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AOBA-certified alpaca shows judge alpacas based on a 50-50 ratio – That is 50% on fleece qualities, and 50% on conformation (bone structure, movement, balance, etc.). Fiber characteristics and qualities vary tremendously among alpacas. First, we can divide alpacas into two breed-types: huacaya and suri. Huacaya fleece is usually crimpy, and grows out perpendicularly from the alpaca’s body, giving huacayas that “fluffy” look. Suri fleece has a long and silky look, hanging straight down from where it grows on the alpaca’s body. Density refers to the number of hair follicles per area of skin. Density can be judged in several ways. By parting the fleece and determining how much skin can be seen at the roots. You can get a visual idea of how tightly packed the fiber follicles are on the skin. A very dense fleece will show a very thin line of skin when parted. Pressing down on the alpacas back and feeling for resistance is another method – a very dense fleece will make it more difficult to feel the alpaca’s backbone. Simply grabbing a handful of fleece can also help judge the density of the alpaca’s fleece. Staple Length refers to the actual length of fiber produced in a given amount of time. This is also a very important quality, as length and density are the primary factors impacting the total fleece weight of an alpaca. The fiber industry pays for fleece by weight, and the total weight of a fleece shorn from an individual alpaca can vary from as little as two pounds to more than twelve pounds. Evaluating re-growth and fleece weight depends on having accurate shearing dates. The average staple length or amount of re-growth generally ranges from two to six inches in a twelve-month period. Coverage refers to the parts of the alpaca’s body that are covered with fiber. The alpaca fleece is divided into the blanket (the prime fiber) and the neck, belly, and legs, which generally have more guard hair and are therefore usually coarser. If the neck, belly, and legs have little guard hair, and have good coverage with usable fiber, this would add to the total fleece weight that the alpaca produces. However, it is blanket fiber for which the market is willing to pay premium prices. Fineness is a very important characteristic of good quality fleece. The finer the fleece, the softer the feel, and the higher the price that will be paid for that fleece. Fineness can be measured in microns, which allows new breeders to have concrete figures by which to assess an alpaca’s fleece. The figure which indicates the fineness of the fleece is the average fiber diameter (AFD) figure found on a histogram report. Histograms are fiber analysis reports provided by the Yocom-McColl Testing Laboratory. The lower the AFD number, the finer the fiber. Hand or handle is the subjective feel of a fleece – often thought to be associated with the uniformity of the diameter of each fiber in the fleece, combined with its fineness of AFD. Crimp refers to the organized uniform waves or ripples in a group of fibers. Crinkle, by comparison is a term used to describe the presence of waves in an individual fiber. Crimpy fiber sometimes has a tendency to be finer and denser, but there are many exceptions. It also tends to be easier to spin, providing more loft to the fiber, and is therefore preferred by some hand spinners. Guard hair is the course, straight hair found especially on the neck belly, and legs. Alpacas in general have little guard hair on their blankets, but this varies with individuals, and we should breed for decreasing amounts of guard hair in our herds. On a histogram, the percentage of fibers greater than 30 microns in diameter is related to the amount of guard hair present in the blanket, but this is not always reliable. The percentage greater than 30 figure is also referred to as an indicator of the prickle factor of a fleece, as fibers greater than 30 microns in diameter tend to make a garment feel prickly. Luster is the shine produced when light is reflected back off of the fiber. While luster is desirable in huacaya fleeces, it is of primary importance in suri fleece. |