The British Alpaca Society

20/10/2026

🦙 Do you keep alpacas? Your voice matters!

The British Alpaca Society needs YOUR help to shape the future of British alpaca fibre.

Whether you have 2 alpacas or 200, whether you use your fibre commercially or not, we want to hear from you!

We’re undertaking important research to understand the UK alpaca fibre sector and explore opportunities for its future.

✅ Just 5–8 minutes to complete

✅ Open to ALL UK alpaca owners, not just BAS members

✅ Every response helps build a clearer picture of our industry

📅 Deadline: Sunday 25 October 2026

👉 Take part in the British Alpaca Fibre Survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeG15PIbFy-u_lYbL-dfPdUSX9r_1bu-hTt_8PtDGNKSCOJlA/viewform?usp=header

Please share with fellow alpaca owners. The more voices we hear, the stronger our research will be!

17/09/2026

🦙 Exciting news for the future of British alpaca fibre!

Following the discussions and ideas raised by members at the 2025 Members’ Conference, the BAS Fibre Research Project is officially under way!

Consultant Gloria Mazzer has been appointed to lead this important piece of research, exploring where the UK alpaca fibre sector is now, the challenges and opportunities ahead, and potential pathways for different grades of this fantastic natural fibre.

The research will bring together:

🧶 The experiences and views of BAS members
📊 Analysis of anonymised data from the EBV project and Grassroots
🤝 Interviews with key stakeholders from across the alpaca industry
💡 Exploration of fibre uses, processing routes, opportunities and pathways to market

And we want to hear from you!

A member survey will be coming soon, giving everyone the opportunity to contribute their experiences, ideas and challenges.

This project grew directly from the conversations at our Members’ Conference — and now we have an exciting opportunity to turn those discussions into meaningful research that can help inform the future of UK alpaca fibre.

Keep an eye out for the survey and further project updates! 🦙🧶

31/08/2026

🌧️🌱 Rain at last!

After such a long, dry summer, many of us will be very happy to see some proper rain — and hopefully a welcome return of greener paddocks and growing grass.

The warmer, wetter conditions do bring a couple of seasonal risks worth keeping an eye on, particularly fly strike and Haemonchus (barber’s pole worm).

🪰 Fly strike
Check alpacas regularly, particularly around the tail and any areas of soiled or damp fleece. Early signs can include:
• Restlessness or unusual behaviour
• Repeatedly looking or kicking at an area
• Damp, discoloured or foul-smelling fleece
• Flies showing particular interest in one spot

Keeping animals clean and dry, dealing promptly with diarrhoea and checking vulnerable animals such as cria and elderly alpacas frequently can help reduce the risk.

🪱 Haemonchus
Warm, damp conditions can also favour this tropical parasite. Haemonchus is a blood-sucking worm, so diarrhoea isn’t necessarily present. Look instead for:
• Pale eyelids/gums
• Sudden onset of lethargy or weakness
• Unexplained condition loss

Regular mucous membrane colour checks and appropriate faecal testing can help identify problems early. Acting fast with targeted treatment based on veterinary advice/testing is key. Not all wormers treat this parasite and alpacas can become heavily infected very quickly.

So enjoy watching those paddocks turn green again 🌱 — but keep those regular hands-on health checks going too.

Happy grazing! 🦙💚

07/08/2026

🔵 BLUETONGUE UPDATE – CAMELID OWNERS 🦙

The latest Defra updates on the current Bluetongue situation are available on GOV.UK.

⚠️ Please be aware that published case data can be approximately two weeks behind the situation on the ground, due to the time required for sampling, laboratory testing, confirmation and publication. The current spread of infection may therefore be more advanced than the published figures suggest, so owners should remain vigilant even if few or no cases are currently shown in their immediate area.

BAS has also received a letter from the veterinary surgeon who attended a llama confirmed with BTV-3, providing some important advice for alpaca and llama owners.

💉 Vaccination
• None of the three currently available Bluetongue vaccines are licensed specifically for alpacas or llamas, but they have been used in camelids in both the UK and Europe.
• The vet reports safely vaccinating breeding alpaca herds during mid-pregnancy without adverse effects.
• Camelids are recommended to receive 2 injections, 3 weeks apart, given subcutaneously.
• Immunity begins to build after the second vaccination, reaching peak immunity approximately 3–4 weeks later.
• Vaccination is considered the only effective means of preventing Bluetongue disease. Insect repellents alone do not provide sufficient protection from biting midges.
• The vaccines contain killed virus and cannot cause Bluetongue disease.
• Vaccines are currently in short supply. However, where there is sufficient demand within a veterinary practice, vets may be able to coordinate several owners on the same day, opening a bottle and providing the required individual doses. Contact your practice to ask whether this may be an option locally.

