Alpaca as guards animals

Meet Vinkie: Little Valley Farm’s Top Alpaca Alarm caller.

At Little Valley Farm, we take the safety of our herd seriously, and Vinkie, one of our trusted alpacas, leads the charge as our top alarm caller but not a guard. Why an alarm caller and not a guard? What is the difference?

Vinkie can sense when something is not right, hiding out in the bush, whether a dog, fox, snake, eagle, wombat or even a tiny echidna passing through the paddocks. Her sharp instincts are followed by the distinctive alpaca alarm call, and the herd knows to gather and stay safe. It's also an alert for us to get out on the paddock and double-check that everything is as it should be. At the end of the day, we are their guards! 

Not all alpacas make great guards, but some are great at alerting and making that particular alpaca alarm sound. I do not like alpacas being guards to sheep, especially if wild dogs are in the area. Dog and wild dogs severely injure or, even worse, kill the alpacas, as dogs are no match for alpacas. 

Other livestock make better guards than alpacas depending on what you are guarding, the size of the land and the number of animals you have. You must also make the judgment call: do you want the alpacas as pets or guards? Entire male alpacas do not make good guards, and they must be castrated at the appropriate age to avoid injury to small livestock such as goats and sheep. 

The best protection for your livestock is secure pens, excellent fencing and people nearby. This is my opinion, and other breeders may say something else. Wether alpacas (castrated males) may be helpful around your chickens from foxes, but it's just their sheer presence that may deter the fox or eagle. I have never seen an alpaca kill a fox here, and we have plenty of foxes; they keep an eye on each other by smartly avoiding one another.

What about your pet dog? 

To maintain the safety of our herd, Little Valley Farm has a strict biosecurity policy—no dogs allowed on the property. For those considering adding alpacas to a home where pet dogs are present, we’ll cover the best strategies for introducing your dogs to alpacas safely and in a controlled manner. Around 90% of our clients have successfully integrated their dogs and alpacas, whether by supervised interaction or by separating them with appropriate fencing. The other 10% are like us and don’t have dogs. 

We will also discuss the correct fencing and pens to set up on your farm for extra protection.

We hope this helps! If you have any questions, please email us. Join us for our next alpaca workshop in the Hunter Valley, where we will explore this topic further.

While alpacas are great at deterring smaller predators, wild dogs/domestic dogs pose a much bigger threat. Sadly, alpacas are not a match for wild dogs, and encounters can lead to serious injuries or even death.
— Daniela

Alpaca workshops are run monthly in the Hunter Valley and you can book in your dates for 2024 and 2025 via our Little Valley Farm website.


Alpaca Shearing 2024

We concluded Shearing Day last Friday, and it was a fantastic day! The alpacas look amazing and are all set to stay cool for the upcoming summer heat. ☀️ Take a look at these photos—aren't they adorable in their fresh new looks? Some of these lovely alpacas will be available for sale soon, and you'll meet others at our Introduction to Alpaca Workshop for new owners. Stay tuned!


#AlpacaShearing #LittleValleyFarm #AlpacasForSale #AlpacaWorkshop #HunterValley


Shearing 2024 Book in your shearer now

We have confirmed our shearing date for the end of September 2024. To find a shearer near you, here is a list of shearers we recommend. Remember not to leave it to the last minute before it gets too hot; shear in the spring for our area. Make sure you keep your alpacas clean and dry for shearing day. Have a pen set up and the alpacas ready for the shearer. Also, ensure the shearers are working under or in a shed to help keep them cool. Depending on who you use, you will need to ask if they need to use your generator or if you have power in your shed then - perfecto!

Me with Suri girl, Bina having a quick cuddle.

List of NSW Shearers

Chris Power

0438 653 782   powza01@bigpond.com

Based: Bathurst & Central Coast.

Covers: Most of NSW. (in SA in October). Prefers to shear only alpacas & llamas. Toenails. Vaccinations if vaccines are provided. He will have an animal handler with him

Tom Cullen

Email: trcullen61@hotmail.com or get him on his Facebook page works on the Hunter area.

