| Symposium Seminar Descriptions |
| Speakers and topics are subject to change. |
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Important – Please Read |
The structure of the two day owner/breeder Symposium is that there are several seminars going on at all times. Many topics are offered twice to allow the participant to attend most topics. Once you have registered for the Symposium, you do not need to sign up in advance for MOST of the seminars; you pick the sessions you wish to attend and go to that classroom at the designated time. There is one course (Open Judging) that will require signup in advance because of the limited number of attendees that will be able to participate. The Open Judging will be offered several times throughout the weekend, so most people should be able to attend one of the sessions, if they wish. There will be sign up sheets at the Symposium for each Open Judging session.
Just as with the 2010 Symposium, the alpaca health sessions for veterinarians will be conducted on Saturday with Dr. Bravo and Drs. Ruthanne and Ed McCaslin as speakers. Owner/breeders will be allowed to observe these sessions but in an effort to keep the presentations and discussions at a level appropriate and productive for veterinarians, owner/breeders may observe but cannot participate in these sessions by asking questions or providing commentary. Several of the topics presented at the vet sessions will be presented on Sunday for owner/breeders at a level appropriate for owners.
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Female Alpaca Reproduction
P. Walter Bravo, DVM |
| The basics of female reproduction will be covered in this session.
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Alpaca Neonatology
P. Walter Bravo, DVM |
| This class will cover cria care and Dr. Bravo’s research including his latest findings on cria IgG.
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Tax Issues for Alpaca Owners/Breeders: Introductory
Jim Daniels, CPA |
| Topics will include: record keeping, business expenses, depreciation, gain/loss on sale of animals, entity selection, sales tax issues & reporting, hobby loss rules.
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Tax Issues for Alpaca Owners/Breeders: Advanced
Jim Daniels, CPA |
| Topics will include: Entity Selection, Business Expenses, Business versus Personal Expenses, Depreciation rules, Gain/loss on sale, Sales Tax Issues & Reporting, Tax audit issues: hobby farm & sales tax, 2011 tax update.
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Current fiber outlets, what are our choices with fiber?
Wade Gease, AOBA Certified Judge |
| How many times have you been asked, “What can I do with my fiber?” Come for a synopsis of our nation’s available industries that are happy to help get that fiber out of your basement! Special highlights will be on what the “New” directions our Nation’s Alpaca Fiber Coop of North America has taken to insure its continued success. Discuss cottage and commercial markets and what they mean in our industry. Leave this seminar with a game plan for your 2011 clip!
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Fabrics, Blends & Felts, how & what can we do with them?
Wade Gease, AOBA Certified Judge |
| The seminar covers what it takes to make fabric from your alpaca fleece and the considerations you need to make beforehand. Find out quaintly minimums and pricing to see if fabric is something you want to do. Blending is a positive advantage if you understand its purpose. What are some choices out there and why would you want to blend? Felting is now one of our fiber industries hottest topics. This is a way of utilizing the wide variation of fibers alpacas produce. There are benefits of felting and a variety of ways to make felt for your products in mind. Come and get some ideas started!
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Alpaca Fleece Open Judging: Live Commentating
Cameron Holt and Wade Gease, AOBA Certified Judges |
| These judges will open their fleece judging for viewing where the judge will explain to attendees what he or she is evaluating in the fleeces and why he or she is assigning the score. The number of participants for this class will be limited at any one time due to the space constraints and nature of the class. Two sessions will be offered with each of these judges (total 4 sessions); sign-up for each session will be done at the Symposium registration desk. Sessions will be held in the Lafayette Room (Fleece Room).
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Using and Understanding Measurement to Develop Superior Fibre
Cameron Holt, AOBA Senior Judge |
This session will cover:- Understanding measurement and its value in selection. Learn how best to use measurements in the selection of their animals, to improve fibre traits.
- Advanced alpaca fibre traits. Here the main characteristics are discussed and the use of measurement within each of these fibre traits, with an emphasis on those that create value. Tools are given for breeders to improve these key traits.
