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AlpacaNation Q&A with Fairhope Alpacas
Katy & Jim Cocking
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20201 County Rd. 33, Fairhope, AL 36532
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251-583-5251
AlpacaNation: Tell us about yourself...
Fairhope Alpacas: I'm Katy Spears and my husband, Steve, and I own and operate Fairhope Alpacas in lower Alabama. Steve is an artist who specializes in bronze sculpture, and I have a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (which I now use on the alpacas and my four children!) Having a family business is a great fit for our family-centered lifestyle.
AlpacaNation: What advice would you give to those just getting started in the industry?
Fairhope Alpacas: I recommend that you buy the best quality alpacas you can afford. We did that when we started and it has served us well. When your cria are high quality they are in more demand. Because our alpacas are top quality we have a larger market for sales and breeding services.
AlpacaNation: What has been the most helpful advice you have received from your veterinarian?
Fairhope Alpacas: We consulted with Dr. Norman Evans on the issue of nutrition. His invaluable advice was to have our hay tested and really assess our nutritional program. We have done that and had tremendous results. Nutrition is really important when raising alpacas. Keeping our alpacas healthy is priority number one for us. We keep their area clean and pay careful attention to them on a daily basis. As a breeding business, our goal is to have our females pregnant most of the time. Like my vet, Tim Stewart, DVM says, "Pregnancy is a luxury." When a dam's health and nutrition is good, producing healthy cria is often a piece of cake!
AlpacaNation: How do you see your farm and alpaca business growing over the next 5 to 10 years?
Fairhope Alpacas: We expect to see a great deal of growth in our business in the next few years. We will continue to focus on breeding alpacas that are show quality with elite fleeces. We intend to make great strides in our fleeces in the next few years as our Magnum cria start coming. His genetics are several generations more advanced than what most breeders currently have. As our children get older, we look forward to them becoming more involved with the family business in various ways. They have already started showing which has been fun.
AlpacaNation: Do you have a favorite Alpaca? Why is it your favorite?
Fairhope Alpacas: I have three favorite alpacas. The first is our super "rockstar" herdsire, SCA Peruvian Magnum. Magnum is an incredibly intelligent animal. He spends a lot of time figuring out how to get in with females. He is a real escape artist so we try to outsmart him and keep him "in". Magnum has tremendous presence and you just can't help but admire and respect him. He keeps life interesting! The second favorite alpaca we have is Beloved. Beloved is the last offspring we have from our cherished herdsire, Tre, who died at age 4 after an injury. Beloved was born blind and has shown us a different way of looking at things. She has her dad's laid back, sweet personality, and remarkable fleece. Beloved is full of surprises and she makes our days more enjoyable with her amazing ability to do everything a sighted alpaca can do. My third favorite alpaca is Royal Cantigny. It was love at first site for me. Maybe it's the fuzzy face. They are all great, but some take up residence in your heart!
AlpacaNation: How did you become interested in alpacas?
Fairhope Alpacas: Steve always wanted to live in the country. That was fine with me, so I started looking for a pet that would be different, something you wouldn't have in the city. After looking at llamas, I found out about alpacas from a friend and fell in love. The business opportunity was too good to pass up and the rest is history!
AlpacaNation: How long have you been in the alpaca business?
Fairhope Alpacas: We have been in the alpaca business for eight years.
AlpacaNation: What is your greatest achievement or favorite memory since you started raising alpacas?
Fairhope Alpacas: My favorite memory was when our cria, Rose Point, was born. When it came time for her dam, Cacia to have her, she was very big and looked like she would pop for weeks! As the due date came and went Cacia got tired of me watching her like a hawk so I took to hiding in the hayloft with binoculars so I could check her progress without her seeing me. Finally one day I was sure she would have the baby. We had 2 farm visits that day and she refused to have it while we had visitors! The next day I went out to check on her around 6am and saw Cacia sitting cushed in the field. I thought, "Well she's sitting down, she's not having a baby." Then I noticed that a lot of the herd was hanging around Cacia. They were acting very curious and a bit nosy...then I looked and saw Rose Point! There was a big, adorable, PINK cria! She was running around and all the other alpacas were following her around! They were especially interested in her, it was like they knew that she was something very special too
AlpacaNation: What sets your farm and herd apart from others in the industry?
Fairhope Alpacas: Great customer service is something that sets us apart. We are available to our customers when they need us. Mentoring and consulting with new breeders is a big part of our business. Educational opportunities are plentiful at Fairhope Alpacas! We offer at least four educational seminars/clinics a year on various alpaca related topics. Many people in the Southeast and along the Gulf Coast are completely new to alpacas. We offer them an "Alpacas 101: Topknot to Toenails" seminar which covers everything they need to know before buying alpacas. We also offer educational events for people who already have alpacas.
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