|
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
MAMGB Wasake - A true black sire...
Awhile back I was researching black alpacas Sunday morning. When one caught my eye I would go to the Alpaca Registry and look at pedigree. This particular Sunday while doing research I broke out laughing which prompted Marge to ask why? I explained I saw a picture of a nice black cria and looked at parentage. Both parents are white. Then I looked at the grand parents and all four are white. This white pedigree stretched though out the pedigree where even all great great parents are white. I stated to Marge, "I sure bet these folks were shocked when this black cria showed up!"
Establishing a black huacaya breeding program that has seen 90% black cria born with the remainder medium to dark brown or fawn I was shocked, no astounded walking out to the alpaca pen early one morning in the predawn light to see a white animal in the pasture. My immediate reaction was to get the gun because a wolf, coyote, or neighbor dog had somehow gotten into the pasture with the alpacas but before I could act on that decision I watched the white animal get up and begin nursing. Perhaps it was a little early in the morning but my first thought - a dog was nursing from one of our alpacas! Recovering and perhaps just waking up I moved across the pasture to see our first light fawn alpaca - aaannnd from two black huacaya.
Researching Laurel Ridge Momilani's pedigree a bit closer we focused a bit more on her granddad - Snowmass Casanova's Drambuie - recognizing he had a heavier hand in the Gregore Mendel acrobatics and provided less blame on MAMGB Wasake.
Once the shock of a light fawn born on our farm was overcome and we took a closer look at this little guys phenotype we realized Wasake stamped his quality fleece again but here we were stumped. How do you evaluate a light fawn alpaca? Our eyes, hands, and being were designed and trained in black or dark colored fleece.
When Marge showed up to evaluate she was wearing dark sunglasses. When I asked why she thought it might help her see this one more like a black and it did. She came away and said he was as nice as the blacks Wasake produced.
So when you have a herd of black huacaya, when the basis of naming alpacas is based upon the Lakota Indian language what do you name him?
Wasicu (Wah-see'-choo) of course, meaning White Man! I think we should have named him What-The-Hell!
aaand you end up with a light fawn? Wasicu
Laurel Ridge Momilani - a true black dam
Out of a black herd of Huacaya!
|
|
Monday, September 9, 2013
Fun antics!
Touch, feel, and interact with alpacas accessing the fleece, learning differences of fleece characteristics, recognizing value verses perception of a high quality alpaca, and having some fun interacting and watching the high level antics as they romp through the pasture. We invite you to visit, take pictures, be inquisitive, and enjoy alpacas. We welcome the company and interest in alpacas. We open at 10 in the morning and close at 4 in the afternoon. We have some product for sale made from the fleece of alpacas you will meet and the raw fleece they produce understanding the process of shearing to finished goods.
Awwww moments.
Learning experience.
Making attachments.
Sharing life.
|