The CIABA Unskirted Fleece
        Evaluation and Application Event and Protocol




        
































Criteria for Evaluating Fleece Event - Cottage
•1-3 Evauluators dependent on show size
•Evaluator will be trained in a nationally recognized evaluation system
•Evaluator will be chosen for the best evaluation skills and highest ethical standards
All classes shall be organized by Color Groups, Breed and then Age.   Gender will be a factor in classes of over 24 entries.
Color Groups
•Light - hue of the overall blanket fleece is light colored, or white based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is beige or lighter on the ARI color chart)
•Medium - hue of the overall blanket fleece is medium colored or fawn based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is light brown or lighter, light fawn or darker on the ARI color chart)
•Dark - hue of the overall blanket fleece is dark colored or brown/black based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is black or lighter, medium brown or darker on the ARI color chart)
•Grey/Variegated - hue of the overall blanket is grey (matches any of the ARI color chart grey colors) - or a mix of colors that does not match a single color on the ARI color chart.
Breed groupings - Huacaya & Suri
Age groupings
•Weanling: Age 6 mo to 12 mo
•Yearling: Age 12 mo to 18 mo
•Prime: Age 18 mo to 36 mo
•Adult: Age 36 mo to 60 mo
•Mature: Age 60 mo +
FLEECE CLASS RULES Cottage
•Fleeces with less than 2 1/2 inches staple length shall be disqualified.
•Maximum fleece length: - No Maximum
•Class sizes will be a maximum of 12.  When class size exceeds the maximum 12 it shall be split equally by birth-date - oldest to youngest, classes over 24 will be split by birth-date, then gender.



After evaluation, each fleece will be sorted and graded by a  sorter/grader and given a sort report.










Would you like to see a demonstration of how to Noodle a Fleece? Compliments of Jody Herzoucky, Certifyied Sorting Systems and Lana Bella Alpaca

Coming soon the













Protocol for Unskirted Fiber Event

HOW TO COLLECT FIBER FOR UNSKIRTED FLEECE EVENTS
By Pia M. Al-Ubaidi
Fiori del Campo Suri Alpacas, Cincinnati, Ohio 
In order to present a fleece at an unskirted fleece event, it is important that the fleece be collected in an orderly fashion, following some simple guidelines and collection practices.  The following is the suggested method for collecting alpaca fiber in plastic sheet rolls for presentation at an unskirted fleece event.   It is also a way to collect your fleece if there is not time or space to skirt and sort your fleece at shearing time. The unskirted fleece event is a teaching tool.  Many of you may be much more advanced in your collection methods, but for the purposes of this event, we would like the fleeces to be “noodled” in order to avoid fleece contamination with unlike fibers.  Please remember that the following instructions are best practices for this event.  If you cannot follow every step, don’t be discouraged.  Rome was not built in a day and neither is an efficient shearing method.

Months and Weeks Ahead

It is never too early to begin anticipating shearing day through the process of reducing fleece contamination by vegetable matter.  So, always make sure your pastures are free from weeds, seeds and bur-like matter that can collect in an alpaca’s fiber.  Also, it is important to feed your alpacas in a fashion that helps reduce contamination to fleeces.

Days Ahead

Several days before shearing, alpacas should be housed in a clean area where they can naturally shed some of the vegetable matter (VM) from their fleece.  The animals should also be sheltered in case of inclement weather since wet fleece can grow mold while it is being stored in the plastic rolls.  Many of us do not have the luxury of space to do this step.  That’s ok.  We are discussing best practices here. Don’t be discouraged if you cannot follow every step.  Remember, these are suggested practices.
In case of fleece moisture, it is helpful to have barn fans handy to dry wet animals before shearing.  Using vacuum or blowing devises also helps remove moisture.

