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© Cottage Industry Alpaca Breeders Association
Fibre is not a four letter word!
Brian Kitson
Adobe Park Alpacas
Geraldine N.Z.
2004
Fibre is not a four letter word
We all have a vested interest to ensure the success of this industry and, I would suggest, the responsibility to ensure that it is successful. As an industry we must take control of our own destiny. Read this postive view of the future!
Alpaca Fiber Tensile Strength
My fiber week was spent back to what I like doing the most. Making ropes for mecate reins, leashes or lead ropes and of course my fiber of choice is alpaca. But why?
When I got into raising alpacas everyone told me how much better alpaca fiber was for one reason or another and I wanted to do the research and find out if folks were just blowing smoke up my @$$ or not. It turns out there was hardly any research done and I only could find 1 article done by the Yocom-McColl Testing lab, Texas A&M and University of Wyoming entitled “Fiber Characteristics of US Huacaya Alpacas.”
I specifically wanted to learn about fiber strength. I was not interested in crimp, color, diameter, or any other characteristic unless it directly affected the strength of the fiber.
By Sue Evon
"with the change in the economy we believe it
is time to diversify". All avenues of potential income from our alpacas
need to be explored in order for our business to continue to be
successful. Perhaps you find your farm in a similar position and want to
consider some of the following options.
Read the full article .... more
Jasmine G. Edwards, Ph.D.
Almost nine years ago, when my initial enchantment with alpacas began, I embarked on an energetic process of researching “the alpaca lifestyle.” I read a wide variety of marketing and educational materials and then began a mission of visiting numerous alpaca farms, in order to learn about these animals firsthand and ask an abundance of questions.
A very tiny caterpillar emerges with a voracious appetite
and begins eating everything in site.
She continues to enjoy the lush green foliage
along with the bountiful fauna around her and grows
and grows until one day she begins to feel a bit different...
Establishing a Grassroots Alpaca Fiber Industry Platform
by JC Christensen, Director of Mill Operations at Morning Star Fiber LLC
Paca to Product
This annual forum was started in 2006 by an alpaca farmer, a shearer, and a veterinarian in the alpaca industry who got together with our mill to discuss how we could best serve the industry together. For more of this interesting article..
Just One ole Fat man’s opinion….
A message from Jim Patrick
WHY ALPACAS...WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ALPACA LIVESTOCK BUSINESS?
2010 has been a very challenging economic year worldwide and the alpaca livestock business was not immune. Existing alpaca businesses panicked with the lack of alpaca buyers showing up to their doors with having to apply minimal effort as had been the case for many years earlier.
Spring shearing – Harvest time
2011 spring shearing season is right around the corner. It has taken you all year to grow fiber that is worthy of naming “Fiber of the Gods”. Don't miss this article, it is a plethora of valuable information!
