Grade 6 speech by Colin Ziraldo
Alpacas
My family and I are alpaca farmers. You may ask, what exactly is an Alpaca? Many people confuse alpacas with
their cousins the llama. Both animals originate in South America and are members of the camel family. The
other members of this family are the wild Vicuna and Guanaco of South America, the Dromedary (one hump)
camel of Africa and the Bactrian (two hump) camel of Asia. Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains in the
South American countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. Alpacas are smaller than llamas. They stand 5
feet at the head and weigh 100 - 180 pounds. They have long necks, skinny legs, two - toed padded feet, large
round eyes and wool covered bodies. They are modified ruminants, meaning that they have 3 stomachs and
chew their cud. Spitting is a way for alpacas to communicate with each other. They use regurgitated stomach
contents for ammunition. People rarely get spit at unless they accidentally get in the line of fire between two
alpacas.
Archeologists have been able to date the first domestication of alpacas and llamas to around 6000 years ago.
Llamas were raised to be pack animals whereas alpacas were raised to produce fibre that could be made into
fine cloth. The Inca Empire measured social status and wealth in cloth. Cloth was used as a form of currency. The
luxurious fibre of the vicuna was reserved for Inca nobility. Inca subjects caught with vicuña fibre would be put
to death. Commoners wore cloth woven from llama or guanaco. Alpaca cloth was used by high ranking officials
and nobility.
Alpacas come in the widest assortment of colours of any fibre bearing animal. There are 22 shades of black,
brown, grey, caramel, red, fawn and white. Alpaca fibre is known for its softness, warmth and strength.
Even though we are far away from the Andes Mountains, our alpacas thrive on our farm. They tolerate our
winters well with their big fluffy coats. They eat grass, hay, and grain. We raise them for their fibre, breeding
stock and the pure pleasure of their company.
In early spring we shear them to make them more comfortable for the long, hot summer. We sort their fibre and
take it to a mill where it is cleaned, carded and turned into yarn. This year we have skeins of yarn in brown,
caramel and white. We sell it to knitters and make our own scarves, socks, hats, sweaters, and mitts.
Another activity we enjoy with our alpacas is entering them in competitions. They are judged on their fleece
quality and the way their bodies are put together. We have started to halter train two 8 month old alpacas
babies, called crias, for a show in April. I plan on leading one into the show ring. That will be exciting!
Alpacas are fascinating livestock and pets. Their soft, warm fibre has been valued for thousands of years
by the people of the Andes Mountains. Now alpacas live in countries all over the world, so many people can
enjoy these animals and their luxurious fibre. I really enjoy owning animals that are gentle, useful and unique.
To me the only thing better than an alpaca are more alpacas!
