11 October 2021

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were welcoming new life onto the farm and so, it is hard to believe that October is upon us and that we are in full flow with our Autumn regimes.

As with all owners, maintaining a healthy herd, is central to everything we do and as we greet every month on the farm, we plan and move along with our herds’ health and management regime. Early autumn not only sees the start of our vitamin A, D & E supplementation but it is also the time that we give all alpacas their quarterly nutri-vit, vitamin/mineral drench. Whilst all farms will have their own routine, as owners, you’ll all know how good it feels to be able to help support and optimise the alpacas’ health and wellbeing and to set them up for the harsher months ahead.

As well as supplementation, this is also the time of year that we begin one of my favourite practices on the farm…SCANNING! With Roger in tow as the handler, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to tentatively position the ultrasound probe under each of our mated females, navigate my way towards the image of a foetus and announce “Pregnant!” This is genuinely something that I never tire of doing.

Whilst over my 16 years of alpaca ownership I have learnt not to ‘count my chickens, it’s hard not to get excited when you see that positive result.

As well as the routines directly affecting the alpacas, there are lots of other things that take my focus at this time of year. Those of you who know me, will appreciate my passion for alpaca fibre and the creative opportunities that its versatility can present. With that in mind, I was delighted to organise and host a recent product based photo shoot on behalf of the BAS, in order to showcase the depth of variety and opportunity that alpaca fibre can represent. This will form part of the BAS’ new campaign for the promotion of the British alpaca industry as a whole. Watch this space…”

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