Some Helpful Supplies

In order to collect fleeces in rolls, it is important to have the following supplies on hand and ready to go:
•         Shop vac or other suction or blowing devise – to clean shearing area, as well as to help remove contamination from Huacaya fleeces
•         Wand – for removing contamination from Suri fleeces
•Plastic tubs or baskets for collecting fleece from the animal
•Skirting table and/or clean surface to lay out fleece
•         55 gallon clear plastic bags - cut open down one side and across the bottom, creating a plastic “sheet”  for blanket fleece, (you may also use rolled clear plastic sheeting cut to same size as split bags)
•         Clear packing tape – to securely close the rolls
•         Wide permanent markers
•         Scale

  Pre-Shearing Phase

Pick large pieces of VM off each animal by hand.  If your fleece is earmarked for hand spinning where lock and bundle structure may have value, use the following technique:  To remove dust and sand from Huacayas, use the shop vac, applying and up and down motion on the surface of the fiber to maintain the integrity of the fleece.  Do not brush the Huacaya when collecting a show fleece!  Do not use the shop vac on Suris, but rather use the wand to gently flick off any residual VM and debris, again being careful to maintain the integrity of the locks.
If your fleece is bound for a mini mill or manufacturing application, the structure of the fleece is not important, but the cleanliness is.  For the mini mill, you will be paying for all the dirt if the mill uses beginning weight for their payment basis.  Manufacturers appreciate clean fleeces because the require less processing.
It is important to note that Huacaya fleeces that feel “crunchy” when gripped have too much contamination, as does Suri fiber that is “crunchy” with VM.  Not only are these types of fleeces not suitable for processing, but will most definitely not show well either.  Many times these fleeces have to be discarded.  Pre-shearing is the time to assess this condition.   The more dirt and debris removed from the fleece before shearing, the better.  Debris is easier to remove when there is resistance to pulling.

Shearing Phase

           It is always important that you hire a shearer that is sensitive to your needs as a fiber producer; understanding that she/he is harvesting a valuable commodity and that will work with you to ensure clean and orderly fiber collection.  Many shearers are in a hurry to just get the fiber off the animal so they can get to the next farm!  We, as the consumer of their services, need to educate the shearer in the importance of harvesting our crop to our specifications.  It is important to stress the need for little to no “second cuts” – not only are these a type of contamination, but are also a waste of your valuable harvest yield since they are usually too short to process and should not be included in an event fleece nor in fiber sent to be processed..  As we move into a more focused view of a thriving American alpaca fiber industry, we need to focus on maximizing our profits from our fiber.  We need to let shearers know they going to have to begin changing their attitudes and shearing practices.  One of the best ways to start this process is to have your alpacas clean, dry, and ready for shearing when the shearer arrives.  If the shearer sees that you are organized and serious about your harvest, he/she will probably be more professional and willing to listen.
  With that said, it is recommended that alpacas be shorn on the ground in restraints or on a shearing table.  Not only are these methods safer for the animal, it also ensures more orderly collection of the animal’s fleece.       
           Shearing should be done from lights to darks to prevent color contamination.  Shear all of one color group before moving on to the next group, making sure that the collection area is cleaned thoroughly, again to prevent color contamination, before starting the next color group.  Needless to say, the mats should be cleaned between animals as well to prevent contamination of fiber types, micron grades and color.

  Collecting Fiber Rolls

Best practice method:  Before starting the shear, place one of the opened 55 gallon sheets under the alpaca’s main body, rolling the alpaca gently away from you so that you can slip the bag underneath the animal.
•Begin shearing at the bottom edge of the fleece at the belly’s edge.
•Continue to remove the blanket as far as it extends into the hips and shoulders, carefully rolling the animal away from the shorn blanket and sheet so that the fleece comes off in the order that it is removed.  Gently scoot the blanket away from the animal as it comes off, using a gentle walking motion with the fingers.  Make sure that the fiber comes onto the plastic sheet in the shape of the animal, again in the order that it is removed.
•This process is easier with Huacaya fleeces since they are more “cohesive”, and more difficult with Suri as the locks tend to come off the animal individually as they are shorn.  With Suris, it is still important to follow the same collection process, trying to keep the locks on the plastic in the order that they are shorn from the alpaca.  At no time should you PULL the fiber onto the plastic, but gently “walk” your fingers on top of it to move it, making sure to keep cut side up and tip side down against the plastic.
•Once you have collected the entire blanket fleece on the sheet, pull the plastic sheet towards you and away from the animal.  Wrap the top and bottom edges of the sheet over the fleece towards the center of the fleece, ensuring that the entire fleece is covered with the folded plastic.  Then fold in ends of the plastic and carefully roll the blanket fleece securely.*
•Tape the roll closed with the clear packing tape, and write a number that corresponds with the animal’s name on the roll along with the shear date.  Eventually you will weigh the roll and record the weight on your data sheet.

