Best Llamas for Profit

Genetics is the science of how traits pass down generation to generation. Many people think that genetics is a predictive science-accurately predicting the next baby to hit the ground. Alas, genetics does not work that way. Instead, genetics can be viewed as a science of possibilities. Genetics can help with predicting the overall range of expected types within the offspring of certain pairs. Genetics is pretty good at predicting what will happen over the next 100 babies, but not very good (in most instances) at predicting the details of the next one. Knowledge of genetics is an extremely powerful tool for animal breeders, although its strengths and weaknesses both need to be appreciated for it to yield the greatest benefits.

HOW GENES WORK

Genes, with few exceptions, work in pairs. This is an essential concept. Each individual gets one member of the pair from its sire, one from its dam. Each individual, in its own turn, donates one of each pair to its offspring. Genetics “works” on the basis of these pairs, and the interactions of the members of each pair, as well as the interactions of the different pairs with each other.

Each individual is the result of genes and environment, and the genetic component is the sum total of all those pairs. If the genes are considered to be the units of interest, then the population can be imagined as a “jiggling” of the genes down through the generations as they are mixed up and recombined into new combinations at each generational step. The animal breeder’s task is to use the favorable combinations more heavily than the unfavorable ones, so that the “jiggling” goes in a positive direction. Differential reproduction (some animals more than others) is the essence of selective breeding.

The pairs of genes can interact in different ways. Members of the pair can either be identical or different. If identical, then obviously that is the character (phenotype) that is expressed. If different, then a few different things can happen. One is that only one (a specific one) of the pair is expressed, and the other is hidden. In this case the one that is expressed is called “dominant” and the one not expressed is called “recessive”. This is a key issue - dominant genes essentially cover up recessive genes. This means that recessive genes can trail along for many generations without being expressed, until they are paired up with another identical recessive gene and are therefore able to be expressed. As a result, recessive phenotypes (what is expressed) tend to show up as surprises, and tend to not reproduce themselves very well unless mated to the same recessive phenotype, or a dominant phenotype that carries the recessive.

In some situations where members of the gene pair are different, each member shows up in the phenotype. These situations are called incompletely dominant, or codominant. Blood types are a great example of a codominant system - everything is expressed, nothing is hidden. Good examples of incomplete dominance are not documented in llamas, but are common in other species. Palomino horses are a good example - if both genes are “normal” or dark, the horse is chestnut (reddish). If one “dark” and one “light” gene are present, the horse is palomino (yellowish). If two doses of the “light” gene are present, then the horse is cream with blue eyes.

The critical concept for the way genes interact is that various mechanisms exist for hiding portions of the genome. The hidden parts may be good or may be bad, and breeding strategies can use them to advantage if carefully constructed.

A very common misconception is that common phenotypes are dominant, and uncommon ones are recessive. The relative frequency of a trait is simply a matter of gene frequency, or how many copies of a specific gene are represented in a population. The relative frequency has absolutely nothing to do with the dominance or recessiveness of a system. A good example is white horses. White in horses is dominant, and yet this color is very, very rare due to the gene having a very low frequency among horse populations. Chestnut in horses is recessive, and yet some entire breeds (such as the Suffok) are chestnut because selector has fixed the gene frequency at 100%

BREEDING PHILOSOPHY

A crucial first step for breeding programs is to decide upon a philosophy. Philosophies include conservation, improvement, and a host of others. A conservation philosophy is going to dictate different goals and actions than a strict animal improvement philosophy, which is also going to be different than a companion animal philosophy. No single philosophy is wrong, they are just each different. Many discussions, and even some heated arguments, can stem from different breeders having different philosophies. The variety of philosophies is probably good for the overall health of the genetic resource, since each breeder is doing something slightly different and this helps the population have desired levels of genetic diversity.

