Alpaca
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Template:Otherusesabout {{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Alpaca | status = Template:StatusDomesticated | image = Alpaca2.jpg | image_width = 200px | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Mammalia | ordo = Artiodactyla | familia = Camelidae | genus = Vicugna | species = V. pacos | binomial = Vicugna pacos | binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) }} The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated breed of South American camel-like ungulates, derived from the wild vicuña. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger in size, and has a long erect neck with a handsome head.
Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of between 3500 and 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year. They are not used as beasts of burden like llamas, but are valued only for their fiber, of which Indian blankets and ponchos are made in South America, sweaters, blankets, socks and coats in other parts of the world. The alpaca comes in more than 22 natural colours. In stature, the alpaca is considerably smaller than the llama.
In the textile industry, "alpaca" is a name given to two distinct things. It is primarily a term applied to the wool, or rather hair, obtained from the Peruvian alpaca. It is, however, more broadly applied to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca fiber but now frequently made from a similar type of fiber, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even some high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohair and lustres. However, as far as the general purchaser is concerned, little or no distinction is made.
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Background
Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years, and originate from Peru, Chile and Bolivia. There are no wild alpacas; they were bred down in domesticated form from the vicuña, which is also native to South America. They are closely related to llamas, which are descended from the guanaco. These four species of animals are collectively called camelids.
Of the four, the alpaca and the vicuña are the most valuable fiber-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and quantity of its fiber, and the vicuña because of the softness, fineness and quality of its coat. Alpacas cannot carry pack loads as their llama cousins can; they were bred exclusively for their fiber and for their meat.
Alpacas and llamas can (and do) successfully cross breed, the resulting offspring are called huarizo, an animal for which there is little "real purpose," but they often have gentle temperaments and are suitable for pets.
There are two types of alpaca – Huacaya (with dense, crimpy sheep-like fiber) and Suri (with silky dreadlocks). Suri fiber is often preferred by spinners, due to its long staple length and silky luster. Suris are much rarer than Huacayas, and are estimated to make up between 6 and 10% of the alpaca population. However, since its import into the United States through Bill Barnett, the Suri is growing substantially in number and color diversity. The Suri is possibly rarer because it is less hardy in the harsh South American mountain climates, as the style of its fleece offers less insulation against the cold (the Suri fleece parts along the spine, exposing the animal to the cold unlike the Huacaya fleece which provides excellent cover over the backbone).
Alpaca fleece is a luxurious fibre, similar to sheep’s wool in some respects, although it is lighter in weight, silkier to the touch, warmer, not prickly and bears no lanolin, making it nearly hypoallergenic. A big trade of alpaca fleece exists in the countries where alpacas live, from very simple and not so expensive garments made by the aboriginal communities, to sophisticated products industrially made, that can have significantly high prices. In the United States, groups of smaller alpaca breeders have banded together to create "fiber co-ops," thus making the price of manufacturing alpaca fiber products much less expensive.
White is the predominant colour of alpacas, both Suri and Huacaya. This is because selective South American breeding has favoured white – bulk white fleece is easier to market and can be dyed any colour. However, alpacas come in more than 22 natural colours, from a true blue black through browns and fawns to white, and there are silver greys and rose greys as well. In South America, the preference is for white, and white animals generally have better fleece than darker-colored animals; however, in the United States, more and more people desire darker fiber, especially blacks and greys. Thus, breeders have been diligently working on breeding dark animals with exceptional fiber, and much progress has been made in these areas over the last 5-7 years.
Traditionally, alpaca meat has been eaten fresh, fried or in stews, by Andean inhabitants. There is a resurgent interest in alpaca meat in countries like Peru, where it is relatively easy to find it at upscale restaurants.