Mobile shearing, fencing & health services for alpacas, sheep and goats.

Shaun McFadyen

0405 535 758         shaun.shearer58@gmail.com 

Contact: refer to Text or email, but happy to talk to someone. Facebook page: Shorn by Shaun.

Based: Mudgee  Services: Hunter Valley/ Newcastle, Central Coast, Sydney, Central West, Canberra. Will travel anywhere in NSW for large numbers. Will do small numbers. Will shear llamas. Does toenails. Has roustabout if numbers over 10.

Drew Shearman

0427 924 493    enquiries@shearmanlivestock.com.au

Text to mobile preferred. Shearman livestock contracting website.

Based in Glen Oak (25 km north of Newcastle), it regularly services Newcastle, Central Coast, Hunter Valley, and Mid North Coast, as well as Mudgee occasionally. He also has an annual run to Toowoomba.

I prefer to do smaller lots (less than 100). I will do one animal. I shear sheep, goats, and llamas.

Does toenails, vaccinations. Will worm drench if required. Shears on a table. Doesn’t have a roustabout.

Preferred method of contact: Carrie’s own plant consisting of both battery and electric gear and all the equipment to shear, drench, vaccinate, crutch and trim hooves.  I will travel for any number of animals and don’t mind sharing single animals or small mobs.

Cath Lukin 0400 076 432

Based: Braidwood   Covers: Braidwood, NSW South coast, Monaro

Alpacas only, a minimum of 1.

Prices vary depending on a number of factors; please enquire. It does toenails, vaccinations, drench, and AD&E (if required). It also provides year-round service for 5-in-1, toenails, etc.

Sean Timmony  

0417 272 937       DunbarsRunAlpacas@gmail.com

Contact by TEXT message to the mobile.

Based in Hawkesbury, it covers Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains, Penrith, Mulgoa/Camden/Picton/Werombi area, Hills District, and other areas on application. The minimum number of Shears on the floor is two. He has a roustabout. Does toenails and vaccinations.

Ken Wray

0407 050 252     ken-wray@bigpond.com

Website:        www.alpacacarensw.com

Based: Marulan. Services: Southern Tablelands, Southern Highlands, Western Sydney, South Coast (Northern end).