Philosophy drives goals. Why are animals being bred, and what is the mental picture of the ideal animal? Is the goal show wins? Conformation? Certain fiber characteristics? Certain colors? Without answering these questions (honestly) very little progress is possible in a breeding program. Progress is difficult enough as it is - and is definitely enhanced by acknowledging a philosophy and the goals that go along with it.

SELECTION

Selection simply means that some animals get to reproduce more than do other animals. Selection differential indicates the relative proportion of animals that do reproduce. In alpacas the selection differential for females is pretty high, since close to one hundred percent. That is, nearly every female is used for reproduction and therefore gets a chance to pass along her genes for good or ill. For llamas this is much lower.

For males the selection differential is smaller, but how much smaller varies with individual breeders. The selection differential for dairy bulls is probably the smallest of the common domesticated species, since by artificial insemination only one bull in thousands is used. For llamas the selection differential for males is smaller than for females, but still only moderate when compared to many other species.

The point of selection is that it is what dictates the form of the succeeding generations. Selection determines which traits get passed along and which do not. The results of selection are easy to demonstrate for Peruvian versus North American alpacas. While certainly individual breeder’s goals differ in both locations, the general trend is that Peruvians favor white, and favor huacaya fiber. In North America the opposite is generally true (with exceptions, of course). The result of the selection exerted in the two areas is that the gene frequencies, and phenotypic frequencies, of the two alpaca populations are going to differ because the selection pressures are different.Selection changes gene frequencies, and that limits the component genes in the population that can jiggle down to the next generations. The desirability of this is hardly debatable for disease traits (get rid of the genes, get rid of the disease), but is more subjective for other traits such as color and fleece variants.

BREEDING STRATEGIES

Breeding strategies include inbreeding and outbreeding. There are varying levels of these, and each has an appropriate place in a healthy population structure. Each does something different, and they are value neutral - being good or bad in different situations and for different goals.

Inbreeding includes any mating in which the mated animals have ancestors in common. That is, the mating “doubles up” on certain ancestors. This can happen to varying degrees. When first-degree relatives (parent to offspring, sibling to sibling) are mated, the result is generally regarded as inbreeding. When more distant matings are accomplished (grandparent to grand offspring, aunt to nephew) the matings are more likely to be considered linebreeding. There is no magic point at which the boundary between inbreeding and linebreeding is drawn.

Inbreeding tends to make animals more genetically uniform. That is, the pairs of genes are more likely to be similar than they are likely to be different. This has a variety of consequences, which can be good or bad depending on what goes into the mix. That is, good things become consistent, or bad things become consistent. Therefore, inbreeding must be accompanied by selection. Very, very good and consistent populations of animals in a variety of species have been accomplished by inbreeding to varying degrees. The key strength of an inbred or linebred animal is that since the gene pairs are generally alike, the animal produces very uniform offspring. This is one of the main strengths of a linebred animal - predictability.

A very important aspect of inbreeding is that as it proceeds and the gene pool gets narrower and narrower, traits of general fitness tend to suffer in a population. These include reproductive traits, milk production, growth rates, and size traits. Also disease resistance traits may well suffer, although this is going to vary. The point here is that inbreeding, especially if not associated with selection, has consequences that may not be all that good.

Outbreeding tends to do the opposite of inbreeding. It tends to make populations more variable by matching up unlike members in the gene pairs. Outbred animals, since they have unlike gene pairs, tend to produce variable offspring.

Outbred matings are those that do not have ancestors in common. Outbreeding or outcrossing can vary in extent, just like inbreeding. The widest outbreeding is to mate a llama to an alpaca, guanaco, or vicuña. The trick to outbreeding is that the products of the initial cross are very likely to be very uniform. If 100 babies were produced, they may actually end up looking like near copies of one another (to the extent possible in any animal related endeavor). So where is the variability? It is locked up in the fact that for each of these outbred animals the gene pairs are unlike, and so when these uniform animals are used for reproduction they in turn produce extreme variability.