Behavior
Alpacas are social herd animals and should always be kept with others of their kind, or, at the very least, with other herd animals. They are gentle, elegant, inquisitive, intelligent and observant. As they are a prey animal, rather than a predator, they are cautious and will understandably be nervous if they feel threatened. They like their own space and don’t appreciate an unfamiliar alpaca (or human) getting too close, especially from behind. They will warn the intruder away by making sharp, noisy inhalations, putting back their ears, twisting their heads and necks backwards toward the perceived threat, screaming, threatening to spit, or by spitting, or by kicking. Some alpacas kick, some don’t, but due to the soft pads on their feet, their kicks are not as dangerous as hoofed animals. Not all alpacas spit, but all are capable. "Spit" is somewhat euphemistic; while occasionally the contents of the projectile are only air and a little saliva, the alpaca will often bring up regurgitated stomach contents and fire away.
Spitting is mostly reserved for other alpacas, not for humans, but sometimes the human can get in the line of fire. However, if the alpaca is extremely displeased at a human, that person may well become covered in smelly, horrible green goo. Many people who work with alpacas would much rather come into contact with alpaca feces than with alpaca spit - the smell is that foul. Spitting isn't any fun for the alpaca, either; when they spit, most animals get what is called "sour mouth." Sour mouth is characterized by a loose-hanging lower lip and a gaping mouth. This is caused by the stomach acids and unpleasant taste of the contents as they pass out of the mouth. Some alpacas will spit when looked at, others will never spit - their personalities are all so individualized that there isn't a hard and fast rule about "alpacas will always/never" in terms of social behavior.
Alpacas don’t like their heads being touched. Once they know their owners, and feel confident around them, they will probably allow their backs and necks to be touched, but they won’t appreciate being grabbed, especially by boisterous children. This is probably because when alpacas are caught up for medical or otherwise unpleasant procedures, people generally grab at their necks and hold them by the neck and head. Once socialized well, most alpacas will tolerate being stroked or petted anywhere on their bodies, although many do not like their feet and lower legs handled. If an owner need to catch an alpaca, the neck offers a good handle – and holding the neck firmly between the arms is the best way to restrain the animal.
To help alpacas control their internal parasites they have a communal dung pile, which they do not graze. Generally, males have much tidier dung piles than females who tend to stand in a line and all go at once! One female will approach the dung pile and begin to urinate and/or defecate, and the rest of the herd will often decide, "Hey - that looks like a good idea!"
Because of their preference to use a dung pile, some alpacas have been successfully house-trained! Difficult though it may be to conceive of having a large animal such as a full-grown alpaca around the household, many owners so love their animals that they wish to be in their presence as much as possible. If acclimated to dogs and cats, alpacas can accept them as members of the herd, and will interact with nearly all species which do not pose a threat, from birds and butterflies to horses and humans.
Sheep baa, cows moo and alpacas hum. Different animals have different voices, but basically it is a "mmm" sound. Hums are often comfort noises, letting the other alpacas know they are present and content. However, humming can take on many inflections and meanings, from a high-pitched, almost desperate, squealing, "MMMM!" or frantic question, "mmMMM!" when a mother is separated from her offspring (called a "cria,") to a questioning "Mmm?" when they are curious. Alpacas make other sounds as well as humming. When danger is present they sound an alarm call, a high-pitched, shrieking whinny of sorts. Some breeds are known to make a sound similar to a "Wark" noise when excited, and they stand proud with their tails sticking out and their ears in a very alert position. Strange dogs – and even cats – can trigger this reaction. To signal friendly and/or submissive behavior, alpacas "cluck," a sound possibly generated by suction on the soft palate, or possibly somehow in the nasal cavity. This is often accompanied by a flipping up of the tail over the back.
When males fight they also scream, a warbling bird-like cry, presumably intended to terrify the other combatant. Fighting is to determine dominance, and therefore the right to mate the females in the herd, and it is triggered by testosterone. This is why males are often kept in separate paddocks – when two dominant males get together war breaks out! When males must be pastured together, it is wise to trim down their "fighting teeth," large fang-like teeth whose name explains their function.
