Stillbirth - on christmasday!

On Christmasday we found this little one in the stable. Lenght is about 16 cm. --> average age - 12 - 16 weeks old (pregnant). Probably the older female. Lucky she isn't sick...!

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Australia in 6 days...

Just been to Australia. I don't understand why people leave this country to live somewhere else...?!
What a great, fantastic country. And the Aussies are so relaxed. It all seems terrific! Even the alpacas that we have seen.
We met some people (I may say: "new friends").
We arrived at 19th of november very late in the evening at the airport of Melbourne. We had a taxi / cab who took us to the Novotel-hotel near the beach. My companionfellow did want to go to sleep but I purchased him that we visit the local pub near the hotel. It was great fun that evening... Lots of people who are had a great party wiht live music.
Next day we had to take a look at Melbourne - wow... nice!
We left to visit a friend in Mount Macedon (Ron and his wife Colleen). Had a very good time over there and saw some kangaroos (called kangoolies by Ron).
The next day we saw the "hanging rock" and left for a drive on the Great Ocean Road. We stayed the night in Apollo and next day went on to Portland and further on... Visit a farm on the road (with alpacas) and in the evening we arrived at Adrianne and Chris Williams place. We had a drink and went to bed (tired). In the moring we sheared all the top alpacas of Australia (all the studs). In the afternoon we did some vinyardvisitings (and little bit of winetasting)! hmmm..... Visit a friend of Chris for a beer and went to a local pub for more. We were a little bit quiet in the evening (according to Adrianne). Ha, ha... to much to drink.
Next day we did a drive at the beach and went for visit a special visrestaurant. We discussed the alpacas and had another look at some animals. Had a look at the alpacashop and what they sell in Handorf (hope I spell this correct). It is a little touristcity with german roots.
Next day we left for Adelaide. I decided on the way to give a ring at last farm: EP Cambridge. We were more than welcome over there. What a nice people over there (one big family - but were employees). Had to see all the studs and the farm. Amazing how big it is...!
I would like to thank all the people we met for the pleasant stay and the hospitality of Australia. I would be proud if I was an Aussie!
Thanks again... Hope to be back soon!

Leo

Mail the alpaca-vet

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

GIFT

In dutch GIFT means "a present". But that is not what we mean.

---------

In May or June 2010 the AAFT (Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing) brings the OFDA2000 alpacafibre-testmachine to the Netherlands. We will be testing alpacafibre for one or two days...
What is the advantage of testing with AAFT.

1. You can watch the testing
2. More results over the total fleece (9 testpoints in GIFT)
3. You don't have to wash the fleecesamples anymore before sending it to Australia (lot of work)
4. You can get an explanation of the result from the fleece of your animals of the expert who is working with the OFDA2000
5. It gives you much information of what went well and what did go wrong in your alpacaherd in 2009/2010

Don't miss it!!!

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Show in Namur....

All muddy and rain, rain, rain. Everything was wet, wet, wet.... The fleeces were terrible and there was almost no light in the tent / marquis.
It was not what I expected of the show. Our results were very disappointing. 4 x 3rd place and 2 x second....
Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Long time ago...

Never been so long offline with the blog! I had to many things to do. We have some other cria (even today - legend Devocote Jacquinto. She looks nice... She only walked on her carpi instead of her front feet.
Other thing is that I booked a ticket to visit Australia in november this year. Just for a few days to visit some alpacafriends and their farms and see how life is going at the other end of the globe!

This picture is no trick - it is how hard the sun was shining today...!

This is the last week that people can make official complain to the plans for the new Animal Hospital we are planning to build. It will be a building made out of steel (roof, walls) and glass (walls). It very beautifull to see on a picture (hope it is the same in real). We are trying to make the building CO2-neutral. By gaining earthwarmt in the winter and cooling in the summer due to earthtemperature and this machine goes on electricity that is made by suncollectors (don't know if that is the real english word for it...).

To stand at the fair was a good trigger for other alpacabreeders as well. We have 3 people who will / have done fairs with their alpacas in the last weeks / or will do it in the next few weeks. I 'll think it is a good opportunity to promote your own alpacafarm and alpacas and alpacaproducts in common... So keep up the good work (advertisements).

Hope you all do fine, see you,

Leo
www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Countryfair Marienwaerdt Beesd Netherlands

Just to give an impression of the alpacas at the fair

Click on the link below to watch te video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cjR9A52Xzs



www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

We did build the stand and did some english fencing

For more details look at photos at facebook.

