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As with all industries, the alpaca industry has its own software applications designed to manage your herd. Herd management, medical,
calendar 'To Do' lists, financial, shows, fleece, and other aspects of the
alpaca industry will be found to one extent or another in the software applications
listed below. Applications run from your office computer or via the Internet.
The name of each application is a link to that software
application's web site. Following the name of an application is a brief
description of that application, based upon my look at the software. In other
words, the descriptions are personal evaluation. How you operate will differ,
even if only slightly, from the operation of New Moon Alpacas.
Please use the
information below to review each application as to your needs and the way you
work. Also note that one software developer may have an announcement in March
2009.
As I discover additional software that may assist alpaca breeders, or other
sections of the industry, I will add those applications here. I am also
searching for software that assists in the operation (process flow) of fiber
mini-mills.
Herd Management
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Alpaca
Database -- A free Microsoft Access database designed
to record alpaca information from Australia. The database accepts
photographs (Adobe Photoshop or other formats) and Microsoft Word
description files. Downloaded as a compressed file (.zip), included are the
database, a desktop icon to link to the database, and sample graphic and
Word files.
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AlpacaEASE -- AlpacaEASE offers four
modules (calendar, herd management, contacts, and financial) in one
application. Most operations are through the herd management module, whether
you are adding and including information for an alpaca, recording medical,
breeding, or show data. A user guide, in Acrobat format (.pdf) is available
from the web site, as is a 30-day trial version. AlpacaEASE is available as
both Windows and Mac software, using FileMaker Pro 6, an older version of
FileMaker Pro database design software.
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Alpaca Manager
-- Alpaca Manager is an alpaca herd management software
designed
for ARI (USA and Canada) and BAS (United Kingdom), along with New Zealand and Australian support for the
AGE (Across-Herd Genetic Evaluation) Project, yet offering IAR
(International Alpaca Registry) Registration details. The web site offers an
Internet demo when you click the Play Demo button. Alpaca
Manager is designed as a Microsoft Access 2000 database application
or later.
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Alpaca Tracker Software -- Alpaca Tracker Software
is a
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet available from Alpha Omega Alpacas, listed on
AlpacaNation.
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NEW -- Alpaca
Herd WORKS
-- Alpaca Herd WORKS
has been released by Heritage Farm Suri Alpacas. The
software is a FileMaker Pro 9 database design software, currently only
available for Windows with a Mac version planned. The software is unique in
that you can use the setup wizard to display your herd information in ARI
and extract that data directly to Alpaca Herd WORKS. In addition, the wizard
extracts the pedigree of an alpaca (you must display each of your alpacas
individually) to your database. Further, the wizard will assist you in
extracting your data from AlpacaNation to your database. The calendar
feature offers a section to schedule activities, with additional tabs for
Almanac and Moon cycle information. A 30 day trial
version is available for download.
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AIM
(formerly Ark)
-- AIM consists of standard and professional versions. The standard
version includes five modules (Calendar and Scheduling, Contacts and
Vendors, Data Management, Data Management Utilities, and User Preferences).
The professional version adds four additional modules (Pedigree and Progeny
Workshop, Gestation Planning, ark Xtra, and ark Forms Designer). The
Data Management and Gestation Planning modules are the main elements. You
need to contact the company for a demo disk.
Breeders Toolkit
-- Breeders Toolkit is a Windows based herd management
application available from Berrima International Pty
Ltd, Australia . The single page web site contains
links to the application's main window, with the buttons found there linked
to appropriate sections. From the main window, you have alpaca details,
certified males (Huacaya and Suri separate), show results, color (dam or
sire), progeny (dam or sire), My Herd, Check Licenses Status, Mating Family
Tree, Alpaca Family Tree, and Search Member Details. An e-mail address from
the main web site page is available apparently for additional details.