Minimum number: 1   Maximum number: 30. Will shear llamas. Toenails and vaccinations included. Drenching if required. Specialises in small numbers, particularly pets and guards. Does husbandry work outside the shearing period? Happy to give advice to owners unfamiliar with alpacas.

~~~~

If you are outside NSW, I will send you the link for more.

Enjoy your shearing day, harvest and use your alpaca fleece into something wonderful, and take care of your shearer on the day. Daniela

Alpaca Morning Chores

Alpacas roam the paddocks while we use our Greystone paddock vac to keep the paddocks super clean. By cleaning up their dung piles, we can help reduce the worm burden in our livestock and ensure that our alpacas are happy and healthy all year round.

Read more on alpaca communal dung piles here.

Join us for our next alpaca INTRODUCTION TO ALPACA WORKSHOP in the Hunter Valley.

Alpaca Terminology

Every industry has a unique language that brings people together. The alpaca industry is no different, and here are some terms used within it.

Cria - newborn alpaca to six months of age. Pronounced kree-ah.

Weaners - a weaned alpaca less than one year old.  Most alpacas are weaned at 4 to 6 months of age.

Tui - 12 month to sexual maturity. Prounced too-ee.

Dam or Hembra - breeding female, alpacas mother.

Entire Maile - or machos are sire - breeding male.

Wether - castrated male alpaca.

Birth weight - average birth weight of alpacas is six to 9 kg. (depends on seasons and paddock feed and quality available.

Female fertility - average female fertility of alpaca is 12+ to 18 years.

Gestation period - average gestation period of alpacas is 335 to 342 days. 11.5 to 12 months.

Huacaya - The most common alpaca type in Australia. The dense fibre grows straight out from the body, similar to merino. Pronounced wua-ky-ya.

Suri - Only a small number of the national Australian herd are Suri. The suri is covered in long pencil fine locks, that hang straight down from the body. Prounounced soo-ree.

Lifespan - average 15 to 20 years.

Shearing - the annual harvesting of alpaca fibers occurs in mid-spring to keep the alpacas cool through the summer and allow their coats to regrow before winter.


Available to purchase via our Little Valley Farm website

Alpaca Communal Dung Piles

Alpacas use communal dung piles to control their internal parasites. Typically, males create fewer dung piles and are tidier than females, who tend to stand in a line, and all go at once. As shown in our video below, when one female approaches the dung pile and begins to urinate and/or defecate, the rest of the herd often follows suit.

Our paddock cleaning routine includes a daily quick scoop with a pooper scooper and the use of our Greystone paddock vacuum 1-2 times per week. We also rotate livestock regularly and rest certain paddocks. Additionally, we cross-graze* paddocks with our donkeys so they follow the alpacas after they have been in a paddock, but they are never in the same paddocks as the alpacas.

To manage our seasonal dung beetle, we allow them to remove water from the dung, which helps control fly populations and reduce the worm burden. We are mindful not to overstock our land with alpacas, especially during vulnerable wet seasons.

Our goal is to maintain clean paddocks where the alpacas graze to minimize their ingestion of eggs, worms, and parasites. This approach also reduces the need for drenching, benefiting both the alpacas and us. We conduct regular FEC (fecal egg counts*) on our herd. Additionally, we body score and FAMACHA each alpaca monthly, and all information is recorded in our alpaca registry.

Drenching* is carried out based on seasonal and FEC and FAMCHA* results for each animal.

Lastly, the collected dung is used on our garden beds and around our fruit trees, where the alpacas do not roam. We will discuss this further at our monthly alpaca workshop in the Hunter Valley. Hope to see you soon, Daniela

~~~

*cross grazing with donkeys. Remember, donkeys are desert animals. Therefore, we still need to control the amount of lush green paddock feed given to donkeys to avoid hoof diseases, which is a significant topic on its own. Donkeys are not allowed to roam with alpacas because donkeys tend to play rough especially if hay is close by.

*Drenching refers to giving your alpacas the appropriate worming depending on their FEC count.

*FEC, Fecal Egg count can be done by your local vet or sent to the specialist lab.

*Blog post coming soon on our FAMCHA monthly check.

Buy the alpaca book online

We are members of the Australian Alpaca Association


We are just 90 minutes from Sydney and a mere hour from the Central Coast. If you want to turn your visit into a weekend getaway, take a look at our new accommodation or let us point you to some fantastic places to stay in the Wollombi Valley.

Why is my alpaca dead? When your heart stops beating!

That moment when you look down at the paddocks, and they are lying still! The first time you see it, you rush down to the paddocks, only to realise they are enjoying the beautiful sunshine. PHEW!

Now, this is a great sign that your alpacas are relaxed and happy with their herd—they can take a paddock nap—lucky them!

Tip: Their bellies are usually facing the sunshine, and they get their Vitamin D fix via their bellies (where there is less fleece), as well as via their faces and ears.

Always check on your alpacas and keep an close eye on them, they are funny animals are have some quirky habbits that for first time owners can be a bit daunting. We will talk about getting to know your alpacas and reading their body language at our next alpaca workshop in the Hunter Valley.

Jump on our website to book your INTRODUCTION TO ALPACA WORKSHOP with us.

Workshops are held monthly in the Lower Hunter Valley, Wollombi Valley.

We are members of the Australian Alpaca Association

What is Bio-Security at Little Valley Farm

Biosecurity Essentials

Biosecurity is a term used to describe a set of management practices that reduce the risk of introducing or spreading disease on your property or other people's property.

