There are two Distinctive types of alpaca, the Huacaya and the Suri. Huacayas are by far the most plentiful, making up approx 90% of the world’s alpaca population, and tend to be hardier than the Suri. Huacayas have a dense body wool that has a crimp or wave quality similar to that found in sheep wool. Suris have a highly lustrous, silky fibre lacking in crimp but characterized by a spiral twist formation, falling in long, pencil fine locks. Alpacas need relatively little routine maintenance. Vaccinations against clostridial diseases are very important and adults are usually done every 6 months for maximum coverage. It is usual to vaccinate the young, called a cria, at 1 month or 6 weeks of age and again a month later, then every 6 months thereafter. Alpacas naturally have a low worm burden as they dung in communal piles in the field and tend not to eat around them. Some owners routinely worm their herd twice a year but others prefer only to worm them if a problem arises, especially where the fibre is to be marketed as an organic or natural product free from chemicals. Foot - trimming is a task that is easily performed and is done whenever the toenails are overgrown. The alpaca’s feet have soft pads, like other camelids, with a toenail rather than a normal cloven hoof. The rate of growth may vary from animal to animal and is also dependant on how soft the ground is where they are kept. Huacayas are normally shorn once a year, but the Suri are often left for 2 years.
Contact Anne Coombs on 01598 753654 or Philippa Simmons on 01271 882301 email:
info@altalynalpacas.co.uk
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