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OBJECTIVES:
· Maximize the net return to the alpaca fiber producer.
· Provide minimum standards for quality control from the producer to the manufacturer.
RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Producer's Responsibilities:
* Plan ahead to reduce stress to the animals and the workers
* Provide a shearing area large enough to accommodate several people, the animal to be shorn, a shearing table, a fiber sorting table, and fiber
bags to facilitate the smooth, continuous flow of work and essential communication between the Shearer and Sorter
* It is essential to keep dry any animals that are to be sheared. Shearing is best done under shelter to prevent problems with contamination and
for the overall health and comfort of the shearing crew and the alpaca.
* Provide adequate lighting, electrical outlets, and ventilation.
* Clean the shearing area of all sources of contamination, including polypropylene bags, twine, hay, or other food sources, straw or other bedding
materials, manure, gravel, sand, cigarette butts, toe nail clippings, paper, or any other objects that do not belong in alpaca fiber.
* Organize an area close to the shearing area for preparing and holding animals prior to shearing. This area should be large enough so animals
will not be crowded, provoked into spitting, or subject to additional stresses.
* We recommend that animals be blown with a leaf blower or vacuumed with a Shop Vac prior to shearing to remove debris prior to shearing.
* When blowing with a leaf blower, do not blow directly into the animals' skin thereby imbedding debris more deeply into the fiber. Do not blow
into animals' ears or face.
* Ensure that designated handlers are available to clean the alpacas prior to securing them on the shearing table. Typically alpaca are cleaned
prior to moving to the holding area.
* These same handlers should secure the alpacas on the shearing table under the direction of the Shearer. The Shearer should not be expected
to handle the alpacas and shear.
* If trimming nails and teeth, micro chipping, or performing herd health procedures - arrange to do these procedures sometime prior to or after
shearing. This will eliminate considerable stress during shearing. Do not expect the Shearer to perform these procedures.
* Provide a person to clean the shearing table and floor after each alpaca is shorn.
B. Shearer's Responsibilities:
* Arrive early on shearing day to confer with the producer regarding procedures, facility, setup, and to ensure adequate help is available.
* Review the expectations of the producer: Shearer and producer should come to a mutual understanding of how the shearing day will progress.
* Determine prior to the start of shearing day whether or not fleece side samples will be taken for testing.
* Avoid second cuts. If second cuts should occur, remove them from the fleece!
* Implement best shearing practices and be familiar with current practices for shearing alpacas. Quality of end product usually dictates the
shearing practice.
* Maintain the shearing equipment.
* Work as part of the shearing team.
PREPARATION
Assemble the following supplies and equipment:
* Refreshments, patience, and a sense of humor.
* Alpaca halters and lead lines.
* Shop Vac/leaf blower, and flicker tool to clean alpacas of dust and debris.
* 1 shearer, 3-4 helpers
* First Aid kit.
* Old towels & paper towels.
* Brooms and/or Shop Vac for cleaning shearing area between animals.
* Garbage cans or containers.
* Small Ziploc bags and felt pens for collecting fiber samples.
* Clear plastic bags for collecting fleece. A separate bag should be used for blanket, britch (rump); neck and upper legs. Lower legs and
belly should be disposed..
* Sharpie markers to label fiber bags.
· Alpacas should be shorn in colors, starting with white and progressing into the darker colors.
· Clean the shearing area thoroughly between color changes to avoid contamination.
For commercial processing the fiber will be sheared off the alpaca in the following order:
* Blanket.
* Neck.
* Britch.
* Long (middle) leg: from just above the knee to the start of the britch (rump) and skirting from the belly and into the apron. If the apron area is very
much stronger than the long leg, then the apron fiber should be shorn with the short leg and discarded.
* Short (lower) leg; coarse fiber from the knee down tot he toes and under the belly; include apron area if it consists of strong guard hair.
Since alpaca fiber is not yet uniform across the entire usable fleece, shearing in this order ensures that the better
quality fiber is not contaminated with coarse fiber and the micron spread for each grade of fiber is closely followed.
This procedure allows producers to more readily identify the changes in fiber micron spread within a fleece.
Fiber must be between 2 and 5 inches in length. Avoid second cuts and eliminate guard hair as much as possible.
In addition, fiber stronger than 31 microns has no commercial value; therefore it should not be sent to ABP. Fiber
that is tumbled cannot be sorted and, therefore, cannot be used in commercial processing.
