Alpaca Shearing is an annual event for alpaca owners. Like sheep, alpacas need to be shorn for their health. Unlike sheep, the alpaca's "wool" is a valuable commodity. Paying for shearing can get spendy, so we decided to learn to do it ourselves.
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Alpaca shearing was pretty much a black art when we began, with hardly any information on the subject available. It took a lot of work to gather what information is in these pages. Some came from hands on instruction, but most through experience. It is our belief that this information, first compiled in 1999, comprises the most comprehensive set of instructions on alpaca shearing that is currently available.
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To shear an alpaca, you must first understand the tools, in this case
power shears, combs and cutters. This will help to ensure the safety of your alpacas and
yourself.
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Alpaca Shearing begins with the assembly of the hand-piece. For proper operation and to
enhance the life of the equipment, and to ensure the safety of both the
alpaca and the shearer, the comb and cutters must be properly aligned
and tensioned.
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Alpaca Shearing injuries are often as much a matter of a lack of knowledge of the
equipment as faulty technique. Shearing equipment is a marvel of
design. Let the tools do the work.
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Alpaca shearing mishaps were inevitable, since Susan and I we were both inept and clueless about shearing
when we first began. We had purchased seriously under-powered clippers
and had seriously underestimated the number of ways an alpaca could
find to be uncooperative. The two paragraphs of instructions in the
“Clip Care” manual from the Alpaca Fiber Cooperative did not adequately prepare us for what we
were about to undertake.
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Alpaca Shearing is very different than shearing sheep Sheep
are dumb, something that cannot be said about alpacas. Sheep are docile
and submissive. The main secret with a sheep is that if the shearer
keeps their feet off of the floor, they won't try to get up. After that
it is all about positioning and being comfortable with the equipment. I
approached the task with a new level of self confidence. |
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Alpacas that spend a full year running around in a pasture full of foxtails,
black-berry vines and thistles will have a fleece that no amount of
grooming or skirting will make usable. The best alpaca fleece comes
from the cleanest pastures.
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Alpaca shearers have developed a number of techniques. Four approaches to alpaca
shearing are illustrated here. Control of the alpaca is essential
while shearing, providing efficiency and safety for the animal and the
shearer.
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Alpaca shearing is most efficient when the shearer uses a consistent approach to getting the fleece off of the alpaca. With practice the pattern of blows comes automatically.
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Shear Sharpening Services for combs and cutters. Fast turnaround for low prices. Gateway Farm Alpacas now offers do-it-yourself shearers the opportunity to keep their combs and cutters conveniently sharpened.
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Alpaca Farming 