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Email: backyardalpacas@yahoo.ca |
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 Houdini makes his first appearance |
Look closely and you
will see Houdini's legs and face (Left) as they
appeared during the birthing process.
New born alpacas (cria) generally weigh between 15 - 22 pounds. The gestation period of an Alpaca averages 335 days (11.5 months), but in fact may range from 320 to 376 days. Due to the lengthy gestation period, Alpacas only produce a single cria per year. |
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Mother remains calm and
takes the birth of Houdini in stride.
Alpacas have single births with the likelihood of twins being born quite rare. |
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The female Alpaca are
induced ovulaters, enabling them to breed almost anytime of the
year. The adult female, also called 'hem bras'
(Spanish), will ovulate in response to mating. Although
Alpacas are known to spit, they do not normally spit at people.
Rather, they will spit at each other when circumstances warrant
it. For instance, a pregnant female will spit at an advancing
male to warn him off.
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The baby alpaca is referred
to as a 'cria'' whereas the weaned crias are known as
'weanling's' or 'tui's'.
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The Alpacas are sheared
annually for their quality fibre. Their diet is controlled from
birth, to help ensure a high quality product.
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Alpaca fiber is available
in a twenty-two recognized natural colors. The fibre can be
blended or dyed to achieve desired colors. The spun fibre is as
soft as cashmere, yet when compared to wool, it is lighter in
weight, as well as warmer and stronger.
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 "Alpaca fiber is available in a twenty-two recognized natural colors"> |
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The demand for Alpaca fibre
is great, and it continues to grow. As many as 4 to 6 Alpacas can
be raised on a single acre of land, making Alpacas an excellent
choice as alternative livestock for small farms and
acreages.
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Huacaya and Suri are the
two types of Alpacas. Each are distinguished by their fibre. The
Huacaya, which is the most common Alpaca, has a very crimpy
fleece that appears fluffy. The Suri is much more rare than the
Huacaya, representing about only ten per cent of the world's
Alpaca population. The Suri is distinguishable by its' silky
hair like fiber which hangs in tight spirals and
locks.
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Halter Training is very
simple. Alpacas are very quick learners and within a few short
days they will follow easily and can even be trained for obstacle
courses. You can even have them train each other just like in the
following picture
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