Andy Tillman

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Andy Tillman
Andy Tillman, llama rancher, 2008.JPG
Andy Tillman and llama friend
Born1952
OccupationLlama rancher, businessman, and author
Notable worksSpeechless Brothers
SpouseDr. Cheryl Tillman, D.V.M.
Relatives Barrett Tillman

Andrew Charles Tillman (born 1952) is one of the founders of the llama industry in the United States. He is an expert on llama and alpaca health, selective breeding, and marketing. Tillman is the co-founder of the International Llama Association, and he wrote the halter-class guidelines for the American Llama Show Association. His book, Speechless Brothers, was the first comprehensive study of llama husbandry published in the United States.

Contents

Early life

Tillman was born in 1952 and grew up on a ranch in Athena, Oregon. Tillman attended Willamette University, and then the University of Oregon where he majored in literature and philosophy, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1974. [1] After graduation, he worked for a summer at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, California, where he got a close-up introduction to exotic animals. When he finished his summer job, Tillman returned to his family ranch, joined the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, and bought his first llamas. He called his business Andes Llamas. [2]

Llama breeder

Tillman began raising llamas at his ranch near Athena in 1975. In 1978 he began publishing The Llama Newsletter, the nation's first llama publication. In addition to providing general information on llama ownership, breeding, and health, the newsletter became a forum for sharing scientific research such as the study of camelid blood chemistry used to determine pregnancy, llama taxonomy and evolution, and the bonding effects of bottle feeding young animals. [2] Tillman personally contributed to a number of the studies. [3] As a result, the Agency for International Development invited Tillman to study llamas and alpacas in Peru. In 1980, Tillman completed the project. Based on his comprehensive study of several thousands Peruvian animals, he became known internationally as an expert on llama and alpaca husbandry. In 1981, Tillman used his experience as the basis for his book Speechless Brothers. While the subject of llama ranching was new in North America, the book sold 14,000 copies. [4] [5]

Tillman was a co-founder of the International Llama Association, and was the first president of the association. In 1986 he wrote the halter-class guidelines used by the American Llama Show Association to judge show animals. In 1988, he identified and described 130 physical characteristics of llama, alpaca, guanaco and vicuña. His scientific description of llamas and related species is still the most complete reference available. [4] [6]

In 1988, Tillman married Dr. Cheryl Lee Blake. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Bend, Oregon to accommodate Dr. Tillman's veterinary practice. After settling there, Tillman changed the name of his business to Tillman Llamas and Suri Alpacas to reflect a second business area he was developing. [6]

Businessman

Tillman was first to import Bolivian suri alpacas Suri-alpaca.jpg
Tillman was first to import Bolivian suri alpacas

In 1993, Tillman expanded his business into South America, becoming the exclusive agent for Bolivian suri alpacas exports to the United States the following year. Tillman's South American heards eventually totaled several thousand llamas and alpacas. In 1995, his animals won first, second, and third place in the suri alpaca category at the National Expo-Feria in La Paz, Bolivia. He also won first place in the black huacaya alpaca competition, second place in the white fleece alpaca category, and third place for brown huacaya alpacas. This was the first time a North American breeder had ever won a major South American national show. [6]

In 1996, Tillman imported the first huacaya alpacas into the United States along with the largest herd of colored suri alpacas ever brought into the country, a total of 182 animals. Because the animals came from Bolivia, the United States Department of Agriculture required the herd to be quarantined for three months at the Harry S. Truman Animal Import Center in Key West, Florida. Nevertheless, it was a profitable venture for Tillman. The next year, he exported one hundred llamas and alpacas from his ranch in Bend to Canadian buyers. [2] [4] [6]

In 2007, Tillman sold his show champion llamas and alpacas and most of his breeding stock at an international auction held at the Indiana State Fair ground in Indianapolis, Indiana. [7] Still interested in science, in 2006, Tillman sponsored a study of llama and alpaca fiber at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. The study used a scanning electron microscope to identify and analyze the unique surface structure of llama and suri alpaca fibers. [4] [8]

