ANYONE who has had the good fortune to feel a garment or other product made from fine alpaca will realise what a superb fibre it is. Light, warm and non-allergenic, it has been likened to cashmere. However, we must be realistic and acknowledge that the quality of the fleece varies, not just between animals but within the fibre shorn from an individual.

One of the main aims of the alpaca breeder is to improve the overall quality of the fleece from animals in the herd and to increase the area of that fleece on individual animals which is top quality.

The best in the blanket

The best, or prime, quality fleece is found in the 'blanket' area which covers the animal's back and extends down the top of the legs and towards the belly. The fibre on the neck may be fine but it can also be of a short staple length (the length of individual fibres) which makes it difficult if not impossible to process. For animals being entered into a show run under British Alpaca Society rules, the minimum length of a huacaya fleece is 50 mm (2 inches) and the maximum fleece should not be over 150 mm (6 inches). The minimum length for suri fleece is 75 mm (3 inches) with a maximum recommended of 450 mm (18 inches). A show judge is also looking for uniformity in the micron or fibre diameter across the fleece and for uniformity in the fibre length.

The fibres in the apron, or chest, area are generally not as fine as those in the blanket and may include longer hairs and a higher proportion of guard hairs. These are thicker and straighter than the main fibres and they will always reduce the quality of the finished product. They do not accept dye in the same way as the other fibres, making it difficult to produce a uniform colour if the fleece is to be dyed. Guard hairs are also difficult to control during spinning and they are the cause of the 'prickle factor' that then occurs in the end product.

That leaves the fibre at the lower end of the legs and under the belly. This is where it becomes matted and highly contaminated when on the animal, making it only suitable for felting where the matting of the fibres together is done in a controlled way.

Removing the fleece

When an alpaca is shorn, it is generally restrained by the legs and laid on one side, although some shearers prefer to work with the animal standing. When the shearer has removed the fleece from one side, the animal is turned over and the remaining fibre removed.

Preparation before shearing

It may sound obvious, but preparation begins before the shearer arrives. Animals are moved onto dry ground where their fleece will become less contaminated. It might sound like a good idea to move them onto wood shavings or other loose bedding but this will cause you a lot more work as the bits readily get tangled with the fleece as the animal lies and rolls.

Before shearing, it is a question of removing as much foreign matter - dust, vegetable matter and debris - as possible. If you are going to enter the fleece into a show, it is very important to retain as much of the natural structure, or architecture, of the fleece as you can. If you get a chance, look closely at an alpaca fleece, parting it to examine this architecture. In a huacaya fleece, you should see the crimp (waviness) of the fibres which will hold together in groups or staples.

There are two parts to crimp - the amplitude and the frequency. Each individual fibre is like the cross-section of a corrugated roof. The amplitude is the height of each 'bump' and the frequency is how many bumps occur within a given length. In general, the higher the better for both of these measurements. A fibre with a strong crimp retains its elasticity well when processed and produces a responsive yarn or cloth. In a suri alpaca, the fibres themselves are straight with no crimp. The locks part over the spine and hang down on each side of the body in ringlets. The lock style can take several different forms. Those attracting the most points in a show situation are the tight ringlet, a slight wave or a curl like a corkscrew all beginning close to the skin and larger wave with a broad lock which shows the same style down its complete length.

Beware tender fleece

Before proceeding with any fleece preparation, it must first be checked to see if it is tender. The growth of the fleece is affected by the health of the animal. If it is ill or suffers from a change of diet or stress, including heat stress, the length of fibre growing during that period will be affected and be weak. To test this, a small amount of fibre, about the width of a pencil, is taken from the fleece, held firmly at each end with thumb and forefinger and then flicked in the middle with the ring finger. If it remains intact, it is sound. If there is a slight tearing but the staple remains intact, it is classed as stretchy. Weak fibres will part company completely if the fleece is rotten or partly break if it is part tender.

Tender fleeces must be eliminated at this stage as they will break during processing and spoil the entire batch. As the fibres break, their ends get caught up in the yarn and form undesirable slubs. Tender fleeces are certainly not suitable for the show bench!

n Next month we will look at the skirting process, the steps needed to prepare the fleece for processing or for the show bench and the points the judge will be looking for in a championship fleece.