Outbred animals can therefore be very, very productive animals. The initial outbred product can be uniform, and they also have excellence for those very traits that suffer under inbreeding: vitality, reproduction, and growth. The peculiar qualities of inbreeding and outbreeding are used to great advantage in some animal industries. Egg laying chickens, for example, are the result of crossing inbred parental or grandparental lines. The resulting hens are uniform as a consequence of the linebreeding behind the parents, which constrains each gene pair to be one each of specific genes. They are also vigorous since the gene pairs are unlike. And - they are useless for anyone else to breed from, since they will produce uneven offspring. This tactic protects the investment of the breeder companies; since it does not matter into whose hands the actual laying hens fall.

So which is best - inbreeding or outbreeding? Depends entirely on the breeder’s goals. Inbreeding tends to bring recessive genes to the light of day by forcing them into pairing with one another. That can be good or bad, depending on the trait and the selection imposed on it. Alternatively, outbreeding tends to hide recessive genes. Note well, though, that these genes are still in the population, and in a form against which selection cannot occur since they are not expressed. Some deleterious genes could therefore become very widespread in a population before even discovered. A good example is the combined immunodeficiency of Arabian foals. About 20% of Arabian horses carry this gene, resulting in about 4% affected foals being born. The gene was allowed to get to this high frequency by lack of selection on the part of breeders.

FIBER CHARACTERISTICS

Fiber characteristics are very important to alpacas, especially if they are to enter mainstream production agriculture. The alpaca fiber is unique, and its uniqueness is important to foster and enhance. Llamas can have fiber the equal of alpacas, though when taken as a whole, llamas in general have poorer quality fiber. That means that llama breeders interested in high-quality fiber production have their work cut out for them.

Fleece quality varies in a host of ways, many of them strongly influenced by genes. The main list of traits that are largely genetic includes growth rate, density, fineness, uniformity, handle (texture, feel), and color. Color is the easiest, but the most important traits are probably growth rate, density, uniformity, and fineness. All of these are affected by environment as well as by genes, but fortunately the genetic component is relatively large and so selection can be based on individual performance. That is, looking at the animal itself is accurate enough, and progeny testing does not add much.

SURI

The suri fleece variant is a most interesting variant, since the resultant fleece is unlike any other mammalian fiber. As a spinner I find it something like silk, and very different from other mammalian fibers. Suri inheritance is complicated. The suri variant is reported to be inherited as a dominant trait by some Australian researchers. This means that huacaya to huacaya should never (and one is reluctant to use that word) produce suris, while suri to suri could well produce a proportion of huacaya offspring.

Unfortunately this simple pattern does not tell the whole truth, since (if rarely) huacaya to huacaya matings produce suri offspring. In addition, the results of mating suri to huacaya consistently produce more huacayas than expected. These phenomena point to a genetic mechanism for inhibiting suri expression in at least some huacayas.

Given the present state of knowledge on Suri genetics, the best recommendation at this time is that most matings involving Suris should be Suri to Suri. This avoids complicating the gene pool by producing ‘hidden’ Suris within the Huacaya gene pool. It is important to realize that in some instances it makes perfect sense to use Suri x Huacaya matings. This is especially for introduction of certain fiber or color characters into the Suri, or for a handful of other helpful and appropriate reasons. Matings between the two types, though, should generally be for reasons other than simply increasing Suri numbers, since that strategy will eventually complicate things more than it will help them.

Suri llamas, in contrast, bring a host of more complicated issues with them - largely because of their rarity. For suri llamas it is unreasonable to eliminate suri x nonsuri (one hesitates to indicate “huacaya” in this sense) matings. However, the nonsuri mates should be carefully chosen in order to maximize the production of high quality suri offspring. A few strategies that can do this are to assure minimal guard hair is present. One very good strategy is to preferentially use nonsuris that have been produced by suri parents. These animals, by virtue of their genetic background, are likely to have a number of characteristics that lead to good suri phenotype when paired up with the major suri-producing genes.

