Rent-a-fox-guard for Lambing or Kidding Season (New Service)

MANY farmers may have been curious about alpacas as fox guards for lambing, yet not inclined to purchase them outright, but Rivergum Rise Alpacas now has a handy solution.

They offer the convenient option to Rent-a-Fox-Guard, for farmers who want to try an alpaca during lambing season and return it once the danger period has past. 

This provides farmers with a low cost way of trialing alpacas to increase lambing percentages.

According to Rivergum Rise stud principals Anne and Darryl Sherman, most farmers put two castrated males in with each flock about four weeks prior to lambing to allow sufficient time for the alpacas to bond to the sheep. 

The Shermans said it is essential that the alpacas are castrated and that they are at least 18-24 months old. 

They have sold hundreds of guardians to farmers to reduce losses to foxes and have had reports of significant increases in lambing percentages, with many farmers returning to purchase additional guards to protect their other flocks. 

Once foxes have crossed paths with alpacas they will hunt elsewhere. 

Many adjacent farms have subsequently purchased alpacas after seeing their lamb losses increase.

Rivergum Rise are now located in Corrigin and offer guardians for hire at $220 per head per lambing season - a cost effective alternative to ownership. 

Numbers are limited, so booking early is the best way to secure a guard.

A non-refundable booking fee of $100 is payable with the balance due at the time of pick up or delivery. 

Rivergum Rise will deliver and pick up guards free of charge where there are 10 or more guards required in the same shire at the same time. 

With that in mind, it makes sense to get a group of people together in the area.

When purchasing guard alpacas at the end of the lambing season, $220 will be deducted from the purchase price of $770. 

This innovative new service offers a fully tax deductible try before buying option allowing farmers to decide on the effectiveness of alpaca herd guards.

For enquiries and bookings contact Anne & Darryl Sherman on (08)9062 9027 or email rivergum@rivergumrise.com.au .

So what’s the story with Fox Guards? 

Most alpacas do exhibit protective behaviours against foxes.  In fact Rivergum Rise have sold over 400 wethered alpacas as fox guards and have only had to replace three that did not appear to be doing the job.  Feedback from farmers is that lamb losses are reduced when alpacas are run with sheep during lambing.  Results range from significant to amazing depending on environmental situations, the number of sheep and alpacas, as well as paddock shape and size.  One farmer reported that where he had sheep in two neighbouring paddocks there were significant lamb carcasses in the paddock with no alpacas, while there were no carcasses found in the paddock with two alpacas.  Natural predators of alpacas in South America include mountain lions, large foxes and condors.

Several years ago a few farmers were brave enough to put two alpaca wethers in with their sheep, enduring the jibes from their neighbours.  This season, it has been their neighbours who have been purchasing wethers to run with their flocks – evidence enough that they’ve seen lower lamb losses next door.  Whilst shooting and baiting programmes create a vacuum for new predators, alpacas act as a deterrent and increase pressure on other food sources, often a neighbour’s lambs.  At today’s lamb prices, an alpaca only needs to save about ten lambs to recoup the investment – not bad since the average wether should survive fifteen to twenty years.

Wethers require minimal attention – a 5 in 1 injection six monthly and shearing annually. An alpaca is equivalent to one DSE and is quite at home running with sheep all year round.  Wool contamination is less than that from a sheep dog and there is a shearing protocol that is accepted within the wool industry.

Alpaca wethers are now in short supply and a number of farmers are now purchasing breeding females and are diversifying into a lucrative new breeding and fibre industry to supplement other on-farm income.  One of the field day presentations will discuss running alpacas as a business.