The Alpacas

The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.
Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of 3,500 m (11,483 ft) to 5,000 m (16,404 ft) meters above sea-level, throughout the year.[citation needed] Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, alpacas are not used as beasts of burden but are valued only for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, much as sheep's wool is. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, socks, coats and bedding in other parts of the world. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States. [1] Alpacas and llamas differ in that alpacas have straight ears and llamas have banana-shaped ears. Aside from these differences, llamas are on average 1-2 feet taller and proportionally bigger than alpacas.
In the textile industry, "alpaca" primarily refers to the hair of Peruvian alpacas, but more broadly it refers to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca hair but now often made from similar fibers, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even high-quality English wool.[citation needed] In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohair and luster.

Background

Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years. In fact, the Moche people of Northern Peru often used Alpaca images in their art.[2] There are no wild alpacas. The closest living species are the wild Vicuña, also native to South America. Along with Camels and Llamas, the Alpaca are classified as camelids. The Alpaca is larger than the Vicuña but smaller than the other camelid species.
Of the various camelid species, the Alpaca and 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 are too small to be used as pack animals. Instead, they were bred exclusively for their fiber and meat
Alpaca meat was once considered a delicacy by Andean inhabitants. A recent resurgence in Alpaca meat was curtailed by a recent change to Peruvian law granting the Alpaca protected status. Today, it is illegal to slaughter or trade in Alpaca meat. Because of the high price commanded by Alpaca on the growing North American Alpaca market, illegal Alpaca smuggling has become a growing problem.[3]
Alpacas and llamas can (and do) successfully cross-breed. The resulting offspring are called huarizo, which are valued for their unique fleece and often have gentle temperaments and are suitable for pets.

Behavior

Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups consisting of a territorial alpha male, females and their young. They are gentle, elegant, inquisitive, intelligent and observant. As they are a prey animal, they are cautious and nervous if they feel threatened. They like having their own space and may not like an unfamiliar alpaca or human getting close, especially from behind. They warn the herd about intruders by making sharp, noisy inhalations that sound like a high pitch burro bray. The herd may attack smaller predators with their front feet, and can spit and kick. Due to the soft pads on their feet, the impact of a kick is not as dangerous as that of a hoofed animal, yet it still can give quite a bruise, and the pointed nails can inflict cuts.
Spitting
Not all alpacas spit, but all are capable of doing so. "Spit" is somewhat euphemistic; occasionally the projectile contains only air and a little saliva but alpacas commonly bring up acidic stomach contents (generally a green grassy mix) and project it onto their chosen target. Spitting is mostly reserved for other alpacas, but an alpaca will occasionally spit at humans that, for example, take away food.
For alpacas, spitting results in 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 very individualized and there is no hard and fast rule in terms of social behavior, although there is often a group leader, and a group trailer/runt that is picked on by others.
Physical contact
Once they know their owners and feel confident around them, alpacas may allow their backs and necks to be touched. They do not like being grabbed. Once socialized well, some alpacas tolerate being stroked or petted anywhere on their bodies, although many do not like their feet, lower legs, and especially their abdomen touched or handled. If an owner needs to catch an alpaca, the neck offers a good handle—holding the neck firmly between the arms is the best way to restrain the animal. Holding the neck from the rear with the animal's head under one's arm is also very effective.

Hygiene

To help alpacas control their internal parasites they have a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. Generally, males have much tidier, and fewer dung piles than females who tend to stand in a line and all go at once. One female approaches the dung pile and begins to urinate and/or defecate, and the rest of the herd often follows.
Because of their preference for using a dung pile, some alpacas have been successfully house-trained.[citation needed]

Sounds

Individuals vary, but Alpacas generally make a humming sound. Hums are often comfort noises, letting the other alpacas know they are present and content. The humming can take on many inflections and meanings, from questioning to a high-pitched, almost desperate, squealing when a mother is separated from her offspring.
Alpacas make a variety of sounds. When they are in danger, they make a high-pitched, shrieking whine. Some breeds are known to make a "wark" noise when excited. Strange dogs—and even cats—can trigger this reaction. To signal friendly and/or submissive behavior, alpacas "cluck," or "click" a sound possibly generated by suction on the soft palate, or possibly 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 opponent. Fighting determines 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, violent fights often occur. When males must be pastured together, it is wise to trim down the large fang-like teeth used in fights, called "fighting teeth". Although alpacas may try to bite each other, they only have a bottom row of teeth, so damage is usually minimal. When fighting they will often tangle others necks and attempt to push each other around, but they settle down after a week, as they establish dominance.
When alpacas breed, males make a similar noise called an "orgle". This is thought to possibly stimulate ovulation in the female. This can sound like a warbling or gargling noise in the back or the throat, possibly generated by movement of the tongue.[citation needed]