DEFECTS

A variety of physical defects occur in llamas, and are important to breeders of llamas since the production of defective babies has two negative aspects. One negative is the loss or suffering of the baby. The second loss is the tarnished image of the parents producing the defective baby. Few (if any) defects have yet to be proven genetic in origin, but certainly some are very good candidates: choanal atresia, angular limb deformities.

In the event that some defects are shown to be due to simple single genes, then selection becomes pretty easy. The affected animals can be culled, and with modern genetic techniques it is reasonable to expect there to be blood or DNA tests developed to spot carriers. Carriers can then be used wisely in reproduction. If a carrier is only average, the best idea is to cull. If a carrier has some other excellent traits, then the carrier could be used on a limited basis, hoping to replace the carrier with a noncarrier offspring that is excellent. The key to the single gene traits is that on average half of the offspring will be carriers, but the other half will not. A single gene can therefore be tracked, and eliminated with careful breeding practices.

Other defects are due to polygenes. These traits include some, such as cardiac defects, where animals have no defect until the number of genes passes some threshold. Above the threshold the defect is expressed, and with increasing numbers of genes the severity of the defect is increased. The trick with these, though, is that since the defect is associated with many genes it is impossible to use breeding practice to eliminate these. Any animal with the defect, and any animal that is a first degree relative (parent, sibling) is more likely to have lots of these genes than is a random member of the population. That means that with few exceptions selection should be sure and firm against bearers of such defects as well as their first degree relatives. Again, philosophy will come into play here.

It is critically important to react to defects appropriately - worry about them when it is worthwhile, and ignore them if they are very rare. The incidence rate of defects is therefore important, and usually unknown. If a defect occurs in only one of 200 births or fewer, it is probably not worth worrying about. If 1 in 100 or 1 in 50, then it is worth worrying about. Some sort of anonymous, accurate tracking system is needed simply to track the incidence of these, so that an increase can be met with appropriate action, while rare ones can largely be ignored.

MATING OF EXTREMES (assortative mating)

The issue of defects brings up the subject of “assortative mating”. This simply means the deliberate mating of animals that are similar (positive assortative mating) or very different (negative assortative mating).

Positive assortative mating, when accomplished with conformational traits, translates into the mating of similarly extreme animals. This, in many species, can include the mating of the very large to the very large, very small to very small, or any other peculiarities of conformation (cute, short heads, on and on). In many species, dogs being the best example, this ends up giving us extreme breeds such as the dachshund, Boston terriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Saint Bernards, and a host of others that fall outside the norm for the original species. This can be bad or good, but frequently brings along associated defects. Some of this depends on exactly what goes into the original mix.

In cats, for instance, short-headedness is desired in the Persian, and these animals have very little problem (unless the extreme end has some trouble breathing). Selection for a similar head shape in the Burmese has included a single gene that results in brain abnormalities in some of the kittens. The lesson here is that extremes can cause animals to trespass over the limit of soundness. This is especially so for conformational extremes, and usually not for extremes of fiber quality.

The take-home lesson is that overall soundness and conformational quality needs to be the bottom line minimum when selecting breeding stock, and that slow progress with soundness is better than fast, extreme progress that might well leave overall soundness behind.

About the Author:

Dr. Sponenberg is Professor of Pathology and Genetics at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Genetics contributions includes publications in peer-reviewed journals and the book Equine Color Genetics. He is the convener of the color group of the International Committee on Genetic Nomenclature of Sheep and Goats. He is active in rare breed conservation, and serves as the technical coordinator for the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. dpsponen@vt.edu; (540) 231-4805.

Suri fiber is a notable exception to what is considered a truism in the textile industry. In the world of fiber producing livestock, suri is an anomaly. Generally, in either industry, the finer the fiber, the shorter the staple length. The world’s finest fibers, like vicuna and cashmere, are usually no longer than one inch in staple length on average. Thus, a fiber averaging 20 microns with six to ten times the staple length is highly unusual. Adding the other qualitative characteristics of suri fiber, including luster and an extremely silky soft handle makes suri llama fleece truly unique.

