The Alpaca is a partially domesticated South American mammal, Lama pacos, of
the camel family. Genetic studies show that it is a descendant of the vicuña .
Although the flesh is sometimes used for food, the animal is bred chiefly for its
long, lustrous wool, which varies from black, through shades of brown, to white.
Flocks of alpaca are kept by indigenous people in the high altitudes (11,000 to
16,000 feet) of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. They feed on
grasses growing close to the snow line, and they require a pure water supply.
The Incas had domesticated the alpaca and utilized its wool before the Spanish
Conquest, but subsequently the alpaca and the llama were extensively
hybridized, leading to a gradual reduction in the amount of high quality alpaca
wool. Exporting of alpaca wool to Europe began after Sir Titus Salt discovered
(1836) a way of manufacturing alpaca cloth. Breeding alpacas is a small but
growing industry in the United States, Canada, and some other non-Andean
nations.
Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas and unlike them are not used
as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber (wool), used for making
blankets and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, blankets, socks and
coats in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in more than 22 natural colors.
In the textile industry, "alpaca" primarily refers to the hair of Peruvian alpaca, but
more broadly it refers to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca hair but
now often made from similar fibers, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or
even high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas
and the several styles of mohair and lustre. However, as far as the general
purchaser is concerned, little-or-no distinction is made.
Alpacas were a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a
central role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and
mountains of South America. Alpacas were first imported to the United States in
1984. Alpacas are now being successfully raised and enjoyed throughout North
America and abroad. There are two types of alpacas - the Huacaya and the Suri.
The lifespan of the alpaca is about 20 years and gestation is 11.5 months.
Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall at the
withers and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. They are gentle and
easy to handle. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is
easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock. They
require minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre.
Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers. It is
clipped from the animal without causing it injury. Soft as cashmere and warmer,
lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber
producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and
blends).This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed
by spinners and weavers around the world.
Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active national organization. The Alpaca
Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) with a growing number of Regional
Affiliates and AOBA sanctioned national committees addressing every aspect of
the industry.
The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) accepts fleece
from its members, and turns the precious textile into quality alpaca garments and
products. Members benefit from a ready outlet for their fiber, while the
cooperative works to increase awareness of and demand for this every day luxury.
The Alpaca Registry has been established to help ensure accurate records and
has a state-of the-art system to document bloodlines. Alpacas must be blood
typed in order to be registered. Virtually every alpaca in the U.S. is registered.
the camel family. Genetic studies show that it is a descendant of the vicuña .
Although the flesh is sometimes used for food, the animal is bred chiefly for its
long, lustrous wool, which varies from black, through shades of brown, to white.
Flocks of alpaca are kept by indigenous people in the high altitudes (11,000 to
16,000 feet) of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. They feed on
grasses growing close to the snow line, and they require a pure water supply.
The Incas had domesticated the alpaca and utilized its wool before the Spanish
Conquest, but subsequently the alpaca and the llama were extensively
hybridized, leading to a gradual reduction in the amount of high quality alpaca
wool. Exporting of alpaca wool to Europe began after Sir Titus Salt discovered
(1836) a way of manufacturing alpaca cloth. Breeding alpacas is a small but
growing industry in the United States, Canada, and some other non-Andean
nations.
Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas and unlike them are not used
as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber (wool), used for making
blankets and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, blankets, socks and
coats in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in more than 22 natural colors.
In the textile industry, "alpaca" primarily refers to the hair of Peruvian alpaca, but
more broadly it refers to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca hair but
now often made from similar fibers, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or
even high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas
and the several styles of mohair and lustre. However, as far as the general
purchaser is concerned, little-or-no distinction is made.
Alpacas were a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a
central role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and
mountains of South America. Alpacas were first imported to the United States in
1984. Alpacas are now being successfully raised and enjoyed throughout North
America and abroad. There are two types of alpacas - the Huacaya and the Suri.
The lifespan of the alpaca is about 20 years and gestation is 11.5 months.
Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall at the
withers and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. They are gentle and
easy to handle. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is
easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock. They
require minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre.
Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers. It is
clipped from the animal without causing it injury. Soft as cashmere and warmer,
lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber
producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and
blends).This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed
by spinners and weavers around the world.
Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active national organization. The Alpaca
Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) with a growing number of Regional
Affiliates and AOBA sanctioned national committees addressing every aspect of
the industry.
The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) accepts fleece
from its members, and turns the precious textile into quality alpaca garments and
products. Members benefit from a ready outlet for their fiber, while the
cooperative works to increase awareness of and demand for this every day luxury.