As alpaca breeders, it's our responsibility to implement sound biosecurity practices. These practices are the best defence against pests and diseases, and quick and simple measures built into everyday practices will help protect your farm.

Almost anything moved onto your property can be a potential source of pests and diseases for livestock. To reduce the biosecurity risks to your property, monitor animals or plant materials that enter the property.

A couple of things that we do:

-strictly via appointments only at our farm.

- Know where our feed/hay is sourced from and its quality.

- any new livestock on the farm are drenched, monitored, and quarantined.

- record and take notes on each new livestock, including FECs and current vaccinations.

- good fencing to avoid roaming livestock.

- restrict the movement of vehicles and people on our paddocks.

- purchase livestock from our reputable breeder and ask for their PIC#.

And lastly, have the biosecurity sign installed at the entrance to your farm.

Pick up your biosecurity sign at your Local Land Services in NSW.

Jump on our Little Valley Farm website for our next alpaca workshop in the Hunter Valley. See you soon, Daniela

We are members of the Australian Alpaca Association

Feed buckets for alpacas

Feeding our alpacas and what buckets we use.

Good morning, everyone; it is Daniela from Little Valley Farm.

We have received some questions regarding alpaca feed buckets, so I wanted to show you our large feeding ones.

These ones are ex-food-grade IBCs that are cut in half.

It's a lovely sunny day, so I have dragged the buckets outside today.

The feed buckets are placed inside the shed, out of the rain, so the alpacas can enjoy a serving of whatever hay we have left for them.

We recommend:

- Leaving a bucket of feed undercover so alpacas can help themselves.

- Keep it out of the rain to prevent mould from growing on the hay.

- It gives alpacas a central place to eat.

- Helps keep hay off the grass, as it can kill paddock grass in patches.

- More importantly, if there are any worms/parasites in the grass, it will help reduce worm burden as the alpacas are eating from the bucket.

For a comprehensive understanding of our feeding methods and more, we invite you to join us at our upcoming alpaca workshop in the Hunter Valley.

Ex food grade IBC modelled by Koko

We are located 90 minutes from Sydney and one hour from the Central Coast in the stunning bushland setting of Wollombi Valley.

Wet Winters and Winter Feed

Autumn / Winter 2024 its certainly a wet one for us right now. What do we need to do to maintain the health of our alpacas during this cold wet season.

Managing wet winters

Remember, things may not always be as they seem. Now is the time to monitor your pasture quality and alpaca condition, even if you're busy enjoying the sight of lush green feed this winter.

During wet and cold weather, pastures may look healthy and green but might struggle to meet the energy needs of your alpacas. You may still need to provide supplementary hay. In wet Autumn/winter, waterlogging can reduce pasture growth and nutrition, and if there's a shortage of dry feed and roughage, your animals can quickly lose their condition.

At this time of year, when winter feed is typically insufficient, it's vital to adhere to a grazing plan and make prompt decisions to safeguard your animals' health - regardless of the size of your alpaca herd. With cooler, shorter winter days, pasture growth slows, and all livestock, particularly young, pregnant, or lactating animals, can rapidly lose condition if their feed doesn't meet their energy needs.

Nothing beats walking around the paddock, checking the type of feed available, assessing how your livestock are coping.

Strive for rotational grazing, supplement feeding, and the provision of vitamins and minerals. Always body score your alpacas and maintain detailed records of their condition and any vital information. These records will be invaluable for future reference.

We will talk more about this at our alpaca workshops in the Hunter Valley.

We are 90 minutes from Sydney and one hour from the Central Coast. Book in via our website for our Introduction to Alpaca Workshop.

Rescue Alpaca and alpaca workshops

We have come along way with building trust with this female.

We rarely rescue alpacas, but we take them in to help out whenever we can. We aim to restore their health, address trust issues, and teach them to interact with other alpacas and humans again.