After a long hard day of work. We have a superstand at the fair - Heerlijkheid Marienwaerdt (Beesd)

Crushed two vans of ours today... The first accident was with our new bus (only 2500 km on it). And secondly I bumped with my Kubota into Marieke's van... SHIT!

NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN 21 YEARS. NOW 2 ACCIDENTS IN 1 DAY.

Something with the figures? Just bad luck? No less sleep and to much in a hurry...!

http://www.facebook.com/ - see here more pictures...

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Agriculture fair Marienwaerdt in Beesd

From 18 - 22 august we are present at the agriculture (farm) fair Marienwaerdt in Beesd. It is really beautifull fair. We are there with the alpacas and all possible products of them...

Marieke is doing a parcours with kids and alpacas (twice a day). So could be funny...!

See you,
Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

We saw a comet

A girl of Comet II of Bozedown alpacas was born today.

The mother had her first cria. And she was really protective. Nice mother. Superfather. I really liked his fleece. And he has a beautifull conformation (he was supreme champion at several shows).

We had to help the cria out, because it only showed her head (without the legs). So I had to stretch them out... Then it became easy for the mother to deliver!

She was standing and drinking within 15 minutes...

Have a nice weekend,

Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Some pictures of exceptional studs...

These are the studs "I" like the most...!
All true champions.
click on the pictures to enlarge

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

The studs we used this year... Bloodlines!

The studs
a lot of Supreme Champions...



Silverstream Flashdance (2x)

Bonnac Achillies (4x)

ATA Cambridge Centurion (1x)

Bozedown Comet II (2x)

Bozedown Chicago II (1x)

Bozedown Kazzan (1x)

Classical MileEnd Paris (1x)

MileEnd Claudius (1x)

MileEnd Leon (1x)

Classical MileEnd Lysander (2x)

Classical MileEnd Tulaco Centurion (1x)

Dovecote Jacquinto of Alpaca Stud (1x female death)


Furthermore we bought some young female offspring

Bozedown Olympus daughter (1x)

Bozedown Sun King daughter (1x)

Bozedown The Captain (1x)

Dovecote Jacquinto daughters (2x)

Classical MileEnd Tulaco Centurion (1x)

Classical Ikon (1x)

Shanbrooke Toffee Crunch of MileEnd (1x)

etc.

---------------------------

Hope we have a good start with these genetics...
Happy weekend,
Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

First matings and watching monkeys do their job...

At 29th of july Veerle my eldest became 11 years... She got a "triker" bike from her mom and dad! What a lot of fun. Too bad they don't have them in an larger one... (for daddy).
My eldest brother!

All the kids on a polar (ice)-bear....

Yesterdayafternoon we had our first day off since a month....! So we went with our kids and some extra, ha, ha... to the Zoo. It is the Zoo where one of my assistants worked for 10 years before she decided to come to us (our familyhouse is also a little zoo).

The kids where more interested in the playgarden then in the animals. So a lot of time for us to sit down and rest. Stayed till closingtime in the zoo (we were late 13.00 h) there... (another client/patient) who wanted help in the morning was the cause! But no worries, we just still till the END in the zoo.

When we arrived home we had some kids (friends of my eldest daughter) for a sleepingparty ... Furthermore we did the first matings with Lysander (last evening). He did well. We had to use a experienced stud to stimulate him in the first place. But he got in... (hmmm... I think that's no good English).

No other cria yet. Thought an old lady (alpaca) would deliver this moring, because she was very restless last night. But nothing to see yet...

See you later, have a nice weekend,

Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

A passion for alpacafashion !!!

dress 1

coat 1

coat 2

coat 3

We are selling alpacaclothes since today! You want to see more examples? Mail us - info@bata4en.nl

Products are handmade and available in every size. We have a lot of designclothes. We are still looking for resellers in England, Belgium and Germany.

All natural colors of alpacas/llamas!!!

Interesting for buying or selling this beautiful alpacaclothes - info@bata4en.nl

See you, Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

the young ones...

My little boy (Harrit) and my little girl (Lieke) with our new little cria boy .... (no name yet)

Since the last blog...! We lost the final due to an Englishmen... Spain didn't play better. I didn't quit understand the Judge Webb. He isn't very popular in The Netherlands.

In the mean time whe had some crias. There was for example a brown little girl of Bozedown Kazzan. The mother doesn't have a good fleece but her cria looks nice. Furthermore we had a very beautiful male cria. Mostly it is "not another boy". But this one is really welcome. You can immediatly see it's fleece becomes very nice. He is totally superwhite with a very long fleece. His father is Chicago of Bozedown and his mother's Father is Olympus of Bozedown. The both of them already won Supereme Championships in 2009/2010.