Suri breeders are encouraged to shear their animals before the fiber exceeds 5 inches in length, or the fleece will
be overgrown and of no commercial value to the ABP.
PACKAGING FIBER FOR SHIPPING
* Bag blanket and britch fiber separate from neck and upper leg fiber in clear plastic bags.
* Identify EVERY bag with Farm Identification number, fleece color, and Animal Identification number (optional) in the following manner:
FARM ID # -- COLOR CODE -- ANIMAL ID #
* Identification should be written in indelible ink, such as Sharpie marker, in large numerals. No other numbers or identifications should be on the
bag! Bags that cannot be identified will not receive credit!
* Animal Identification number is a number known only to the grower and used only if the grower wants to be able to identify fiber sorting
information on specific fiber submitted. Please use simple numbers. Do not use animal names.
* If shipping fleece bags, squeeze out as much air as possible and pack tightly in shipping boxes. Shipping boxes can be mailed to:
Alpaca Blanket Project
10868 Siegmund Rd SE
Stayton, OR 97383
* If you wish to have unusable fiber returned, please write RETURN underneath your Farm Identification number. You will be notified as to the cost
to return the fiber and it will be returned upon receipt of payment. Shipping fees must be paid within 20 days of email notification or fiber will not
be returned.
· Maximize the net return to the alpaca fiber producer.
· Provide minimum standards for quality control from the producer to the manufacturer.
RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Producer's Responsibilities:
* Plan ahead to reduce stress to the animals and the workers
* Provide a shearing area large enough to accommodate several people, the animal to be shorn, a shearing table, a fiber sorting table, and fiber
bags to facilitate the smooth, continuous flow of work and essential communication between the Shearer and Sorter
* It is essential to keep dry any animals that are to be sheared. Shearing is best done under shelter to prevent problems with contamination and
for the overall health and comfort of the shearing crew and the alpaca.
* Provide adequate lighting, electrical outlets, and ventilation.
* Clean the shearing area of all sources of contamination, including polypropylene bags, twine, hay, or other food sources, straw or other bedding
materials, manure, gravel, sand, cigarette butts, toe nail clippings, paper, or any other objects that do not belong in alpaca fiber.
* Organize an area close to the shearing area for preparing and holding animals prior to shearing. This area should be large enough so animals
will not be crowded, provoked into spitting, or subject to additional stresses.
* We recommend that animals be blown with a leaf blower or vacuumed with a Shop Vac prior to shearing to remove debris prior to shearing.
* When blowing with a leaf blower, do not blow directly into the animals' skin thereby imbedding debris more deeply into the fiber. Do not blow
into animals' ears or face.
* Ensure that designated handlers are available to clean the alpacas prior to securing them on the shearing table. Typically alpaca are cleaned
prior to moving to the holding area.
* These same handlers should secure the alpacas on the shearing table under the direction of the Shearer. The Shearer should not be expected
to handle the alpacas and shear.
* If trimming nails and teeth, micro chipping, or performing herd health procedures - arrange to do these procedures sometime prior to or after
shearing. This will eliminate considerable stress during shearing. Do not expect the Shearer to perform these procedures.
* Provide a person to clean the shearing table and floor after each alpaca is shorn.
B. Shearer's Responsibilities:
* Arrive early on shearing day to confer with the producer regarding procedures, facility, setup, and to ensure adequate help is available.
* Review the expectations of the producer: Shearer and producer should come to a mutual understanding of how the shearing day will progress.
* Determine prior to the start of shearing day whether or not fleece side samples will be taken for testing.
* Avoid second cuts. If second cuts should occur, remove them from the fleece!
* Implement best shearing practices and be familiar with current practices for shearing alpacas. Quality of end product usually dictates the
shearing practice.
* Maintain the shearing equipment.
* Work as part of the shearing team.
PREPARATION
Assemble the following supplies and equipment:
* Refreshments, patience, and a sense of humor.
* Alpaca halters and lead lines.
* Shop Vac/leaf blower, and flicker tool to clean alpacas of dust and debris.
* 1 shearer, 3-4 helpers
* First Aid kit.
* Old towels & paper towels.
* Brooms and/or Shop Vac for cleaning shearing area between animals.
* Garbage cans or containers.
* Small Ziploc bags and felt pens for collecting fiber samples.
* Clear plastic bags for collecting fleece. A separate bag should be used for blanket, britch (rump); neck and upper legs. Lower legs and
belly should be disposed..
* Sharpie markers to label fiber bags.
· Alpacas should be shorn in colors, starting with white and progressing into the darker colors.
