhibiting and selling at the local Gallery.

Breeder Profile Kindly Supplied by Barbara Ransby.


MARKETING, SALES AND

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Of the three, which one do you consider to be the most

important?

In my opinion Customer Service is. If you don’t provide first class

and quality customer service you will have very few sales or no

sales at all. Therefore any marketing you do will be a waste of

time, effort and most of all money. First class and quality

customer service is an integral and essential ingredient in any

selling situation. This principle applies not only to pre sale but to

post sale situations as well.

The business of selling Alpacas is no different. To put it simply

we need clients/prospects so that down the track we can make

that sale.

Many people say that the best form of advertising is by word of

mouth, which can be both positive and negative. The old adage

is that if someone has had a bad customer service experience

they will tell a lot more people than someone who has had a

good one. It's a fact of life, people talk and they expect quality

customer service.

I believe when selling alpacas you need to rely heavily on repeat

and/or referred business. Therefore, first class and quality

customer service is vital so that your clients will return and buy

more stock, but more importantly they will refer other prospects

to you. The ball keeps bouncing. So how, from a customer

service point of view, can we as alpaca sellers, ensure we obtain

repeat/referred business. The following ideas/ thoughts have

been picked up over the years but the list is by no means

exhaustive.

:First and foremost is maintain your honesty and

integrity -no BS- you will get caught out.

:Everyone has their own style and approach to

selling,but it must be remembered our reputations and

the reputation of fellow breeders and the industry in

general is at stake.

:When communication is via email any photographs

should always show your animals at there best. Also

provide accurate information. Remember this is an

important phase of the selling process.

:The next step is to invite prospect to visit your farm. At

this time use the marketing tools that are available. Such

as:

Your knowledge of the industry and personal

Experiences:

AAA information sheets and booklets. We always, as a

minimum, give prospects a copy of "Managing Alpacas

in Australia" booklet.

Establish if prospect has a budget to work with- simply

ask the question.(How much do you want to spend?)

and work within that budget.

Separate animals for sale from the main herd and if

possible put them in your best paddock. First

impressions are lasting.

Sales don't usually happen straight away, so keep

working on the prospect, but don't get over zealous.

This can be a turn off and client may shop elsewhere.

Always ask the prospect for their permission to make

follow-up contact at a mutually convenient time and do

so.

People love getting something for nothing. So if you

make that sale go the extra yard and give the buyer the

unexpected. If the sale is a small one, say a couple of

wethers, you may like to add value to the transaction

by including a bag of feed or a halter and lead. On the

other hand, if it's a high money sale you could "throw

in" an extra animal or provide free general husbandry

for 12months or a couple of free matings.

Post sale, it is important to maintain contact with the

buyers on a regular basis via telephone, email and if

possible visit their farm. Are they happy? Do they need

assistance?

Give clients a small supply of your business cards for

referral purposes.

At the end of the day, ideally we are looking for a win win

position. However, its more important for clients to be happy

and satisfied with the level of customer service experienced.

So much so that they will call again when considering their

next purchase and will refer potential buyers to you. As stated

previously this is not an exhaustive list and no doubt most of

you have your own selling ideas and techniques. However, it

must be remembered if you don't have a client you can't make

a sale. Therefore, providing first class and quality customer

service is a must.

I'll leave you with this verse which I stole from our Website

Manager Steve Rowley.

The great man Henry Ford once said

"Only 50% of my marketing is working but I don't know

which 50%.

BOB COXON Regional Marketing Officer.


It was a busy weekend at McLaren Vale Alpacas on Saturday April 26th when we held an

'Alpaca Craft Day'. 'Alpaca Craft Day'. The purpose of the day was to 'share' each others knowledge on how to use our alpaca fleece - we had different things going all at the same time, wet felting, needle felting, carding, spinning, knitting, crocheting

and eating! It was a nice day and some new regional members attended too which was very nice!

Busy Busy!

Esther & Julienne intent on their

work!

Bernadette Hunt

Esther Sanders

Michelle Carpenter

Stacey Krzewina Stewart Marshall

The expert Spinner!


Deadline for next advocate - Spring - Sept 30

Col Barron

Julianne Small

Everything Alpaca!

Lyn Barron

Chris Chidgey &

Creekside Thor

Alpaca Farm Open Days Saturday May 3rd and

Sunday May 4th

Stanmore Park Alpacas Yatala

10 members joined forces to present a wonderful array of hand crafted products to the public which included;

Scarves, hats, teddy bears, baby wear, clothing, felted animals, photography and fleece. Esther Sanders provided the venue and the alpacas for the display


Baling Twine

It would be remiss not to mention this old farmers stand-by at the top of the list. This

twine holds the sections of hay or straw together after it has been pressed into bales.

Once the standard material used for binding was light gauge wire but in recent years it

has been almost exclusively replaced with super strong poly twine. Baling twine is the

ultimate recycling item and has been called upon for many purposes after its original use

has been fulfilled. Being lightweight a string or two can be stored in a spare pocket ready

for use at any time. For instance how annoying it is to be in the furthest paddock from

the homestead to discover the kangaroos have crashed through the fence leaving a gaping hole for livestock to

pass through. Requiring no special tools for application, the twine can be used for temporary repairs until you

have time to return with suitable equipment to make a more substantial fixture.

How to open feed bags secured by double stitching.

Opening the larger bags that have interlocking stitching can be a difficult task.

Next time you feel like ripping the bag apart in frustration why not try this

technique.

Place the bag with single running stitch (looks like a dotted line) facing you.

The looped stitches should be facing away from your body.

With one hand (your left hand if you are right handed) hold the loose

threads on the right end of the bag. (YOUR right)

Move your left hand directly away from your body to take up the slack and

to aid access to the first two stiches sewn through the bag. Cut through the first

two exposed stitches between where they exit the bag and the looped threads in

your left hand. Cut them as close to the bag as possible. This should release the

knot system of the stitches. You will be left with the long end of thread in your

left hand.

From your body side of the bag gently tease the small loose thread at the end of the cut stitches and

hold that end with your right hand. Hold the thread on the other side with your left hand and gently

take up the tension on BOTH sides by pulling your hands at right angles away from the bag.

Using both hands simultaneously pull both ends away from each side of the bag at the same time. The

stitches should unravel along the length of the bag.

