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AlpacaNation Q&A with Inti Alpacas, LLC
Gordon Hadyk
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The farm is halfway between Concord & Keene , 131 Daniel Webster Hwy #123, Nashua, NH 03060
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978-516-0479
AlpacaNation: Tell us about yourself...
Inti Alpacas, LLC: For over thirty years, breeding and raising horses and a variety of other animals, including livestock, has been an integral part of my daily life. My bedside stand has always held a stack of veterinary, genetics, and animal behavior texts.
For Gordon, however, this has been an entirely new experience. He never imagined that he would one day assist in the delivery of goat kids and alpaca crias, or shovel manure, or put up fencing and a barn! However, now that he has been out in the country on our farm for the past seven years, he has no desire to go back to suburbia. In fact, he is planning to join me on the farm full time in about three years.
AlpacaNation: How did you decide on your farm name? Is there a special meaning behind the name?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: "Inti" is the name given to the sun by the people whose ancestors developed the domesticated alpaca from the wild vicuna thousands of years ago. The name reflects our lifelong fascination with ancient cultures, particularly those of South America, and honors the role these people played in bringing us the alpaca.
AlpacaNation: What do you tell prospective buyers who look at the small profit the alpaca fiber produces compared to the daunting prices of alpacas?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Two things:
1. Elite fiber in commercial quantities ("bales") commands high prices, sometimes in excess of a million dollars a bale!
To tap into that market, US alpaca breeders and producers need to focus on producing enough alpacas of that quality to provide that amount of fiber. Then we need to work together to get it to market.
At Inti, we are breeding for alpacas that retain "baby" grade fiber, or finer, at 10 years of age. Those alpacas hold their value and pay their way!
2. Alpaca owners who produce "value added" products will earn a significantly higher return on their fleeces. Rovings sell for more than raw fiber, yarn sells for more than that, and fisnished products bring the most per ounce of fiber!
AlpacaNation: How did you become interested in alpacas?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Like many others, we were searching for a profitable venture for our small farm - preferably one that involved animals, and would require a minimum of labor.
The alpaca caught our imagination decades ago, so we were delighted to discover that the alpaca is more than an exotic animal with a romantic past - they are also domestic livestock with serious profit potential.
After five years of working with alpacas, we enjoy them as much as ever. The people are great, and the possabilities for the future are limited only by our creativity and dedication.
AlpacaNation: What sets your farm and herd apart from others in the industry?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Several things sets Inti Alpacas apart:
- Experience! We came to the alpaca business with over thirty years of livestock breeding experience. Evaluating conformation, analysing pedigrees, and all aspects of animal husbandry are 'old hat' to us.
- Our emphasis on the alpacas. Our place is a pretty little farm in the country, but instead of elaborate facilities, we chose to put the bulk of our investment into quality breeding stock.
- Oyr focus is on quality alpacas that maintain their fine fleeces - and their value!
Above all, we love to help new breeders get a solid start in the business, and enjoy working with experienced breeders, too!
AlpacaNation: What steps did you take to prepare for raising an alpaca herd?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: We read everything about alpacas, visited numerous farms, attended seminars, volunteered at a large farm, viewed & handled 200+ alpacas, and spent hours on the Internet!
Though each species has its own requirements, the basics of husbandry and handling, (trimming feet, giving injections, assisting deliveries, nutrition, etc) that we had learned over decades gave us a solid foundation in this industry.
We chose to emphasize the animals over equipment & facilities, and set our place up for the alpacas and obtained the neccesary supplies for a modest investment. We can help others get the most value for their start-up dollars. Some choose to invest more up front; our plan is to have the business pay for its growth.
Locating a vet that would treat alpacas, and a couple experienced breeders who were willing to give advice were the final steps we took before bringing our alpacas home.
AlpacaNation: How long have you been in the alpaca business?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: In a way, Inti Alpacas really began over 30 years ago! Linda Marie's fascination with genetics and the art of selective breeding - leading to decades of experience in evaluating conformation, applying genetic principles to breeding programs, setting up & running small to medium breeding farms, nutrition & feeding programs, and other aspects of animal husbandry - plus training and exhibiting.
When we founded Inti Alpacas in 2004, after a solid year of investigating the alapca business, we were able to assemble a small herd of quality from the start.
As a "newer farm with decades of experience", we are in a unique position to help those who are getting started - and those who are trying to determine if raising alpacas is right for them - as well as the experienced alpaca breeder.
AlpacaNation: What advice would you give to those just getting started in the industry?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: First, evaluate your financial postition. Determine the amount you are willing and able to put into an alpaca venture. Define your financial goals. Decide if you want to be a passive investor, board your alpacas at another farm, or live "the alpaca lifestyle". Consult a tax professional.
Not all the money needs to be upfront; many farms will finance alpacas at low interest. The cost of upkeep, while minimal, is an ongoing expense, as is insurance. Fencing & shelter for your alpacas can run a thousand or a few hundred thousand; it all depends on your starting & projected herdsize, and your budget.
Next, do your due diligence - learn all you can about breeding & raising animals in general, and alpacas in particular. Visit a variety of farms: large & small, established & new. Volunteer at alpaca farms to get "on the job training".
Finally, find an alpaca breeder with the knowledge, experience, and willingness to mentor you & guide you toward your goals.
AlpacaNation: What has been the most helpful advice you have received from your veterinarian?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: "If you're in it long enough, eventually you will see everything." An oft repeated phrase first shared with me by Dr. Janie Fasinger, DVM.