I dedicate much time to building trust with and desensitizing the alpacas. This is crucial for us to handle them calmly, trim their nails, shear them, and administer vaccinations and vitamins. This level of care helps them thrive once again in the paddocks.

All alpacas are handled in a 3 x 3 m pen that is safe for both animals and humans. 

This particular female alpaca picture below was quite feisty and had not been handled or had her nails trimmed properly. We had to work on gaining her trust and improving her behaviour. Today, we reached a milestone as she allowed us to kiss and cuddle her, and even smiled. There was no kicking, screaming, or running around the pen. 

She's a gorgeous girl, and I've received many more cuddles from her since then. Her nails are now looking much better and she is thriving once again.


Join us for our monthly Sunday workshop on handling and farming alpacas. They are beautiful animals. Can't make it to our workshop? Then, we have the alpaca farming manual available for purchase online.

Our next Sunday alpaca workshop will be Sunday 16th June 2024 at 10:30am. Book online to reserve your place as numbers are limited.



Remember: Alpacas are not suitable as house pets. They are livestock and should not be treated like dogs or cats. Improperly raised alpacas can become dangerous and may need to be euthanised if they have not been properly socialised. Please look up Berserk Male Syndrome.

If you want to buy alpacas, make sure you have a PIC# from your Local Land Services and purchase livestock from a reputable breeder who will also mentor you.


We are members of the AAA


PIC number - do you have one?

When buying any livestock, please ensure you have a PIC # for your property. What is a PIC #?

A Property Identification Code (PIC) is required for all farms, including hobby farms.

A PIC is an eight-character code allocated by the state department of agriculture (or an equivalent authority in each state or territory) to identify a livestock-producing property. The PIC forms the basis of Australia’s food safety and traceability programs and is used in cases of disease outbreaks, bushfires and animal emergencies.

Individuals must, under law, have a PIC if they own or keep one or more cows, sheep, goats, pigs,  deer, alpacas, llamas, horses, ponies, donkeys, or more than 100 poultry (i.e. domesticated fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons, quail or pheasants) or ten emus or ostriches.

In NSW, all livestock owners and occupiers of land carrying livestock must have a PIC, regardless of whether the livestock is moved. This is a requirement under the Biosecurity (NLIS) Regulation 2017 and Biosecurity Act 2015. 

When purchasing livestock, dealing with a reputable breeder who is transparent in their information is crucial. A top-notch breeder will ask for your PIC # before the livestock sale transaction and provide theirs. By engaging with a trustworthy breeder, you can avoid livestock scams and confidently make informed purchase decisions.

Contact your Local Land Service to obtain your PIC today.   Click here on how to apply.

Watch the Local Land Service video on PIC’s here.


When purchasing an alpaca from Little Valley Farm please ensure you have your PIC code ready and can be easily obtained from your Local Land Services. Refer to the link above to obtain yours. We will now include your PIC number on our invoice for tr…

When purchasing an alpaca from Little Valley Farm, please ensure your PIC code is ready and can be easily obtained from your Local Land Services. Refer to the link above to obtain yours. We will include your PIC number on our invoice for traceability.

The image above is courtesy of Cheryl Warning. Autumn 2017 at Little Valley Farm.

Poisonous Plants for Alpacas

Compared to other animals, alpacas have smaller livers, making them more susceptible to liver damage and poisoning if exposed to toxic plants for prolonged periods.

Alpacas seldom suffer from acute poisoning caused by the consumption of toxic plants. As grazers, they tend to steer clear of poisonous vegetation when alternative feed is available. However, it's crucial to control the growth of harmful weeds in paddocks. Additionally, many ornamental plants are toxic, so it's best to prevent alpacas from grazing in garden areas where these species may be present.

Various types of plants, including exotic trees, shrubs, and pasture species, can contain toxins. However, most of these plants have bitter alkaloids that make them less appealing to consume. Feeding mouldy hay or drinking water that supports algal blooms can also lead to poisoning.

The toxicity level of plants can change depending on the season and the stage of their growth.