Today, Tillman is retired, retaining about forty animals on his ranch. He still writes about llama and alpaca husbandry, and is an editor for Purely Suri magazine. [2]

Military arms expert

Over the years, Tillman has been a frequent contributor to Jane's International Defence Review , an industry trade journal that reports on military news and related technologies. His first article, a test report of the AK-74 assault rifle, appeared in the October 1983 edition of the magazine. [9] He became a contributing editor for small arms in 1992. [10] Over a period of thirteen years, he produced over thirty test reports on various weapon systems. Tillman applied Jeff Cooper’s concept of speed, power, and accuracy to the evaluation of military firearms. His tests recorded the time it took to engage a target from different shooting positions and measured the dispersion of different burst lengths in full-automatic mode. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

As part of various test protocols, Tillman live-fired machine guns, grenade launchers, automatic cannons, rocket launchers, and anti-tank guided missile systems. In some cases, his reports were used as the basis for weapons acquisition decisions. For example, his test report on the M249 light machine gun was used by the United States Army and United States Marine Corps as part of their evaluation prior to acquiring that system. [13] Based on Tillman’s testing, acquisition of the M249 was postponed until design deficiencies he helped identify were corrected. [16] [17] In addition, his test report of the Mk 19 grenade launcher was the basis for the Army’s decision to purchase that weapon. [15]

In 1996, he left his editor position with Jane’s when his test work began to interfere with his llamas and alpaca business.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llama</span> Species of wooly domesticated mammal

The llama is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the pre-Columbian era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal husbandry</span> Management of farm animals

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starting with the Neolithic Revolution when animals were first domesticated, from around 13,000 BC onwards, predating farming of the first crops. During the period of ancient societies like ancient Egypt, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs were being raised on farms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camelidae</span> Family of mammals

Camelids are members of the biological family Camelidae, the only currently living family in the suborder Tylopoda. The seven extant members of this group are: dromedary camels, Bactrian camels, wild Bactrian camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos. Camelids are even-toed ungulates classified in the order Artiodactyla, along with species including whales, pigs, deer, cattle, and antelopes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guanaco</span> Species of mammal (camelid)

The guanaco is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids; the other species is the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ultimax 100</span> Light machine gun, Squad automatic weapon

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Tillman is a surname and given name of English origin and an Americanized spelling of Tillmann. Other variants of the name include Tilman and Dillman. Notable people with the name Tillmann include:

Heifer International is a global nonprofit working to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable, values-based holistic community development. Heifer International distributes animals, along with agricultural and value-based training, to families in need around the world as a means of providing self-sufficiency. Recipients must agree to "pass on the gift" by donating animal offspring, as well as sharing the skills and knowledge of animal husbandry and agricultural training with other impoverished families in the community. The organization receives financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BlackRock, Cargill, Mastercard Foundation, Walmart and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

A cama is a hybrid between a male dromedary camel and a female llama, and has been produced via artificial insemination at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai. The first cama was born on January 14, 1998. The aim was to create an animal capable of higher wool production than the llama, with the size and strength of a camel and a cooperative temperament.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal fiber</span> Natural fiber from animals like silk worms and sheep

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inca agriculture</span> Agriculture by the Inca Empire

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpaca fiber</span> Natural fiber

Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. There are two different types of alpaca fleece. The most common fleece type comes from a Huacaya. Huacaya fiber grows and looks similar to sheep wool in that the animal looks "fluffy". The second type of alpaca is Suri and makes up less than 10% of the South American alpaca population. Suri fiber is more similar to natural silk and hangs off the body in locks that have a dreadlock appearance. While both fibers can be used in the worsted milling process using light weight yarn or thread, Huacaya fiber can also be used in a woolen process and spun into various weight yarns. It is a soft, durable, luxurious and silky natural fiber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpaca</span> Domesticated species of South American camelid

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">STK 50MG</span> Heavy machine gun

The STK 50 MG, formerly known as the CIS 50MG, is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed heavy machine gun developed and manufactured by Chartered Industries of Singapore in the late 1980s, in response to a request by the Singaporean Defence Ministry to replace the 12.7mm Browning M2HB machine guns then in ubiquitous service with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