At twelve, my vet told me that if I was going to raise these animals (I just got my first broodmare), I had better learn how to take care of them, and proceded to teach me to give injections. Each visit usually entailed tutoring in a new (to me) techique or procedure. More recently, Dr. Christine Griffith DVM taught a nearby farm owner and me how to trim alpaca fighting teeth. It was surprisingly easy.
We recomend that new farms find a veterinarian who is always interested in learning, and who is in turn willing to work with you and teach you how to perform basic procedures.
Remember, the health and well being of your herd is ultimately your responsibility. You and your veterinarian should be a team!
AlpacaNation: What has been your biggest lesson learned in terms of breeding?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: If the enviroment allows for optimal development, the results of a breeding program are due entirely to the principles of genetics: blue ribbons, emotional attachment, price tags, and stud fees do not affect the genetic makeup of an animal or it's progeny.
Shows can be useful tools for evaluation and promotion, but evaluating studs or animals to add to your breeding program is like skirting fleeces: you want to keep the useful information on the table and let the hype fall to the floor.
The good news is that by studying those who have gone before - and by that I mean everyone from Mendel to the great breeders of the past in a variety of breeds and species - it is possible for new breeders to raise above average to superior stock from the beginning, with a little luck...!
A good mentor can help tilt the odds in your favor, and the journey is always more fun when shared. We are happy to share what we have learned, and to help you reach your goals.
AlpacaNation: Describe your first alpaca purchase... would you do anything differently today?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Our first alapcas were purchased sight-unseen - and we have been completely happy with that purchase!
Of course we did our homework: we reviewed multiple photos taked from different angles, we evaluated fiber samples, etc. And we felt totally comfortable 'taking the leap' after talking with the sellers several times on the phone.
Those on a tight budget and/or without experience evaluating livestock may be better off hiring an experienced breeder to help them decide which alpacas might best meet their needs. This does not eliminate all the risk, of course, but it will go a long way toward making sure that the new buyer is getting a good value for their money.
AlpacaNation: How do you see your farm and alpaca business growing over the next 5 to 10 years?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Inti Alpacas will be a medium sized alpaca farm with twenty to thirty broodhembres and a few choice stud males. This will allow us to incorporate a variety of bloodlines, combining the specific traits we are looking to "lock in" to our herd, and to acheive continual improvement, while allowing us to know each animal individually.
At this size, we will be able to offer a diverse group of select quality alpacas, and provide a variety of services to our customers: shearing, transportation, halter training, etc. Additionally, we offer alpaca photography and copy writing services.
This herd size will also allow us to continue to manage the farm primarily by ourselves, since we enjoy tending our herd together.
In four to five years, as our herd size grows, we plan to both be on the farm full-time. We can hardly wait!
AlpacaNation: What is your greatest achievement or favorite memory since you started raising alpacas?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Raising alpacas creates many wonderful memories...newborn crias wobbling on stilt-like legs...contented alpacas muching their evening feed on a cold winter night...alpacas young & old leaping and bounding across the pasture in the last rays of the sun...
A favorite memory is when Inti Impression, the first alpaca we bred, won her Reserve Color Championship. This may be our greatest acheivement as new alpaca breeders, but we aren't new to breeding fine quality pedigreed livestock... experience counts!
Another proud moment was having our first herdsire selected by Dr. Wayne Jarvis, an internationally respected breeder & genetics expert, to sire the majority of the '08 cria crop at Sixth Day Farm.
The memory of Bolero winning the 2008 NAAS mature male class - at nearly 12 - will never fade. The names of the entries read like a "who's who": Alberta Clipper, North East Coolidge, Polaris - sire of Oliver, and Maple Brook Windsor. Thanks to all the "Bobo" fans who c
AlpacaNation: Why so much emphasis on 'Alianza' bloodlines?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: The alpacas of the Rural Alianza co-op in Peru have not been as heavily marketed as other bloodlines, yet they have a world wide reputation for fleece fineness.
In Peru, alpacas produce income primarily from the sale of their fleeces. For decades the Rural Alianza has rigorously selected their breeding stock for health and vigor in the harsh Andean enviroment, freedom from genetic defects, and fine fleece. Groupo Inca, one of the large commercial concerns in Peru dealing in alpaca fiber and textiles, has contracted to buy the entire annual clip of the Rural Alianza - with the condition that ALL the fleece meets their standards for fineness. With ~35-45,000 alpacas on seven seperate farms, the Alianza has been able to acheive this, and retain genetic diversity.
The alpacas of the Alianza provide a gene pool highly selected for fine fleeces - fleeces that stay fine. This selection through the generations results in more predictable results for the traits we value mo
AlpacaNation: If you could change one aspect of the Alpaca industry what would it be? Why?
Inti Alpacas, LLC: Independant verification of fiber tests would give buyers - both new investors and experienced breeders - an added level of confidence in the alpaca market.
Along with that, evaluation of fleece traits and conformation by trained appraisers, similar to the appraisal systems in place in the dairy cattle and goat industries, would be wonderful!
The incorporation of these and other useful data into a database, preferably with the generation of EPDs, would give breeders of all sizes the tools we need to develop the quality of alpacas necessary to sustain a viable commercial fiber market.
These steps need not cost a breeder more than attending one or two shows per year - but the value would be greater, and the 'playing field' more level for breeders of all herd sizes.
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