Few textile companies have had the opportunity to work with much of this rare fiber. The closest comparison to suri llama is suri alpaca, which South American and European processors and designers have often used in a luxuriously napped coat fabric. Suri llama fiber will be of equal value in such an end-use application, but it has numerous other potential end-uses as well. The bigger challenge is getting breeders to understand what textile processors are seeking, both in raw fiber and finished yarns and fabrics. The first step for suri llama producers to improve awareness of the fiber they are producing is to keep production records.Records are very important tools for future selection of cria to retain in your breeding program, but initially they will also serve as excellent tools to make you more knowledgeable about the fiber you are raising.

The qualitative characteristics of suri llama fiber, for which we can easily record objective data include: staple length, fleece weight, and fineness. Handle, another desirable trait, is best evaluated subjectively, but could easily be noted on production records if desired. Lock type can also be noted on production records, using the SLA breed standard terminology as a guide. Still other desirable characteristics, such as luster and the secondary primary follicle ratio,1 (see end of article) can be objectively measured, but tests are expensive.

“The goal is to produce dependable records so you can select the sires and dams who are consistently producing the finest, heaviest fleeces or whatever fiber quality you are selecting for.”

Fineness is best documented by sending fleece samples for laboratory analysis. You will receive a histogram back, which gives you objective measurements of several different things such as mean fiber diameter, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. The fleece sample for this analysis is taken at a consistent location.

The producer should minimally make two measurements at time of shearing for staple length and fleece weight. For measuring staple length it is recommended you take the fleece sample for measurement from the same location on every animal for consistency in your records. We use the mid-blanket. You will find it helpful to record if this is a tui fleece (virgin fleece with normally 14 to 20 months growth) or a subsequent shearing. We prefer to indicate the number of months in a regrowth fleece - 11 months, 14 months, and so on, as we can then calculate growth per month. We also indicate whether shorn by hand or electric, as hand shearing tends to leave more fleece on the animal as compared to electric shears.

Fleece weight is easily measured by weighing the fleece after shearing. My preference is to have two weights: the weight of fiber from the prime blanket area and the weight of the rest of the fiber (skirting). If a suri llama has had a show cut removing the barrel only, that should be noted. Hopefully, you kept the barrel fleece and can add that weight to your prime blanket fleece weight which also includes the shoulders and hips. The more accurate your records are, the more they can help you. If it is a muddy spring make note that all skirting weights may be higher that year due to mud, so you will not be fooled into thinking your nutrition program has given you an extra 2 lbs. of fleece per animal!

The value of records is to provide an on-farm analysis, not a farm-to-farm comparison. With the variation in nutrition, climate and management, you will see differences from year-to-year on your own farm with the same animals. The goal is to produce dependable records so you can select the sires and dams who are consistently producing the finest, heaviest fleeces or whatever fiber quality you are selecting. Remember, the heritability of all these characteristics is not equal, but good records will help you see star producers, as well as those below your herd average. In the meantime, you have the added benefit of having learned much more about the qualitative characteristics of suri llama fiber yourself!

1. The secondary primary follicle ratio refers to how many finer fibers (the secondary fiber) are growing in a measured area, versus the number of coarser fibers (the primary fiber). Commonly referred to as the S/P ratio, it is a measurement of potential interest to textile producers as it indicates the uniformity of fiber. Primary follicles in a two-coated llama are usually referred to as guard hair. This coarse, medullated fiber is undesirable in high quality textiles, carrying a “prickle factor”. Fine Merino sheep will often have a 30/1 ratio, a level not yet obtained by most camelids.