The mother is one of our best females...

So maybe this becomes a futher stud for us... (but we have to see).

Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Ok. The Worldcup...! Finally we in The Final again.

Hopefully we could win. Spain played a supergame against Germany.

We will see. If so..., then everything and everybody will turn orange in The Netherlands. Trying to paint / color the alpacas as well (just kidding).

We are still waiting for our first cria. This month (and august) we expect 6 cria.

See you...

Wow..... Goal!!!!

Goals against Brasil

Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Claudius the third Emperor

Yesterday we tried a first mating with Claudius. He is celebrating his second birthday in august. So he is very young but also full of hormons. A real Emperor of the Lowlands.

He did well. See the pictures.




















Claudius at work and Lysander watching and learning

If you are interested for matings. Call us at 0031 - (0) 418 - 591302 (between 8.30 - 19.00 h).

See you,

Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Castrate an alpaca

It takes about 10-15 minutes / 2 people.
So take a look at the video.
Also at the Bata4en - channel at YOUTUBE

Video how to castrate an alpaca

See you! Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Press the play button!

The blue heron mill in Haaften

View from the dike.

In Haaften we got our own mill just behind the dike: "The Blue Heron Mill".

It is a beautiful smal village at the river "The Waal" in the Netherlands. It has about 2600 citizens and was formerly an agriculture community.

And we have of course about 30 alpacas, ha, ha....

See you,

Leo

Mail the alpaca-vet

Haaften: Seen from the river the "Waal".

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

100 Alpacas in a Mercedes - Guiness book of records?

We did it! A new worldrecord? 100 Alpacas in a Mercedes 300.

Our neighbour collected our 100 Alpaca(toys). They are for sale...

We already sold 4 of them in four days, ha, ha...

Mail the alpaca-vet

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Shearing a supreme champion

Today we sheared Lysander (one of the last ones).
Well, I think we have some good alpacas..., but there is only one "Lysander".
Amazing...., really, really amazing...., WHAT A FLEECE. Not excellent! He is SUPERIOR to what I have seen in any alpaca in Holland, Germany and Belgium.

We did saw some nice fleeces from Australia a few weeks back, but Lysander is even better (I was suprised).

SO BEAUTIFUL!!!

I will make some pictures of the fleece tomorrow to show you.

3.8 kg of first class fleece (already throw away second and third class fleece).

He did his first mating last week. No little boy anymore...

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

Tetralogy of Fallot

Last week we got a female alpaca in our practice with a cria of 1 day. The cria was very weak, wouldn't drink. So we gave him some tubefeeding. After three times his state of happiness wasn't any better. Still sleepy and very tired. Looked like if he had trouble with breathing.

Hmmm.... Futher clinical examination. --> Auscultation of the heart gave a big souffle - like a steammachine....

Something wrong with his heart / circulation. We decided (with the owner) that evening that we euthenase him. We did a pathology-investigation on him. What did we found?

A tetralogy of Fallot! Never heard of it in an alpaca. Wooooo ... Still learning.

The cria had an ventrikel septum defect, an extisting right aorta and the muscle of his right ventrikel were even bigger then of his left ventrikel.

Ok. We search on the internet. It was mentioned that they found some. No relation could be made to the stud or the female (mother).

A alpaca with this heartcondition has no chance of survival.

See you...,

Leo

Mail the alpaca-vet

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca

P.S.

Our SD-card of of Madrid crashed (o, no...). So we have no pictures left. Please send us some of your pictures (dear readers and Madrid congress visitors).

Alpaca worldcongress

Parc in Madrid

Marieke is looking for a good spot to swim?

At the speakersroom!

Just two bold guys on a hot night in Madrid....

My German collegae

The galadinner

I see ten nationalities

Our English and Dutch friends at a coffeebreak

Discussions...?!

Our dear Libby - promoting the BAS!

Congress in Madrid was great!

It was silly there were so few visitors. I think about 60 persons from all over the world. But that makes this congress very interesting because everybody could speak and learn from eachother.
The lectures and speakers were fantastic!!! I can´t understand that the organiser Alan B. Staples had get some many interesting subject for alpacas on his program.
I was very sorry for him there were such a few people. I don´t think he will ever do this again (for alpaca-industry). And that´s a shame.
Very glad we went to Madrid.
For those who are interested we write a short report on the lectures. I´ll send it to you when you give us your e-mail adress (mail to info@bata4en.nl)

Bye, bye....
Leo

www.bata4en.nl/alpaca