The Boards of NEAOBA, EAA & PAOBA recently met with various members and experts to discuss and decide on what they think shoudl be the National Alpaca Breeder's Standards. Below is a recap of the results from Scott Young, Vice President of Empire Alpaca Association.

Happy Holidays Everyone,

Well, I couldn’t procrastinate any longer, I sat down tonight and compiled the trait ranking and all of the final write-ups and am sending it to you so everyone can see what the other groups accomplished.  It was a very interesting day, I don’t think anyone can deny that.  I want to thank all of you that filled out the exit surveys.  I have met with the next few Type Conferences and made some suggestions, number 1 being schedule more time, we easily could have gone another ½ day to have the groups make presentations to all the attendees about what their group had done.  Also of course more time would have allowed for more discussion.  Another theme that came out of the surveys was to have an opponent of Breed Standards on the panel.  If anyone has a suggestion of a livestock industry expert that you would like me to pass onto the future Conference Coordinators just let me know and I will pass it on.  Also folks would have liked to have a Commercial Fiber Professional on the panel, so I have made that suggestion as well, in fact I believe MOPACA has already added someone. Lastly, we have decided that in the trait ranking it would have been much easier for the groups if a number scale was used instead of the 3 letters.

Please read the write-ups carefully they are very, very good.  It is obvious that much intelligent discussion was used to create them.  In the trait ranking below I have listed the body part and the letter that represents what each group used to rank it.   There were 3 head groups, 3 huacaya fleece groups, 2 suri fleece groups, 3 alpaca type groups and 6 frame groups and you should see that represented below.  If you scroll down slightly farther you will come to the write-ups as well.  Please don’t be confused by 2 frame write-ups, since there were 6 frame groups we ended up with 2 frame consensuses.  

On behalf of Kevin, Helen and all of our Boards I want to really thank you guys for attending, participating and to the panel for all of your time as well.  Enjoy the reading and of course if you have any comments feel free to contact any of us.  The results are below.

Trait Ranking

This list represents how groups ranked each trait.  On the left is the trait and on the right is how each group ranked the trait. 

As a group the attendees ranked the following traits

A - Not Important
B- Important
C- Very Important

Head

Head Shape  C, B, B
Ear Set / Shape C, B, B
Eye Set B, B, C
Eye Color
            Dark Brown/Black  B, A, B
            Blue & Brown A
            Do Not Mention C, C
Bite C, C, C
Muzzle/Nose B, C, B

Frame

Balanced Profile C, B, B, C, C, C
Neck B, B, B, B, B, B
Top Line C, B, B, B, A, B
Body Capacity C, B, C, C, A, B
Front Legs B, B, C, C, B, C
Back Legs B, B, C, C, B, C
Size A, B, B, C, A, B
Reproductive Soundness C, C, C, C, C, C

Huacaya Fleece

Coverage
            Head B, C, A
            Legs B, B, A
Neck C, C, B
Blanket C, C, C
Belly & Legs B, B
Uniformity
            Micron C, C, C
            Blanket C, C, B
            Color C, C, B
Density C, C, C
Fineness C, C, C
Brightness B, B, B
Crimp B, B, B
Staple C, C, B

Suri Fleece

Luster C, C
Coverage
            Head B, B
            Legs B, B
Neck C, C
Blanket C, C
Belly & Legs B, B
Fleece Length C, C
Lock C, C
Density C, C
Uniformity
            Lock C, C
            Micron C, C
            Color B, B
Fineness C, C

Group Positions

Write-up Describing Alpaca Type

The alpaca is a single-coated fiber producing member of the camelid family, with an alert, inquisitive nature. The alpaca exhibits a wide range of natural colors, from white to black, and a multitude of color patterns.  The alpaca’s look begins with the head. The ears are shaped like an arrowhead and are erect.  The muzzle is soft and wedge shaped.  Head and neck make up about 1/3 of the height.  Neck is straight and near upright.  Back is straight or slightly convex, ending in a broad rump sloping slightly downward to a low-set and straight tail.  In profile the alpaca is squared off on four strong legs that are well-covered with fiber to the toes. The animal is graceful and proud in appearance with an upright stance and moves with fluidity

Huacaya and suris are distinguished primarily by fiber characteristics.  Huacaya fleece stands perpendicular to the skin, with groups of fibers bunching together into staples or locks.  The staples have crinkle or crimp along their entire length.  Suri fleece is straight and hangs close to the body, with a distinct part along the topline.  Fibers are also grouped into locks resembling tassels.  The wool cap on both types is dense, but maintain the same character as the blanket (upright in huacaya and draping the brow of suris).

Suri have longer ears and straighter toplines than huacaya, these differences are accentuated by the different character of the fleece.

Write-up Describing the Alpaca Head

Head Shape
The head should be proportional, symmetrical of medium length and triangular.  Specifically, the Suri profile may be flatter (ski sloped) where Huacaya profiles will be slightly concave between the eyes (“jiba”).

Ear Shape / Set
Set squarely on the head, allowing for maximum mobility. Erect and spear shaped, pointing forward in the alert stance.

Eye Set
The eyes are oval in shape, alert and set well apart. They protrude slightly from their sockets to facilitate peripheral vision, giving the appearance of being large and round.

Eye Color
Should not be mentioned. It is not necessary to include as an important feature and if you choose to eliminate a specific color it may also remove specific desirable genetic traits.

Bite
Very Important to the well being of the animal. The lower incisors should meet the upper palate; the gum-line will sit behind the tip of the dental pad and the cheek teeth should be aligned evenly.