Linda Berry Walker learned to spin and weave in 1970, which began a lifelong passion for textiles and beautiful fleeces. She has bred and raised fiber-producing livestock for 30 years, with an interest in suri fleeces long before it became fashionable. She sold her international textile business in the early 90’s to devote her full attention to the pursuit of raising the finest fleeces.

by Linda Berry Walker

 

In the central European country of Peru, a plethora of flora and fauna inhabit themselves of which one of the foremost is the alpaca. They are quite similar in appearance to the llama or the South American camelid and initially they were domesticated by the Moche people who inhabited a part of the Peruvian territory. In Peru, the alpacas are usually found to graze together in herds about 3500 to 5000 meters above the sea level. In usual cases, an alpaca can live for about 20 years though it has been noticed that incase of better nutritional conditioned, the alpaca may live for several more years.

The alpaca or the Vicugna pacos are domestic animals and they are never observed grazing alone. They always move around in groups comprising of the males, females and the young ones who are known as cria. The main reason due to which they always move in hers is that these animals are easy prey to other superior animals and therefore staying in groups strengthens them considerably and in case of an attack, they are also able to notify the others in the herd. These alpacas are extremely intelligent and great observers and do not enjoy unwarranted attention from any source, be it other animals, humans or even unfamiliar alpacas. Alpacas however usually acknowledge their owners and allow them to touch the alpacas around the neck. But in most cases, they do not like being touched or patted and if done so against their wishes they may retaliate by spitting or kicking with the soft hoofs on their legs.

Spitting is a peculiar tendency found amidst the alpacas and it is even more interesting to note that different alpacas react to different situations by spitting and more often the act of spitting may act as a way of defending themselves as well. The spit usually comprises of certain amount of saliva, certain grass and other acidic contents form the stomach and air. Spitting is common at humans who may attempt to take away their food. Some alpacas are induced to spitting the moment they are looked at. However, certain alpacas may never spit at all. Spitting is actually caused due to a condition called ’sour mouth’ where the acidic contents of the stomach creates a foul taste in the mouth and spitting enables them to get rid of it. Therefore, it is quite evident that it is very difficult to demarcate broad-based behavioral patterns for the alpacas as most of them have separate individual traits different form the other.

Article by Roberts Bairds of Alpaca products.

Camelids are even-toed ungulates: hoofed mammals, distinguished by their elongated double-toed splayed feet. They are mostly large, plant-eating animals that differ from ruminants, such as cows and sheep, in several important ways: they have a three- chambered stomach (as opposed to four), a divided upper lip with each half separately mobile, a tooth in the upper part of their jaw that is isolated form the rest, and elliptical red blood cells.

There are four species of camelids in the Andes: llamas, guanacos, alpacas and vicunas. The indigenous people of Peru and the Andes have bred, developed and depended on these animals for centuries.

The two wild species of camelids are the Guanacos and vicuñas. Llamas are descended from Guanacos and Alpacas from vicuñas.

One can observe wild herds of guanacos, (Lama guanicoe,) running freely on the open plains of the Peruvian Andes. They are tall, elegant creatures with long necks and reddish brown double coated pelts. They live in small herds comprised of a male, his harem of females and their young.

The llama (Lama peruana) was developed from the guanaco by indigenous livestock breeders over the centuries. Because of the fact that they are taller and stronger than alpacas, they are valued for their abilities as pack animals. They are also distinguishable by their longer head. They are used to a lesser degree for meat and fiber. In western countries, they are kept as pets.

Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) do not carry loads; they have been developed for their fiber and their meat. Alpaca wool is highly valued for its softness, lightness and warmth. They are woolly and have a more uniform color than llamas. They also have straight ears and short tails, as opposed to the “tipped” ears and longer tails of llamas. Their fleece is washed, spun into thread, dyed and woven into garments, blankets, sweaters, hats, etc.

Smaller and more delicate than the Guanaco, the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) is the smallest camelid. Their wool is very soft and fine, and highly valued, and, in the time of the Inka, was worn only by royalty. They have recently been downgraded form endangered to vulnerable, as their population has increased form around 60,000 to 250,000 animals in recent years. This is due to the success of indigenous management programs.

