Once loaded, and weighed and checked off by Airline, the crate is then gently moved to the next area, moving on little balls the crate gently moves along the conveyor belt to a little train ready to take the crates along plane side, where it will be unhooked, and waited until the place is loaded, then the animals will be loaded last, these photos are at Tullamaring at the crake of dawn where they are going in a passenger plane.
Crates waiting on Tarmac for loading at aircraft
Look hard between the body of the aircraft and the engine, and you will see thge crate is on a scissor lift being loaded to the aircraft at the back.
Another load safely off to NZ, and some eventaully go to England, Germany, and many other EU countries
ectoparasite treatment
How are the Alpacas transported by AIr?
Below i hope to show you all the safety measures that are taken into place when we deliver the alpacas to the airport.
Before they are delivered.
Each alpaca is rechecked for the health and fitness to make sure that each alpaca will be able to take the flight.
Before now, we have ultrasounded each alpaca of mating age, to confirm that there is no alpaca in the last trimester, as these alpacas can not travel.
Strict procedures are followed to the NZ Protocol and also meeting the IATA (International laws), as wel as the Australian Export of Livestock Leglislations'
Here we are confirming by Ultrasound that the alpacas are not in their last Trimester.
Once all alpacas have been inspected, and all documentation has been collected and passed, by AQIS, the Alpacas are then given a final check over to confirm that all alpacas are fir to travel by air to the destination country.
Once they have been checked, we then confirm that all vehicles to transpoirt the alpacas/llams to the airport have been sterilised and disinfected, and cleaned thoroughly to meet all export standards of both Country of Origin and Destination country.
They are then re sorted into the groups to go into each crate, as generally the alpacas are loaded in the middle of the night, so we try to make sure that at loading all that has to be done is load, and no sorting etc in the darker light.
They are then given their their last meal and water prior to loading.
All vehicles are also checked to confirm that there should be no mechanical breakdowns, and that they all are in good condition for the travel
Loading time comes around generally depending on the departure flight time, we load the alpacas into the vehicle, everything is set up so that they walk into the vehicles, on special ramps and corridors, so there is little actual physical handling of the alpacas to load.
At the airport after all security clearances have been confirmed we are greeted by Michael.(right) who has checked the crates at the airport previously to us arriving to confirm that the crates have the dimensions that are ordered.
This is so there is no surprises on arrival at the airport.
Raelene then checks the crates to confirm that they have met the International standards for the crates, and confirm against her paperwork.
Rob meanshile (above), checks the inside of the crates and confirms that the are safe inside and checks any feed or water compartments. If the males are loaded into a separate compartment, this is done, then they are firmly closed in to make sure the compartment will stay solid during the flight.
Meanwhile this is all observed by AQIS at all times, to confirm the loading density is right and the animals inside the crate are not stressed, injured or sick, and that they are all comfortable.
My Husband Rob, is always there to help me, and he is in charge of Land Transport.
He maintans all vehicles, and cleans and disinfects them prior to loading, and always is there to assist in the loading of the alpacas at the Airport.
We are a small export company, but we are totally hands on, and ever duty is done by either myself, my husband, Rob or my daughter ELyse.
If needed, my sons, Andrew & Daniel, and other daughter Lauren are also there to assist us. Being a small ompany, and hands on, each and every alpaca is visually checked by myself as an exporter, on a daily basis, every alpaca is handled in some way by my daughter, Elyse, who has a rapourt with the alpacas. i think this goes back to the fact she was 3 when we first got into alpacas, and so hs grown up with these beautiful alpacas. They all take to her, and just love it when she is in the quarantine.
Each alpaca is not a number, each alpaca is cared, checked, and looked after as if they were our very own.
We do get very attached to each alpaca in quarantine, and they get attached to us.
So sometimes the alpacas have had little handling prior to entry, but by the end of the quarantine, they come up for cuddles, and trust us very much.
Our AAV doing the final checks to confirm all alpacas are healthy, and fit to travel.