William Plutarch Vandevert was a western adventurer, cattleman, and Central Oregon pioneer. After travels in California, Texas, and Arizona, he established a cattle ranch fifteen miles (24 km) south of present-day Bend, Oregon, before the founding of Bend or the surrounding Deschutes County. He blazed trails through the Cascade Mountains and was a renowned bear hunter. He fathered eight children, including three doctors, and was a leading citizen of Central Oregon for many years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M249 light machine gun</span> Light machine gun

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The Huacaya alpaca is a breed of alpaca that has a unique appearance and fiber quality. This breed is the most popular alpaca breed with population numbers reaching 2.8 million in Peru alone. They share biological components with other species in the Camelidae family. Their digestive tract, nutrition requirements, and herd behavior mirror that of all camelids. They also survive amidst similar predation, poison, and disease threats that endanger all camelids alike.

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References

  1. ↑ Price, David E., "Andy Tillman '74", Old Oregon, Vol. 57, No.1, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, Fall 1977.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Meet Andy" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine , Tillman Llama and Suri Alpacas, www.tillmanllamas.com, Bend, Oregon, 6 August 2008.
  3. ↑ Bunch, Thomas D., Warren C. Foote, and Alma Maciulis, "Chromosome banding pattern homologies and NORs for the Bactrian camel, guanaco, and llama", The Journal of Heredity, American Genetic Association, Newport, Oregon, 1985.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Tillman Llamas & Suri Alpacas Celebrating 30 Years with Llamas", Llama Banner, Vol. 16, No. 2, Able Press, Manhattan, Kansas, 2005, pp. 10-13.
  5. ↑ Tillman, Andy, Speechless Brothers, Early Winter Press, Seattle, Washington, 1981.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "The Tillman Timeline" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine , Tillman Llama and Suri Alpacas, www.tillmanllamas.com, Bend, Oregon, 6 August 2008.
  7. ↑ "Andy & Dr. Cheryl Tillman Host Life Time Achievement Action at Indiana State Fairgrounds, September 1-2, 2007", Tillman Llama and Suri Alpacas, www.tillmanllamas.com, Bend, Oregon, 6 August 2008.
  8. ↑ Tillman, Andy and Dr. Cheryl Tillman, "Surface Scanning Electron Microscopy of Suri Alpaca Fiber and Other Members of the Camel Family", Alpacas Magazine, Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association, Nashville, Tennessee, Spring 2006.
  9. ↑ "IDR Test Fires the AK-74", International Defence Review, Geneva, Switzerland, October 1983, pp. 1427-1430.
  10. ↑ "Contribution Editors", International Defence Review, Geneva, Switzerland, February 1992, p. 83.
  11. ↑ Tillman, Andrew C., "IDR Tests the M16 A2 Assault Rifle", International Defence Review, Geneva, Switzerland, September 1984, pp. 1351-1354.
  12. ↑ Tillman, Andrew C., "IDR test report: Ultimax light machine gun – the ultimate in controllability," Jane's International Defence Review, Geneva, Switzerland, August 1989, pp. 1093-1095.
  13. 1 2 Tillman, Andrew C., "Firing the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon," International Defense Review, Geneva, Switzerland, April 1986, pp. 469-474.
  14. ↑ Stewart, Martha M. (editor), "Index to Military Periodicals", Air University Library Index of Military Periodicals (Vol. 43, No. 3), Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, July-September 1992, pp. 18, 51, 62.
  15. 1 2 Tillman, Andrew C., "Test firing the 40mm Mk19 Model 3 heavy machine gun", International Defence Review, June 1986.
  16. ↑ Tillman, Andrew C., “PIP M249 machinegun completes acceptance”, Janes International Defense Review, February 1994, p. 57.
  17. ↑ Furlong, Bob and Andrew C. Tillman, "American Production of SAW postponed Pending Design Changes," International Defence Review, Geneva, Switzerland, December 1985, p. 1900.
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