By Michael Halley
The Combined Probus Club of Whittlesea’s August meeting featured guest speaker Sian Rickards, of Omaru Alpaca Farm at Cottles Bridge.
Ms Rickards explained how she and her husband Rob have turned a derelict property into a thriving undertaking over the past decade.
The first ‘heart-grabber’ photo that Ms Rickards showed was a second generation female alpaca called Honeysuckle who engendered many sighs of love from the audience.
Probus members learnt that alpacas are social animals with herd mentality, but each are individuals – reinforced by the photo of a mother and baby surrounded by all of the aunties and cousin.
Alpacas have an average life span of 18 to 19 years but Ms Rickard knew of one who attained 25 years.
Alpacas alone are probably unviable so they need to be intergraded into other activates such a tourism or special event social gatherings – which is what has evolved at Omaru Alpaca Farm.
Alpaca security is another spinoff; they are used to protect poultry, sheep or goats from foxes. But if the marauders are large dogs, llamas are recommend as alpacas are less capable.
Ms Rickard said alpacas were outside pets and must be treated as such; even orphans that needed bottle feeding.
She explained that sometimes it was needed to be ‘cruel to be kind’ and ensure the young alpacas knew it was not human, but an animal.
Environmentally, alpacas get a ‘green star’ as they have pads not hooves and also digest food longer than sheep getting more nutrition from pasture.
Ms Rickard said alpaca fibre was warmer and softer than wool, and their fleeces were also cleaner than wool without lanolin that needs chemical washing to scour.
Shearing is an annual event and is different to sheep shearing – alpacas are immobilised on a bench and shorn cleanly unlike sheep. At the same time their teeth and toenails are treated and injections administered.
Ms Rickard said Omaru Alpaca Farm had open days on the first and fourth Sunday of each month.
Upcoming activities
The Combined Probus Club of Whittlesea’s host monthly meetings from 9.30am on the first Monday of each month at Whittlesea Bowls Club, providing networking opportunities to single and isolated members, offering time to retain friendships and receive assistance with personal concerns.
The club also hosts events during the month, including a recent Christmas in July in Yarrambat and a visit to the National Wool Museum in Geelong late last month.
The club will also visit the Rhododendron Garden on September 22, among other smaller activities.
For more information, people can call secretary Cheryl on 0409 014 327 or email whittleseaprobus@hotmail.com.