All four species of camelids may be seen and enjoyed in Peru, the Land of the Inka. Visit us at http://www.inturkuoda.com

Born in the US, Laurel Thompson has lived in Peru for three years. She is a bilingual travel design specialist and has traveled throughout much of South America. She has a strong interest in eco-tourism and voluntourism and loves nature, traveling and writing.

Knitting wool is created by first shearing the wool off the animal. There are different types of wool including lambs wool, sheep wool, alpaca wool, and llama wool. Shearing means that the animal’s hair is shaved back and collected to use for clothing, towels, and other cloth items. Shearing does not hurt the animals and in very hot regions it has to be done to keep the animal from overheating. This is where using the hair from animals was first considered. Once the hair is removed it must be washed before it can be spun. Before the days of running water, people would fill porous bags with hair and put the bags into rivers or creeks to get out all of the dirt and other particles that were left behind. This process is similar today except that some people use their washing machines. The hair is washed in very hot water two or three times and then dried. Fine or dirty hairs are taken out.

Wool hairs can be purchased in most craft stores or bought from farms. The hair is not yet knitting wool. After the hair has dried, it will need to be spun. Some people use spinners which consist of a big wheel that is fed the hair. Spinning is what creates the knitting wool. Hairs are spun together to form a tight yarn. This yarn can then be used to knit. If a person cannot fit a spinning wheel into their home, smaller hand spinning wheels can be used. These are traditional spinning wheels that are two or three inches wide. Spinning the wheel that is attached to a stick and adding hair will begin to create the knitting wool. This can be a laborious process, but one that will be worth it.

After the knitting wool has been spun, people will begin to knit, which is another process by which yarn is interwoven to create clothing and other fabrics that people use everyday. Traditional knitting can take weeks or months to finish one or two items. Wool sweaters, blankets, shirts, and other clothing made from wool will last a long time because the wool is very strong material. Knitting wool is a renewable resource. Many people will combine different kinds of wool to create blends that may feel a little softer. These blends are also used to create different patterns. Dying the wool allows for more color choices.

For vital information on all things concerned with wool, fabrics, tips and techniques and visit Wool by Mayoor Patel.

Wool, Mohair, Alpaca, and Llama fiber can be washed to remove dirt and grease and spun with or without being carded. A lingerie bag works wonderfully. Shake fiber and pull apart to remove as much vegetable matter as possible, then put into lingerie or sweater bag. There are excellent wool or natural fiber detergents specifically made for this purpose. I like to keep things simple. I use Dawn dish washing detergent on really greasy fleeces, laundry detergent with a fabric softener added, or sometimes cheap shampoo. (you know the ones you can find for 88 cents to a buck). Fill washing machine with detergent and hot water, then add your bag of fiber. Do not add bag before water as this can cause felting.

Do not allow the washer to agitate! Poke the bag down into water and soak for 20 minutes. Spin, remove bag and repeat. This process usually takes at least 4 washings. Rinse using same method in the same temperature water, but add fabric softener instead of preferred detergent. Remember that different temperatures of water will also cause felting. Rinse 3-4 times. Then remove your fiber from the bag, fluff and allow to air dry. Once completely dry, fluff the fiber by gently pulling it apart and removing any remaining vegetable matter. At this point decide if you want to card it or just spin it up! I love to spin the yarn uncarded. Spinning uncarded results is a wonderfully textured, rustic looking yarn. Allow slubs to remain as they will add character to the finished yarn. This yarn looks great knitted, crocheted, or woven. It will also felt better than any I have tried in a knit/felt project.

Key points to remember when washing your fleece: To avoid felting and ruining your fleece… don’t allow the washer to agitate and use the same temperature water in the wash and rinse cycles.

Happy Spinning!

