Before we decided to enter the Alpaca Business, we researched every aspect of it and visited numerous farms.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas believes that we have selected animals in our breeding program with the necessary traits to position us and our customers for the future of the alpaca textile industry.
We at Laurel Highlands Alpacas are firm believers in EPD's to select breedings because we are interested in the best possible fleece and the healthiest animals. Therefore we have bred our females to Studmaster™ Males and have progeny from some of the most outstanding herdsires in the industry. We are members of the Ideal Alpaca Community and anyone buying an animal of Studmaster™ heritage from Laurel Highlands Alpacas automatically becomes a member too.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas keeps detailed records of each member of our herd regarding health and fiber statistics. We test our fiber every year with Yocom-McColl testing lab for 12 specific fiber characteristics.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas believes in whole herd health and have our veterinarian, Dr. Dan Zawisza regularly visit.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas is a small farm and uses Marty McGee Bennett's Camelidynamics techniques of animal handling.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas offers a live birth guarantee with our bred females and if she slips the pregnancy, or the cria does not survive one month we will rebreed at no additional cost.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas offers a live birth guarantee with our Stud Services and will rebreed at no additional cost if the cria does not survive 48 hours.
Laurel Highlands Alpacas will follow up with you with superior after sales service.
Every new owner will get a "New Owner's Alpaca Bag" which will include the basics of new alpaca ownership: a copy of "Camelidynamics" by Marty McGee Bennett, a Zephyr halter and lead, a free one year subscription to Marty's Camelidynamics Guild, a copy of one of Mike Safely's books and a few other surprises!"
Laurel Highlands Alpacas wants you to succeed in the alpaca business because when you succeed, we all succeed!
Laurel Highlands Alpacas believes so strongly in Alpaca fiber that we have become founding investors in Alpaca United!
Breeding Ideal Alpacas
We are constantly educating ourselves about alpacas and the business and have participated in many industry offered educational opportunities, such as:
Attended the 3rd Annual Alpaca Fiber Symposium in Richmond Virginia June 2010. "How toBuy, Breed and Succeed in the Alpaca Business" a 4 day educational seminar at the Northwest Alpacas Facility in Hillsboro Oregon with Fred Kraft and Mike Safely of the Ideal Alpaca Community
"Camelidynamics 2 Day Hands On Seminar" with Marty McGee Bennett at Magical Farms and an associate member of the Camelidynamics Guild
"Neonaltal Care and Reproduction" with Dr. Paul Jones DVM of the Woodburn Veterinary Clinic in Woodburn, Oregon
"Getting Started in the Alpaca Business" Webinar from NWA
"The Spin on Alpaca Fiber" Webinar from NWA "Barns and Fences" Webinar from NWA
"Alpaca Taxes" Webinar from NWA
"Selecting your First Huacaya" Webinar with Mike Safely and Fred Kraft
"Marketing 101 and Advanced Marketing" with Jerry Forstner of "Magical Farms"
Intestinal Parasites and Resistance" with Dr. Steve Krantz DVM of Wellington Veterinary Clinic "Understanding EPD's" with Mike Safely "Handling a Difficult Birth" with Dr. Marty Masters of Ohio State University
"Creating and Tracking Expected Progeny Differences" with Dr. Brett Kaysen
"Herdsire Selection to Improve Your Breeding Program" with AOBA Certified Judge Kevin O'Leary
"Defining and Determining Heritable Traits to Improve the Next Generation and a Special Vet Q&A Session"with Dr. Norm Evans
"Alpaca Fiber Workshop" at Long Acres Alpaca Farm and many more small business workshops