Another method: 

Shearing the fleece in two pieces is perfectly acceptable.  Secure the animal on the ground or shearing table, then vacuum the up side of the animal.  Vacuuming the secured animal is usually more effective and easier.  It also helps to remove the sweat from a nervous animal.
•Begin shearing at the bottom edge of the fleece at the belly’s edge.
•The shearer will usually guide the shorn fiber toward the alpaca’s top center line.  Continue to remove the blanket as far as it extends into the hips and shoulders, keeping the fleece coming off in the order that it is removed.  Do not pull on the fleece, but let it gently roll.
•If the shearer allows it, remove second cuts as you see them.
•When the shearer comes to the top center line of the blanket, gently remove the fleece and place it in the provided receptacle provided and take directly to the skirting table or a flat surface.  Remove all second cuts and debris from both cut side and tip side. 
•Clean shearing area before and after turning the animal to the other side.
•Follow the same steps for the second half of the fleece.
•Place both halves of the fleece on the cut plastic sheet, then roll and seal as directed above.  If fleece is damp, do not seal until it has dried.
Any shearer that is cooperative can incorporate these methods into their routine, as they are not difficult and do not increase shearing time!
 
Post Shearing
          * If you used the first method, you now have neatly collected fleeces which you can unroll onto your sorting table to prepare for show by removing any second cuts and extra VM .  Inspect the cut side of your fleece, removing any second cuts and VM.  For Suri fleece, gently lift up the fleece without disturbing the order of the locks, inspect the tip side for any obvious VM and remove it.  Once you are finished, roll the fleece and sheet back up and re-secure with packing tape.  For Huacaya fleece, this would be the time to flip your fleece over to expose the tip side.  Place another 55 gallon plastic sheet on top of the fleece, and with assistance from another person, grasp the outer corners of both pieces of plastic and some of the fleece.  Then cooperatively, efficiently and quickly flip the fleece to reduce any shifting of the blanket, then uncover the fleece and inspect for any additional VM that should be removed.  Once you are finished, you can then roll the fleece back up and re-tape the roll.  Your fleeces are now ready for submission to the unskirted fleece event.



                 
Works Cited
Al-Ubaidi, Pia M.  Certified Sorter Apprentice professional experience.  2010.
  Coarse Broads, Inc.  Certified Sorter Apprentice Training Class.  White Violet Center for EcoJustice.  St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana.  February, 2010.
  Hezoucky, Jody.  “Tips to Improve Fleece Collection at Shearing”.  Ohio Alpaca Life Magazine.  Spring, 2010: 15-16.
  “Shearing and Fiber Collection for Maximum Profit”.  Coarse Broads, Inc.  DVD.
   Adapted by Robin Alpert





                              CIABA is a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(5) of the IRS Code.
                                                ©  Cottage Industry Alpaca Breeders Association
                        

