The longer story:
When embarking on the adventure called “alpaca”, Lee identified the two best breeding females she could afford.
“Why alpaca?” I hear you ask …
Lee had always aspired to rural life, and as a pharmacist she was seeking a farming enterprise that would allow her to be productive with a modest acreage near a large regional centre. Alpacas had not long been introduced into Australia from their South American origins, and their gentle nature, coupled with their curiosity and elegant carriage, was irresistible for Lee.
So Jolimont Dutchess and The Gorge Royal Cassandra became the foundation girls for Fleur de Lys Alpacas. These girls were the matriarchs of the Fleur de Lys and the tinge of fawn in the herd can be attributed to Cassie.
Breeding her girls to the best boys she could find, Lee’s herd increased slowly.
Over time, the Fleur de Lys herd has welcomed additions from other alpaca studs, adding genetic diversity while pursuing excellence. The practice of using a few “outside matings” each year has continued to broaden the genetic base of the herd and when combined with the core group, has given some very pleasing results.
So how do you ascertain the success of an alpaca enterprise … ??
This conundrum is measured in a number of ways:
- Success in the show ring
- Whole herd fleece statistics
The show ring remains the only arena where alpacas can be objectively compared to each other and the alpaca breed standard. As with the showing of any livestock, there are anomalies and sometimes we all have a “bad hair day”. It is still the arena where breeding and purchasing choices can be vindicated, by someone whose opinion you respect. The chance to be measured against the best efforts of other breeders can be both scary and exhilarating - depending on the result! As a result, Fleur de Lys Alpacas can be found at most of the South Australia alpaca shows and some of the interstate ones too!
As the alpaca industry is essentially a fleece industry, breeding and husbandry decisions should be based on efforts to maximize both the quality and quantity of fleece produced by each alpaca. There are many exciting avenues being explored that will expand the use and utility of alpaca fibre to new markets. To this end, a bank of fibre statistics is collected each year at Fleur de Lys alpacas, so that progress can be readily mapped and improvements demonstrated objectively. Like many successful alpaca breeders, the average fleece is both heavier and finer each year, demonstrating the gains being made through breeding and husbandry choices.