Reproduction

A male in the act of mating, or hoping for a chance to mate, "orgles" (sings). This orgling helps to put the female in the mood, and it is believed to also help her to ovulate after mating.
Females are "induced ovulators," which means that the act of mating and the presence of semen causes them to ovulate. Occasionally, females 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 technically difficult because the act of breeding stimulates ovulation - but it can be accomplished. Babies conceived from artificial insemination are not registerable with the Alpaca Registry.
A male is usually ready to mate for the first time between one and three years of age. A female alpaca may fully mature (physically and mentally) between 12−24 months. It is not advisable to allow a young female to be bred until she is mature, as over breeding a young female before conception is possible is a common cause of uterine infections. As the age of maturation varies greatly between individuals, it is usually recommended that novice breeders wait until females are 18 months of age or older before initiating breeding.
The young male's penis is attached to the prepuce, and generally does not detach until one to two years of age. The penis is a very long, thin, prehensile organ that is perfectly adapted 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 11.5 months ± 2 weeks, and usually result in a single offspring or cria. Twins are rare, approximately 1/1000, slightly rarer than the proportion of twins in human births. After a female gives birth, she is generally receptive to breeding again after approximately two weeks. Crias may be weaned through human intervention at approximately 6 months and 60 pounds. However, many breeders prefer to allow the female to decide when to wean her offspring. Offspring can be weaned earlier or later depending on their size and emotional maturity.
It is believed that alpacas generally live for up to 20 years and occasionally longer. Conditions and nutrition are better in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe than in South America, so animals live longer and are healthier.[citation needed]

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[4] 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 Hoffman's book, and to Royal Society members who have access to the current classification data, but not more widely known.

Poisonous to Alpacas

Many plants are poisonous to the Alpaca, including the bracken fern, fireweed, oleander, and some azaleas. In common with similar livestock, others include: Acorns, African rue, Agave, Amaryllis, Autumn Crocus, Bear Grass, Broom Snakeweed, Buckwheat, Ragweed, Buttercups, Calla lily, Orange tree, Carnations, beans from the Castor Oil plant, Cress and a great many others

Fiber

Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool in that it is a natural fiber, it is warmer, not prickly, and bears no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic[6][7] . It is also soft and luxurious. In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat akin to hair, being very glossy. The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool. Its fiber and processing qualities are further described in the associated article.

Prices

The price for American alpacas can range from USD$100 for a desexed male or gelding to USD$500,000 for the highest of champions in the world, depending on breeding history, sex, and color.[8] However, according to academic study [9] the higher prices sought for alpaca breeding stock are largely speculative and not supported by market fundamentals, given the low inherent returns per head from the main end product Alpaca fiber, and prices into the $100s per head rather than $10000s would be required for a commercially viable fiber production herd. [10] Breeding stock prices in Australia have fallen from AU $10,000-30,000 head in 1997 to an average of AU$ 3,000-4000 today. [11] Breeders in the USA report a lack of interest in fiber-producing gelded males. [12]
It is possible to raise up to 10 alpacas per acre (25 alpacas per hectar)[citation needed] as they have a designated area for waste products and keep their eating area away from their waste area, which helps to avoid diseases. But this ratio differs from country to country and is highly dependent on the quality of pasture available (in Australia it is generally only possible to run one to three animals per acre due to drought). Fiber quality is the primary variant in the price achieved for alpaca wool; in Australia it is common to classify the fiber by the thickness of the individual hairs and by the amount of vegetable matter contained in the supplied shearings

The realm of corn and the alpaca

by Mauricio de Romaña

The prehistoric tribes hunted guanacos, llamas, alpacas and vicunas which they used both for food and clothing. The North American authority Jane Wheeler estimates that the domestic use of the camelidae goes back 8 or 10 thousand years. It is very common to find obsidian arrow heads in the valley and bordering areas. Furthermore, the majority of rupestrine paintings, such as those on the walls of the caves of cCollpa in Sumbay and Mollepunku in Pulpera, represent camelidae.
The first chronicles of the Spaniards tell of the "cattle of the land" or "the sheep with the long neck". The Inca Garcilaso de la Vega talks about the organization of the flocks of llamas and alpacas during the Incan Empire. The produce was distributed by quality in accord with rank. Thus when a vicuna was taken on a hunt it was clipped and its wool or fiber offered to the Inca. The fiber of the alpaca was destined for the nobles and high officials, while the llama served to cloth the common people.
The high part of the Colca valley, from the slopes up-water from Chivay to the snow line or the great high plateau, was and is used for the, breeding of llamas and alpacas.

