Welcome to the ILRe-port - January 2005
Welcome to the New Year - 2005
Happy New Year! It has been an eventful 12 months for the ILR office, staff and Board of Directors. We hope that the last year has been fun, profitable and satisfying for all llama owners and ILR members. As we move into 2005, there are many challenges and possibilities before us. We hope you will stay informed with the events and changes in the llama community, and that you will share your ideas, stories and photographs with the ILR and the ILRe-port. We are always searching for the interesting uses and circumstances of llamas. We invite you to contact the Registry if you have an interesting event, product or use for llamas that we would all enjoy reading about.
On that note we hope you will enjoy our feature article in this issue on the collaboration of Wally Dee Henderson and Ingrid's Hand Wovens. This is a Texas story that may encourage you to shear and use that beautiful llama fleece.
While we have your attention, we would like to thank a few individuals who have been extremely valuable to the ILR and, therefore, to you over the past year. If you see these great people at an event, please say 'Thank You' for their efforts on the behalf of the llama community.
Happy New Year from the Staff at the ILR,
Kathy Bicknell
Carol Martin
Salena Adams
Susan Eickert
Joyce Schmautz
Alan Schmautz, MIS
Jan Wassink, Registrar
Llamas, Rugs and Wally Dee
Wally Dee Henderson and Ingrid's Handwoven, Inc. team up to create beautiful home decorating items.
by Joyce Schmautz - ILR Customer Service
As I write, I have just completed a telephone conversation with Wally Dee Henderson about her llamas, her llama rugs and her life. One gets the idea that the surface was just scratched. Like a cup filled to overflowing, the stories just spilled one into another.
Wally Dee was born in Germany and given the name, Waltraud. Her earliest memories included bombings, explosions, living in the basement of a bombed out building, and meeting her father after he was released from captivity when she was about 7 or 8 years old. She learned to speak English when she was 14 years old and came to the US with her military husband, Marshall, in 1964. They settled in Kileen , TX .
Wally's first encounter with llamas was in the late 1970's when she came across an advertisement for llamas. Being a self-described ‘animal freak', she was immediately ‘taken' by the images. She did not rush out and buy a llama because she did not feel she could afford them, but she went ahead and signed up to be a member of the International Llama Association (ILA). She received the subscription to the Llamas Magazine and would devour the photographs that each publication offered. “I would sit and cry because I couldn't purchase a llama. Finally, after 15 years, I cancelled my membership and subscriptions because I couldn't deal with my disappointment.” Instead, she surrounded herself with cats, dogs, chickens, goats, turtles and even a pet cricket. “The more animals I had around me, the happier I was,” Wally claims.
In 1997 she read about a Youth Show and Sale in San Antonio and decided to go. Her daughter told her father that he had better go with her because “Mom is going to buy a llama.” She was right. Wally Dee came home with her first llama, Taho, a white llama with a black spot on its side. She was immediately smitten by his sweet personality, as well as his beauty. A neighbor encouraged her to enter him in the San Angelo Llama Show and he won 3rd place.
She added more llamas to the mix and grew in her husbandry skills. Her husband purchased her a clipper and she added shearing to her lists of accomplishments. She showed her fleece in many shows, garnering Best of Show in San Angelo, and Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion and Best of Show at Estes Park Wool Market. As she began to accumulate quite a lot of fleece that she wasn't exhibiting, she wanted to find an outlet for it so that it wouldn't ‘go to waste'. Through various shows, she had become acquainted with a spinner and weaver, Mr. Reinhard Scoffthaler, the owner of Ingrid's Custom Hand Woven Rugs, Inc., from Pint Rock, TX. On the recommendation of Dan and Dale Goodyear, who were happy with his services, Wally Dee went to visit his business. There she found rugs, saddle blankets and other beautiful items.