If you hit a snag try tugging one tread to release the snag then continue pulling BOTH threads again.

The current average age of

Australian Farmers is 58

“this increases by 1 year per

annum”

More than 10 hours a day 7

days a week and are on call

24 hours a day.


Why get to work with heavy tools that require a lot of physical labour, when you could let nature do the

work for you. This is a recipe for a No-Dig Garden as developed by Sydney gardener Esther Dean in

1970’s which is basically a garden above ground made up of layers of organic matter that rot down into

a nutrient-rich living soil. It is much like making lasagne adding one layer upon another until the desired

thickness.

It is the perfect solution to tough or poor soils and can be created on virtually any surface, be it rocky

soil or heavy clay, even over lawn and concrete, and eliminates the need for any backbreaking work.

No-dig gardening is like composting. You need a good mixture of carbon materials in the form of straw,

and nitrogen in the form of alpaca manure. Water each layer lightly, because the garden needs to be

moist to function properly.

Many Farmers

work

More than 10 hours

a day 7 days a

week and are on

call 24 hours a day.


MARKETING AND MERCHANDISE - Bob Coxon

Since our last meeting on 1st June at Nattameri three promotional displays have been held. Primex Primary Industry Exhibition at

Casino NSW – June 19-21, Mudgeeraba QLD Ag Show 28-29 June and of course the inaugural Murwillumbah Alpaca Show 0n

28th June.

Primex is the region’s flagship when it comes to displays generating lots of enquiries and merchandise sales and this year was no

exception. The weather gods were kind and the grounds were in great shape for the running of the 30th anniversary of the event.

One of the main attractions was the Premier Feature – The Future of Farming – a joint venture with NSW Farmers Association

and the Future Farmers Network. Our theme was “Look to the Future – Farm Alpacas”.

As always we had a fantastic, passionate and committed team to man our display over the three days. A big thank you to

everyone for your outstanding contribution.

Pauline & Col Glasser, Jackie Coxon, Leanne Tunny, Lehanne & Bruce Robinson, Judy Barlow and Shane Barlow, Roland

Schwertner, Di Smart and relatively new member Jan Krezwina and wife Stacy. It was great to see first timers Judy, Shane, Jan

and Stacy put their hand up to assist. I hope you enjoyed the experience.

Also, Michelle Malt our National President, Barb Ransby, Bruce Porter, Jenny & John Mackay and David & Margot Vincent called

in and offered their assistance.

Alpacas were supplied by Col & Pauline, Judy, Shane and Roland. Again thank you.

Lots of patrons visited our display, particularly on the Thursday & Saturday which kept us on our toes answering many questions,

handing out information, selling merchandise and assisting with photographs. Twenty six requests for additional information have

been processed by the AAA. These people will be contacted as soon as possible to see if they would like to take their interest in

alpacas further and will be invited to attend an Introduction Workshop.

Merchandise sales totalled $2184.00 with many repeat customers and $663 in raffle tickets sold. A top effort.

As we do every year, given that our raffle covers both Australian Alpaca Week, Primex and this year Alpaca Awareness Week all

relating income and expenditure must be taken into account. The overall position follows.

INCOME

2014 2013 (Actual)

$3007.00 Raffle $2530.00

1478.00 Net profit from merchandise sales $1456.00

$4485.00 TOTAL $3986.00

The approved Budget for income is $4000.00

EXPENDITURE

$1308.00 AAW x 2 Advertising $1210.00

725.00 Primex Advertising 610.00

555.00 Primex site fee 660.00

340.00 Cost of Raffle prizes 316.00

50.00 Misc expenses 30.00

$2978.00 TOTAL $2826.00


The approved budget for expenditure is $2810.00

PROFIT

$1507.00 $1160.00

The approved budget for profit is $895.00.

A profit of $1507 was generated compared to $1160 last year. Which, as always, reflects the commitment and hard work of the

volunteers manning our displays and AAW events selling raffle tickets and merchandise. A truly fantastic result.

NOTES

Income – Raffle income up by $477 on 2013

Expenditure - A slight increase

Profit – Up by $347

As he does every year Bill Ham, The House of Alpaca donated first prize for our raffle - a Queen Bed Quilt RRP $418.

Our relationship with Primex organisers, Bruce Wright and his team continues to grow and prosper. So much so that this year Bruce

gave us 50 VIP passes for our members and donated at the drawing of our raffle a$100.00 BP fuel voucher as an addition to our

first prize.

Overall we had a fantastic three days which certainly reflects the hard work, huge effort and application to the job at hand from the

volunteers involved. Once again I thank you.

It was a cold and windy but sunny day at the Pantry when the alpaca show

came to town on 4 May. However, Roland, Suvi as well as Bob braved the elements

to promote the alpaca and related industries.

Many Pantry patrons visited our display, some coming from as far away as Darwin, Sydney,

Melbourne and even a couple from Hong Kong.

Despite the conditions we battled on and sold heaps of raffle tickets, some products

and completed four requests for further information.

Roland’s Bella Rose was, as always, a hit with the crowd as was his new recruit Misty.

As far as advertising goes, we secured coverage in the local print media, on local radio,

the Pantry’s face book page and a television interview was arranged with 7 Prime News

but unfortunately 7 cancelled at the last minute.

Overall it was a very encouraging day and our region has been invited back next year.

Bob Coxon

ALPACA AWARENESS WEEK 3 – 11 May 2014

OPEN DAY AT ELTHAM VALLEY PANTRY ELTHAM NSW


Over the last few months I have been part of a group of alpaca breeders that have been trialing ‘Diatomaceous Earth DE’. Diatomaceous Earth DE is a natural alternative to assisting in the eradication of internal parasites in Camelids. (Note: Diatomaceous Earth DE can only ‘assist’ in the eradication of

parasites and should not be used in lieu of drenches).

The Diatomaceous Earth DE can be sprinkled onto poo piles in the paddock, it can be sprinkled on areas where the poo piles were and it can also be fed to the alpacas mixed into their cereal. Our trials have seen worm counts drop as a result

of using the product.

It is imperative that the Diatomaceous Earth DE that you purchase is suitable for ingestion by livestock, the product we

use is ‘Mount Sylvia Diatomite Molodri Molasses Powder’

The information below outlines what Diatomaceous Earth DE

is and how it works.