• Wilting in dry conditions and rapid growth after rain can increase the toxicity of some plants.

• Applying fertiliser to promote lush growth may increase toxicity.

• Some plants may only be toxic when growing in particular soil types.

• Stressful growth conditions, such as drought or insect attack may cause toxins to concentrate in a

plant.

• Plant parts can vary in their relative toxicity.

• Herbicide treatments can increase the palatability of plants.

• When livestock are hungry, they may gorge themselves on things they would not normally

eat. Therefore, do not introduce hungry livestock to areas where toxic plants are known to be growing.

• Livestock grazing in an area for extended periods may become accustomed to eating small amounts of toxic plant material. New mobs introduced to the same area will not have the same tolerance.

Poisonous plants can vary in toxicity according to parts of the plant and stages of plant growth. Typical indicators of plant poisoning can include:

• loss of appetite

• abdominal pain (alpacas will sit on one hip with a leg extended and roll). They may not be able to stand.

• restlessness

• diarrhoea

If you think your alpaca has been poisoned, it's important to bring samples of the plants they may have ingested to the veterinarian for identification. This will help in getting the appropriate treatment for your alpaca. 

Other Things to Do 

  • Besides calling your vet.

  • Move your alpaca to a secure small pen with a companion. Have drinking water and hay available.

  • Take the temperature of your alpaca and record it and the time. Just use a standard chemist rectum thermometer. Check and record several times throughout the day or night.

  • Pick and bag suspected plants as well as faecal sample of the animal.

  • Check eyelids and gums to see if they are pink or turning white. Record and or take a photo as it will help record the time.

  • Take a video of your alpaca, which can be handy when explaining to your breeder or vet. 


    Plants that are toxic/poisonous to alpacas.

    As a general guideline, it's essential to be aware that certain flowers, flower buds, seeds, and berries may be toxic. We take great care to maintain our paddocks and regularly inspect and remove any fireweed. Although plants like bracken fern and Privett are located on the other side of the fence in the bush, they may encroach on the paddock if left unchecked. As responsible animal caretakers, we make it a point to mow our paddocks to keep them well-maintained regularly. Our alpaca herd undergoes a weekly paddock rotation as well. Additionally, we incorporate cross-grazing with our donkeys, which also benefits. We also leave a large bucket of hay and or chaff so alpacas can help themself, especially during the Wintertime when the grass is not so great.

If you're interested in learning more about alpacas and are new to the subject, we invite you to attend our upcoming weekend workshop. Daniela




Here’s the video we created to enter Winter 2024. It's been a super warm August, and Spring is nearly here. The visiting weeds are already showing up, with fireweed keeping me busy in the paddocks

Farming Alpacas in the Hunter Valley

Have you ever wanted to learn more about farming and caring for Alpacas?  Do you have a small herd or recently purchased a property with an interest in livestock?  Little Valley Farm, based in the Lower Hunter Valley, has been working with alpacas since 2012. Our alpaca workshops are one of the most well-recognised and attended in NSW since being established in 2019. Workshops happen throughout the year, at least monthly. 

Little Valley Farm is based in the Wollombi Valley at Laguna, under two hours from Sydney and 90 minutes from Newcastle. 

Most attendees come because they love Alpacas and want to know more about them before purchasing their farm or acreage property. 

Little Valley Farm reviews essential topics such as Alpaca care, fencing, shelters, feed, shearing and all alpaca husbandry needs during these workshops.  People also learn how to handle alpacas carefully and confidently. It's a great insight into the world of a small hobby farm and the personalities and character of each alpaca. 


The workshop ends with a chat and morning tea overlooking the farm. This is a perfect chance to gain from other people's experiences and properties and to meet other alpaca and small farm enthusiasts. 

Photo credit Matt Hoorspol

Alpaca Workshop for August 2022 Hunter Valley

Ok, let's get back on track after two floods this year!

The July 2022 flood knocked us around, so we will resume our workshops early August.