A male in the act of mating, or hoping for a chance to mate, will “orgle.” This orgling will help to put the female in the mood, and it is believed that it also helps her to ovulate after the act of mating – very necessary for a pregnancy to take place! The females have no estrus cycle, per se - they are "induced ovulators," which means that the act of mating and the presence of semen causes them to ovulate. Occasionally, females will conceive after just one breeding (which can last anywhere from 5 minutes to well over an hour; the males are "dribble ejaculators,") but occasionally do have troubles conceiving. Artificial insemination is prohibitively expensive and there are complications with the process in camelid species.
A female is usually ready to mate for the first time at a year of age; however, a female alpaca is not fully mature (physically and mentally) until she reaches approximately 16-18 months, and it is not advised to breed a female before that time. The male's penis is attached to the inside of his body, and will generally not detach until at least two years of age. The penis is a very long, thin, prehensile organ that is, oddly enough, perfectly designed for the task of finding the vaginal opening despite a fluffy tail, penetrating the hymen (if present,) navigating the vaginal canal and entering the cervical opening, where deposit of the semen occurs.
Pregnancies last between eleven and eleven and a half months and the young are called crias. After a female gives birth, she is generally receptive to breeding again after approximately 15 days. Crias may be weaned through human intervention at approximately 6 months of age and 60 pounds. However, many breeders feel that allowing the female to decide when to wean her offspring is the proper way to have this process occur.
Alpacas generally live for more than 20 years – we think! Conditions and nutrition are better in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe than in South America, so animals live longer and are healthier. One of the oldest alpacas in New Zealand (fondly known as Vomiting Violet) died at the end of 2005 at the ripe old age of 29.
History of the scientific name
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the four South American camelid species were assigned scientific names. At that time, the alpaca was assumed to be descended from the llama, ignoring similarities in size, fleece and dentition between the alpaca and the vicuña. Classification was complicated by the fact that all four species of South American camelid can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. It was not until the advent of DNA technology that a more accurate classification was possible.
In 2001 the alpaca genus classification changed from Lama pacos to Vicugna pacos following the presentation of a paper Genetic analysis reveals the wild ancestors of the llama and the alpaca on work by Dr Jane Wheeler et al on alpaca DNA to the Royal Society showing that the alpaca is descended from the vicuña, not the guanaco.
The relationship between alpacas and vicuñas was disputed for many years, but Wheeler's DNA work proved it. However many academic sites have not caught up with this, so it is something well known to alpaca breeders who have read Dr Hoffman's book, and to Royal Society members who have access to the current classification data, but not more widely known.
Fiber
Image:Alpaca cuzco peru.jpg Alpaca fiber is warmer than sheep's wool and lighter in weight. It is soft and luxurious and lacks the "prickle" factor. However, as with all fleece producing animals, quality varies from animal to animal, and some alpaca produce fibre which is less than ideal. Fiber and conformation are the two most important factors in determining an alpaca's value. Animals from the Peruvian Accoyo line often have the best fiber characteristics. The Accoyo region of Peru practiced "line breeding" (breeding granddaughters to their grandfathers and so forth, much like dog breeders do,) and they managed to create exceptional fiber. Most Accoyo animals (both Suri and Huacaya) are white, although with diversification, there are some darker Accoyo animals.
Alpaca have been bred in South America for thousands of years (vicuñas were first domesticated and bred into alpacas by the ancient Andean tribes of Peru, but also appeared in Chile and Bolivia,) but in recent years have been exported to other countries. In countries such as the USA, Australia and New Zealand breeders shear their animals annually, weigh the fleeces and test them for fineness. With the resulting knowledge they are able to breed heavier-fleeced animals with finer fibre. Fleece weights vary, with the top stud males reaching annual shear weights up to 6kg.
In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat akin to (human?) hair, being very glossy, but its softness and fineness enable the spinner to produce satisfactory yarn with comparative ease. Alpaca fiber can even be spun into yarn with one's fingers.