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HerdMaster --
HerdMaster focuses
on the British registry organization, yet is designed to include other (USA
and Australian) organizations. Software setup (vendors, owners, farm tasks,
reports, etc) is through the Program Manager section. The Add or Change Data
section accepts data about your alpacas and breedings. Actions use wizzards
(a series of dialog boxes on which you make selections or add data). A
90-day trial version is available. You subscribe to HerdMaster
through a monthly fee rather than purchase the software.
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Herd-Logic
-- The owner / developer of this
software has not been responding to emails or phone messages.
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Herd-Logic (formerly LamaLogic) offers
modules for alpacas, lamas, and other livestock. The application records
information in Animal Care (Medical Health; Weight, height, body score; and,
Breeding topics), Herd Management (Managing Your Herd and Herd Information
Manager HIM topics), and Fleece - Fiber categories. This software also
offers pasture maintenance and rotation, fieece analysis, and feed records. A demo CD is available
from the Canadian developer. TechWest Solutions Inc. took over ownership of
Herd-Logic in late 2006.
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Optimate AlpaFarm
-- AlpaFarm is an alpaca
specific application from Australia. The application consists of five
modules (Breeding Cycle, Alpacas, Paddocks, Finances, and References), with
those modules associated with the four editions of the software (trialware,
wether, breeder, and enterprise). A download trialware version of AlpaFarm is available (approximately 6 MBytes), with one version
specific to Australia and New Zealand, and a different version identified as
specific to the USA.
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Paca + --
Paca +
opens with a window of buttons, with each button a different module within
the application. The application consists of six modules (Animals, Ranches,
Shows, Breedings, Group Functions, and Reports). The bottom half of
the application window consists of ten setup utility buttons. From the web
site you can download a demo of the application, a Lotus ScreenCam
presentation that displays the application's features.
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Pakatrak --
Pakatrak is a
Microsoft Access 2000 based application. If you do not have MS Access 2000
(to include a newer version of MS Access) the installation process installs
a runtime version of MS Access 2000. Pakatrak includes eight separate
application modules - Individual Record, Set Up Info, Maintenance, Group
Records, Money Management, Reports, Schedule, and Queries. Each module
includes separate tabs on which you record information. For example, the
Individual Record module on which you record your alpacas offers eight tabs
(Registration, Ancestry, Breeding, Fleece, Medical, Awards, Money, and
Mortality) for recording information about each alpaca. And, those tabs
offer sub-tabs (for example, Fleece offers Shearing, Confirmation, and
Statistics) for data about your animals. The report module is extensive,
offering both print and preview for each report, list, or contract. Pakatrak offers invoices,
sales, agist, and stud service contracts. To move from one module to
another, you must exit the open module and then open a different module.
When you purchase Pakatrak, send a copy of your ranch/farm logo to be
incorporated into the software for all printing. Pakatrak is also available from
Useful Llama & Alpaca Items
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Ranch Manager --
Camelid edition released! --
The Ranch Manager application by Lion Edge Technology has
just released the new camelid edition of their livestock software. You are
not limited to one database, with Ranch Manager allowing you to
create different databases for different herds, to include switching between
those databases from within the software. If you have multiple herds
agaisted at your farm, you can have a different database for each herd. The
software also offers a backup function from within the software. Just select
an option and backup a herd database to a different drive for safe keeping. The
software is offered as both Windows and Mac OS with a pocket edition
available that syncs with your PDA. The web site includes additional
information and screen shots. This Colorado company specializes in software
for various livestock industries.
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StocKeeper
-- StocKeeper is a 'high
end' livestock application designed for farming and ranching. The
application, when first opened, offers a list of livestock from which to
select. That list includes lamas. StocKeeper
offers a companion application for the Palm OS PDA with much of your data
than available on a PDA. A download demo version
is available (at approximately 41 MBytes) or a CD demo is available, with
the demo as freeware that works with up to 100 animals, with
limitations.
