SRS® Alpacas International

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Organisational Structure of SRS® Alpacas International

Beginning over 10 years ago, with its association with the Coolaroo Alpaca Stud, the relationship between the SRS® breeding system and the alpaca industry has come a long way in a short time.

The relationship took a bold step forwards two years ago, with the formation of a Focus Group of committed alpaca breeders. From that group there evolved a Steering Committee, whose task it was to design and implement an appropriate structure by which SRS® could deliver its breeding objectives to the Australian alpaca industry. That process has now been concluded, with a structure that has as its fundamental aims the delivery of SRS® principles and technology to interested alpaca breeders and the protection of the intellectual property of SRS®.

New Company formed

A company has been formed to licence the international rights to the SRS® Breeding System for all matters related to the breeding of alpacas. The new company is SRS® Alpacas International Pty Ltd (SRSAI). The organisation is structured as follows.

BOARD OF SRSAI

Shareholders of SRSAI

SRS® ALPACAS INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD

The SRS® Company Pty Ltd

SUBSCRIBERS TO THE SRS® BREEDING SERVICE

The Board

The current Board of SRSAI is:

• Carl Dowd - Chairman
• Dr James Watts - Director
• Jeffry Farman - Director
• Tracey Krahnen – Director
• Keate Woodgate - Director
• David Mitchell - Director

The Shareholders

The Shareholders of SRSAI are:

• Dr James Watts - associated with The SRS® Company Pty Ltd
• Carl and Wendy Dowd
• Farman Investments Pty Ltd associated with Flowerdale Estate Alpacas
• Frank & Julienne Gelber associated with Bumble Hill Alpacas
• Jane-Marie Hicks associated with Coolaroo Alpacas
• Tagdime Pty Limited associated with Illawarra Alpaca Stud
• The Old Aviators Company Pty Limited assoc. with Firemountain Alpacas
• Robert & Judy Richardson associated with Clearview Alpacas
• Keate & Annette Woodgate associated with Annkea Place Alpacas
• David & Bronwyn Mitchell associated with Glenhope Alpaca Stud

Relationship with Dr Watts

Dr Watts, the founder of the SRS® Breeding System, through his SRS Company Pty Ltd is paid an annual licence fee for the use of his intellectual property which underwrites the system. He is also a shareholder and director of the new company, SRS® Alpacas International (SRSAI).

The SRSAI company, which is capitalised by a small group of shareholders, has concluded legal Agreements with Dr Watts, for the use of his intellectual property and copyright materials. Importantly, strict protocols and procedures have been defined in quality assurance manuals which govern its operation.

SRS Subscribers

SRS breeders, including the directors and shareholders of SRSAI subscribe to the SRS® Breeding Service. All subscribers are equal in this organisation.

SRSAI undertakes to deliver, all the services and information required by subscribers for the application of the SRS® Breeding Service to alpacas. Benefits of the service apply to all subscribers and only subscribers. Subscribers to the Service will have exclusive access to SRS® Breeding Advisers, the option of certification of those males and females classed as suitable for recommendation in an SRS® breeding program, skin and fibre testing with reporting by Dr Watts, and a guaranteed 10% discount on advertised service fees for all SRS® recommended males. Subscribers will also have the ability to advertise sales and services on this dedicated SRSAI website, with the option of a link to their own websites. There is a subscriber's only section on the website for ongoing discussion and education. Subscribers will have preferred access to SRS® seminars and Open Days.

An eligible subscriber is defined as any stud registered with the AAA with alpacas registered on the IAR. Shareholders of SRSAI will also need to be financial members of the SRS® Breeding Service to draw the benefits of subscription. Subscriptions and subscriber services will be paid directly to SRSAI, and those fees used to pay service providers, as well as licence fees and administrative costs.

Overseas Subscribers

In time it is envisaged that SRSAI will operate in other countries. SRSAI currently has subscribers from the UK, USA, Canada, and New Zealand. Overseas breeders are able to subscribe to the Service, paying a subscription as Australian members, with full subscriber rights.

Accelerated Genetic Gain, the Principal Benefit

It is expected that subscribers will more than recoup their costs through genetic gain in commercial traits, sales and services made through SRS® promotion, education and training, and discounts on stud services.

Integral to the concept of accelerated genetic improvement is that of developing an identifiably unique alpaca that has been specifically bred to meet the highest standards in commercial fleece and conformational traits, an alpaca that will ultimately benchmark international standards, and will be sought after as seedstock by other breeders around the world. SRS® is a system that identifies and produces those commercial fleece traits that the marketplace is seeking: fineness, handle, lustre, length and style, and delivers these traits with higher fleece weights. Participation in the AGE is very strongly encouraged to validate those claims.

When SRS® procedures and protocols are firmly established in the Australian alpaca industry, SRSAI will offer those same services to other alpaca breeding nations, who are just now demonstrating early interest in SRS® and awakening to the imperatives of producing alpacas with better commercial fleece traits. When that eventuates, new seedstock markets will exist for subscribers of SRSAI to market their alpacas offshore, ensuring increased income from both fleece and animals sales.

The future is looking lustrous for those breeders bold enough to lead the way.

We welcome new subscribers.

An application form is available on this website.