Fiber characteristics of the Huacaya Alpaca

Abstract

A study was conducted to establish a comprehensive profile of US Huacaya Alpaca fiber characteristics that could be useful for educational, promotional, policy, selection, and breeding purposes. Specifically, the means, distributions, and ranges of 23 fiber characteristics and body weight of a representative sample ( n = 585) of US Alpacas were measured or calculated using internationally accepted objective test methods. Animals in specified age groups and of known sex representing six geographical regions in the USA were weighed and sampled in approximate proportion to their population density in the respective regions. Fiber samples were shorn from the mid-side of the Alpacas, representing female, male, and castrated male registered animals in the three age categories: 1- and 2-year-old and adult Alpacas. Each sample was measured for mean fiber diameter, prickle factor, comfort factor, mean fiber curvature, medullation (white and light fawn samples only), laboratory scoured yield, mean staple length, mean staple strength, position of break, and resistance to compression. In addition, yellowness and brightness were measured on the white samples and color differences were measured on the colored samples using a colorimeter. With one exception (laboratory scoured yield), the measured characteristics exhibited considerable variability. The only difference in fiber characteristics that was attributable to sex was mean staple strength. Males produced stronger fibers than females. In contrast, differences due to age were apparent for all but two of the measured traits, these being coefficient of variation of staple length and resistance to compression. Compared to wool of comparable fineness, the Alpaca was shown to be higher yielding, more heavily medullated (a distinctive feature of Alpaca), longer, and considerably stronger. Resistance to compression was invariably lower for Alpaca compared to wool of comparable fiber diameter likely due to the lower levels of crimp in the Alpaca fibers.