In addition to on-going mentoring and support, we offer the following services.
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Services Offered In addition to on-going mentoring and support, we offer the following services.
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Especially for Newbies Four Investment Considerations
Contact Info: 530-620-6033 Fax 530-653-2001 PO Box 190 8226 Stoney Creek Rd Somerset, CA 95684
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Agisting (Boarding) Not all alpaca owners keep their alpacas on their property and may have a long-term or temporary need to agist (board) them at an alpaca ranch. Following are some of the reasons you may find yourself looking for a place to board your alpacas:
We are a small farm, dedicated to our alpacas and the alpaca industry. We have an extended family living on the property so there is almost always someone here 24/7. Your alpacas will be treated with the same care and concern as if they were our own. They will be fed quality forage (appropriate hay) and specially formulated pellets. Monthly health checks are conducted including weighing, body scoring, scheduled vaccinations (at cost), and toe-trimming (if needed). We have a highly qualified camelid vet in our area who is available by appointment, phone, or if emergency care is needed. In addition to conducting the health checks, the information will be entered into and maintained in a herd management data base (we use AlpacaEase). The information in the data base is available to you in hard copy and/or can be transferred electronically if you choose to use the AlpacaEase program. Full reports will be provided when, and if, we are no longer caring for your alpaca. Dianna is a firm believer in continuing education and has attended numerous workshops/clinics/seminars specific to alpacas and the alpaca industry. Topics covered include nutritional needs of camelids, alpaca fiber and production, important considerations when selecting alpacas for your herd and making breeding decisions, health care (preventative health care, giving vaccinations, worming schedules, determining when to call the vet, signs of illness or discomfort), neo-natal, etc. Agisting Fees All agisting arrangements are contractual. We ask that monthly agisting fees be paid in advance. Any vetting costs or charges will added on to the next month fee.
Normally, and much to the disappointment of alpaca owners, most births occur when we aren't looking and we miss the whole event. Thankfully, and ideally, most births do not require assistance or intervention. However, there are things that can and should be done before and after the birth. And occasionally there will be a dystocia (abnormal or problematic delivery) which requires intervention. As your female approaches her delivery date we will begin observing her more closely and take the following action:
Birthing Fee: $200 This is the flat fee for taking care of the dam before, during, and after delivery and for follow-up care for the cria. There is a separate contract covering births. Dianna has attended several talks and workshops dealing with the special needs of pregnant dams and crias. In addition, she attended an intensive two-day, hands on, neonatal clinic conducted by Dr. Pat Long, DVM. Dr. Long is a co-author of the Llama and Alpaca Neonatal Care workbook and reference guide. This clinic provided an in-depth coverage of many aspects of neonatal care. In addition, participants experienced the look and feel of different types of dystocia's using a simulated uterus and birth canal, and deceased cria. Although not the "real" thing, it did prepare us for the action to take if we should find ourselves with a dystocia situation. Handling/Halter Training/Show Ring Readiness When agisted at our ranch your alpaca will be around human interaction on a daily basis. Dianna will pay individual attention to your alpaca by handling them - basically getting them used to being haltered, lead, and standing for health checks, vetting, toenail trimming, etc. Upon request, Dianna will work with your alpaca to prepare them for the show ring--leading, standing straight and balanced, and standing for fleece, teeth, and genital examinations. Dianna will also spend time with you and your alpaca as you learn to handle them with confidence and composure. Keep in mind that the showing process is completely unnatural for these animals and can be very stressful for most of them. Dianna spent a major part of her life training and caring for horses and is comfortable working with livestock. Additionally, Dianna is actively pursuing her Camelidynamics Handlers Seal through Marty McGee Bennett's CAMELIDynamics training program. Dianna has completed the first step by attending a two-day clinic and is enrolled in an upcoming four-day clinic. Fee Unless there is a specific behavioral problem requiring a great deal of time and attention there is not a fee associated with this service. Fees for major problematic behavior requiring appropriate correction will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Not all alpaca owners want to represent themselves when selling alpacas and elect to compensate someone else to handle the process. This arrangement is much like that of contracting with a real estate agent. The common fee for brokering services is 10% of the sale price. However, all things are negotiable and we will set fees on a case-by-case basis. If you have been spending any time at all looking into and learning about this business you are well aware of how time consuming it is. I know I felt like I had two jobs. I would work at my regular job during the day and then spend hours on the internet after I got home. Week-ends were consumed with internet searches, attending alpaca events, visiting farms, etc. This was a great experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the process. However, there came a time when I wanted to get my time and life back. My way of solving the problem may not work for you....I retired! Just so you know, retirement was already part of the plan ;-). You may want to consider contracting for this service if you find you are not internet savvy, don't have the time, and/or really have no interest in learning how to find and explore all the information that is out there. Contracting these services may not be for everyone. Some searches or research that might be helpful for someone new to the alpaca business might include tracking lineage, searching for that "perfect" alpaca that is in your head, checking out local zoning regulations, etc. Ask and we can discuss what you need and determine what appropriate compensation would be. What on earth is "transition coaching"? That is a really good question and one that I will attempt to answer. But, before I do, let me give you some background on why I am offering this service. I am a professional "Life and Career" coach and my specialty is assisting individuals through transition. For more information about the coaching profession, my training and experience, and my practice please visit www.purposefulchoices.com. My website will answer most of the questions you have, and/or satisfy your curiosity about the coaching profession. Coaching is a business I can do from home and was my primary focus for post-retirement from the corporate world -- before we discovered alpacas! As we attended more alpaca events and started talking with "newbies" or individuals looking into the business, it became clear to me that many are struggling with the "transition" to alpaca ownership. Much of the struggling is around the decision making process, friends/family/co-workers saying they were nuts to be taking such a risk, how to plan for the transition if currently working, how to make it through job burnout, etc. The alpaca industry is filled with wonderful people who provide mentoring and support about how to get into the business, how to set up the business, how to run a successful business, etc. The business side of the transition is pretty straightforward--the emotional side is far more complex. It is the emotional side that a successful coaching relationship addresses and helps the individual through. This is where I feel I can be of assistance. There are some very valid reasons I don't address the emotional reasons when interacting with individuals struggling with the transition. The coaching process and relationship is an agreement between the coach and the individual. The coaching questions are direct, thought provoking, and personal--not the type of questions asked in casual conversation. In some instances, they may seem very inappropriate (and probably are) if the individual does not know they are being "coached." If you would like to know about this service I recommend you check out my coaching website www.purposefulchoices.com. If you have questions and are interested in knowing more please contact me. (530-620-6033, dianna@purposefulchoices.com, dianna@alpacasomersetfarm.com. I offer a complimentary coaching session so you can get a "feel" of what the process is all about. My standard coaching fees and programs (as listed on the website) will be adjusted, modified, and individualized for "alpaca people". Website created and maintained by Dianna Jordan |
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This site was last updated 12/12/07