          The CIABA Unskirted Fleece Event is modeled after the IAO Walking Fleece Show and is very important to the evolution of breeding practices.  It can lead to fleeces that no longer require a lot of skirting.  That is the purpose of evaluating unskirted fleece.  This does not lessen the value of skirting and sorting fleece for processing.  We have an opportunity to do this evaluation while being respectful of others' ideas and beliefs.  In order to further the entrants’ education of their alpacas’ fleece production in our unskirted fleece event, entries will be returned sorted and graded along with a sort report as well as suggested best uses for the fiber.  A fleece event is less costly to the entrant than an actual Walking Fleece Show because they will be able to present their animal’s product without the expense of transportation for themselves and their animals.   CIABA is offering a less expensive way to have an animal evaluated for its fiber production.
           In an unskirted fleece event, the true value of an alpaca will be determined by the analysis of an unskirted fleece.  In the ring, the judge often goes over the topknot, belly, and leg areas to determine the uniformity of the fiber before awarding a placement.  If an exhibitor removes any non-uniform fiber from a fleece prior to evaluation, emphasis then switches to the skirting skills of the entrant and gives a skewed vision of the value of the total fleece.  Time is a valuable commodity, and producing animals whose fleece needs less skirting for production saves time.
             
  Currently too much emphasis is placed on the weight of a fleece rather than uniformity, fineness and handle in both Suri and Huacaya.  While weight is often an important factor in commercial production, some alpacas don't have high weights but high volume due to the microscopic structure of the fleece. In the Cottage or Smaller Niche Alpaca Fiber Industry, qualities for special uses of fleece need to be explored, researched, and documented.  The new focus on evaluating the fiber that we are producing will enhance our understanding of the vast possibilities and new product potential of our fleeces.  This is a key step in the development of a thriving and vibrant North American Alpaca Fiber Industry.
















                             The Unskirted Fiber Event
The first Unskirted Fiber Event truly breached new ground in the Alpaca industry.
It was a monumental time for the all fiber producers, as it was the first time an event such as this was organized to offer the most valuable information about fiber production and usage. This event brought a spirit of respect and honor to the willingness of many different people and organizations to come together to do something that would benefit the alpaca industry. The expert Evaluators Wini Labreque of Starweaver Farms and Fiber Innovations and Robyn Kuhl of the Certified Sorting System (R) came together and worked on a sorting and grading system exclusively for this particular event.

                                                What did we learn?




























We learned that if you put all your efforts;heart... and soul to something no matter how small you feel or how big the task, it can be accomplished!

                                              Dedicated

CIABA is a small, and simple organization, we have a clear mission, and are dedicated that mission knowing that this will impact our industry for a change to better times.
We are working to Build a sustainable and profitable alpaca fiber industry through education,  and  in supporting those who are working together for a thriving North American Alpaca Industry, which includes working with natural fibers and those who produce them.

                            What did the Event teach about raw fiber and breeding ?
We learned valuable information about our individual alpacas, what they are producing and what the best use is for that particular fleece. We learned that ALL ALPACAS are VALUABLE and that all fiber has a use.  We learned that perhaps wining a ribbon, may not be the best way to choose breeding arrangements, but that looking deeply into the fiber and the particular information as it relates to processablity and end product is the best way to make decisions.
We learned the event itself is making its way across the country and many are looking to hold an Unskirted Event in their areas to help all breeders have the education about their fiber so we can truly improve and strengthen our industry. From this event, other great opportunities will be also be presenting in the near future.

What else did we learn?

Together our Founders, Board of Directors
and our expert evaluators, Wini Labreque
and Robyn Kuhl of the Certified Sorted Systems (R)
we learned how to streamline the event, we  learned
how many fleeces can be evaluated in a
weekend, and how to communicate more
clearly so as to assist all in a better understanding
for future events. We are grateful
that with some new features that we can share
with you, we can offer even more information
and details about individual fleeces.
We will be posting new information and
any new developments soon.
We will also be posting some exciting new
developments that have sprung from the
Unskirted Event such as sort-a thons!
This will bring even more
opportunity to learn, and open up options for you
to be profitable on your farm.
We; CIABA, Certified Sorted Systems, Wini Labreque Starweaver farms and fiber innovations have formed a Fiber Coalition . This cooperation between these organizations is a powerful and postive step and we are looking forward to all the oportunies and doors that will open because of this!

Coming soon  Video on" Noodling" will be
provided by Jody Herzoucky and
The Coarse Broads;Certified Sorting Systems (R)

Announcing the next Event MARCH 30 - April 1, 2012 at the North American Alpaca show in Springfield Mass!