The Alpaca Registry has been established to help ensure accurate records and
has a state-of the-art system to document bloodlines. Alpacas must be blood
typed in order to be registered. Virtually every alpaca in the U.S. is registered.
| Good Shepherd Farm Alpacas is owned by Chris & Rebecca Arnold. Copyright 2005-2008. All rights reserved. Website powered by Yahoo! |
| Huacaya Alpaca |
| Suri Alpaca |
For a glossary of terms used in the alpaca industry
Click here to go to Northwest Alpacas Glossary of Alpaca Terms.
Northwest Alpacas website is a great resource for alpaca information. We
appreciate Northwest Alpacas for making the information and tools on their
website available to the public.
Click here to go to Northwest Alpacas Glossary of Alpaca Terms.
Northwest Alpacas website is a great resource for alpaca information. We
appreciate Northwest Alpacas for making the information and tools on their
website available to the public.
| Alpaca Exterior Anatomy |
The alpaca has a relatively small head, a cleft (split) upper lip, a long neck, and large, pointed ears. The tail is short.
Alpacas have long, thick, very soft hair that ranges in color from white to gray to brown to black. The average adult alpaca
weighs about 120-140 pounds and is 3-3.5 feet tall at the shoulders. Alpaca have two-toed feet with toenails on the top
and with pads on the bottom. They do not have hooves. Young alpaca are called crias.
Alpacas have long, thick, very soft hair that ranges in color from white to gray to brown to black. The average adult alpaca
weighs about 120-140 pounds and is 3-3.5 feet tall at the shoulders. Alpaca have two-toed feet with toenails on the top
and with pads on the bottom. They do not have hooves. Young alpaca are called crias.
For more information about alpacas, we recommend visiting the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association website.
| Alpaca Breed Standards |
The International Huacaya and Suri Breed Standards 2007
The International Alpaca Standard was developed at the inaugural sessions of the International Alpaca Judging School in the
Altiplano May 2000. Sixteen students and two instructors representing seven different alpaca-breeding countries participated
in drafting this document. Of the individuals involved, a majority are experienced judges and all are experienced breeders of
alpacas. It is believed that these Suri and Huacaya breed standards are excellent base documents for beginning open
negotiations for adoption on a global level. The intention is to set up a task force of representatives from each country to make
recommendation to the worldwide industry pertaining to adopting these standards. In November 2001 an additional 12
individuals were involved in upgrading the standards repeating the same process as had been used initially with the first draft
of the standards.
These standards are offered to the alpaca industry for the use of any individual that cares to refer to them. They are also
provided to be the standards for use with the International Show Format, which relies on a base standard for the judgment of
alpaca in the show ring. The offering is made with the assumption that the industry will dictate further development of the
alpaca standards as research is conducted and changes are required in the evolutionary process of the alpaca as a
commercial fibre production animal.
Click Here to view The International Huacaya and Suri Breed Standards 2007
The International Alpaca Standard was developed at the inaugural sessions of the International Alpaca Judging School in the
Altiplano May 2000. Sixteen students and two instructors representing seven different alpaca-breeding countries participated
in drafting this document. Of the individuals involved, a majority are experienced judges and all are experienced breeders of
alpacas. It is believed that these Suri and Huacaya breed standards are excellent base documents for beginning open
negotiations for adoption on a global level. The intention is to set up a task force of representatives from each country to make
recommendation to the worldwide industry pertaining to adopting these standards. In November 2001 an additional 12
individuals were involved in upgrading the standards repeating the same process as had been used initially with the first draft
of the standards.
These standards are offered to the alpaca industry for the use of any individual that cares to refer to them. They are also
provided to be the standards for use with the International Show Format, which relies on a base standard for the judgment of
alpaca in the show ring. The offering is made with the assumption that the industry will dictate further development of the
alpaca standards as research is conducted and changes are required in the evolutionary process of the alpaca as a
commercial fibre production animal.
Click Here to view The International Huacaya and Suri Breed Standards 2007
| Alpacas on "The View" |
In 2007, Alpacas made their national television debut on the
show, "The View". The short interview is packed with
information answers allot of questions that a newly
introduced person may have. We hope you enjoy the video.
One of the first questions we get is about the sounds that an
alpaca makes. Gentle Spirit Behavior & Testing has posted
on their website several sound examples. To leave this site
and listen to the sounds, Click Here.
show, "The View". The short interview is packed with
information answers allot of questions that a newly
introduced person may have. We hope you enjoy the video.
One of the first questions we get is about the sounds that an
alpaca makes. Gentle Spirit Behavior & Testing has posted
on their website several sound examples. To leave this site
and listen to the sounds, Click Here.
| Alpaca Sounds |