Sunday, July 3, 2016

For Pure Alpacas Nashville Is The Way To Go

By Joshua Mitchell


Alpacas belong to the South American camelid group of animals. They are domesticated, but may occur in the wild too. They are found at 3500-5000 m above the sea level. Places they exist in large numbers are prevalent include Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Chile, and northern Bolivia. They are recorded to have been in existence for over a millennium and were used as a show of wealth in the Inca Empire. To know more concerning alpacas Nashville offers the best location to check out.

The invasion of Inca Empire by the Spanish forced the inhabitants to move to the heights of the Andes to seek refuge. They took with them some of their animals, making them avoid extinction. The global alpaca population is very high, reaching 3.5 million currently. Regardless of the rich history the animal has, it is still not known in many part of the world. Its introduction into the US only occurred in 1983.

However, the interest from the international community is ever growing, with imports from major countries increasing yearly. An alpaca and a small llama resemble each other in appearance. They were bred for fiber and cannot be used for carrying loads. They are relatively small in size and very shaggy. Fleece is usually of more interest to breeders than labor and meat.

An alpaca has a face that resembles that of a camel and the neck is shaggy. Unlike camels, they lack humps. Noses are pronounced, ears are long, and lips are thick. Their large eyes are very curious. Domesticated ones are friendly, curious, and gentle.

The hair obtained from an alpaca is called fiber or fleece and not wool or fur. The animal has several color shades, totaling to 22 natural shades that range from black, white, rose gray, and silver to champagne, light fawn, and mahogany brown. Breeders are able to breed them for specific colors. There are two main classifications of alpacas, that is, huacaya and suri. The classification is done according to the type of fiber.

The huacaya has fiber that is crimped, wooly, water-resistant, and dense. The American population of this animals is made up of ninety percent of huacayas and only ten percent of suris. Suris have lustrous and fine fiber. The fleece forms separate locks that grow parallel to the rest of the body. The locks can grow very long if left without shearing.

Hundreds of alpacas were imported into the US from Peru in the mid-1980s and currently they exist as a premier livestock. High standards and purity are maintained by the national Alpaca registry, which was formed specifically for that purpose. All imports from South America are currently closed. The US wants to raise standards to the highest degree and all animals born within the US are blood-typed.

Fiber from alpaca is used for many different uses. Like wool, it is used for making knitted and woven items. Scarves, gloves, sweaters, socks, coats, hats, blankets, and bedding are some among the items it is used to make.




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