AlpacaPedia

Alpaca Related Basic Education and Information

Created and maintained by Dianna Jordan, Alpacas of Somerset Farm

Tips for Maximizing Your Fiber Harvest

By Dianna Jordan, Alpacas of Somerset Farm

For some alpaca ranchers, fiber is the primary product. For others, breeding and selling alpacas is the primary product and fiber is secondary. Either way, all alpaca ranchers will reap a harvest of raw alpaca fiber every year. That raw fiber has the potential to add to the bottom-line of your alpaca business operation. This article discusses ways you can maximize the potential income from your fiber harvest.

If you followed effective pre-shearing practices…kept your pastures clean and free of debris and stickers; used feeders that minimize the amount of "loose" hay that always manages to make it's way into the crook of the neck area causing matting and tangling; provided good nutrition; kept the stress levels to a minimum, and sheared your alpacas when their fleece was dry, then you created a good pre-shearing environment for maximum results.

Another critical step in successfully shearing for maximum value, is selecting a knowledgeable and efficient shearer. You want to make sure your shearer understands fiber characteristics well enough to know when the traditional "blanket" area can be expanded, or needs to be reduced, based on the quality of the fiber. The shearer should strive to keep second cuts, short pieces of fleece caused by the shearer going over the same spot twice with the second cut being shorter, to a minimum. These second cuts (nubs) can be seen on the cut side of the fleece and need to be removed before processing.

Effectively preparing (organizing) for shearing day cannot be over-stated or over-rated. The larger your herd, the more critical the preparation. If you have ever experienced a disorganized shearing, you know what I am talking about.

Fortunately, preparing for shearing day can be done months or days before the event. Following is a shearing preparation checklist. It is not all-inclusive and can certainly be modified to meet your individual needs.

• Schedule your shearing date well in advance. Exceptional shearers are booked months in advance. In fact, in some cases, the shearers write their own schedules and let their regular customers know when they will be available for shearing.
• Arrange for help on shearing days. Many ranches work together and exchange "labor" by assisting each other on shearing days. The number of helpers you need depends on how large your herd is, how many days you will be shearing, if you plan on doing regular herd maintenance (vaccines, toe nails, tooth trimming, etc) at the same time. Some of the designated jobs on shearing day include someone:

• responsible for lining up the alpacas for shearing (gathering, haltering, and leading into shearing area)
• to help shearer prepare the alpacas for stretching (securing front and back legs) or to be put on a shearing table, holding the head while alpaca is secured, holding the alpaca for any shearing done while the alpaca is standing
• to gather the fleece as it is sheared and place in appropriate bags or other containers
• to lead the alpacas away from the shearing area after shearing
• to sweep the shearing area between alpacas
• to give vaccinations, trim nails/teeth, etc.

• to weigh the fleece and break out by total shear weight and blanket weight. Some ranches weigh the alpacas before and after the shearing for total weight and then break out the blanket weight.

• Preparation that can be done well in advance of shearing day

• purchase clear plastic trash/garbage bags
• create labels for the bags to record alpaca's name and date of shear. These can be pre-printed with the information

• you will want a minimum of two bags—one for the blanket, and one for the neck fiber
• attach the labels to the bags and have them ready for use
• create a list of the alpacas to be sheared, in the order they will be sheared.

• This list can be adapted to fit the needs of the ranch. Some ranches shear the boys and then the girls. Most ranches shear by color starting with the light and moving to the dark (this helps avoid color contamination in case pieces of sheared fiber are left on the shearing area between shearing).
• If your shearing is going to last most of the day, be prepared to provide a meal and snacks for your helpers. Also, have plenty of water on hand.
• Schedule a time to prepare your fleece for processing. Experience has shown, if you don't schedule it you will put it off or not done at all.

Whether you are preparing your fiber to send to a mini-mill or one of the fiber cooperatives, there are certain steps you can take to help ensure you receive maximum return on your raw fiber. Whether you do it yourself, or expect the processor to do it for you (which will add to the expense of processing), your fiber will need to be skirted, cleaned, sorted, and graded. Please keep in mind, preparing a fleece to send for processing isn't nearly as involved as preparing a fleece for a fleece show.

The "Terrible Toos"

The following list of "Terrible Toos" was created by former AFCNA Board Member Starr Cash. She has graciously given her permission for this list to be used by anyone promoting effective fiber preparation. The list contains the most common reasons fiber is labeled as having NCV (no commercial value). NCV fiber is just what it says, of no value to the processor meaning no value to you as the producer. Most of the "Terrible Toos" can be eliminated during the skirting process.

• Too short -- less than 1.5"

• Too long -- more than 7.5"

• Too tender – take a few strands and holding on to the ends, quickly try to pull (snap) apart. If the fiber breaks, it is too tender.

• Too stained – mostly a problem with whites

• Too much Vegetable Matter or other contamination (feels "crunchy" when you grab a handful of fiber and squeeze)

• Too matted

• Too molded – usually happens when fleece is wet or damp when bagged

• Too buggy - infested with moths or other insects

• Too Hairy - Topknots, tails, and lower leg hair, excess guard hair

Alpacas produce a wonderful annual harvest. It is up to each of us to promote "the fiber of the Gods" by getting it into the hands of the consumer. That is the only way we can build the future fiber industry.

Back To List of Articles

Website created and maintained by Dianna Jordan, all rights reserved.