Getting started
Introductory Alpaca Workshop: 
For Interested and prospective breeders:
One day course
Theory and 'hands on' .
Topics include:
- Introduction to Alpacas
- Why alpacas in Australia - fleece to fashion
- From Alpaca origins from Peru to Worldwide
Best Practices - Selection of a Stud herd
- Frames and Conformation
- Understanding fleece for viablecommercial harvest
- SRS Breeding principles and other science behind breeding
- Understanding fleece data/registration processes
Best Practices - Animal management
- Health, including pasture management and supplementary feeding
- General husbandry from annual shearing, to parasite monitoring and management.
- Care of the expectant dam
- The birthing process
- Care of the new cria and dam
- The Weaner and introduction to halter training
- Reproduction management - understanding overview
Best Practices - Farm management
- Shed/Yard/laneway and paddock layoutsFencing
- Watering points and shelter belt plantings
- Speciality shed usage: Shearing/embryo transfer/classing
Other topics:
- Record keeping and the importance of observation
- Show preparation for your alpacas
- Fleece preparaton for your fleeces
- Fleece preparaton for manufacturing
- Check list for buying alpacas
For enquiries about the next Introductory workshops at Coolaroo please contact us
Alpaca Production Workshops for those considering buying Alpacas:
One day workshops that can be done in conjunction with the Introductory workshop ie two oneday workshops.
These are a mixture of theory (a full powerpoint presentation) and hands on practical exercises.
Topics include:
- An introduction to the SRS® Breeding system.
- A comprehensive examination of groups of alpacas to understand the better or poorer attributes of an animal.
- Understanding predictability in breeding and the importance of knowing your own goal posts.
- Understanding the show ring and what the judges look for and why.
- Other areas may be covered such as artificial breeding techniques etc depending on the needs of the individual participants.
Potential breeders will confidently be able to examine an alpaca in a line up with clear understanding of the importance of sound conformation, bone and body balance and structure.
Additionally breeders will be able to clearly identify fleeces that will be progressive fleece types as against fleeces that contain faults.
For enquiries about our next Alpaca Production Workshop at Coolaroo please contact us
Farm days: Join us for the day and participate in the daily activity of a fully operational alpaca farm and see it from both the aspect of the farmer, with the alpacas in the paddock to the fashion retailer with garments made from the alpacas you have seen that day.
Please contact us for more information on suitable dates.