Diatomaceous Earth DE Natural Silica 100% Organic from Fresh Water Source Diatomaceous Earth DE: Are fossilized remains of diatoms; a hard sharp shelled algae. It is natural and non toxic. Is approximately 70% amorphous silica and has a high concentration of monosilicic acid. Is in a powder form and white in colour and useful in organic farming, gardening and home pest control, is a safe and effective, natural insecticide. Is BFA approved - Biological Farmers of Australia is a certified organic input and is used in livestock feed and commercial farming. Is beneficial to Pets, Farm animals, Livestock. (internal and external) Contains up to 14 trace minerals such as, calcium, magnesium, sodium, copper, zinc and iron to name a few. Is used as a natural insecticide, is residual but non toxic. Is completely safe to humans and animals indoor and outdoor. Is 100% organic and BFA approved.

Effective to control and in most cases eliminate: Fleas, Cockroaches, Lice / Mites, Bed Bugs, Head Lice Ticks, Internal parasites, Fire ants and many other household pests and crawling insects Organic DE works by a mechanical method of Desiccation (or extreme drying) the tiny particles come into contact with the pest and are caught on the waxy outer layer which draw moisture from the insect to a point of fatal dehydration. The particles are often worked into the cuticles of the exoskeleton where the abrasive effect of the particles increases the drying effect. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, which causes them to dehydrate.

DE is easily picked up by the hairy bodies of most insects, whereupon it scratches through their protective wax layers; and they also absorb some of this material, the result being that the insects lose water rapidly, dry up and die. Because the effect is mechanical it is impossible for the pest to build up immunity like many poisons we see today. DE is a strong repellant and takes a while to have an effect on pests and bugs and applications should be applied over a longer term. Additional protection is provided by the powder's property of repelling many insects. A similar principle probably accounts for the fact that birds frequently take dust baths, presumably to rid themselves of parasites. DE can be used as an organic dewormer and will control most worms and parasites the pets may have when taken orally in feed. Heart and Earth worms are not affected by DE. Pets - Farm Animals - Livestock Diatomaceous Earth DE has many beneficial applications for pets and farm animals. Controls and reduces odours, prevents breeding of lice,

mites, fleas and flies from, kennel areas, kitty litters, and chook pens. Deodorising and absorption are natural functions of DE.

Can be fed to dogs, cats, chickens, pigs and livestock to promote a shinier coat, better overall health, and better production.

DE can be used as an organic natural wormer and will control and kill most tape worms and parasites the pets may have when taken orally in feed.(consult your vet for application rates)

DE keeps fly larvae from developing in manure.

Use in agriculture

Natural freshwater diatomaceous earth is used in agriculture for grain storage as an anticaking agent, as well as an insecticide. It is approved by the US

Department of Agriculture as a feed supplement.

It is also used as a neutral dewormer.

Some farmers add it to their livestock feed to improve the health of animals. "Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth" is widely available in agricultural feed supply stores. It is

acceptable as organic feed additive for livestock.

Notes: By Susan Thixton (Article supplied by Leanne Tunny of McLaren Vale Alpacas Tamborine Qld)

Diatomaceous Earth DE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming


GRAFTON COLOURBRATION

Congratulations

to all winners

The Clarence Valley Alpaca Group were rewarded by their hard work with beautiful weather

and an excellent roll up of exhibitors both in the animal and fleece sections this year.

Ms Kylie Martin was the 2014 Judge who worked tirelessly in the warm weather. Thank you to

all for your work and efforts. Thankyou for your support see you next year! - Colin Glasser

BEST OF SHOW WINNERS

COFFS SHOW DISPLAY

COFFS HARBOUR SHOW 17 – 18 May 2014

This year, the city celebrated 100 years since the inception of the Coffs Harbour Agricultural Show. The

show was branded “ A Celebration of Community and Country “ and from all reports was an outstanding

success.

Our region has been represented for

the past four years and as per usual our

display attracted heaps of attention

which generated lots of discussion.

Many questions were answered and

much information handed out which will

hopefully lead to new breeders and

AAA members.

Alpaca products on sale proved

extremely popular and attracted much

interest particularly the handmade items

such as scarves, beanies and scarf kits.

Many thanks to Col and Pauline,

Wahgungurry and Jackie, Nattameri for

their valued assistance.

Particularly Pauline and Jackie who led alpacas in the grand parade on Saturday.

All in all a most successful promotion for AAA, our region and members.

Bob Coxon

HUMMINGHILLS DUMARESQUE - BEST OF SHOW SURI - HUMMINGHILLS

TIMBERTOP PADMANS PRIDE - BEST OF SHOW HUACAYA - HILLDALE PARK


Bruce and Liz taking down signs.

Lyn & Colin Barron Display

Regional Display Bob & Jackie Coxon

2104 Huacaya Supreme 2014 Suri Supreme

Longueville Park Madiba Shikota Alpaca

Lehanne Robinson—Marshalling

Myrelle Hirst & Leanne Tunny

Deb Freeman, Jeff Willis & Pauline Glasser

“The 28th June 2014,

A day to be remembered – what an event, what a venue and the gods were kind until about 3.30 when Zeus decided he wanted to be part of the action but curbed his spirit until late in the evening.

With exhibitors making the effort to travel from just about all points of the compass it made for an impressive showing of both Suris and Huacayas which drew not only the attention of the judges but also that of the public. The judges are in awe of the venue!

Alpaca shows , irrespective be it on a National or local scale, cannot occur without the participation of not only exhibitors and sponsors but also the many members who volunteered their time. I was fortunate to have a mighty team without whom it would not have been possible – to them a very special thank you ! You know who you are!!

Will we do it again next year –you betcha!!!

From Rosemary the Convenor”

INAUGRAL MURWILLUMBAH SHOW

Lots of interested Public

Noel Reid

Ring Marshall


Sunrise – ready to have a fantastic day.


Many thanks to all for participating in Primex 2014 which was the 30th anniversary of the event. It was most pleasing

that we had some first timers this year in Judy & Shane Barlow, Kallaroo and Jan & Stacy Krezwina, Jask. Thank you

for putting your hand up to help out. I hope you enjoyed the experience and will join us again next year.

Turning to results, over the three days we sold $2185.00 in product, $663.00 in raffle tickets and completed 26 requests for additional information which have been sent to AAA for processing. These enquirers will be followed up over the

next 2/3 weeks and hopefully some new members will result.