Excited about the possibilities, she gathered up her fleece - all 62 pounds of it - sorted it by color and returned to Ingrid's. There they spun the fiber into yarn, using sheep's wool for the core (to give it body, strength and thickness) with the llama fiber around it. The next step was to weave the yarn into the rugs. Since Taho was Henderson 's first llama, they wove a white rug with a black spot in the center of the carpet from his fleece and named the line of rugs they would weave, Tahoe. The weaving is done on a huge weaving machine nearly as big as the building that houses it.
A dozen rugs of various sizes were woven in the next couple of weeks, each depicting the llama's pattern and colors in the weavings. The natural colors will never fade and are unique in the feel that only llama fleece gives. Produced in the U.S. with moderate prices, this could be a successful way to market your fleece products.
If all of Wally Dee's llama accomplishments were not enough, I dared to ask if she spun her own yarn. “Not yet,” was her reply. “I haven't found time because I also have 2 green houses and over 1,000 potted tropical plants and trees I attend to.” Some of these are from places as far away as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan .
I hung up the telephone, shaking my head with wonder at the amount of energy with which this llama loving woman has been gifted. Her conversation brimmed over with joy and I wondered what else had been left unearthed.
Letter from Ingrid's Handwoven, Inc., to all llama owners and ILR members:
Dear Llama Farmer(s) and Fleece Producer(s):
First, I would like to take a moment to introduce ourselves, as to what we do. Ingrid's Custom Hand Woven, Inc., in Paint Rock, Texas, was established in 1979. Since that time we have been hand weaving 100% wool area rugs and saddle blankets. In the past couple of years, we have added mohair to our products. We have sold and shipped these products all over the USA and abroad to exclusive stores, such as Ethan Allen, Decorators at Martha's Vineyard in MA, and accounts in Europe. We are a member of the Better Business Bureau in San Angelo, TX.
And here is what we would like you to know:
A short time ago we had a request, from folks like you, to make rugs of their own llama fleece. With our enthusiasm and experience with natural fibers, we were able to make a fine product and do justice to the fleece. The first couple of folks to entrust us with their fleece were Dan and Dale Goodyear of Berry Acres Llamas, Robesonia, PA, and Wally Henderson of 
Tup Tim Place Lamas, New Braunfels, TX. They were very pleased with the results and actually gave us more orders to weave rugs for them.
So, if you should have some extra fleece and would like something made out of it that will last a lifetime as a home furnishing or to remember one of your favorite llamas and admire its fleece, we are here for you. For more detailed information, you can call us at 1-800-752-8004 or email schofft@attg.net.
Thank you.
Reinhard Schoffthaler. (President)
Facts You Need to Know
'Thank You' to Art Kennel
The ILR Board would like to thank Art Kennel for his service to the ILR. He contributed wisdom, organizational skills and a deep love and familiarity with the llama industry. His contributions in the following areas were particularly valuable:
Thank you, Art, for your many contributions to the ILR and the Llama Community.
Sincerely,
ILR Board of Directors
Karen Baum, DVM, President
Sally Taylor, Secretary
Kathi McKinney, Treasurer
Sally German-Rucker
Research Abstracts of Interest to Llama Owners
The ILR has long felt it necessary to support and distribute information concerning camelid research. Following are 2 abstracts of concern to llama owners. If you wish more information, you will need to contact the American Journal of Veterinary Research.