⚠️ Pregnancy note: As with any vaccination in early pregnancy, there is a theoretical risk of early embryonic loss. This risk should be weighed against the risk of Bluetongue infection, and owners are strongly advised to discuss timing and suitability of vaccination with their veterinary surgeon.

It is not too late to vaccinate. Midges are expected to remain active until at least October and potentially into November if warm weather continues. Vaccination now can therefore still provide valuable protection during the latter part of the risk period.

Owners are strongly encouraged to discuss vaccination with their own veterinary surgeon.

⚠️ Signs to watch for in alpacas and llamas

Clinical signs can be more subtle than those seen in sheep:
• Lethargy or withdrawn behaviour
• Reduced appetite, particularly for forage
• Hollow-looking flanks from reduced gut fill
• Becoming breathless more easily
• Increased breathing rate
• Flaring nostrils or open-mouth breathing
• Bruising or reddening of the gums or tongue

At present, confirmed cases in this outbreak have been BTV-3, with no suspicion of other strains reported in the veterinary update.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. If you suspect it in your animals, contact your vet or report it directly to Defra. Where Bluetongue is suspected, Defra will fund testing of up to three animals showing clinical signs.

📞 England: 03000 200 301
📞 Wales: 0300 303 8268
📍 Scotland and Northern Ireland Contact your local Field Services Office

Please remain vigilant and speak to your vet about the most appropriate protection for your herd.

04/08/2026

As another hot, dry summer reminds us that climate change is becoming our new reality, it’s a good time to think about how we can make our alpaca farms more resilient. 🌱🦙

Some practical ideas include:

💧 Harvesting rainwater from field shelters and barn roofs during the wetter months, creating a valuable water reserve for dry summers.

🌾 Reseeding with herbal and meadow leys containing drought-tolerant species such as cocksfoot, timothy, smooth-stalked meadow grass, red and white clover, birdsfoot trefoil, chicory and ribwort plantain. Their deeper root systems help improve soil structure, retain moisture and create more resilient pastures.

🌿 Leaving some areas of grass longer during hot weather to shade the soil and protect young shoots underneath. This helps reduce evaporation, encourages regrowth when rain arrives and provides valuable habitat for insects and wildlife.

🌳 Planting suitable trees and hedgerows such as field maple, hornbeam, small-leaved lime, hazel and willow to provide shade, reduce evaporation, improve water infiltration and create cooler microclimates for livestock.

🚜 Managing hay crops to secure winter forage while reducing excessive dry vegetation that can increase wildfire risk.

🔥 Preparing for hotter summers by maintaining firebreaks, keeping field access clear for emergency vehicles, checking machinery regularly during hay making, and ensuring emergency water supplies are readily available.

Healthy soils are our greatest water reservoir. By adapting our farms today, we can better protect our alpacas, improve biodiversity and build resilient farms for the future.

What drought adaptation measures have worked well on your farm? We’d love to hear your ideas and experiences. 🌍💚

24/06/2026

Excellent advice!

22/06/2026

31/05/2026

Entries are open !! Don’t miss out on the first show of the year 🙂

31/05/2026

🦙 Want to improve your alpaca assessment skills?

The British Alpaca Society is planning a series of Alpaca Assessment Courses for 2026, starting with an online Introduction to Alpaca Assessment course this summer (subject to demand).

📅 Introductory Course (Zoom)• 4 x 2-hour evening sessions• Expected in June or July• £50 per person• Fleece samples posted to delegates

Topics include:✔️ Teeth and bite✔️ Stature and conformation✔️ Legs and gait✔️ Body condition scoring✔️ Genitalia assessment✔️ Understanding fleece traits and quality

Perfect for owners wanting to better understand their alpacas, make informed breeding decisions, and gain confidence assessing fleece and conformation.

📚 Looking ahead...

🦙 Intermediate Alpaca Assessment (October 2026 – subject to demand)A comprehensive 3-day practical course covering huacaya and suri alpacas. Ideal for those wanting to develop their assessment skills, improve breeding decisions, and gain experience handling and evaluating alpacas of varying quality and type.

🦙 Advanced Alpaca Assessment (November 2026 – subject to demand)A 2-day practical course building on Intermediate-level knowledge. Suitable for breeders wishing to further develop their skills and those considering a future judging pathway.

📧 Interested?Contact Duncan at [email protected] to register your interest. Places for future courses will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

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