Overall, a most pleasing and encouraging event for our region to be involved in and I am looking forward to our

participation in 2015.

Kind regards, Bob Coxon

More Scarves and Beanies needed!!! Home to knit

another one or two!

Raffle draw at the end of Primex—5 Prizes plus a $100

fuel voucher!

Roland Schwertner and the

Primex team Jackies crochet sold quickly


Caring for Ruminants

...it is possible to mess up the bacteria in the alpaca's gut and

rumen and they will starve to death with a full stomach.

A ruminant has multiple specialized "stomachs" which allow the

animal to digest fibrous materials. The one of special interest is the

rumen which is quite large and is where bacterial digestion occurs

to break down material that would otherwise be indigestible. So

you need to think of ruminant digestion as a bacterial digestion

factory instead of like us humans (digest chemically, with only a

little help from beneficial bacteria). What this means is, it is

possible to mess up the bacteria in the alpaca's gut and rumen

and they will starve to death with a full stomach. How would this

occur? You could over-administer antibiotics. Your vet will tell you

how to administer antibiotics. If you think a little more might be

better, you might wipe out the gut bacteria along with the bad ones

that you wanted to kill. There are other ways, but normally, you will

never encounter this problem. The rumen is designed to house

and take care of its bacteria population.

Changing pastures

With many ruminants, moving onto fresh pasture is the beginning

of runny stools. The bacteria get a sudden slug of different feed

with a different moisture content, and they can't digest it very well.

Typically, after a few days, a slightly different population of

bacteria that is better suited for the food coming in will develop and

the diarrhoea will go away. Alpacas are not nearly as sensitive to

this as are sheep and cattle. This is a good thing.

...it is a good practice not to shock their system with changes in

feed.

Avoid sudden changes

Though alpacas are not as sensitive to feed changes as other

ruminants, it is a good practice not to shock their system with

changes in feed. When moving from dry lot to fresh pasture, make

sure they have a ready source of the hay they are used to. They

will naturally eat some hay as well as the fresh pasture and give

their rumen and bacteria time to adjust.

Analyzing digestion problems

The most important steps you can take to make sure everything is

going well are the ones made in your pastures. Check the poop

piles. Yes, your neighbours and friends will think you're crazy. Do it

anyway.

WISE - The Watkins Index of Stool Efficiency

Yes, I manipulated the title to make a cute acronym. What I'm

doing is assigning a number to each stool type to make it less

difficult to describe. We're going to go from a 10 (which is

individual beans) to a 1 (which is as fluid as milk). Also, by way of

comparison, I'm going to use food to describe each one. You may

find this disturbing, but when you've lowered yourself to talking

about poop, you gotta accept a little humour.

10.Jelly beans (licorice) or

malted milk balls

These are the piles I like to see. All is well

with the digestion process.

9.Blackberries

Sometimes referred to as pine cones, but

that's not a food. Basically, these are

jellybeans stuck together. These are also

OK in the potty pile.

8.Fig or Plum pudding

These are squishy, poorly defined pellets

that are squeezed together. You can still

see good definition in the wad. This is

about what you'd expect moving onto

fresh pasture to create. Should get back

to a 9 in two days.

7.Cheap plum pudding

Plum pudding with cheap plums and not

many of 'em. You see little definition in

the wad.

6.Stiff mashed potatoes

Exactly as described. Colour them dark brown

and that's what they look like. When you see

these, start to be concerned, and try to identify

who the owner is.

5.Chocolate pudding

I told you not to snack. Exactly as

described.

4.Creamed mashed

potatoes

Granny mixes milk with the mashed

potatoes until they're nice and

smooth, like warm icing for your

cinnamon rolls. Identify owner

quickly. They will need medication

to avoid health/weight decline and

fibre breaks.

3.Ranch salad dressing

2.Heavy cream

Beyond this point, intervention and

medication is urgent. Dehydration

will occur quickly. Electrolytes will

need to be added to their water.

1.

Sent into the advocate by Barbara from Mangowood Alpacas

For more information : online at http://www.frostglen.com/wise.asp,

http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/rumen

http://www.frostglen.com/img/WISE-10-large.jpg










http://www.frostglen.com/wise.asp


Ingredients:

1 box frozen spinach

1 C fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic (or chopped roasted)

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded cheese

Method:

Prepare the pie crust the night before to save yourself some time.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. If your frozen spinach is not already thawed, thaw it in the microwave per box directions. Drain the spinach in a colander while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Place sliced mushrooms in a skillet coated with 1 teaspoon olive oil or nonstick spray, add the garlic, and a sprinkle of pepper. Turn the heat on to medium-high and sauté the mushrooms until they release all of their moisture and no more water remains on the bottom of the skillet, about 6-7 minutes.

On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled pie dough. Turn the pie crust dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 30cm in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 20cm pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard. Pre-bake the pie crust for 8 minutes.

While the pie crust is pre-baking, whisk together the eggs, milk, and parmesan cheese until combined. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Blot and squeeze the rest of the water out of the thawed spinach. After 8 minutes, remove the pie crust from the oven and spread spinach on top. Add the cooked mushrooms and shredded cheeses. Pour the egg mixture on top. If desired, sprinkle the top lightly with more parmesan cheese and/or salt and pepper.

Bake the quiche until it is golden brown on top and the centre is no longer “jiggly”. Depending on your oven, this will take anywhere between 45 minutes - 1 hour. Use a pie shield to prevent the pie crust from over browning, if desired. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This quiche makes great leftovers! Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Baked quiche freezes very well, up to 2 months.

Celebrating Alpaca Awareness week on

Mothers Day.

Nattameri & Wahgungurry Alpaca Studs

hosted a wonderful day attended by over

300 visitors!

For a small effort, it was great results and

promotion of our industry.


Facts about dung beetles

Everything you need to know about dung beetles

Dung beetles are a relatively modern group of beetles,

their fossils only extend back to 40 million years ago.

There are about 7 000 species world wide.

Dung beetles range from less than 1mm to a giant 6cm.

Dung beetles occur on every continent except

Antarctica.

