The Atlantic Canada
Alpaca Farm

1451 Hansford Road
RR#2 Oxford, Nova Scotia
Canada, B0M 1P0
PH. (902) 447-3045
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GENERAL ALPACA INFORMATION

Alpaca Dictionary

To help you understand some of the terms you will see with reference to alpacas, we have prepared this alpaca reference dictionary for you.

Apron - the chest area of an animal that exhibits longer, coarser fiber than that found on the neck and shoulder.

Average Fiber Diameter (AFD) - The average fiber diameter of fibers submitted in a fleece sample. The result is given in microns with 1 micron = 1/10000th of a millimetre or 1/25,400th of an inch. A low micron count is desirable. This indicates the fineness of the blanket area of the animal's fleece.

Bird's Nest (hay mow) - a small portion of the fleece that is found at the base of the neck which often becomes highly contaminated with hay or other feed material. Good compost material.

Blanket (saddle) - prime quality fleece usually found in the saddle area, from shoulder through midsection to base of tail, extending down past the halfway point on the side of an alpaca. Edges of the blanket are characterized by a change in the grade of the fiber.

Britch - lower thigh of rear legs.

Classing - the grading of fleeces and then sorting of fleeces into a consistent group or uniform line of fiber based on recognized quality characteristics.

Clip - the total amount of fiber harvested by a producer in one growing period, which is usually one year.

Clostridial diseases - Diseases caused by the Clostridia family of bacteria. These can be fatal and can live for years in the soil. Alpacas should have a regular vaccination programme as advised by your Vet.

Coefficient of Variation (CV%) - In a fiber test report, the coefficient of variation indicates the relationship between the standanrd deviation and the average fiber diameter and is shown as a percentage. The formula for calculating the CV is as follows: Standard deviation divided by average fiber diameter x CV%. A low CV percentage is desirable in breeding animals.

Conformation - The shape and proportions of the alpaca, including the size, length and shape of legs and neck.

Cria - A baby alpaca, sometimes sold ''at foot' with the Mother.

Crimp - The slight wave or corrugation in each lock or across the whole fleece, that helps hold the fibers together, allowing it to be processed into a finer yarn. Closely related to crinkle. Crimp and crinkle are sometimes described as having high or low frequency.

Crinkle - Term for the wave in one individual strand of fiber. Crimp and crinkle are sometimes described as having high or low frequency.

Dam - Adult breeding female - mother of a cria.

Density of fleece - The number of hair follicles to the square measured. High fleece density is desirable.

Fineness - the diameter of an individual fiber often measured with extremely precise laboratory instument. Genetics, health, stress and age may affect this measure and it can change dramatically from year to year.

Handle - Describes how soft or harsh the fleece feels to the hand. A low average fiber diameter should give a better handle.

Huacaya - The most popular variety of alpaca, with a dense crimped fleece giving the animals a more rounded shape. The other variety is the Suri.

Lustre - The texture of the fleece and how much is reflects light and looks attractively glossy. Sometimes described as brightness.

Maiden - Mature female ready to breed for the first time, usually between 18-24 months old.

Midside- a point approximately midway between the front and rear legs and just lower than halfway down the side of an animal.

Percentage of fibers above 30 micron - >30% - In a fiber test report, this measurement is given as a percentage and indicates the number of fibers above 30 microns in the sample tested. Fibers exceeding 30 microns are considered coarse and will have the "prickle factor" if used in garment making. A low >30% is desirable to indicate uniformity of the finer fibers throughout the blanket area of the fleece.

Second cuts - short, prickly fibers created when the fiber is cut twice.

Shear weight or fleece weight - The weight of the entire fleece including all usable fiber that is sheared from the animal.

Sire - Adult breeding male or father of a cria. Sometimes called a Herdsire.

Skirting - removing coarser or shorter fiber and debris from the blanket or other parts of the fleece.

Spit off - When alpacas become pregnant they quickly become unwilling to be approached by a male. A pregnant alpaca will usually run and spit at a male that approaches her, and repeated spit offs are a good sign that a pregnancy is progressing normally. An ultrasound scan is sometimes used to confirm pregnancy as well.

Standard deviation (SD) - In a fiber test report, the standard deviation indicates the amount of variation from the AFD (average fiber diameter) in the group of fibers tested. For example, in a test that indicates an AFD of 20.0 with a SD of 3.0 then 68% of the tested fibers will fall between 17.0 and 23.0 micron. A low standard deviation is desirable to show uniformity in the tested fibers.

Staple length - The length of fiber in the fleece. Staple length together with density will indicate the weight of the fleece.

Suri - A more rarely kept variety of alpaca with long silky fleece that drapes the body rather than forming a dense covering as in the Huacaya. The fleece has no crimp and forms soft pencil locks.

Tags- bits of coarse, felted or short fiber from areas such as the topknot and lower legs.

Tender - fleece that breaks easily at one or more points along the length of the fiber. Often caused by some trauma, stress or health problem.

Uniformity - How consistent the fleece is across the whole animal. An animal with good uniformity will have a fleece that is dense and soft all over, with no thin patches or coarse areas.

Weanling - A young alpaca, usually between 6 months to 1 year old that is no longer nursing.

Yearling - Juvenile alpaca between the age of 1 and 2 years.

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