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An alpaca herd may be relatively small, often with fewer than ten animals. The animals graze easily and, with their padded feet, do much less damage than hoofed farm animals. They are easily managed and dogs are not needed to move them around pastures. Being a very hardy animal, the alpaca needs little caring in extreme weather conditions - they are normally happy to shelter under trees. They are also a quite contented animal and, as such, need little in the way of fencing, as they tend not to wander. There are two main types of alpaca, the Huacaya and Suri. The Huacaya is by far the most common in Australia and South America. The main difference is that Huacaya grows a "corkscrew" straight fibre whilst the Suri has a densely defined lock that is very similar to dread locks. The alpaca fleece or wool comes in two parts each with distinct qualities. The finest part of the entire fleece derives from the "saddle" of the animal - the back and sides. The lesser quality fibre comes from the animal's neck and legs. Removed from the alpaca in the same manner as a sheep is sheared, the alpaca fibre is combed, carded and, after a simple washing process is ready to spin. Despite the many advantages of the fibre, alpaca farming is still in its infancy and on the world market only represents about 0.1% of wool sales, lending it an exotic image. |
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