The life expectancy for most dung beetles range from three to five years

LONGUEVILLE PARK MERCURY

A solid true black son of Longueville Park Pegasus (Solid black) out of Longueville Park Chianti (Solid

black). Mercury was born on 08.04.11 and was certified on May 6th 2013 – his first cria arrived on

June 11th 2014. Together with a white huacaya female he has produced a medium brown male with

black points. Five more confirmed pregnancies.

Mercury has a very solid muscular upstanding confirmation with soft fleece that has a broad crimp,

he has a lovely temperament and is easy to

handle.

$400.00 per mobile mating – We will come to

you (within a 100Km radius)

McLaren Vale Alpacas

PO Box 6104 Yatala DC Qld 4207

1931 Beaudesert-Beenleigh Road

Tamborine Qld 4270

Phone: 0407 748 477

[email protected]

www.mclarenvalealpacas.com.au


Sire Name Colour IAR Stud Stud Fee Photo

Alpha Centauri

Tahvo Huacaya,

Solid White

134917

Cobaki Creek Alpacas $450.00

Encantador Alonzo (ET)

Huacaya,

Light Fawn

118157

Cobaki Creek Alpacas $500.00

Grand Flowerdale

Traviator

Huacaya Medium

Fawn 130107 Creekside Alpacas $600.00

Erragolia Double

Ice Huacaya,

Solid White

129715 Erragolia Alpacas $ 400

Wilari Park

Ballantyne Huacaya,

Solid White

72710 Erragolia Alpacas $ 200.00

Erragolia Collaroy Huacaya,

Dark Fawn

114843 Erragolia Alpacas $ 300 .00

Longueville Park

Black Opal Huacaya Black 50527 Erragolia Alpacas Co

Owned with Misty

Mountain

$ 300 .00

Hinchcliffe

Alfonso

Huacaya,

Solid White

149935 Hinchcliffe Alpacas $600.00

Hinchcliffe

Olympus

Huacaya,

Medium Fawn

149931 Hinchcliffe Alpacas $600.00

Rathdowney Giacomo

Casanova

Solid White 10515 Hinchcliffe Alpacas $600.00

Send in your favourite

Alpaca photos


Rosemont CASTAWAY

HUACAYA

Solid Black

146614 Humminghills Alpacas $660.00

Humminghills OLIVER TWIST

SURI

Solid White


Bonny Belle DAN THE MAN

HUACAYA

Rose Grey


Timbertop CT

WARLORD

HUACAYA

Solid White


Greenvale

GABBANA HUACAYA

Solid White

:97011 Humminghills Alpacas $440.00

Coricancha

BOLDAMERO HUACAYA

Solid White


Rosemount

LEWIS

HUACAYA

Solid Medium

Fawn


Janda

MONTE CARLO

HUACAYA

Solid White

72948 Jacaranda Alpacas $300.00

Wyona

CENOTAPH

Huacaya Solid

Black 115482 Longueville Park $660.00

Longueville

Park

RHYLEY

Huacaya Solid


Longueville

Park

PEGASUS

Huacaya Solid


Longueville

Park

PHOENIX

Huacaya Solid


Longueville

Park

BRIGANTINE

Huacaya Solid


Pacofino

RITZVILLE

Suri Solid

Dark Fawn 125158 Mangowood

Alpacas

$880.00


Lakehaven

Optimo

Huacaya,

Solid White

132003 Maple Park Alpacas Stud fee: $500 on farm, negotiable for

multiple matings.

Shogun Lord

Toranaga Huacaya Black 61055 MiaJai Alpacas Stud fee: $300 on

farm, negotiable for

multiple matings

Balfour Haven

Noble Monarch

Huacaya

Dark Fawn 125054 Misty Mountain Stud $500

Karawill Atom

Huacaya Black 104635 Kestral Place

Alpacas $400.00

Arcady Auberon

Kallarro Huacaya Grey Kallaroo Alpacas POA

Barkala Garcia Solid White 91399 Nattameri Alpacas $400.00

Arcady Hoax Huacaya

Rose Grey 15538 Stanmore Park

Alpacas $500.00

Criadero Fidel Huacaya Solid

Black 95506 Wahgungurry Alpacas $400.00

Ninbella Matt Huacaya

Medium Fawn 74124 Wahgungurry Alpacas $400.00

Ninbella Galaxy Huacaya

Medium Fawn 87337 Wahgungurry Alpacas $400.00

Supreme Champion and Best of Colour

Longueville Park Madiba


Value add to your business by advertising in The Alpaca Advocate

The Advocate is sent to all Regional Members, All AAA Directors, AAA

Regional Presidents and Regional Newsletter Editors. We often have

subscriptions from people interested in our industry from Intro to alpaca

workshops.

Our reasonable rates:

Full Page $ 85.00

Half Page $ 40.00

Quarter Page $ 25.00

Classified—Business Card size $ 10.00 (4 for $36)

Special Offer: 10% discount for 4 Adverts - discount applied on the 4th Advert.

Subscription— 4 copies $22.00

Advertise on the

SthQLD-NNSW web page

Cost:

$20 for 3 months

$30 for 6 months

$50 a year

Contact our Webmaster for more in de-

tails.

Spring Weeds

Winter is the time to do some paddock maintenance and keep a look out for those

nasty weeds.

Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) is an introduced daisy-like herb native to

Madagascar and southern Africa. It was first recorded in Australia in the Hunter Valley in 1918. It is

not known how it was introduced but it could have been brought in as a garden plant. It spread slowly

at first, but in the past 30 years has rapidly increased its range, most likely aided by modern

transport and rural practices.

Fireweed occurs in beef and dairy pasture east of the Great Dividing Range. It is established

along the entire New South Wales coast and north to Brisbane. Isolated infestations found near Ca-

boolture, Cooroy, Belli Park, Maleny, Yandina, Pelican Waters and as far north as Gympie.

It can cause illness and is toxic to livestock, particularly cattle, Alpaca

and horses, causing illness, slow growth and poor conditioning which can result

in death.

Alpacas from the Southern states are not familiar with Fireweed.

Its my turn Jan!!


