Winter - Classical Mileend Alpacas

THE FEED
FOR SHOW
CHAMPIONS
Bob Rawlins of Wellground Alpacas
recently told Carrs Billington,
‘Wellground Farleigh won Supreme
Champion at the Royal Bath and
West Show in 2004, fed exclusively
on Camelid Care Coarse Mix. We
use, stock and recommend Carrs
Billington Camelid Care Coarse mix
for all alpacas – including Supreme
Champions!’
CARRS BILLINGTON
AGRICULTURE LTD
CAMELID CARE COARSE MIX
Outstanding amongst our competitors, Carrs Camelid
Care Coarse Mix has been specifi cally designed to fi ll
the gap between Alpaca’s and Llama’s nutritional
requirements and the known
defi ciencies in U.K. forages.
Our customers report
reduced incidence of skin
lesions, improved conception
rates and generally good
overall herd health.
For more information on this and other Camelid Care
products, or details of your local supplier,
contact Ian Powley on 01900 824105.
It is always pleasing to receive a compliment!
To do so from satisfi ed customers is particularly
valued. Sandy Percy and Adrian Armstrong of
Thistledown Alpacas wrote to Carrs Billington
saying: ‘We believe the quality of our males is
down to the fact we feed them Camelid Care
Coarse Mix. Our two males are now Show
Champions. Our Rose Grey boy won over all the
fawns and whites to become a champion, which is
the fi rst time this has happened in the UK.’
Camelid Care Coarse Mix has been specifi cally
formulated to meet the needs of growing and adult
camelids fed forage rich diets. But because there
are no nutrient tables for alpacas, most feeding
guidelines come from hard earned experience of a
few enthusiastic breeders. It was for this reason
that Carrs Billington held discussions with key
local breeders such as Anne Young (Alpacas of
The Lakes) to develop the formulation and conduct
feeding trials.
Camelids are known to have a more effi cient
digestive system than cattle or sheep, due to the
longer retention time of digesta in the forestomach.
Camelid digestive anatomy has evolved particularly
well to nurture the microbes that can breakdown
plant fi bre, which in turn provides nutrients to the
host animal.
Practical experience from breeders such as
Anne, tells us that good quality forages, either
as grazed grass or conserved winter forage,
can provide the bulk of the nutrients needed by
camelids on a daily basis. But additional minerals,
trace elements and vitamins will be needed to
optimise health and performance. How do we know?
Advertising Feature
Each year Carrs undertake detailed mineral and
trace element profi les on several hundred forage
samples, including grass, hay, grass silages and
wholecrop cereals. The results have shown some
remarkable consistencies.
Over 90% of forages are defi cient in the
essential trace elements, zinc, iodine, copper,
cobalt and selenium. So what? Many trace
elements (and some major minerals) act as
enzyme activators, catalysing key reactions,
which allow feed to be digested (either by the
forestomach microbes or the camelid itself).
But when the trace elements are defi cient, they
can’t catalyse any reactions because they are not
there to do it. So animal performance and health
suffers.
Anne’s enthusiastic support and experience
in the development of Camelid Care Coarse Mix,
with its high mineral, vitamin and trace element
content, has allowed Anne to see ‘Overall improved
health in the herd… with improved conception and
increased performance of stud males.’ Sandy and
Adrian now echo this experience!
Bob Rawlins of Wellground Alpacas recently
told us: ‘Wellground Farleigh won Supreme
Champion at the Royal Bath and West Show in
2004, fed exclusively on Camelid Care Coarse Mix.
We use, stock and recommend Carrs Billington
Camelid Care Coarse mix for all alpacas – including
Supreme Champions!’
It is very rewarding when expertise from
different sides of the agricultural fence can work
together to develop products for the benefi t of
others in the industry!
LIST OF SUPPLIERS
Breeder Contact Name Location Telephone
Alpaca Breeding & Stud Farm David Wiltshire Wiltshire 01454 315290
Alpacas of Norfolk Sheila Curl Norfolk 01263 861541
Ashcroft Alpacas Ben Harford Gloucestershire 01453 860227
Black Mountain Alpacas Sheila Cowling Powys 01874 638102
Blenheim Alpacas Mike Coghlan Oxon 01491 641212
Bryn Dulas Alpacas Mrs Rae Conwy North Wales 01492 517501
Glascoed Alpacas Miss Sainsbury Monmouthshire 01495 785243
Great House Alpacas Mrs Wills Oxon 01844 279805
LandskerLlamas Liz Ford Dyfed 01994 240906
Lowroy Alpacas Norma Miller Lancashire 01616 246798
Marshwood Vale Alpacas Geoff Bugler Dorset 01297 678181
Mile End Alpacas Chas Brooke Devon 01884 243514
Spring Farm Partnership Vicky Agar East Sussex 01825 790885
Wellground Alpacas Bob Rawlings Wiltshire 01380 830431
Also available from all our Branches, for details please visit or website at
www.carrs-billington.com
Alpaca World Magazine Autumn 2004/05 37