The value of a female alpaca with top notch genetics…

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I might just have to admit to it…those close to me, and even those who are only slightly acquainted with me, have know this for some time…my alpaca addiction is out of control. This realisation came about on Saturday, when I took Goldmine for a mobile mating and came home with three females (purchased for Explorer). I have been straying a lot into the dark side lately, trying to control my obsession with white and fawns, but it really isn’t working.

I cannot resist a beautiful looking white, especially when they have great pedigrees to back up their phenotype. I also know what Beck Brow Explorer can add to the mix, so these girls are exciting prospects.

Grand Flowerdale Tor's Affirmation of Fallowfield with female cria (sire: Houghton King)

Grand Flowerdale Tor’s Affirmation of Fallowfield with female cria (sire: Houghton King)

Grand Flowerdale Tor’s Affirmation (sire: Camalot Tor) was imported by Mike and Melanie of Fallowfield Alpacas in 2012. She has produced three fabulous females to date, one of which is at foot and two Colour Championship winners (white and light). I also returned home with Fallowfield Octavia (sire: Bozedown Viscount) a beautiful female with the strength of bone you might expect to see in a male. She has also produced numerous show winners including Supreme Champion (YAG Show) Fallowfield Octavian.

These two females are aged 8 years and 9 years respectively.I know it is not for everyone to take on slightly older females, but for us they offer a great opportunity to purchase proven genetics. We accept that they will end their days with us and we have the space to allow that. We have bought a number of females of this genre, only available because a number of progeny are already owned by the vendor, or in some cases due to the sale of whole herds.

Below is Ep Cambridge Courtesse (sire: Jolimont Commisario) who was purchased from Anzac Alpacas at 7 years of age, and has produced an Explorer son (Wasabi) who is showing great potential. Pictured below is Explorer and Courtesse with Wasabi. As the weather has been fine (we got our hay!!!!) Explorer and I have been doing some paddock matings (as in I take him outside…not he is let loose). He is so laid back we just wander about, him on a loose lead, sniffing (spit-offs) and mating.

Beck Brow Explorer and Ep Cambridge Courtesse with Beck Brow Wasabi  (their son)

Beck Brow Explorer and Ep Cambridge Courtesse with Beck Brow Wasabi (their son)

We also purchased a couple of years ago, at 8 years of age, Ep Cambridge Aria (sire: Ep Cambridge Caesar). Aria is the dam of Valley Alpacas The Diplomat (Supreme Champion and sire of Champions). Although white herself, she has produced us a lovely dark fawn Goldmine daughter…

Beck Brow Golden Sunset

Beck Brow Golden Sunset

Last but not least in this category of females is Ep Cambridge Sparkle (sire; NWA Ltd Ruffo). Sparkle is now 10 years of age but has produced for us a fantastic Explorer daughter, who is a mass of the tightest ringlet/curls/knobbles. She had rather a difficult birth and therefore the vet was called to give a plasma transfusion…the brown stain on her neck is where he rubbed iodine, before I could stop him! I wasnt able to get a fleece shot, but I think the outside says it all…

Beck Brow Glitterati

Beck Brow Glitterati

Beck Brow Glitterati...a mass of dense bobbles!

Beck Brow Glitterati…a mass of dense bobbles!

Sticking with the whites; Bozedown Celestrial has produced a full sister for Beck Brow Trendsetter (who is sired by Explorer and was described as exquisite by Wade Gease). Another one born out of our normal birthing hours at 6pm. We have named her Beck Brow Fashionista.

Bozedown Celestrial with Beck Brow Fashionista (sire; Beck Brow Explorer)

Bozedown Celestrial with Beck Brow Fashionista (sire; Beck Brow Explorer)

Fleece of Beck Brow Fashionista at 3 days

Fleece of Beck Brow Fashionista at 3 days

The wheels are now in motion to have our new white stud male imported from Australia via New Zealand. We were delighted to have his second fleece stats back at: MFD: 17.4, SD 3.5, CV 20.1, CF 100% and he has passed certification for the AAA registry. His dam a beautiful fawn female (not for sale) was also tested and came back: MFD 17.4, SD 3.3, CV 19.2, CF 100% (AAFT). We feel when choosing a stud male the quality of the dam has to be examined to the same extent as the sire, and this female is top notch. He will be meeting up with our fawn boy in New Zealand later in the year. Our fawn (who also has an outstanding dam, used as ET donor) has very similar stats at MFD 17.0, SD 3.4, CV 20.0 CF 100% (AAFT) but of course what is really important is that both these boys are DENSE!

For those of you who are not obsessed with alpaca genetics and fleece stats (you have probably stopped reading by now) here is Hettie…who is obsessed with Alpaca magazine

Hettie and Craig

Hettie and Craig

Finally a field of contented Beck Brow Females…

Beck Brow Alpacas

Beck Brow Alpacas

And the fleece of the dam of our newly purchased male…

Fleece of the dam of our new stud.

Fleece of the dam of our new stud.

Categories: Blog

3 comments

  1. Judi says:

    Finally got to read your blog and all I can say is “Wow, your alpacas just get better and better!”
    Won’t be long before little Hettie is helping Grandma with the alpaca jobs will it?!

  2. Shirley & Robbie Thomson says:

    That photo of little BB Wasabi getting in on the action made us laugh! Bonnie beasties as always. Glad you got the hay in. Shirley & Robbie

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