CONTROLLING INTESTINAL WORMS IN ALPACAS - OUR EXPERIENCE

BOB & JACKIE COXON : NATTAMERI ALPACAS

By way of background we first entered the Alpaca industry late 2005. To cut a long story short we needed to prove to our Local

Council that the protected agricultural sugar cane land that we purchased (August 2003) could, in a financial sense, support the

average family in an average year. The idea of breeding Alpacas was suggested by a business associate and combined with the

existing sugar cane content was seen as a viable financial proposal. Our goal in all this was to secure a building entitlement that

would enable us to reside on the farm. We both had limited agricultural experience. However, Jackie was born and raised in PNG

and attended boarding school at Yass NSW. I was raised in NSW Hunter Valley so we did have some farm savvy, but as you

would all agree we set off on a very steep learning curve.

Our initial herd of 16 animals was purchased from John's River NSW and after setting up the farm infrastructure we took

delivery of the herd in August 2006. As part of the purchase deal Louise Dennis of Paccarissa Alpacas near South West Rocks

NSW agreed to educate us in Alpaca husbandry, including managing/controlling intestinal worms and this proved to be a great

introduction.

Our type of farming is considered to be Semi Intense which in itself can contribute to worm problems. Therefore our practice

may not suit all Alpaca farms.

Because it is considered vital, poo collection is done manually every second day and takes approximately 1hr- time well spent.

Another vital factor is to keep pasture to a minimal length. We find our animals love to graze on shorter pasture which also

makes poo collection alot easier. Longer pasture assists in the maturity cycle of worm larvae which can cause all sorts of

problems. Of equal importance is paddock rotation and slashing.

Initially we were drenching for the sake of drenching (not a good idea) and any poo testing was done by our local vet (an

expensive exercise). In an endeavour to minimise costs and establish a better way to control worm burdens we, after reading an

article in an early edition of Alpaca Advocate, decided on the following strategy.

On average, poo samples are collected from all Alpacas on a quarterly basis and usually this falls after major rain events or a

very dry spell. Samples are then sent to DPI Worm Buster Laboratory Animal Research Institute, Marooka QLD for individual

testing. The cost at present is $5.50 (includes GST) per sample & approx $10-00 for express post. Results are to hand via email

the next afternoon which enables any urgent drenching to be done immediately. To this end our rule of thumb is drench when:

1. Adults with count of over 200eggs per gram

2. Weaners " " " " 300eggs " "

We were advised in the early days to use an oral drench known as Coopers Nilzan low volume and continue to do so and find it

most effective. Our method of drenching is simple. A 10ml syringe with a short length (say 7cm) of plastic tubing attached by

way of an electrical tie and drench is always administered via left side of the mouth. A follow up drench is given 7-10 days later.

During this period animals are closely monitored for any tell tale signs of deteriorating

health. If considered necessary (which is not often) a further sample is sent for

testing.

As mentioned earlier our strategy for controlling worm burdens may not be suitable to

all breeders/farms particularly those with more than 20 animals

However, we find it most successful, a relatively inexpensive method and an alternative

to drenching as a matter of course as over drenching increases worm resistance to the

drug.

To date we have only lost one animal (young adult) to worms (black scour). However, on

the positive side we have animals that have not required drenching since day one, some

for over 3 years.

We hope readers find this information helpful and welcome any further enquiries.

Cheers Bob & Jackie Coxon Nattameri Alpacas 02 6645 9092


Childrens Program Nuzzle & Scratch A pair of alpaca puppets with attitude! Cbeebies Chidrens TV show.

Check out program at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/nuzzleandscratch/


Declaring 2015 the Australian Year of the Alpaca.

Interesting Websites:

The listing of these websites is simply for interest and the information is not a recommendation. e.g. on health matters, please consult with your Vet.

www.owning-alpaca.com (Excellent site, has instructions for washing fleece, craft projects, felting etc, packed with information.)

www.alpaca-uk.co.uk (Articles)

www.camelidsupplies.com.au (Supplier)

www.alpaca.org.nz (Info & Articles)

www.thinklivestock.com (Suppliers of

Vaccination Equipment)

D W W P W I V Q G G R T S S

F P E N S T E W A R D H U P

G A T E I E T E A A Y E P I

U E Q O R N T R S S S M R N

A H T I E T U T S S H A E N

R R O Y R P I T I O E C M I

D T E S R U S H O W A H E N

G Y S T T Y U B Y O R I C G

J U D G E R R U W R I N H W

J U H E U Y I C H K N E A H

T R A C T O R K I B G S M E

O I Y T I W O E P O T H P E

D R E N C H P T R O A Y T L

A F L E E C E Y E T B E L R

Y I W E A T H E R S L E E E

R F L O A T T U W U E Y A E

P L I E R S R I J H U E D H

T O G Y O N E E D L E A H L

B A R B E R S P O L E G H J

Y H W F L D S P O N S O R H

Hay

sire

steward

heel

gate

pliers

whip

guard

tent

bucket

supreme champ

barbers pole

tractor

drench

show

suri

machine

grass

pens

needle

weather

work boots

toes

lead

sponsor

fleece

eye

float

needle

spinning wheel

today

shearing table

host


Tex~Paca ~ all to do with the use of Alpaca fibre.

Good knitting web site to share:

Knit Picky Patterns from AllFreeKnitting [email protected]>

Bette’s Cup Jumper.

Alpaca fibre has excellent insulation properties it

makes sense to use it to make cup warmers. I had

Bette’s Cup warmer with me when camping at the

Murwillumbah Show. Di Smart

Make for your mugs for when your camping in winter or those cool mornings

we have been experiencing!

Easy to make with your left over knitting stash. You can be creative and vary pattern depending on

needle size and ply used.

See examples of Bette’s Cup warmers at the next Regional Meeting.

Pattern

1. Left over 8 ply alpaca wool, Size 5.5mm needles, stitch holder.

2. Cast on 38 stitches

3. Rib knit for 12 rows

4. Knit 14 stitches place rest on stitch holder continue to Knit for 10 rows cast off.

5. Pick up stitches off stitch holder continue to rib knit for 10 rows cast off.

6. Sew knitted piece together leaving an opening for cup handle.

7. Stitch edges of “cardigan opening” add small buttons.

Just Love this creative

knitted wall hanging

Made by Penny from

Karamana Alpaca Stud

2010

(Taken from Winter

edition 2011)


by Michelle Malt

In southern Queensland and northern NSW many breeders shear their alpaca herds from August onwards, so if you haven’t already

thought about it - now is the time to start your preparation.

