Mark Steele - this is now my full-time job and I love it! I manage the day to day side of the alpaca business. My main jobs are:Looking after the health of the Patou herd. As I write the herd is about 70 alpacas strong and all are fit and healthy. It is my main job to ensure they stay fit and healthy. A fit and healthy alpaca is a happy alpaca! This involves day to day husbandry including vaccinations, parasite control, vitamin supplementation, general feeding and anything else that involves keeping the herd healthy. I also speak to our vet regularly about herd health. It also involves a lot of standing about looking at alpacas!Breeding and birthing.I decide, after discussion with Sue, which males we will be using over which females each year. These decisions are based on several criteria but always with a view to improving the quality of the herd. I am also responsible for the mechanics of this procedure ensuring that matings occur in optimum conditions so that females have the best chance of conceiving successfully. I also take the males out for outside services when required. Basically the big important stud boys are my domain!I am also the chief alpaca watcher during the birthing season, primarily because I am here most of the time. Any problems with birthing and I step in to assist. Together Sue and I plan and carry out any additional care that is required for newborn cria if there is a problem.Fleece production and preparation.I organise the shearing each year, for not only our herd, but also the many smaller herds that we have helped set up over the past ten years or so. This may sound relatively simple but with the famous British weather, whereby anything is possible in May or June it can be somewhat stressful! Alpacas need to be dry at shearing time!I also organise the processing of the fleece from our herd. Skirting and sorting and delivering to the processors that we use. We send the best fibre to The Two Rivers Mill in Wimborne where it is processed into yarn. We then send the yarn to The Border Mill in Scotland where it is hand woven into beautiful luxurious garments. The coarser fibre is collected and taken to Penrose products in the midlands where it is used in the manufacture of luxury bedding.Alpaca Sales.I deal with all enquiries relating to alpaca sales. Foremost in my mind when selling alpacas is that they go to a good home. It is very important that anyone who buys from us has the knowledge to look after their alpacas as we would do. I spend as much or as little time as necessary with new clients to ensure that the alpacas are cared for properly. We are always here for advice and help, it is so important for us to know that new owners have the right amount of support from us.Alpaca Shows and events.It is my job to firstly select and then enter our show team into as many alpaca shows as I can go to, as I love it! Sue doesn't like towing the trailer so I get to go to all the shows! It is great fun and always good to chat to other breeders and look at other peoples alpacas. I will also take alpacas to village shows and fetes when asked and love talking to people about our alpacas.As well as all that I have been the Chairman of the South West Alpaca Group (SWAG) for the past four years and help organise several alpaca shows in the region. I am also on the committee for the British Alpaca Society National Show which is the biggest alpaca show in Europe, my role there is to organise the halter show.
