Assessing Alpacas

Recently I was asked how early we can assess the quality of an alpaca. I’ve been asked this question before and I usually reply that we generally wait until after the cria’s first “real” shearing (not the shearing that happens a few weeks after birth) and see how the fiber grows back. We don’t assume crias with fine fiber will mature into adults – or even yearlings – with fine fiber. We like to wait and see it happen.

In addition, the eventual character of the cria’s fleece is often not evident at birth. Some of what turned out to be the most beautiful, crimpy fleeces appeared to belong to suris and not huacayas at birth!

But I came across this photo the other day and it reminded that, on occasion, an alpaca’s quality is in your face from day one. This photo is of our multi-champion male, Snowshoe Aristides, as a cria. Aristides was one of the special ones. Those crias whose fleece is drop dead gorgeous from the start. And it stayed that way.

This September we’re still waiting for the last cria of the season to be born. The dam, Snowshoe Aria, is a daughter of Aristides, so we’re eager to see what she produces!