Assessment of the effects of exogenous long-acting insulin on glucose tolerance in alpacas
Determination of electrocardiographic parameters in healthy llamas and alpacas
The objective of this research was to describe the metabolic effects of epinephrine administration in New World camelids and investigate whether these effects are influenced by administration of insulin.Prior to each experiment, food was withheld from camelids for 8 hours. On each of 2 consecutive days, alpacas were administered epinephrine (10 mg/kg, IM; time 0); alpacas were randomly assigned to receive regular insulin (0.2 U/kg, IV) immediately after epinephrine administration on one of those days. In llamas, the experiment was performed once after administration of epinephrine only. At 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 minutes after treatment, blood samples were collected and several serum or plasma biochemical variables were assessed; in addition, plasma samples from llamas were assessed for insulin concentrations. Data were compared between days (alpacas only) and between time points.Administration of epinephrine induced mobilization of glucose, triglycerides, nonesterified fatty acids, and â-hydroxybutyrate. A small increase in endogenous insulin concentration was detected in epinephrine-treated llamas, compared with baseline values. Overall, insulin administration decreased, negated, or delayed the epinephrine-associated increases in serum or plasma concentrations of circulating energy substrates, except that it augmented the epinephrine-associated increase in concentration of triglycerides. Epinephrine appeared to mobilize energy substrates in camelids and, hence, may be involved in the pathogenesis of disorders of glucose and fat metabolism. Insulin appeared to antagonize most of these effects, and its administration may have therapeutic value in camelids. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:1692-1696)
Jaime Ueda, BA; Christopher K. Cebra, VMD, MS; Susan J. Tornquist, DVM, PhD
The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of long-acting insulin on glucose clearance in alpacas. On 2 days, food was withheld from alpacas for 8 hours. Alpacas were randomly allocated to receive an SC injection of long-acting insulin (0.4 U/kg) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution 1 hour before the first of 3 administrations of glucose (at 60, 480, and 1,200 minutes after treatment) on day 1 and the alternate treatment and procedure on day 2. Plasma glucose concentration was determined before and 15, 45, 120, and 240 minutes after each glucose administration, and fractional turnover rates were calculated. The data were compared between alpacas with and without insulin administration and among the 3 glucose administrations for each day. Compared with sham-treated alpacas, insulin-treated alpacas had significantly lower blood glucose concentrations from 180 to 600 minutes after treatment; they also had glucose concentrations significantly below baseline values from 120 to 480 minutes, at which time the mean glucose concentration was in the hypoglycemic range. Also, mean fractional turnover of glucose was significantly higher in insulin-treated alpacas from 105 through 300 minutes. Compared with known effects of regular insulin in alpacas, the action of long-acting insulin was of slower onset but longer lasting; its administration may induce hypoglycemia, even in alpacas that receive glucose. To maintain the hypoglycemic effect, long-acting insulin may have to be administered more than once daily and blood glucose concentration should be monitored to avoid hypoglycemic complications in alpacas. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:1688-1691)
Marc S. Kraus, DVM; Clay A. Calvert, DVM; Alan W. Spier, DVM, PhD; Kathryn M. Meurs, DVM, PhD; David E. Anderson, DVM *
The objective of this research was to determine electrocardiographic parameters in healthy llamas and alpacas. 23 llamas and 12 alpacas were studied. Electrocardiography was performed in nonsedated standing llamas and alpacas by use of multiple simultaneous lead recording (bipolar limb, unipolar augmented limb, and unipolar precordial leads).Common features of ECGs of llamas and alpacas included low voltage of QRS complexes, variable morphology of QRS complexes among camelids, and mean depolarization vectors (mean electrical axes) that were directed dorsocranially and to the right. Durations of the QT interval and ST segment were negatively correlated with heart rate.ECGs of acceptable quality can be consistently recorded in nonsedated standing llamas and alpacas. Features of ECGs in llamas and alpacas are similar to those of other ruminants. Changes in the morphology of the QRS complexes and mean electrical axis are unlikely to be sensitive indicators of ventricular enlargement in llamas and alpacas. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:1719-1723)
Classified Ads
Gifts
Alpaca fur stuffed llamas, floppy, 3 sizes, $25-50 Llylacllyz@aol.com
Everybody’s doing it! Are you? Plan for your comfort and your pets’. Llama fiber filled comforters, mattress pads, pillows, dog and cat beds. Soft and lofty, luxurious as can possibly be! Buy now for a full winter’s comfort. West Mountain Farm, Inc., llamawmf@sover.net 802-694-1417
Llamas for Sale
We raise llamas for fiber and as guard animals. J’n’S Ranch 254-605-0299 jnsranch@hotmail.com.
