Fiber, Fiber, Fiber

Alpacas are bred for their fine, soft fiber. The North American alpaca originated in South America where it was bred for hundreds of years to produce elite material reserved for the use of royalty. Alpacas are shorn once a year and yield about 5 to 8 pounds of fiber per animal. Alpaca fiber is more valuable than many other types of natural materials used for clothing because it is soft, a natural insulator, and comes in 22 natural colors, including white, black, brown, fawn, grey and many shades in between. Alpaca fiber can be blended to produce an infinite array of colors. It is stronger and and has an unusually high thermal capacity than most other natural fibers. The elite fiber is solt and can be comfortably be worn against the skin. It's cellular structure lends itself to having less "prickle factor" than many other fibers, and the lack of lanolin in the fiber means that fewer people are allergic to it than wool. Garments made from alpaca fiber are luxurious, and it is a popular fiber for US cottage industry where it is used for spinning, weaving, knitting and felting luxury items. There are also a number of fiber cooperatives and mills that process alpaca fleece. Alpaca fleece can be processed into either worsted or woolen products. The goal of the alpaca industry in the US and Canada is to build large national herds producing high quality fiber that will eventually lead to commercial production of alpaca products.

Alpaca History

The alpaca is a South American camelid, closely related to llamas and camels. DNA studies show that the modern alpaca is probably descended from the vicuņa, a South American wild animal that roamed the Peruvian Andes. This domestication was presumed to have dated from 6000 to 7000 years ago. Alpacas are about 3 feet tall and weigh between 110 and 200 pounds. Alpacas tend to be gentle and have a gentle hum that they often use for communicating. However, for more forceful communication, they have been known to spit to indicate severe dissatisfaction.

Alpaca Characteristics

Alpacas are ruminants and spend a significant amount of time grazing. They are also herd animals, so it is important to have a minimum of two alpaca for them to thrive. There are two fleece types for alpacas: Huacaya and suri. Huacaya fiber grows straight out from the body and is usually 3 inches to 6 inches long. It should be dense and have crimp that help the fleece lock together when spun into yarn. Suri fiber tends to hang down the sides of the alpaca. It sometimes has more sheen than huacaya fiber but due to the lack of a natural crimp, it is more difficult to spin into yarn.

Alpaca Care

In general, alpacas need adequate water, nutrition, shelter, space to move around, medical care when they show signs of problems and at least one other alpaca buddy to live with. Their needs are pretty basic. There are several very good articles from AOBA's Alpaca Magazine detailing alpaca care. For this more detailed information on alpaca care, visit the Ultimate Site for Alpaca Geldings care section.

Breeding Alpacas

Alpacas are induced ovulators, so if the female is not pregnant, they are usually receptive or will be shortly. As soon as cria are weaned they should be separated from alpcas of the opposite sex as it is very difficult to predict exactly when sexual maturity will occur. However, females should not bred until they are 18 to 24 months old at a minumum to ensure they have reached physical maturity before their bodies have to support a growing fetus. Once bred, gestation is approximately eleven months that usually results in a single cria being born.

Alpaca Registries

Alpacas are either registered or not registered. For people in the United States, the ARI is the international registry that is used the most. In order to participate in most US shows, your alpaca must be registered with the ARI. The ARI is a closed registry, so if both parents are not ARI registered, the resulting cria cannot be ARI registered. The CLAA is the international registry in Canada. Most Canadian shows in Canada require the alpaca be CLAA registered to participate. Crias of two CLAA parents can usually be CLAA registered. However, if the cria is born with a disqualifying fault, it cannot be registered with the CLAA. Also, the CLAA does have a breed up program in which animals that are not CLAA registered can be bred with a CLAA alpaca and receive a percentage recognition. However, it would take several more generations before that line would receive 100% registered status. Generally, if you live in the United States, you should look to purchase ARI registered livestock. If you live in Canada, you will probably look at puchasing CLAA registered livestock, although a number of Canadian farms also have ARI registered livestock or dual registered (ARI and CLAA) livestock. Alpacas that are not registered are usually not used for breeding and rarely command a premium price. If you are interested in breeding alpacas, you should only do so with registered livestock to ensure their marketability.

Insuring Your Investment

Since alpacas can be an expensive investment, there are several companies, both in the US and Canada, that will ensure your livestock. Many farms self insure, meaning that they put away a little of their own money every month in case they loose some of their prime breeding stock and need to purchase replacements. Other farms choose to insure some or all of their livestock with insurance companies so that if there is an accidental loss, most of the value of the alpaca will be replaced, minus a deductable. Premiums average 3% of the animal's value. You will need to contact carriers to see what they offer in the way of insurance and what the costs and deductables are.

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