- Follicle structure. A special emphasis is placed in this lecture on the development of follicles within the skin giving attendees the knowledge so they can understand the value of SP Ratios, primary and secondary differences as well as overall densities per square millimetre.
- Overview of advanced fibre. This topic identifies the attributes that go to make an elite fibre.
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Reducing Guard Hair and the Micron of Coarse Primary Fibres
Cameron Holt, AOBA Senior Judge |
| The presentation addresses the differences between guard hair and alpaca primary fibres. Strategies are explored, from a basic approach to a more scientific appraisal, as how to improve the alpaca fleece through the elimination of guard hair. The lecture also examines methods for reducing the micron of primary fibres and suggests basic inexpensive strategies through to full skin sampling and evaluation of skin traits that will make the fleece more even.
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Preparing and spinning Alpaca fleece into conventional and novelty yarns
Tom Knisely, Fiber Artist & Judge |
| This seminar will cover the uses of different qualities of alpaca fleece and how to wash and prepare them for hand spinning. We will discuss the dyeing of the fleece and is it better to dye prior to or after spinning your yarns. You will be shown how to card or comb your fleece for woolen or worsted spinning and we will discuss which fleece is best for each preparation. You will also see both hand spun and commercially spun yarns that fall into the category of novelty yarns.
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Marketing your fleece and yarns. What does your customer want?
Tom Knisely, Fiber Artist & Judge |
| For some, what to do with all that fleece has always been a question. We are told its valuable but to whom is it valuable? With all the new and upcoming alpaca farms, how do you find that special niche that makes your fiber saleable? As a retail marketer of yarns and spinning fiber for over 30 years, Tom will discuss numerous ways to market your product. We will talk about how to choose a mill to spin your yarns and what size yarns to have spun. We are sure you will begin thinking more about your product and making more conscientious decisions about your yarns and how to move them. Come learn some of the tricks of the yarn marketing industry.
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E Marketing
Tom Lyga |
| Marketing in the 21st Century…over the last 5 years, marketing tools have changed dramatically, however the principles of marketing still need to be met. In this session, attendees will learn key components of using the internet to more effectively develop their marketing plan. Emphasis will be on dynamic web presence, bulk email, and social networking.
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Chorioptic Skin Disease in Alpacas
Ed McCaslin, DVM and Ruthanne McCaslin, DVM |
| Mite-based skin diseases in alpacas are challenging at every turn, from getting a productive skin scraping to accurately identifying the mites to finding an effective treatment to prevention of reinfestation. We will cover each of these areas in depth and also cover contributing factors and possible secondary infections. Portions of this session will be hands-on. Dr. Ed McCaslin has been studying Chorioptic mites for the last seven years and has written an article on this topic for Alpacas Magazine.
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Cria Care from Birth to Weaning
Ruthanne McCaslin, DVM and Ed McCaslin, DVM |
| This session will focus on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of common cria problems and will include an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of cria diarrhea. Emphasis is on prevention of problems as much as possible and early recognition and treatment of the problems that do occur.
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Herd Health: a Preventive Approach to Alpaca Health Care
Ruthanne McCaslin, DVM and Ed McCaslin, DVM |
| This session will focus on husbandry practices that promote herd health, help avoid many problems and recognize the health issues that do occur when they are in an early, more treatable stage. We will cover nutrition, vaccination, biosecurity, intelligent deworming, low stress handling, stocking ratios, etc.
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A Grass Guy’s Guide to Alpaca Pasture Management
Frank Rossi, PhD |
| Alpaca pasture management is an overlooked aspect of alpaca nutrition. It is vital to maximize pasture performance to offer the alpaca ideal nutrition and then properly account for the nutrition in your feeding program. The key to maximizing pasture performance understands how to establish and manage pastures, understand and manage soils and determine ideal grazing programs for your herd that maintains pasture health. This workshop will cover the practical aspects of pasture management from someone who has spent their entire life growing grass.
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