Tina Baltazar is a mom, a rancher, a wiccan, a handspinner, a weaver, felter, knitter, crocheter, and the owner and operator of Summerland Fibers. View her work at http://summerlandfibers.etsy.com or http://summerlandfibers.ecrater.com Comment on her blog at http://summerlandfibers.wordpress.com

Although it might seem strange, llamas actually make great pets. They have sweet, gentle personalities and are usually very affectionate with their owners. You can even train them to do certain things!

Llamas originated from the plains of North America. They have been around for about 40 million years! They are now found in South America because they migrated there 3 million years ago. Llamas started to be domesticated about 5,000 years ago by Andean tribes. They are actually one of the oldest domesticated animals around today! They started being kept in the United States in the 1800s.

The llama is a very strong animal. They can carry 25 to 30 percent of their own body weight for up to eight miles! They measure up to six feet tall and weigh up to 450 pounds. They also come in uncountable numbers of colors and their hair has different fiber textures.

Llamas can be really good guards for your house because they will spit at people if they frighten them. Spitting is used when they are threatened or to establish dominance at feeding time. However, if you spend a lot of time with your llamas and care for them very well, they probably will never spit.

Llamas are very smart and you can even train them to do things like carry a pack, come when you call them, or wear a bridle. They are also very hardy animals that don’t tend to get diseases. For their protection, you need to provide them with a shelter. If you live in a warm climate, a three-sided shelter will work fine, but in colder environments, they will need a barn. If it is hot where you live, then you will need to provide shade trees and a cool gravel ground.

The same plants that are poisonous to cattle, horses and sheep, are also poisonous to llamas. Be sure your pasture is okay before you let your llamas graze. You will also need to supplement their diet with grain. Some llamas don’t graze at all so if this happens feed them timothy hay or grass. Do not feed your llamas alfalfa or oats because they can cause many problems with their bones, reproduction, or digestion.

Llamas do need to be groomed. Use a very gentle brush and be extremely delicate with them or you could irritate their skin. Some people bathe the llama before brushing and use a conditioner to remove tangles. If your llama’s hair becomes matted, it might be easier to just shear them. You will also need to trim their toenails. If you don’t want to trim the toenails, you can put down rough gravel or concrete by their water. This will wear down the toenails.

Llamas are very social animals so you need to get at least two of them so they can keep each other company. They will enjoy being together and will even “talk” to each other. Males and females don’t do well being housed together though. They should only be kept together at breeding time.

As you can see, llamas have been around for a long time. Many people have kept this animal. Today it is most commonly used as a guard, a companion, a fiber producer, a show animal, or a light pack worker. They are very interesting creatures.

Article by Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Animals

Llamas are animals which live on high altitudes of the Andes. Like the Afro-Asian camel, these are pseudo-ruminants; unlike true ruminants they have only three stomachs rather than four. The llama is a domestic animal that has lived with humans since time immemorial. The coat of the llama protects it not just from the cold but also from the heat. Although it does not contain lanolin like sheep’s wool, the density of the coat protects it from the rain too.

The fibres are collected by shearing and by combing and collection during the molting season. When llamas mount they don’t lose all the hair at once, but lose it over a period of some time which may range for a couple of weeks. The hair is sorted according to shade and age of the animal. Color varies from reddish to light brown.

Llama fibre is hollow with a series of diagonal walls through its structure that makes it very light, strong and insulating. It is also superbly soft. Llama fibre is made into knitwear, textile fabrics and suiting cloth. The llama coat contains an extra-strong, protective guard hair that can be used for making blankets, rugs, wall-hangings, rope etc. The llama unlike sheep and alpacas has a coat that stops growing if not shorn usually after two or three years. If it is shorn then it will grow back. It can be shorn annually. Llama fabrics are good for people with allergic reactions to animal fibres and is in good demand during the winter season.

http://YarnsandFibers.com by Christopher Mantford - Excellent database of prospective textile buyers and sellers, you also get the latest price trends and textile news from across the globe.