Reasonably priced males and females, friendly and lovable - registered and unregistered stock - windstarfarm@yahoo.com
Tillman Llamas are selling show quality females bred to HCLA Bolivian Over Exposed. Prices start at 1,500. www.tillmansranch.com 541-389-1065
Advertisers' Index
We encourage you to support the following advertisers. They make this information possible.
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The Brownderosa |
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Little Doc's Veterinary Care Dr. Karen Baum 1484 Wandering Acres Rd. Huddleston, VA 24104 540-297-1051 fax: 540-297-8345 lildoc@mindspring.com www.little-doc.com |
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West Mountain Farm |
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Rocky Mountain Llamas Bobra Goldsmith 7202 N 45th St Longmont, CO 80503 303-530-5575 questions@rockymtllamas.com www.rockymtllamas.com |
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Llama Things |
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Pearson Pond Ranch Jack and Tracy Pearson 242 Charles Lane, #6017 Ellijay, GA 30540 706-276-3658 pprllama@direcway.com www.pearsonpond.com |
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Steven's Llama Tique and Suri Alpacas Loren and Judy Stevens 29581 US Hwy 59 Worthington, MN 56187 507-376-4230 Fax: 507-376-4242 llamatiq@rconnect.com www.stevenstique.com |
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Tillman Llamas and Suri Alpacas |
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Traditional Lama Coalition % Heather or Kay (541) 592-3612 eastfork@cavenet.com |
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Wilkins Livestock Insurers, Inc. Mike & Janet Wilkins, Stacy Wilkins 1405 Rd 12 Geneva, NE 68361 402-759-4901 fax: 402-759-4903 stacywilkins@galaxycable.net www.wilkinslivestock.com |
News Flash - Anyone using the ILR Online Registration Form can upload photographs immediately if they so choose.
What does that mean? Previously, if you needed to obtain other signatures besides your own to register a llama, you would be required to print the submission form for the ILR and send in photographs and the correct fees with the signed document. You were not given the opportunity to upload photographs, as we had decided to keep all parts of the registration process together. However, after almost a year of online registrations, we feel comfortable in moving to the next step in full computerization of the registration process. That step is to allow the submission of photographs for all registration applications that are initiated on the web site .
How it works - When you fill out the online registration form (this does not include the PDF download), the data is stored on the ILR web server and the application is assigned a Registration Application Number (RAN). When you upload the photographs, they are saved under the RAN. If your RAN is #980, your photographs would be saved as 980l.jpg and 980r.jpg.
When you print your online registration form (whether just for your own records or to obtain additional signatures), the RAN prints in the upper right hand corner. If you upload your photographs and then send in a paper copy of the ILR Application for Registration/Listing, the ILR operator can locate your photographs by using the RAN.
WARNING - You cannot upload photographs of an unregistered or unlisted llama without a RAN. Do Not upload photographs using another llama's registration number or RAN. Doing so will cause delays in the current registration process and overwrite the correct photographs with the new ones as well.
Photographs
Now that online registration and uploading of digital photographs is gaining in popularity, photographic technique is more important than ever. The specifications for photographs read as follows:
Additional Digital Requirements for uploading on the ILR website
When completing registration using digital photographs, you must be more careful in photographing and preparing your images than with a dye based photograph produced from film. An average frame of 35mm film will contain the equivalent of approximately 22 megapixels of information (estimate of Kodak Gold ISO 100 film). The average digital file will try to produce the same quality using less than 200 kilobytes. That is 1/10 th the amount of information! The image that will show on the ILR web site is not of great concern, except that the photograph is small. That means that you need to compose your photograph tightly around the llama. Here at the Registry we really do like to see your farms and fields, but not when we are trying to determine what the identifying features are of the llama out there in the north forty.
Being that your computer's monitor displays photographs at about 75 pixels/inch, a low resolution photograph looks pretty good. But when hard copy prints are made, the rules change. Higher resolution is needed to make your llama look as good on paper as it does in real life. If you want a real life test of this fact, go to any image on the web, right click and save the image on your computer. Then enlarge it to approximately 8” x 10” and print it.