The sheep with the long neck

Although less prized in the colonial period, the alpaca has recently come into its own. In the middle of the 19th century the industrial processing of alpaca began and since then has been an important source of economic activity with very positive prospects for the future. Today an important textile industry exists, primarily for exportation. It is estimated that 4 million alpacas exist in Peru along the Andean range. The majority of the population is dispersed in small groups of from 100 to 500 head and there are probably about 35,000 breeders. The alpaca is the major source of economic gain in the Colca region. Since the initiation of exportation in the middle of the last century "mistis", as the Arequipan creoles are called, have been established in the villages to collect the fiber and supply the exporters. This has a marked social and economic influence on the peaceful region.
The fiber of the alpaca is obtained by shearing the animal, which is normally done every two years with an average yield of 6.7 lbs for each animal. The alpaca, unlike the vicuna, is domesticated. Thus they are cared for by shepherds, either the owners or employees of the owners, and sheltered in huts on lands with natural fodder. Rotation of the fields is practiced in accord with the conditions of water and pasture.
The most important characteristic of the alpaca, aside from its finess, softness and natural thermoregulation, is the great variety of natural colors from black to white, with a wide range of coffees. There are altogether more than 30 commercial colors.
In some breeding centers modern technology is applied which has resulted in genetic improvement of the flocks, with higher quality and greater production of fiber. Research is sometimes carried on privately as is the case with Francis Patthey, a visionary merchant and prosperous industrialist of alpaca fiber who is at present sponsoring, under the auspices of the "Inca Pro-Alpaca" Foundation, the formation of a center for the promotion and research of alpacas at the foot of Ampato in the high country of the Colca.

Terraces and corn

In the course of their evolution primitive tribes passed from being hunters and gatherers to being farmers. They settled in valleys where the water supply and auspicious climate enhanced the production of food. Thus it was that the cultivation of potatoes, corn, "quinua", an edible plant, "cañahua", a kind of millet and other native species began in the Colca region, down water from Chivay. Corn was the most important crop produced. Even today the corn produced at Cabanaconde is famous.
We can not be precise about the arrival of the Collaguas, but it was they who developed the agriculture and constructed the terraces, which are so impressive for the enormous amount of labor which they represent. There are more than 6 thousand hectars worked into the slopes of the great canyon in order to obtain enough flat surface to sow without fear of losing the fertil soil by erosion. Irrigation is carried out through an ingenious system of canals from the streams and springs coming from the snow peaks on each side of the river.
Once settled, the Collaguas built their villages. The ruins of these indicate an advanced level of engineering, as can be observed at Jaucallacta, Pumunuta and Uyu Uyu. In some cases we find special structures which were built for the storage of corn which are called "colcas".
Corn was and is the most important element in the native diet. It was also much used in rituals and ceremonies and in the brewing of "chicha", a slightly alcoholic drink. Recent studies by a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin, directed by Professor Denevan have placed the age of some of the terraces at 1,450 years, which makes them older than the Incan Empire.

Barter

Following ancient tradition, the alpaca and llama breeders who live on the heights descend to the agricultural region in the valley to exchange their products, fiber and "charqui" (meat dried in the sun and salted) for agricultural products such as potatoes, "quinua", corn and beans. To this day they carry out all their commercial transactions using the ancient system of barter.
The system of barter, which seems to have been established in the early days of the Collaguas, that is to say in the pre-Incan period, allows the exchange of products from the different ecological niches. Thus the mountain people supply the inhabitants of the valley with fiber for clothing and meat for food. These, in exchange, supplement the diet of the shepherds with agricultural products.
This type of exchange is made for products of the warmer valleys such as Majes, Siguas and Vítor too. Products from the high country are supplied in exchange for fruits such as figs and chili. This chain of barter reaches all the way to the coast where they trade for fish and shellfish. According to documents of the time the Collaguas have concessions and lands in these valleys, coves and beaches, such as those at Arantas and Quilca.
This system of exchange would surely not have been possible if it had not been for the noble llama, the extremely useful species of South American camelidae which has been domesticated for so many centuries. They are excellent beasts of burden since they can travel through steep, rocky, desert landscapes for long distances without being shod. Nor does the llama need much in the way of food and water, since it can survive on sparse fodder and go for days without drinking. These "alquilas" or pack trains of llamas are still common in the Colca, where they travel for weeks with their drivers in order to obtain the products necessary to complement the diet of the people in the high country.

"Cochinilla" and "ayrampo"

These are two natural colorants which have been used by the natives since pre-Columbian times to dye their cloth. They also have medicinal properties. The cochineal is a parasitic insect which lives on a cactus, the tuna, or nopal in Mexico, and contains a red colorant, carmic acid.
The conquistadors found it in Mexico where it was used by the Aztecs. Hernán Cortés took the tuna to Spain, where it acclimated well, especially in the Canary Islands. At that time only some cotton like spots could be observed on the "pencas" or fleshy "leaves" of the cactus, from which the colorant was extracted. But in 1703, after the invention of the microscope the parasitic insect itself, cochineal, was discovered. The colorant is extracted by scraping the "pencas" and gathering the insects which fall. They are then put to dry. It is the female insect which contains the colorant and the concentration is greatest during the egg laying phase.
This colorant is in great demand today in the production of cosmetics, drinks and foods which are normally tinted, because it is not carcinogenic. Although the conchineal has a wide geographic distribution, Peru is the major producer of the colorant and the Colca one of the most important regions in its production.
The tuna, or cactus apple, is a much prized, nourishing fruit which is collected from natural plantations which are found especially in the ravines of the canyon. The "ayrampo" is also a colorant found in the fruit of a small cactus of the same family as the tuna. It is used to color textiles and foods, though not yet industrially. It is also widely used for its medicinal properties.