16/07/2025
Hopefully you will have chosen your parallel sessions so we are now delighted to introduce our International Key Note Speakers. Firstly Molly Gardner of Thistledown Suris, New Zealand will be delivering two talks at our members' Conference:
1- Moving from a bloodstock to a fibre industry.
Regardless of the country, imported alpaca have found themselves on a very similar path since they left South America. One of a bloodstock industry, the buying and selling of alpacas to grow the numbers. This has been an important part of our fledgling industries. Although they are super cute which makes them hugely appealing, they are a fibre producing livestock in their native homelands. The move to a fibre industry in Britain, Australia and NZ has been more difficult to achieve despite our rich fibre histories, breeding knowledge and expertise. However progression is a must if our industries are to be sustainable. Compared to some countries, Britain has opportunities available to it and is therefore in a good position to make this transition.
2- Setting up or improving your breeding programme.
Having a thoughtful structured breeding programme is imperative to reaching your breeding goals. First though you must make a decision about what you are breeding for?Learning to evaluate what you are starting with, knowing where your end goal is and which tools will help you to achieve this are all part of the process of successful breeding. Understanding fleece testing and fleece traits, colour genetics, conformational traits and which are highly heritable and which are not can all help with your plan to reach your breeding outcomes.
Molly is an astute observer of nature and behaviour, has a drive for continuous improvement and is an early adopter of research and technologies that can support the outcomes of her passions. Livestock improvement is one of these passions. For more than 30 years she has brought together the learning from others, research and her personal experience in the breeding of a number of different livestock species. While quite an achievement in itself, the greater reward is in education - sharing and learning with and from others. Molly has spoken at many international events in Australia, America, Europe and at the WAC when it was held in NZ. She runs workshops worldwide on breeding and fleece production in Alpaca. Molly lives on Banks Peninsula on the South Island of NZ. Apart from her coloured Suri, she has also purpose-bred an Australian lowline x Galloway cattle herd designed to cope with the harsh climate of Banks Peninsula and the increasingly old lady that manages them!
https://bas-uk.com/event/bas-conference-2025/