Muzzle / Nose
The muzzle should be of moderate length and not too short, symmetrically set, so that the jaws fit together well and should be proportional to the animal. It is square and may be slightly tapered.

The nose has two well defined nostrils. The upper lip is divided and mobile.

Write-up Describing the Alpaca Frame (Yellow Group)

Balanced Profile
The alpaca should have legs, neck, and body in proper proportion to ensure good fluid movement, health and longevity.

Neck
The neck should be of sufficient length to allow grazing. The neck should be 2/3rds the length of the back and equal to the length of legs. Neck is long and slender and continues directly from the line of the backbone, blending smoothly down from the head into the shoulder.

Scapula to Pin Bone (Top Line)
The topline is straight, strong, and slightly convex  to ensure health and longevity. The height of the pin bone is equal to the height of the shoulders with good space between the pin bones.

Body Capacity
The alpaca should have good body capacity allowing for lung expansion and cria development. The chest is broad and deep. The body is deep through the girth with well sprung ribs. The loins are broad, strong and flat with the back barrel large and deep.

Front Legs
Front legs are strong and straight with 2 toes pointing forward and with sloping pasterns allowing proper tracking and easy gait. The front legs should be straight with the joints aligned to a perpendicular plumb from the shoulder.

Back Legs
Hind legs are strong and relatively straight with generally forward facing toes, two per foot. Correct angulation facilitates an even stride length and width with two distinct tracks. The hind legs are straight and parallel when viewed from behind and aligned to a perpendicular plumb from the hip.

Size
Size is important as it affects a female’s ability to carry crias successfully and male’s ability to mount and breed females. A mature animal measures from approximately 34” at the wither and weighs approximately 140lbs and up.

Reproductive Soundness
The alpaca has the appropriate external reproductive organs. 

Females should be able to breed, conceive readily, carry successfully to term, and be able to mother and nurse. The female external genitalia shall be vertical and normal in appearance and size, with four functioning teats. 

Males should be able to breed and impregnate.  They should have two equally sized, well-formed testes of proper consistency.
There should be no evidence of hermaphrodism in either gender. 

While there are variations on individual components within the scope of conformation, it is the totality of the package that determines the overall soundness of the alpaca. Conformation and soundness should never be compromised or ignored for the benefit of fiber or aesthetics.

Write-up Describing the Alpaca Frame  (Blue Group)

Balance Profile 
The ideal Huacaya & Suri alpaca has a squared off appearance with four strong legs. It is a  graceful, well-proportioned animal with the neck being approximately 2/3 of the length of the back and the legs matching the length of the neck.

 Neck
The neck is long and slender and continues directly from the line of the backbone blending smoothly into the shoulder.

Scapula to Pin Bone (Top Line)
The back is straight to slightly rounded.  The rump should be broad and slightly sloping downward to a straight, low set tail.

Body Capacity
The body is deep through the girth, with well-sprung ribs. The loins are  broad, strong and flat with the back barrel large and deep.

Legs
The fore legs are strong and straight. The hind legs are straight and parallel when viewed from behind.  The pasterns are firm and upright.  The feet are neat and well-formed and bear 2 forward pointing toes each carrying a strong toenail.  The sole of the foot is covered with a callused membrane.

Reproductive Soundness (External Genitalia)
Female - The vaginal opening should be well covered by the tail, should not be too small and should be situated in a vertical rather than a horizontal plane.

Male -    The scrotum is well attached, relatively small and carries two even sized testes.

Write-up describing Suri Fleece

The ranking of the suri fiber fleece was a great exercise for us, but after reading the Suri Network News statement on The Suri Fiber, we want to endorse this statement as written.

The Ideal Suri style fleece will e comprised of straight fibers (without crimping) which exhibit a high degree of luster, provide a cool slick handle, and exhibit uniform, independent, well-defined locks throughout the head, neck, body, and leg coverage. Uniformity of luster, lock, staple length, fineness and density is important. Suri lock styles exist along a continuum from tightly twisted to straight. Current nomenclature recognizes five distinct styles along this continuum: (1) tight twisted 9pencil), (2) pearled, (3) curled, (4) flat twisted, and (5) straight. All fiber evaluation should consider age and environmental aspects.

The group ranked the fleece traits as follows:

1. luster
2. lock type
3. fineness
4. density
5. uniformity
6. handle
7. coverage

Write-up describing Huacaya Fleece

• Head
  • Undecided need more information purely based on fleece, but with concern to health (wool blind animals)
• Legs
  • It is important, but not the most.
• Neck
  • Is important as it relates to continuation of blanket
• Blanket
  • Is one of the most important to the industry.
• Belly/Legs
  • It is important as it relates to continuation of blanket.
• Uniformity
  • Breeding for total lack of mediation is very important. It should be every breeders goal. It is the ultimate indicator of uniformity of micron.
  • Uniformity of staple length is important to the end-user.
  • Important for solids
• Density
  • It is very important to production, and industry ultimately.
  • Density should not however be the only important measurement.  Goes hand and in hand with fineness.
• Fineness
  • Every breeder’s goal should be fineness in conjunction with density so this is very important.
• Brightness
  • Brightness is an indicator of a healthy animal.  It is important to the end-user.
• Crimp
  • Not a lot of agreement within the industry, and we need more information ultimately.

This is not representative of agreement on breed standard, however since the objective was to rank these items in a breed standard, this is our majority agreed ranking.