We have a Friday edition on August 12th 2022, and then Sunday, August 21st 2022, starting at 10:30 am.

Workshops are a great way to find out if alpacas are suitable livestock for your farm and your lifestyle. We also have the free Alpaca Husbandry Hands-on, which is a deep dive into handling alpacas so you can gain confidence when handling them. We run the husbandry workshops only a couple of times a year and are exclusive to our LVF VIP members.


If you already have alpacas at your farm and would like Euan and me to run a workshop there, drop us a note and your location and number of people and alpacas.


Alpaca Workshop - The Starter Guide - come join us on Friday 12th August 2022 or Sunday 21st August 2022. It Starts at 10:30 am at our farm in Laguna. Adults $159 and including our alpaca book for you to take home and morning tea.


Who is this good-looking stud?

Welcome the Lieutenant to Little Valley Farm.

He travelled from South Australia and arrived the weekend of the Hunter Valley flood!

Our third working stud as part of our breeding 2023 program. I love his fleece and gentle temperament.

Thanks to James of Kobler Alpacas for this lovely stud.

We are always doing something new and exciting at Little Valley Farm, so if you have any ideas or want to learn more, please get in touch with Daniela. We have a couple of females coming up for sale as pets, as well as our beautiful alpaca yarn that you can purchase online.


Don’t forget we have our adult accommodation at Little Valley Farm for four people. So you can have the farm to yourself (no other guests) and enjoy bonfire nights, wood-fired pizzas by the train and our new dry sauna in the Shearers Studio.

Book direct and save with us. Now taking bookings for October 2022 onwards.

HINT: Subscribe to our website and you will receive a discount voucher to use for your accommodation. Saving you over $100.

Startect

We have ordered a five litre bottle of STARTECT to use on our alpacas. If you would like to find out more please do drop me a line. Thanks Daniela

Find out more and how it will assist with your worm control program here.

Farm Bio-Security Foot and Mouth Disease

Bio Security at Little Valley Farm - PLEASE read before coming to our farm.

From one disaster straight into another. We have had two years of non-stop action. As I write this blog, we have just encountered our worst flood impact and are recovering from the March 2022 flood and the 2021 Flood and La Nina events. So now, with news from Indonesia this month, it's time to think and act on FMD - Foot and Mouth Disease and stop it from entering Australia and our farmland.

And if you haven't learnt anything from the 2019 fires and 2021 - 2022 floods, learn one thing ~ preparation. #everybitcounts


What is FMD - Foot and Mouth Disease?

Image Animal Health Australia

Image Animal Health Australia

With Australian borders freely open international travel is now back on the cards. If you're travelling to Australia from Indonesia, including Bali, you must take the appropriate precautions to help prevent Foot-and-mouth disease from reaching our farming communities.


The steps you can take include:

• Thoroughly clean and disinfect your shoes and boots before returning to Australia, or even better, leave them behind in Indonesia.

• Inform Customs if you've been in contact with cattle, pigs, sheep or goats, if you've been to rural areas, and/or if you're carrying animal material or food.

• Do not bring into the country any food, or medicine, including any alternative medicines. 

• If in contact with cattle, pigs, sheep or goats overseas, stay away from these species for at least 28 hours after contact – the virus can survive in your nasal passages

Things to do now for your farm:

  1. Have your farm Bio-security plan in place.

  2. Ensure all visitors are registered before entering your farm.

  3. Limit the number of access points for visitors.

  4. Shoe bath upon arrival and ensure all genuine hygiene practices are in place.

  5. Ask the question if your farm visitors have been to Bali, Indonesia, since June 2022.

  6. Ask all visitors to bring boots or indoor and outdoor shoes.

  7. Jump on the Animal Health website for more things you need to do, as they have some great resources.


There are some great resources on the Animal Health Australia website, so make sure you take the time to protect your farm, your animals and the whole of Australia. 

