Other recent testimonials:
"The class was priceless." Ethan Howard, Falmouth. His farm had their first (happy & healthy) cria, April 28, 2016. Congrats Ethan and family!!!

"Dr. Cheryl is an amazing instructor! She presented all the class info in such a manner that all attendees, regardless of experience, understood everything! The lab was incredibly educational ...Deep and informative. Island Alpaca Farm and Barbara were amazing hosts... all the workers were so warm and friendly!" Clare Aspey, Sweet Memories Alpaca, MI

It will be our 11th Year! -- A seminar you won't want to miss.. and just before Springtime birthing season is the best time to prepare!

Check out our Alpaca Neonatal Clinic Video for a preview below:

Island Alpaca Farm will be looking to host their full day seminar with Dr. Cheryl DeWitt this coming Spring, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm* for a most invaluable hands-on experience for all breeders or soon to be breeders! If you should be interested please send an email to us and we can contact you when a date is set!

To view photos from a prior years seminar click here!

Light breakfast, and full lunch included. One course book provided for each farm. (additional course books available for $20)

Location and Time: Island Alpaca Farm, 1 Head of the Pond Road, Oak Bluffs, on the Martha's Vineyard. 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Date will not conflict with North American Alpaca, MAPACA Shows. 10% Hotel discount at The Mansion House-just a two-minute walk from the ferry! We are easily accessible from the Steamship Authority. No need to bring your car. Island Alpaca Farm is just 2-1/2 miles from the ferry. Island Alpaca will shuttle you from the 8:15 am ferry and bus service available by Vineyard Transit from the ferry, bus #1, or by taxi.

To Register: Please list names of attendees and farm name in the note section at check-out, and send along the registration form which will be emailed to you once registered.   NOTE: minimum class size is required, and you will be contacted before we process your payment.

Refer a friend or another farm: Receive a $25 gift-code to our online Gift-Shop whether you are participating or not.

Biography: Dr. Cheryl DeWitt, DVM is an associate veterinarian at Camelid Veterinary Services. She attended North Carolina State University for graduate studies, then relocated to Ohio to work in camelid medicine. She has also been an active participant in Dr. Stephen Purdy's Nunoa Project in Peru, a program to establish self sustaining programs in the areas of: support for underprivileged children and herding families, veterinary assistance for livestock, and tourism for the Nunoa area.

Class Summary: This clinic will be comprised of a morning lecture with a power-point presentation, to cover female reproduction/breeding; reproductive anatomy and physiology, breeding and pregnancy diagnosis options, gestational development, care of the pregnant dam, normal and abnormal criation and care of the newborn as well as the high-risk cria.

The afternoon will include a "hands-in" "wet-lab" using uterine simulators, will challenge registrants to diagnose the contents of the uterus, discuss a proposed delivery plan, identify and correct dystocias to deliver the cria safely. Emergency training, and a lot of fun!

To view images from another prior years seminar, visit our photo gallery.

Island Alpaca Co. is reaching out to our fellow breeders for participating cria-cadavers. If you have or know of anyone with a loss of a cria, Island Alpaca would like to "adopt" them for our clinic. Confidentiality respected. *Please inquire. Thank you! 

Further details....

What is Dystocia?
The spring birthing season is a joyous occasion for all breeders. Is your first cria (baby alpaca) soon to be born on your farm? Are you ready and able to assist the dam in the event she has any difficulty? Be prepared!! We all look forward to this season with great anticipation. There is nothing like watching these wonderful little alpacas come into this world. They are sitting, standing and nursing within 4 hours of birth. This is the scenario we want to see with the birth of all our new crias.

Do you know how to recognize if the dam is in distress and experiencing dystocia? Do you know how to reverse a uterine torsion? What causes uterine torsion? These questions and more will be answered during this clinic.

Summary of topics include:
    - Reproductive cycle in the Female
    - Behavior Testing: When is the optimum time to breed?
    - How a Dam prepares for birth
    - Nutrition/Feeding during pregnancy
    - When to Vaccinate, worm the dam
    - Preparing for delivery
    - Three Stages of labor
    - Supplies to have on hand
    - Reproductive Emergencies, and Signs that ‘something may be wrong’
    - What you can do during a malpositioned birth
    - Post partum care
    - Care of the newborn cria
    - Premature Crias
    - Vaccinations for Crias
    - The importance of Colostrum
    - Lactation
    - Infertility Issues: Indications of problems in new crias such as choanal atresia (closed nasal passages), heart or lung problems, hypothermia, diarrhea, dehydration, limb deformities, hernia and more...

Increase your confidence in learning to deal with emergency situations that may arise. The facts and simple techniques you learn at this clinic may help you save that valuable cria. Take the time now to learn before it's too late. Will you be ready???

If you have taken this class before, do consider again, as a refresher, and Dr. Dewitt will be presenting new material this year on cria-care. 

We hope that you can attend! 

To register, please complete this simple registration form here and send along to us with your check or with your payment online.

* Please note, should the minimum class size not be met, you will be contacted 3 weeks prior and a full refund would be offered.