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Alpacas With a heritage rooted in the
ancient cultures of South America alpacas are one of
the oldest domesticated breeds. Predating the Inca
Empire they played an important part in the Inca
civilization; their fibre being reserved for
royalty. During the Spanish conquests alpacas almost
totally vanished and survived only because of their
ability to live at altitudes and in conditions most
It was not until the mid-19th century that the wonderful qualities of alpaca fleece were recognized world-wide as one of the most luxurious natural fibres. Today alpacas are raised and bred in Australia and Europe and well-established in North America. They were first imported into Canada in the mid 1980’s. Raised for the lovely fibre that is sought equally by hand spinners and fibre artisans and by high fashion designers, and enjoyed for their endearing, loveable personalities. There are two types of alpacas.
Huacaya, the most common, have a crimped, wavy
fleece, giving the animal a fluffy appearance.
Suri-fleece is straight,fine and lustrous, making
the suri look very elegant. In addition to its
fineness, silky feel, light weight and There are 22 recognised colours of
alpaca fleece. These vary from white to black with
shades of grey, fawn, beige, brown, sometime peach
and a rich maroon. Through breeding these can be
blended for an even broader range and alpaca fleece
can be easily dyed. Alpacas are sheared once a year,
usually in spring, producing between 4 to six pounds
(1800 to 2700 grams) from Devine
West’s breeding stock includes
alpacas with Accoyo bloodlines. These produce twice
the fibre of other alpaca varieties Alpacas are easy to keep and care for. They eat about one to two percent of their body weight a day. Most of this will be forage, but a mineral and high protein supplement should be added. Although hardy, alpacas do need protection from wind and winter storms. Because of their heavy fleece they can become overheated on very hot days, so schedule shearing for spring and provide fans and tree shade. Fencing their pasture is also required. Very clean animals, alpacas select a few areas for their communal ‘toilet’, always using the same place(s). The droppings are almost odorless and good for enriching the soil. Like all animals alpacas require
regular health maintenance. Regular de-worming,
toenail trimming and vaccinations can be done Breeding alpacas is relatively easy. Females can be bred from 18 months; male become sexually mature between two and three years. Gestation period is 11 ½ months; dams usually give birth in the cooler morning hours and the crias are greeted by the herd with the gentle humming sound with which alpacas communicate. Within a couple of hours the cria should be standing and nursing.In a perfect footnote, alpacas are
well-adapted to the green movement. They are
natural, sustainable, renewable and contribute Throughout North America there are many excellent professional organizations and resources to help new alpaca owners. Established owners are frequently willing to share advice and information. Shetland Sheep Shetland sheep are one of the smallest breeds of
sheep, their wool is amongst the finest found, the
soft, but very durable and Shetland wool comes in one of the widest ranges of colours of any breed, Besides white, which dyes extremely well, the colours range through light grey, bluish-grey, fawn, dark brown to black. There are 11 main colours and 30 marking, many still with their distinctive Shetland dialect names. Fleeces usually weigh between two and four pounds with a staple length of 2 to 4.5 inches. Sometimes the wool will shed in late spring as it did generations ago when it was "rooed" or plucked by hand. The Shetland’s roots go back to Viking days and they belong to the Northern European short-tailed group. The classic Shetland probably dates from the 1700s and over the centuries, the sheep have adapted to living conditions and available diet. Small and relatively slow-growing, they are extremely hardy. Retaining many of their original survival traits, they are easier to care or than many ‘improved’ breeds. Fine boned and agile, docile and easy to manage, ewes usually weigh 70 to 100 pounds. Rams, which have beautiful spiral horns, weigh 90 to 125 pounds. Unlike most breeds their naturally short, fluke-shaped tails do nod need to be docked. Although probably only about three thousand exist in North America currently, Shetlands are enjoying increased attention and growing in number. Goats Spanish Cashmere & Coloured Angora Spanish cashmere goats were brought to North America by Christopher Columbus at the end of the 15th century. Traditionally raised in the Himalayas (the word is Persian for the region of Kashmir) they were known to be hardy and adaptable and have proved themselves over time. Though they produce excellent meat cashmere goats are highly prized for the luxurious fibre of their fleece. Soft, light, warm, cashmere is often called ‘the fibre of kings’ and is one of the most expensive, and comfortable of fibres. The goats produce a double fleece and cashmere is the fine undercoat or underdown. Pure cashmere can be dyed and spun into yarn then knitted into sweaters, hats, gloves, socks and other clothing, or woven into fabric for garments such as outer coats, jackets, pants, scarves and blankets. A goat can produce 4 ounces (150 grams) a year.Cashmere goats
come in many colours, but the actual cashmere is
either white or soft brown or grey. These coloured
fleeces Combined with this
luxury aspect Spanish goats do not require pampering
or fine pasture. Even in extreme Canadian climates a
three-sided shelter Is sufficient. They eat brush
and weeds, making them a safe, non-polluting
alternative to the use of pesticides These goats have high fertility rates, often producing twins or triplets, and show exceptionally strong maternal and herd instincts. They make great pets for a hobby farm. |
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Memberships Canadian Livestock Records Corporation | Canadian Llama and Alpaca Association | North American Shetland Sheep Association Canadian Cashmere Producers Association | Alpaca Canada | Canadian Sheep Breeders Association | New Brunswick Sheep Breeders Association Favorite Farm Links | Association Links ©2004-2010DevineWestRanch-All Rights Reserved
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