Why agist/board alpacas?

Working with an experienced alpaca breeder, to get started, is often a successful way to establish your alpaca enterprise. Having animals "boarded out" with another breeder has many benefits. You don't need a lot of land with fencing, sheds, water supply and animal husbandry equipment. To start with, some people find it difficult to handle certain animal husbandry requirements such as vaccinations, toe-nail and teeth trimming, worm testing and shearing. You can learn this "on-the-job" through agistment and working with an experienced breeder.

Most importantly, agistment gives people the opportunity to "ease into" a new area of activity whilst gaining confidence and planning their own farm.

Who agists/boards Alpacas?

People seeking a change of lifestyle, by going onto the land to provide a future income, often get their start through agistment. They can be people starting out in adult life together or people planning for retirement. They often see agistment as a "stepping stone" to a new future - one that allows them to build up stock in readiness for a launch into something bigger when they are ready.

Then there are alpaca investors who own alpacas but don't have the land, expertise inclination or time to maintain a herd. They find agistment, in their case "passive ownership", is an excellent way to manage their growing herd without having to invest in land and facilities.

How can we help?

At Mulberry Alpacas we offer the highest standards of professional care with on site management, planned feeding programs, detailed history of all animals and superb veterinary care by Dr Tara Timpson of Crater Animal Clinic.

Our agisted alpacas are treated as our own and live with our own herd on a beautiful Oregon alpaca farm. We offer very reasonable rates on some of the finest pastoral land in Southern Oregon.

The agistment fee provides for all animal husbandry including:

• on-site vaccinations
• teeth and toe-nail trimming
• worm testing
• vitamin injections
• computer records for all animals
• supplementary feeding multi-B vitamin supplements and drenches (as required)

We will provide all of the facilities and animal husbandry for an affordable weekly charge. You can visit your animals and participate in their care whenever you can make it to our alpaca farm. We will even "show" your top-quality animals and as your herd grows we will handle your sales for you.

Additional chargeable services include:

• Annual shearing and fleece preparation
• Halter training using T-Team techniques
• Showing of animals at shows
• Veterinary care together with related drugs and medications
• Insurance