Elyse greeting a new Cria-cria of Fantazia

One of our favoiurite Peruvian girls that was originally been exported, Avonlea, had a female called Fantazia, Avonlea now is 16years+, and so although pregnant, we are lucky to have a female that we have not sold, to keep this fantastic line going. Avonlea has always produced stunning fleeces, and so when Fantazia was born, we knew our chances of getting another female from Avonlea was slim, so we made sure that Fantazia was not sold. Fantazia produced this gorgeous female last Monday morning, Fantasia. Her ears looks as though she is the flying nun, but they will firm up, in a couple of days, and so will her frontt legs, she is not 24 hours old at this stage. Elyse goes for a walk, and also spots one of our favourite alpaca at the moment, "Illustrious", Seductions male cria, who is destine to be a future herdsire at Mariah Hill. Anyone who has visited our farm, knows Seduction, she has beautiful soft handling very fine fleece. Elyse has just come bak from a gruelling trip from South Australia, and so she feels back at home with the alpacas, and checking out the babies.

a day at the National alpaca show-day 1

We wake up pretty early in the morning, approx 5.30am, we have rented the rooms at a lovely motel for 5 days, It took us 9 hours drive to get to Canberra, a long drive, as most of it has been in the dark, as i had so much work to complete before i left, that i did not finish my work until 2 om.

We were planning on leaving at 9am, it has been such a long day. So by the time we unloaded the vans and trailers, it was past midnight.

Rob followed us up, as we had to pick up a boy for the next quarantine. All the packing of the show gear into the trailer, was left up to Elyse.

The grooming and halter training of the alpacas was also left to Elyse.

Rob had to clean the quarantines and prepare the feed for the next day, as my other children (adult kids), were feeding and checking on the alpacas for me, whilst Rob was gone the 24 hrs.

Also finishing the alterations that needed at the quarantine facility, which took Rob hours as well.

We lead very busy lives, and there is not one second of the day that is not taken up with the alpacas in one way or the other.

We get up and have a very quick morning drink, whilst we get ready to go to the showgrounds.

It is literly 5 mins away which is really handy.

My car is starting to play up, which is really odd, as this car has been fantastic.

As usual over night with all the alpacas in the shed, the condensation from the steel roofing, and the alpacas breathing, the alpacas are very damp in the mornings.

Some worse than others.

it seems the finer the fleeces, the more these fleeces seem to soak up the moisture.

So the idea is to get the alpacas out in the freash air, pray for a little wind, and sunshine, which we were out of luck.

We take them for a walk, and as they relax and enjoy the walk, hopefully with the aid of the breeze, their fleeces start to dry off.

You really do pray for sunshine, as the moisture takes away the density they would normally feel, and nothing like sunshine to do this.

It is zero degrees, and so, so cold, i tralk them for a walk for about an hour, and then i hook them along a fence line, so they can just relax and enjoy the outdoors.

It seems to be getting colder, and after another 1 hour, i take them in.

Meanwhile, our friends, Jenny and Graham come, and Graham, cleans out our pen, he is such a nice guy.

Jenny and i walk a little longer, whilst the pens are cleaned out.

Then we go in and have a coffee and a hot chocolate.

Then it is a day of showing.

Usually many breeders network on these occassions, and we also catch up with old friends, ones we only see at major shows.

It is wuite a good tme, and this goes on for 3 days of showing.

They are long days, usually packing up anything after 8pm -9pm of night, and early morning as well.

On the last day, there was a general meeting, and junior judging, then the auction animals are paraded around.

Some of the videos for this is on my you tube, link below.

a very tiresome time.

vip going well

Ekyse is home from her break, and 7am, in the morning we are the front of her little flatette which is on the property, beeping the horn.

We had a huge day on.

Checking the alpacas, first thing, letting ones in sheds out, and making sure they are all wam.

Rob and Elyse go down and let the quarantine alpacas out and clean and disinfect the area.

All alpacas are going well.

Raelene Moves the girls to a new paddock, where there is alots of freash grass, this paddock has been rested since March.

We have approx 400 plus alpacas on 100 acres, but they really do not eat a great deal.

2/3rds of the farm rarely get used, and is mainly used for growing hay.

At the moment we have about 100 round bales left for sale. They are going very quick, as really this state has been in drought for about 8 years now.

We are lucky although we are not cutting as much hay as we used to, we are still getting good quality hay, and enough to feed the herd, and sell some off.

Elyse is on the tractor here.

She is really versitile.

Well off Rob and Elyse went to do another clean up, as people have moved out of their house, and then a huge clean up in the garden, for a massive mansion in Harkaway.

He said the grass was almost as tall as himself.

Elyse's 21st

Oh What a night.

ELyse is now 21, and we celebrated her 21st at home, with some close friends and family.

She had a wild time, for us anyway, she looked beautiful, and had a fabulous night.

She has received some gorgeous presents and thanks everyone who turned up, and also for the presents she has received.

Quarantine going well

What a busy week. Up at 5.30am, to check my emails, answer the important ones, down at quarantine between 6.30am and 7am, down cleaning quarantine, checking each alpaca, feeding. This can tke approx 3 hours ecery morning, and then the same in the late afternoon.
We did three procedures this week to meet the NZ protocol.
This is a lovely group of alpacas, foming from 8 farms cross Australia.
All the alpacas are getting on well.
We also completed some ultrasounds in our own herd, with Zena, who is 8 years old, due to giver first cria any day.
We were told by a vet when she was about 218 mths old, that it would be impossible for her to get pregnant. Being a full Accoyo female, this was disheartening at the time.
ELyse loves her so we gave her to ELyse.
She became the carer for the weanlings, with huge mothering capabilities, she really looked after many weanlings, over the past years. She also looked for matings so often we would let the new boy on the block to try and learn from her patience.
One new boy approx 12 months ago, his first mating, acheived a pregnancy with her on his first mate.
Spurprise, Spurprise, so we contacted the original vet who said she could not get pregnant, and reconfirmed an ultrasound through him.
He has since told us, that she obviously can get pregnant, (obviously), but we would have to be careful when she delivers.
Elyse is very anxious of her impending birth.
While Tim the vet was up, we re scanned her to confirm the pregnanct date, as if delivery proves to be difficult it is already arranged, with Tim, for a caesar to take place.
So we patiently wait and observe.
We had lots of rain last night.
All alpacas in quarantine was placed in the shedding area for protection from all weather eliments.
Looks like rain to day.
Speak soon