If FMD does enter Australia, thousands, if not millions, of livestock will be euthanized and then burnt. It also means that infected farms will not be able to have livestock on their lands for many years - this includes hobby farmers.  Yes, FMD does affect alpacas and llamas.

Keep up to date via the Agriculture Gov Au Bio-security and Animal Health website.

Euan and I were working and living in the UK when FMD broke out, and it was devastating and a reminder of how things can go so bad so quickly. Article from BBC on the 2001 UK FMD.

What is means to us?

Death to all our alpacas in the area and the ban on farming for many years. Heartbreak and heartache watching our beloved livestock being put the death.

Frequently Asked Questions and our BIo-Security Polcy read here.

Hunter Valley Alpacas

For those needing help or advice after the Hunter Valley July 2022 floods.

We are there for our amazing animals through fire, flood, drought, and illness. If you have alpacas and are stuck in the current Hunter Valley flood, please contact me for support or advice. No question is too big or small or silly - just ask as someone else may have the same question as you.

I am not a vet but may be able to offer some guidance and pathways to other experts.

Floods for us are a way of life here, but this one was huge. We were prepared; donkeys and alpacas are all up at the house. The water covered our paddocks and took out the use of some sheds for now. It's raining today, so fingers crossed we will see some more sun tomorrow.

Feel free to DM me.

Daniela Riccio Little Valley Farm - Alpaca Farm

Laguna, Wollombi Valley, Hunter Valley

Hunter Valley Alpacas

Photo of Miss Abs - the look on her face says, it all!

If you would like to direct message us or email dani (@) little valley farm.com. au

Alpaca Husbandry Session

Alpaca Husbandry Session

Suitable for people wanting to learn how to trim alpaca nails, conduct regular body scoring, carry out drenching and administering vitamins.  The essential hands-on experience for potential alpaca owners or current alpaca owners. 

Your animals deserve to be happy and healthy. With that in mind, you have an ethical responsibility toward their welfare by providing a safe and caring environment such as good food sources, clean water, and shelter  - so they can always reap the benefits of living on your farm. 

The best way to keep your herd healthy and productive is by keeping them vaccinated, with updated vaccinations and parasite control. It's important that you watch the herd constantly so they don't get sick especially as we now are experiencing dramatic seasonal changes. 

 You may think that alpacas are indestructible, but they're not. When one of your alpacas becomes sick it can be difficult to tell how much damage the illness has done because these animals will rarely show any signs of being ill or injured. This makes prevention more important than cure!


Alpaca Husbandry what we will do:

  • Quietly move alpacas into the holding pen 

  • Learn how to safely and quietly herd them  

  • Pen, handle and hold each alpaca 

  • Handling difficult alpacas. 

  • Trimming their toenails 

  • Vaccination, Vitamins, Drenching (oral or injection) 

  • Body Scoring each alpaca 

  • Checking eyes 

  • Recording notes for each alpaca 


This is only for adults and for people who are interested in owning alpacas or current owners who want to know more. It’s a great introduction to see if they are the right fit for your farm and become confident when handling them. You will see the good side and the not-so-easy to handle alpacas and how we do it. 

The morning is around 1.5 hours and we will end the session up at the house with a relaxing morning tea. 

What you need:

- Closed shoes for safety 

- Please wear long pants/jeans for safety

- Sunhat 

Time: Approx 1.5 Hours (one and half hours). 

This event is not suitable for children and please do not bring your dogs to our farm.  We run this event only 2-3 times a year. We keep the numbers limited so hands-on learning time is maximized.  There is also our alpaca management manual if you would like to purchase that also on the day.  We will go ahead in moderate rain and would only cancel if there is a threat of fire, flood or deluges. 

Alpaca Husbandry Session exclusive to Little Valley Farm

This workshop is free of charge for people who have already attended our Sunday alpaca workshop and is the next step to gaining hands-on experience and confidence in handling alpacas.

Expect to get a little farm dirty at this Alpaca Husbandry Session.