Alpaca fiber industry
History
The history of the manufacture of this fiber into cloth is one of the romances of commerce. The Indians of Peru used this fibre in the manufacture of many styles of fabrics for thousands of years before its introduction into Europe as a commercial product. The alpaca was a crucial component of ancient life in the Andes, as it provided not only warm clothing but also meat. Many rituals revolved around the alpaca, perhaps most notably the method of killing it: An alpaca was restrained by one or more people, and a specially-trained person would plunge his bare hand into the chest cavity of the animal, ripping out its heart. Today, this ritual is viewed by most as barbaric; however, there are still some tribes in the Andes which practice this method of slaughter.
The first European importations of alpaca fiber were into Spain. Spain transferred the fibre to Germany and France. Apparently alpaca yarn was spun in England for the first time about the year 1808. It does not appear to have made any headway, however, and alpaca fiber was condemned as an unworkable material. In 1830 Benjamin Outram, of Greetland, near Halifax, appears to have reattempted the spinning of this fibre, and, for the second time, alpaca was condemned. These two attempts to use alpaca were failures owing to the style of fabric into which the yarn was woven — a species of camlet. It was not until the introduction of cotton warps into the Bradford trade about 1836 that the true qualities of alpaca could be developed in the fabric. Where the cotton warp and mohair or alpaca weft plain-cloth came from is not known, but it was this simple yet ingenious structure which enabled Titus Salt, then a young Bradford manufacturer, to use alpaca successfully. Bradford is still the great spinning and manufacturing centre for alpaca, large quantities of yarns and cloths being exported annually to the continent and to the United States, although the quantities naturally vary in accordance with the fashions in vogue, the typical "alpaca-fabric" being a very characteristic "dress-fabric."
Image:Alpaca MidSomerset 210805.jpg
Owing to the success in the manufacture of the various styles of alpaca cloths attained by Sir Titus Salt and other Bradford manufacturers, a great demand for alpaca wool arose, and this demand could not be met by the native product, for there seems to never have been any appreciable increase in the number of alpacas available. Unsuccessful attempts were made to acclimatize the alpaca in England, on the European continent and in Australia, and even to cross certain English breeds of sheep with the alpaca. There is, however, a cross between the alpaca and the llama — a true hybrid in every sense — producing a material placed upon the Liverpool market under the name "Huarizo". Crosses between the alpaca and vicuña have not proved satisfactory. Current attempts to cross these two breeds are underway at farms in the United States. According to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, alpacas are now being bred in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, and numerous other places.
In recent years, interest in alpaca fiber clothing has experienced a resurgence, perhaps partially due to the fact that alpaca ranching has a reasonably low-impact on the environment. Outdoor sports enthusiasts recognize that its lighter weight and better warmth provides them with more comfort in colder weather, so outfitters such as R.E.I. and others are beginning to stock more and more alpaca fiber products. Occasionally, alpaca fiber is woven together with Merino wool to attain even more softness and durability.
The preparing, combing, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca and mohair are similar to that of wool.
Farmers commonly quote the alpaca with the phrase 'love is in the fleece', which describes their love for the animal.
Prices
The price for alpacas can range from $200 to $1,060,000, depending on breeding history, sex, and color. Template:Fact See AlpacaSeller.com for an idea of alpaca prices around the world. One can raise up to 10 alpacas on one acre (4,047 m²) as they have a designated area for waste products and keep their eating area away from their waste area to avoid diseases. {http://www.glenhopealpacas.com/alpacas/}
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition{{#if:{{{article|}}}| article {{#if:{{{url|}}}|[{{{url|}}}}} "{{{article}}}"{{#if:{{{url|}}}|]}}{{#if:{{{author|}}}| by {{{author}}}}}}}, a publication now in the public domain.
- Genetic analysis reveals the wild ancestors of the llama and the alpaca paper by Dr Jane Wheeler presented to the Royal Society in 2001.
- The Complete Alpaca Book, Dr Eric Hoffman, Bonny Doon Press, California, 2003
External links
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