Double gamble on alpacas

By Peter Sweeney
LEZLEY and Steve Golding were “introduced” to alpacas at a Home Living Show at ‘Jeff’s Shed’ in the heart of Melbourne.
They instantly fell in love with the animals, went away and knew they wanted to stock their dream block of soil with alpacas.
The Goldings did research and found there were two different fleece types of alpacas – the more popular Huacaya and the less-known Suri breed.
The couple decided to take a gamble, and get into the Suri – which only make up about 10 per cent of the world’s alpaca population.
Of the small number of Suri alpacas in Australia, there were very few coloured ones. Though uncommon in numbers, the Suri fleece, which hangs in dreadlocks and has a silky feel, is highly sought after by fashion designers for garments with drape – like suits for men and women.
So Lezley and Steve thought, “If we’re going to gamble on Suri alpacas, then why not make a double gamble?”
But then again, the Goldings are used to gambling on lifestyles.
Born in New Zealand – Lezley in Dunedin in the south and Steve at Hastings in the north – the couple moved to Melbourne after deciding it offered more personal and professional opportunities.
But, like many others, the city became too big for the Goldings. Nine years ago, they came across a 20-hectare property in Nar Nar Goon North; made an offer and then made a move.
“I could never not live in the country now,” said Lezley, who gave up an office job to be a housewife, but more so a mum to 70 very contented looking alpacas.
An IT expert, Steve still works in Melbourne, commuting each weekday on the train,
“He loves the weekends here. It’s where we work and holiday,” Lezley said.
Stevley – and you should be able to work out where that name comes from – Park is not only home to coloured Suri alpacas, but is an agistment home to natural lifestyle barefoot horses.
Presently, the alpacas share about eight hectares and the horses have 12.
“The alpacas are better in smaller paddocks. They’re not like the horses and don’t need room to run,” Lezley said.
“They graze out a paddock and then we move them onto another.
“There was nothing but a few old sheds on the property when we came. We’ve developed it bit by bit.”
You can say that again.
The couple have put in new fencing, killed off much capeweed, sticky weed and scotch thistle, organically fertilised pastures, built livestock shelters, planted trees, laid water lines, installed troughs and turned their beloved block into a boutique stud – which is home to 70 different coloured Suris.
“There are 22 recognised natural colours in alpacas and we breed suris in whites, fawns, browns, grey, rose grey and blacks. We have eight coloured Suri stud sires.,” Lezley said.
“Some of them cannot live together, so six strip paddocks within a large paddock cater for such needs.
“They mightn’t be in the same paddock, but only a fence seperates them,” Lezley said. They have their own area, but group together. It’s like horses having travelling companions when going to the races. They don’t like being on their own – and they don’t like being patted on the head.
“The ‘working age’ for males is between two and three years. Some become pretty macho and harass other alpacas.
“We’re always on the lookout for improving the genetics in our stock. The breeding is so important. The mums and the mums to be are fed a special muesli mix, as they are feeding babies and need the nourishment,” Lezley said.
Lezley is into felting – making different types and textured handbags and scarves.
“Much of the felting is onto silk and it is satin lined. The work keeps me off the streets,” Lezley said.
“I have developed a burgeoning handcraft business, utitising the alpaca fleece (the bags and scarves and hand-knitted mittens) and there are always fleeces available for the home spinner.
“Steve does on-site shearing. We’ve been shearing our alpacas for two years – and we do Suris for some other people.
“We sell alpacas – but never individually. They are not meant to be on their own and we sell them in twos. Alpacas make good pets and guards for some animals, like sheep.
“Presently, we are busy with the show season, preparing for babies and organising the next matings.”
It was long ago when the Goldings knew they wanted to do something on the land.
“We looked at sheep and cattle, but wanted something different,” Lezley said.
“We are not vegetarians, but didn’t want to farm animals that we had to kill. And we were after an animal that was not harsh on the land. The alpacas are most gentle on the land, the base of their foot is a soft pad and there are two toes with a nail on the top of each toe. The nails are trimmed several times a year.
“So we settled on the alpacas – and the natural lifestyle barefoot horses.
“We want to do the best for the animals on the property. We treat them as if they are part of our family and like them to live like they would in the wild or if in herds.
“We don’t believe in shoeing horses, and therefore they don’t wear shoes.
“And unless they are sick or old, we do not rug the horses. We take horses on agistment.
“The stock are rotated around paddocks and the horses have plenty of room to run. Even the chooks have the run of the property. It’s as if it is free-range for everything who lives here.”