Shearing Alpacas

Shearing Alpacas is usually a chore reseverd for spring. Alpacas are shorn to prepare them for the heat of the summer in addition to harvesting their beautiful fleece.

Your Alpaca will produce anywhere from 2 to 12 pounds of fleece per shearing. Some Alpacas are shorn every other year and as a result will report up to 15 pounds from one shearing.

Alpaca fleece is sold by the ounce. In a raw or rough stage a fleece can sell from 2 dollars up to 8 dollars per ounce depending on its quality and cleanliness. Fiber Coops will generally pay less for fiber than public or private sales.

Some herd owners prefer to hire outside help for shearing each year. Availability of someone for shearing Alpacas on your farm will depend on where you live. In North Central Montana a good shearer is hard to find. We have learned to shear our own animals.

It is important to gather help before you start. We find that it takes a minimum of 3 people to shear. We prefer at least 5 on hand but that is not always possible.

A Shearing Table is very useful. We have shorn our Alpacas on the garage floor for years. Winter of 2009 we designed and affordable Shearing Table Kit that is easy to assemble and use. It will make your shearing experience easy for you and your Alpaca.

Shears

The comb attaches to the handle by a couple of screws which allow adjustment. The purpose of the comb is to enter and seperate the fiber on the animal. It also provides a surface on which the cutters cut.

The number of teeth on a comb affects the closeness of the cut. More teeth mean a closer cut. For Alpacas you will want a 9 to 13 tooth comb. Combs cost between $15.00 and $35.00 and will shear 3 to 4 Alpacas before they become dull.

We use sheep combs. This type of comb has teeth that are flayed away from each other and have a concave profile. These combs gather the fleece as they move and are thus more efficient. They save having to overlap passes during shearing.

Cutters have 4 points that attach to the hand piece by way of four fingers that press firmly against the comb. Cutters are the first to dull. You will want 3 or 4 cutters per comb. Dull cutters are dangerous. It is best to change cutters after every Alpaca you shear.

It is important to ensure that the comb and cutters are properly aligned and tensioned before you begin. You do not want the cutter to travel past the outside edge of the comb or fail to reach the inner edge of the outside tooth. The tip of the cutter should ride just back of the beginning of the ground portion of the comb.

The blades must be thoroughly oiled. Do not be afraid to use too much oil. We use a 30 weight oil in addition to a cooling lubricant. You will find that you need to stop and lubricate your shears several times while shearing Alpacas.

Be sure to run your shears at least 30 to 45 seconds before begining to cut. This sets the comb and cutter to each other. When dirt and hair gets between the blades it will melt and turn into a kind of varnish that slows blade action. Take time to clean the blades as much as you need during the shearing.

Shearing

The best thing you can do for clean fleece is to keep your pastures or paddocks clean. This is hard to do when feeding hay. We use a commercial "beating wand" to clean the majority of the fiber.

If you do not have a shearing table you will need two good pieces of soft rope. You can lay your Alpaca down on the cement, a tarp or gymn mat. Lay the animal on its side and have 1 person hold the head the entire time you are shearing.

Tie the front legs to a secure object and then the back legs. Gently pull the legs away from each other gently stretching the animal. Secure him/her tightly. One person will be your designated shearer and the other is there to assist him/her.

As we got older we realized the need for a shearing table. We are not able to be on our knees much at all any more. We hunted for plans for a shearing table but came up empty handed. So, we designed and built and easy to assemble Shearing Table Kit that is also affordable. Check it out, you will not be sorry!

Begin your shear by noting land marks on your Alpaca. We make the first cut up from the belly in front of the hind legs and angling up towards the base of the tail. The second cut is made from behind the front legs and up towards the base of the neck. This clearly marks the blanket area.

The next cuts begin at the belly and go either from the hind legs to the front legs or front legs to hind legs. You should have 2 bags set up to collect fleece. One is strictly for the blanket and the other is for secondary fiber. Place belly hair and your first 2 cuts in the secondary bag.

Continue horizontal passes up the side of the body. As 1 person shears the 2nd person pulls the fresh cut fiber out of the way. This can be rolled back to keep the blanket as intact as possible. If the shears are held at a proper angle the shearer will not need to apply much downward pressure.

The shearer needs to be aware of areas of loose skin as teeth can easily drive through a fold of skin in these areas. Use a free hand to pull the skin taut when needed.

After the blanket is cut you can proceed to do the legs and neck on that side of your Alpaca. There is no specific order to follow. Your comfort and choice at this point will come with time and experience. Don't forget to do the tail.

The toughest part of shearing Alpacas is around and in between the front legs. Use your shear assistant to help hold and manuever here. It is also difficult around the tail area so be sure to take your time.

Shearing Alpacas can be dangerous. If you do cut your animal it is important to have a product called "blood-stop" available. This can be purchased at any farm store. Putting the powder on the cut will slow the bleeding and help to prevent infection. Few cuts will need to be stitched.

We tend to trim around the face and top knot with hand scissors. The person holding the head during the shearing can be doing this at the same time.

Gently roll the Alpaca over to the other side while keeping the head close to the ground. Begin the same process on this side as you did on the other. You may choose to roll the blanket fleece under the Alpaca as you roll him/her over to keep the blanket in one piece. This is necessary if you plan to sell your fiber to a Coop.

Before we let our Alpacas up we take the time to trim their toenails. This is also when we give them their yearly immunization. After the Alpaca stands we give him/her a liquid wormer by mouth.

Shearing Alpacas is an excellent time to inspect the skin and conformation of your animal. We also take a little time to do any trimming of fleece we may have missed during the shearing process.

Be patient and take your time when you first begin shearing Alpacas yourself. We joked that it looked like a lawn mower was used the first few years we cut our own animals. Shearing is a skill that only comes with time and experience.

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