Herd Management (Web Based)
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AlpacaLogic -- AlpacaLogic
offers web based recording of an alpaca herd and includes both a customer
and document management systems. The web based system offers links to
Outlook. You can track herd, show, vet visits and procedures. You can reach
your data on-line from any computer.
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AlpacaTracka
-- AlpacaTracka is a web based version of the standard herd
management software. The standard information recording categories are
present (general records, breeding history, lineage, medical, fiber,
shearing, locations, shows, guests, dams, sires, cria, and pets) in a web
based application. As a web based application, AlpacaTracka
offers web site hosting, e-mail, and on-line advertising. You can reach your
alpaca herd information on-line from any computer with Internet access.
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MyAlpacaRecords -- MyAlpacaRecord
provides an on-line, web based set of tools to both manage and market your
alpaca herd. The system is membership based.
Business
Planning and Accounting
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Center for Farm Financial
Management, University of Minnesota -- Offers
instruction and software (FINPACK business plan, FINPACK financial management,
MARKETTER,
and more) for farm operations.
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Flagship Technologies
-- Offers "The QuickBooks Farm Accounting Cookbook" and
ManagePLUS (a QuickBooks add-on) plus discussion forums and papers
describing how to use QuickBooks for farming operations.
Genetics
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Breeders Assistant (with Genetic Option) --
Breeders Assistant
is described by the United Kingdom developer as a pedigree and record
keeping software designed for breeders of many different animals (cats,
dogs, horses, rare sheep, etc.). The developer recommends the generic
version for a trial download. offering inbreeding analysis and common
ancestors, mating predictions (what ifs) and certificates, designing
and printing special contracts (sale, agisting, etc.), reverse pedigrees
(printing descendents), watermarks (contracts or certificates printed over
your ranch logo), and genetics (genotypes, polygenic inheritance modeling,
gene inheritance probabilities, covariance analysis, gene frequency
analysis, and more) to list only a few features.
On-Line 'Extras'
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Rebreeding Chart -- A chart that shows rebreeding 17
to 19 days after birth of a cria, utilizing a 12 day cycle. Select "A
chart to determine when to rebreed an alpaca is here" found at All
American Alpacas web site.
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Another
Rebreeding Chart -- Mount Lehman Llamas offers a
rebreeding chart for llamas and alpacas based upon a cycle that begins six
days after birth of a cria. Another link on the same page (after following
their web wizard) allows you to select any starting date and run for 30
days.
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Cria Due date calculator -- Calculates the due date
of a cria using a 350 day gestation cycle from a breeding date. Found at
All American Alpacas web site.
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Alpaca Color
Breeding Calculator -- From sire and dam drop-down
lists, select their primary color. The resulting percentages are
probabilities based on the Australian color tables of over 10,000 breedings
found in "Alpacas: Synthesis of a Miracle". This calculator is found
at the Northwest Alpacas web site.
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Alpaca Herd
Growth Calculator -- Helps you calculate the probable
growth of your alpaca herd, based upon the number of breeding age females,
age at first breeding, rebreeding period, percentage of female and male
cria, and percentage of live births. This calculator is found at the
Northwest Alpacas web site.
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Advanced Genetic Wizard -- According to the web
site, "Advanced Genetics Wizard is a free, online program that calculates
the genetic makeup of offspring from dominant, codominant, and recessive
gene crosses can be calculated together." You can calculate up to six
genetic traits at once. Advanced Genetics Wizard provides answers as
statistical probabilities based upon a large number of offspring.
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Peruvian
Import Records -- Northwest Alpacas offers an online
database identifying the original alpacas imported from Peru between 1993
and 1998. The database can be searched by ear tag number, ARI number, and
name, yet identifies the ear tag number as the best identifier when
searching.
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Fence Calculator -- Interested in fencing a pasture?
Try this fencing calculator on-line at Gateway Farm Alpacas. This calculator
just may be what you need to calculate the parts you will need for the job.
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