Bruce, Alison and Tavvie Van Natta

Westfiel,IN

317 867 1300
bvannatta@omnicityusa.com
www.surrealalpacas.com

We've been blessed with some very fine friendships we've made in the US since being here in 2001 but none more than with our good mates Natters and Allie from Sur-real Alpacas in Hoosier town. These guys are outright down to earth, hard working, honest and very intelligent people who have also made genuine caring friends. We see eye to eye on all things livestock raising and I think a comment by Don Julio Bareeda sums it up best. He said " You should not use your eyes as a microscope and your arms as a scale " and nothing more exemplifies our attitude toward alpaca raising. Science when it can be used takes all the marketing budgets and hype out of sound decision making.

Here is the Sur-Real Alpacas mission statement:

Our mission at Sur-Real Alpacas is to develop, through the application of scientific principles and techniques, a consistently breeding, fine-fleeced herd of suri alpacas who cut a large volume of fiber each year. Both of us are from scientic/medical bakgrounds. Alison is a registered nurse and Bruce is a surgeon with a B.A. degree in Zoology and background training in medical genetics. We believe in constant testing of soils, water, forage and hay, fleece analysis and follicle skin testing. We have studied animal breeding texts from other livestock industries (no need to re-invent the wheel!)

We believe in the absolute necessity for a defined breed standard. Application of genetic principles and techniques, including linebreeding, along with the use of estimated breeding values (EBV’s) assist in our breeding decisions. We test lab values on our animals routinely and attend husbandry and veterinarian clinics regularly. It is our strong belief that optimal nutrition can help to unlock all the genetic potential in our animals.

We always provide materials and ongoing information to our clients and are happy to discuss our approach and techniques with prospective and established breeders alike.

Sur-real alpacas and Pucara International co -own some 44 female suris presently and three herdsires, Pucara Kahuna, Pucara The Duke, and Pperuvian Cadete ( Accoyo ).