· Clean the shearing area thoroughly between color changes to avoid contamination.
For commercial processing the fiber will be sheared off the alpaca in the following order:
* Blanket.
* Neck.
* Britch.
* Long (middle) leg: from just above the knee to the start of the britch (rump) and skirting from the belly and into the apron. If the apron area is very
much stronger than the long leg, then the apron fiber should be shorn with the short leg and discarded.
* Short (lower) leg; coarse fiber from the knee down tot he toes and under the belly; include apron area if it consists of strong guard hair.
Since alpaca fiber is not yet uniform across the entire usable fleece, shearing in this order ensures that the better
quality fiber is not contaminated with coarse fiber and the micron spread for each grade of fiber is closely followed.
This procedure allows producers to more readily identify the changes in fiber micron spread within a fleece.
Fiber must be between 2 and 5 inches in length. Avoid second cuts and eliminate guard hair as much as possible.
In addition, fiber stronger than 31 microns has no commercial value; therefore it should not be sent to ABP. Fiber
that is tumbled cannot be sorted and, therefore, cannot be used in commercial processing.
Suri breeders are encouraged to shear their animals before the fiber exceeds 5 inches in length, or the fleece will
be overgrown and of no commercial value to the ABP.
PACKAGING FIBER FOR SHIPPING
* Bag blanket and britch fiber separate from neck and upper leg fiber in clear plastic bags.
* Identify EVERY bag with Farm Identification number, fleece color, and Animal Identification number (optional) in the following manner:
FARM ID # -- COLOR CODE -- ANIMAL ID #
* Identification should be written in indelible ink, such as Sharpie marker, in large numerals. No other numbers or identifications should be on the
bag! Bags that cannot be identified will not receive credit!
* Animal Identification number is a number known only to the grower and used only if the grower wants to be able to identify fiber sorting
information on specific fiber submitted. Please use simple numbers. Do not use animal names.
* If shipping fleece bags, squeeze out as much air as possible and pack tightly in shipping boxes. Shipping boxes can be mailed to:
Alpaca Blanket Project
10868 Siegmund Rd SE
Stayton, OR 97383
* If you wish to have unusable fiber returned, please write RETURN underneath your Farm Identification number. You will be notified as to the cost
to return the fiber and it will be returned upon receipt of payment. Shipping fees must be paid within 20 days of email notification or fiber will not
be returned.
The Alpaca Blanket Project Fleece Collection Standards are intended to provide clear guidelines to alpaca
breeders, shearing contractors, and shearing staff with regard to best practices for alpaca fiber shearing, clip
preparation, and fiber sorting and grading standards for processing by the Alpaca Blanket Project and Pendleton
Woolen Mills. By following these guidelines, growers can ensure that they obtain the maximum value for their clip
each year by meeting the needs of ABP and Pendleton. In order to achieve maximum benefits a fleece must meet
several criteria. Micron is simply one criterion. The other criteria in conjunction with micron are Handle, Style and
Character, Length, and Lack of Guard Hair (Medullation). Uniformity within each of these characteristics is the
ultimate goal of the breeder. Spinning problems are caused if there is significant deviation in micron and length.
Likewise, excessive short fibers (second cuts) creat noils causing a decrease in yarn yield and quality. Guard hairs
create "prickle" factor. Many problems can be eliminated through cleaning the alpaca prior to shearing, careful
shearing, sorting, grading, and handling of fiber as it is harvested from the alpaca.
breeders, shearing contractors, and shearing staff with regard to best practices for alpaca fiber shearing, clip
preparation, and fiber sorting and grading standards for processing by the Alpaca Blanket Project and Pendleton
Woolen Mills. By following these guidelines, growers can ensure that they obtain the maximum value for their clip
each year by meeting the needs of ABP and Pendleton. In order to achieve maximum benefits a fleece must meet
several criteria. Micron is simply one criterion. The other criteria in conjunction with micron are Handle, Style and
Character, Length, and Lack of Guard Hair (Medullation). Uniformity within each of these characteristics is the
ultimate goal of the breeder. Spinning problems are caused if there is significant deviation in micron and length.
Likewise, excessive short fibers (second cuts) creat noils causing a decrease in yarn yield and quality. Guard hairs
create "prickle" factor. Many problems can be eliminated through cleaning the alpaca prior to shearing, careful
shearing, sorting, grading, and handling of fiber as it is harvested from the alpaca.
Alpaca Blanket Project Fleece
Collection Standards
Collection Standards