Each year as shearing time has drawn closer, I have thought about what I needed to do to prepare, what had to be done on the day,

and almost every year there has been something I forgot about until either the last minute, or worse still, after shearing was over.

Hopefully these tips will be useful to new and more experienced breeders alike.

Set your shearing date / book your shearer / organise your ‘workforce’.

If you have a ‘regular’ shearer then contact them early to book your preferred shearing date. Many alpaca shearers complete a circuit

of northern areas and are only available for a limited period of time, so allow for some flexibility on the day and date you plan to shear

(although you may not be given a choice!) Rain and wet weather around shearing time will necessitate a change in schedules, so if

possible, have an alternative shearing date pencilled in. Ask the shearer whether he shears on a table, or on the floor, and whether he

provides his own table/shearing restraints. Some shearers also bring along a roustabout, and include payment for the roustabout in

their charges – however confirm this with your shearer beforehand, to avoid any unexpected increase in your shearing costs, and also

to establish whether you will need to organise additional helpers on the day to cover all jobs.

Fleece testing

Fleece is the ‘harvest’ or ‘crop’ for an alpaca farmer, and if you want to get the best return then you should know what your market is

going to be, and to do this you need to know the details of the product you are going to have to offer. Having your fleeces tested will

provide you with some valuable information about your fleece ‘product’, as well as your breeding program, and herd management. You

can either collect samples for testing on shearing day, or two to three weeks beforehand. Having samples tested prior to shearing will

help you make some decisions about the order you will shear your animals and how to handle and sort your fleeces in the shearing

shed. There are a number of providers across Australia who conduct this service, and most will email the results as well as providing a

hard copy report. A small sample approximately a finger width across is taken against the skin from the ‘mid side’ (it is important to

collect samples from the same location to ensure consistency), and placed in a bag with the animals identification details (name, IAR

number). These are then sent to the testing authority.

Supplies

Check you have your shearing day supplies. On shearing day you will need:

Clear plastic fleece bags (for fleece saddles)

Plastic shopping bags (for necks, legs/bellies, hairy pieces).

Garbage bags (for soiled fleece).

Small bags for fleece samples (paper bags are preferred by most testing labs).

Pre-printed name labels/marking pen.

Broom and/or dustpan set to clean the shearing table/floor.

Old towels – these are useful for animals who pee during shearing.

Old socks – these are useful for animals who spit during shearing.

Comfortable shoes and a good sense of humour!

If you are also going to complete husbandry tasks such as toenail trimming and 5 in 1 vaccinations on shearing day, Then prepare

your equipment and supplies beforehand, and be sure to keep toenail clippings separate from fleeces, and dispose of used needles,

syringes and vaccines correctly, otherwise these items may contaminate and de-value your fleeces.


What are you up to today?

Alpaca in Cairns Store?

Logistics - Location of shearing.

Do you have a designated area where you will have your shearing done? If you don’t have a

designated ‘shearing shed” available, ideally this area should be undercover, protected from wind/sun/

moisture, and capable of being swept between shearing each animal. You will need to make sure the

shearers equipment (table/restraints) will fit into this area and that there will be enough room for

everyone to move around easily. If necessary, check that there are suitable points where restraints can

be attached. Prior to shearing day, set up pens and laneways to assist in moving animals from the

paddock/pre-shearing area into the shearing area and outwards to the paddock.

Decide the order in which you will shear the herd. This may vary depending on the size and make up of your herd. Generally you would

shear the youngest (ie finest micron) and lighter coloured animals first. If you have animals whose fleeces you are planning to show you

may wish to shear these animals first. You will then need to work out how you will organise these animals on shearing day to bring them

to the shearing area in the appropriate order.

There is a Shearing Shed and Pre-classing Code of Practice on the AAA website that can be located by looking under “All about Alpacas >

Fleece”. This provides comprehensive guidelines for preparing the shearing shed, animals and fleeces, and is a useful reference for

alpaca producers.

Post-shearing

In August and September there is always the possibility that the weather will be cold and/or wet following shearing. For animals that

have recently been shorn, they may be at risk of hypothermia if these conditions persist. Have a contingency plan (shelter, additional

feed, coats for young or at-risk animals), in place in case this occurs.

Do something with your fleece! Don’t let your fleece sit in the garage/shed/spare bedroom, where it can become an attractive haven for

moths or mice. There are buyers for most fleece types in Australia, or you may wish to have it processed for your own requirements.

Buyer and processor contact information is listed on the AAA website, however each have their own pricing, preparation and acceptance

requirements, and it is up to individual growers to make their own enquiries and decisions as to the most appropriate destination for their

product. If you don’t have a lot of fleece, consider forming a cluster group with other breeders.

Quick checklist

Shearer booked

Fleece samples for testing

Plastic bags for shorn fleeces

Shopping bags for necks/pieces

Garbage bags for soiled fleece

Labels for fleece bags

Logistics – animal movement to/from shearing area

Shearing area prepared

Sorting of fleeces (show fleeces, fleece to sell, process, etc.)

Plastic Bags available

50cents @

Contact Steve Rowley

07 5546 3971

[email protected]

From Advocate Winter 2010/2013



Mudgeeraba Display

Belle Burne and Jo Jekel at the display

Jo’s alpacas were a huge hit with the public.

BE AWARE – BE ALERT – HYPOTHERMIA!!!

As we now embark on this year’s shearing it is a timely reminder of the risks of

hypothermia following shearing. Just because the days are longer and warmer, the

weather can still revert to winter without much notice and alpacas just off shears are

extremely vulnerable to the effects of rain combined with wind – the wind chill

factor. The combination of the wet with the wind will dramatically lower the core

temperature of the animals and may well prove to be fatal. Cria at their first shearing and

older animals are most at risk. Please watch the weather forecast and ensure your animals

have access to shelter, ideally sheds in the event of a sudden change. Many of us still

recall the tragic hypothermic events of a few years ago.

Liz Coles.

STOP WORMS

Pick up Poo Pile “beans” regularly and use on your gardens as mulch and a great organic fertiliser.

It is now time to prepare gardens before spring. General

pruning and mulching will encourage growth once the warmth

and longer days are with us again. Alpaca poo is a great

source of organic fertilizer. By cleaning the paddocks you

are removing the worm problems for your pacas especially

since we have had a mild winter!!