A few easy rules for photographing llamas:
1. Get up close and fill the viewfinder and photograph with the llama.
2. Photograph with ample light on the animal. (I am a former professional photographer and I will be the first to tell you not to take most photographs with light coming over your shoulder. But when you are photographing llamas for physical characteristics, that is where you want the light to be.)
3. Do not photograph into the sun. We receive a lot of photographs which exhibit what we call 'flare'. It is a degradation of the image due to direct light coming into a camera lens and bouncing around between the elements.
4. Move the llama to a clean and simple (if not solid) background. Your photographs are intended to show others what your llamas look like. We do not need to see your truck, trailer, four-wheelers, dogs, cats, or your John Deere. Send us those in a separate photograph and we will be jealous.
A few easy rules for digital upload:
1. Start ahead by creating the correct sized Jpeg photographic image. That means 2.5x3.5 inches in size and at 150 pixels per inch. If the photograph is saved correctly, it will give you a file aprox. 620kb in size.
2. Do all cropping necessary on the original file just before you write the final Jpeg for submission.
3. Only alter and save your photograph once using the Jpeg format. If you need to open and alter your photograph more than once, save all intermediate versions in TIFF format. (I will save you the boring compression lesson. But if you want, send me an email and I will ramble.)
Event Calendar (or What in the Heck are You Doing?)
We encourage all ILR members to add to our Event Calendar. It is quick, painless and can promote your show, sale or event. The only thing we ask is that you limit submissions to events. There are other venues for advertising llamas and services.
Please note that your submission is not immediately readable on the web site. Each submission is reviewed and approved by the ILR office. We make an attempt to review each submission early on the next business day (Mountain Time).
www.lamaregistry.com/rsearch.php
Membership Forms (Join Now)
Don't forget that all llama owners can become members of the ILR. Paid membership entitles you to unlimited access for online research from the ILR Database, reduced registration and transfer fees, and other member privileges. You can send in your membership application by USPS or online.
www.lamaregistry.com/membership_app.php
ILRe-port
The ILRe-port is a monthly electronic magazine created and distributed by the International Lama Registry. Every effort is made to give credit to the wonderful llama owners and llama experts who contribute on a regular basis to this e-zine. Please check back in the first few days of every month for more information of interest to the llama community.
If you have comments or suggestions, please write directly to the ILRe-port at ilreport@lamaregistry.com. If you have questions concerning transactions with the ILR, you can write to ilr@lamaregistry.com or call the ILR office between 8am and 4pm Mountain time Monday through Friday.
For all other issues you can contact the ILR Registrar or one of the members of the ILR Board of Directors at the email addresses given below.
International Lama Registry Addresses
| Regular Mail | Courier - UPS, FedEx, Airborne |
| PO Box 8 | 11 1/2 Meridian Road |
| Kalispell, MT 59901 59903 | Kalispell, MT 59901 |
| Telephone: (406) 755-3438 | |
| Fax: (406) 755-3439 | |
| Email: ilr@lamaregistry.com |
| Registrar | |
| Jan Wassink International Lama Registry PO Box 8 Kalispell, MT 59903 (406) 755-3438 voice (406) 755-3439 fax ilr@lamaregistry.com |
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| Board of Directors | |
| Dr. Karen Baum - President Little Doc's 1484 Wandering Acres Road Huddleston, VA 24104 karenb@lamaregistry.com |
Kathi McKinney - Treasurer Bobkat Llama Ranch 71 Schafer Meadow Lane N Montesano, WA 98563 kathym@lamaregistry.com |
| Sally Taylor - Secretary Taylor Llamas 14666 Horse Creek Road Bozeman, MT 59715 sallyt@lamaregistry.com |
Sally German-Rucker Stage Stop Llamas 8918 Teller #1 Florissant, CO 80816 sallyr@lamaregistry.com |