Alpaca news

This research into the behaviour of wool and alpaca fibres has been closely examined and challenges the belief that Resistance to Compression is a good indicator of fibre softness.

The AlpacaFest Fleece competition was a truely international fleece competition with entries from auround Australia and from overseas. As well as the Supreme Huacaya and Suri winners, and fleece age section Championships, highest scoring entries in the various colour categories were awarded the Alpacas Coast to Coast Premier Fleece awards.

AlpacaFest at Werribee Park certainly proved its’ ‘tag line’ true – “AlpacaFest – Premier Alpaca Show“.

The show attracted record entries both in animals and in fleeces. Not just large numbers of entries, but also commented high quality entries.

Ron Reid (WA) and Kate Mander (NZ) undertook the task of judging the large classes in the ring, and Julie Bird (NSW), with Chris Williams (SA) as ‘apprentice’ judged the 117 entered fleeces. Alpacas were entered from all but one state of Australia, and fleeces from all states and overseas.

The outcomes were an optimum method for semen collection and AI of alpacas under Australian conditions, the education of alpaca breeders in the benefits of using AI technology in their own herds to hasten improvement of fibre quality, and the production of a manual that can be used by small ruminant artificial breeding centres and practising veterinary practitioners to provide commercial AI programs to alpaca breeders.

Vitamin D was low in late winter and high in summer. plasma vitamin D concentrations increased with age, were higher in alpacas with light fleeces than in those with dark fleeces and were also higher in the Suri than in the Huacaya breed.

Textile arts students at Warrnambool’s South-West TAFE have been working with alpaca fibre and yarns since the beginning of the year, and are part-way through developing some innovative and beautiful designs. Some Western Vic. Region members approached the college in an effort to promote the use of alpaca in well designed textiles, and the Weaving [...]