Share the joy of spring in the vegetable garden with your

friends and neighbours.


Shearers Bob Dunn (02) 4930 3446

Chris Powers 0438653782

Drew Shearman (02) 49201507

Ted Winnell (Casino) (02) 66625379 Mob: 0427 343991

Bernie McInerney Mob: 0429 668240

Dusty the Aussie Shearer 0422 946697

Mike Snow via Kelli Pfeiffer [email protected]

Contacting fellow breeders in your Region for a recommendation is probably the best way to

locate a shearer.

Arrange well ahead of time as the shearers are booked out quickly.

The AAA Website also has a list of shearers on the home page. qldnsw.alpaca.asn.au

Fibre Testing Micron Man Pty Ltd

Email for more information

[email protected]

New England Fibre Testing Service

Walcha 02 6777 2122

Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA)

Geelong office 03 5277 9842

Melbourne office 03 9371 2100

Australian Alpaca Fleece Testing (AAFT) (AWEX accredited)

Paul Vallely, PO Box 246, Crookwell, NSW 2583

Phone/Fax: 02 4834 2132

International Fibre Centre, Gordon Institute of TAFE, Geelong

Geelong 03 5227 2358

Howe, Watts & Co

Mudgee 02 6373 3403

Riverina Wool Testers Pty Ltd

Wagga Wagga 02 6925 1407

Riverina Fleece Testing Services (RFTS)

Wodonga 02 6026 0551

Southern Tablelands Fibre Testing (STFT) (AWEX Accredited)

Kim Cartwright, Thalaba Downs, Laggan 2583

Phone/Fax: 02 4837 3210 Mobile: 0427 373 211

A simple but effective marketing principle to employ is:

CREATE THE CONTACT + FIRST CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE + QUALITY FOLLOW UP = SALES


Eye to eye: diagnosing internal parasites

Looking into a sheep's (Alpacas) eyes does not appear to offer much to a veterinary surgeon or a farmer. So why are

more and more farmers, vets and animal health workers doing precisely this? Surprisingly, the answer is that the eyes

are a good way of revealing the presence of stomach worms. By examining the colour of the inside of the lower eyelid of

a sheep or goat, you can tell how badly the animal is suffering from bloodsucking stomach-worms. Parasitic stomach-

worms result in heavy losses in flocks: they make the host animal anaemic, and the paler the colour of the lower eyelid,

the more serious is the infestation and the more urgent the need to treat the animal.

A bright red colour of the eyelid indicates either that the animal has few or no worms, or that the sheep or goat has the

capacity to tolerate its worms. An almost white eyelid colour is the warning sign of very severe anaemia, as the worms

present in the stomach are in such numbers that they are draining the animal of its blood. If left untreated, such an animal

will soon die.

Test by colour

A very simple test or "assay", known as the FAMACHA anaemia guide, has been developed by

African scientists in South Africa and is being used increasingly widely. Most importantly, the

FAMACHA test not only indicates which animals in a flock need treatment, it also shows which

animals don't need to be treated. And, says Armando Nari, a parasitologist with the UN Food and

Agriculture Organisation (FAO), this is having many different benefits. FAO has been supporting

the field validation (testing the effectiveness on-farm) of this diagnostic technology and is very

pleased with the benefits for farmers. By indicating animals in urgent need of treatment, farmers

can be sure to treat them and ensure that they survive. And, by indicating those animals not

needing treatment, farmers are saved the cost of unnecessary treatment. But, even more

important, the FAMACHA test can also help to prevent the development of drug resistance in the

worms, prolonging the effectiveness of useful chemicals.

So far, the FAMACHA system has been developed for one species of stomach parasite, which

infects sheep and goats, but it is by far the most important species: the Barbers pole worm or

Haemonchus contortus. Hopefully, equally low-cost and simple to use systems will be developed

for use for other worm parasites.

Prolonging drug effectiveness

Drug resistance to internal and external parasites is a widespread and serious problem. As farmers use drugs to protect

their livestock they unintentionally store up problems for the future. This happens because no drug is so effective that it

kills every pathogen or parasite, and even if only one wireworm individual in thousands survives, and it does so because

it alone is resistant to that chemical, it goes on to replicate, and its drug-resistant progeny soon replace the original drug-

susceptible population. Then, as farmers see their chemicals giving poorer control, they may use the chemical more often

or at higher doses, increasing the level of resistance.

For more information go to: www.new-ag.info

Optimal

No Dose

Acceptable

No Dose

Borderline

Dose

Dangerous

Dose

Fatal Dose

From Advocate Winter 2011


Tick Research

Ticks are arthropods belonging to the class Arachnida together with spiders and scorpions.

There are two families of ticks, hard and soft. All ticks are parasites that suck blood from

vertebrates, like birds, reptiles and mammals, including humans.

The hard ticks Ixodes, is the most common tick in the tempered parts of the world. The infection is transmitted from the host‘s blood to the tick, but can also be transmitted between male and female

ticks and the different stages of tick development.

During its life cycle, the tick undergoes different stages of development. After hatching from the egg, the larvae further molts to a nymph and finally ends as adult. During each stage the tick needs

to get nutrition from blood.

There are approximately 880 species of ticks spread over the tempered zones of the world. Ticks have been on earth for as many as 250 million years. They like warm areas with high humidity. Usually they sit on stalk of grass waving its claw supplied front l e g s i n s e a r c h f o r a p a s s i n g h o s t . The most common tick (Ixodes.ricinus) has no eyes instead it uses its sensory organs to detect an

approaching victim.

Michelle Malt (Big Sky Alpacas) recommends the use of this Tick removal product.

The Trix Tick Remover works as a lasso. It is very easy to use on pets as well as children, who are sometimes difficult

to hold still. The length of the remover makes it easy to use in ears,

thick fur and other difficult places. The tick ends up stuck at the tip of

the remover for convenient disposal. The loop is made of a carbon

fibre which has a pull strength of more than 11kgs. The loop is big

enough to take care of most tick species.

For more information www.tickremover.com

From Advocate Summer 2012

Tried Alpaca Beans in your Tree Ferns?—

They love them! Especially this time of the

year. Water well.

Fruit trees—water under the tree canopy

and spread alpaca beans all the way out to

the edge of canopy—water well and check

out the results next winter.


Documents

Alpaca Advocate 2014 Winter