- Alpacas were a rarity in the U.S. just 30 years ago, but a fleecing of the tax code has dramatically increased the population. A market for the furry animals’ fleece never took off, but a write-off for the cost of furbearing animals being used to shear tax bills created a demand for the alpacas. Since most of the federal tax benefits are taken in the year of purchase, however, the alpacas are often abandoned when they can no longer be used as tax shelters. more »
- Alpaca fibers have some distinct properties such as softness and warmth, which have not been fully understood in combination with the fiber internal structures. In the present investigation, the internal structures of alpaca fibers have been closely examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM), especially in the longitudinal direction. The results showed that numerous pigment granules reside loosely inside pockets in brown and dark-brown alpaca fibers. These pigment granules were mainly distributed inside the cortical cells, the medullation regions as well as underneath the cuticles. Their size in the brown alpaca fibers was smaller and more uniformly round than in the dark-brown fibers. These granules in colored alpaca fibers loosen the bundle of cortical cells, providing many crannies in the fibers which may contribute to the superior flexibility, warmth and softness of the fibers. Moreover, there are no heavy metal elements found in the granules. The mordant hydrogen peroxide bleaching employed could eliminate the pigment granules and create many nano-volumes for further dyeing of fibers into more attractive colors. more »
- Using a social-anthropological approach, through first-hand experiences living in the field and speaking with the subjects of this study, this paper investigates how the global economic market of alpaca wool has had effect on the traditional cultural practices of alpaca herders in the high Andean communities of Pucará, Peru. The results reveal a loss of traditional Andean herder’s practices and beliefs in the face of modernization, the inequality and exploitation within the wool market, and the influence of western economic ideologies. To preserve cultural practices and enhance the conditions of an alpaca herder, I suggest educating the communities on more efficient modes of production and integrating them into programs and associations. This would better the livelihood of alpaca herders by leading to better health and living conditions, more efficient production that can keep up with the high demand of alpaca wool, and the possibility of reintroducing traditional costume for future generations. more »
- Alpacas were introduced into the U.S. from South America in 1984, and the domestic alpaca herd has grown rapidly in the succeeding 20 years. The benefits of raising alpacas are touted routinely on national television, and alpaca breeding stock in the U.S. sells routinely for prices in the range of $25,000 per head, many timeshigher than prices obtainable in Peru, where the world’s largest alpaca herd resides. We study the evolution of the U.S. alpaca industry and ask whether today’s current prices for alpaca stock can be justified by fundamental economic conditions governing the industry, or whether alpacas represent the latest speculative bubble in American agriculture. more »
- Adorable, docile and soft, alpacas are prized as pets and cattle around the world. There are no wild alpacas. Alpacas are domesticated versions of vicuñas, South American ruminants that live high in the Andes. Alpacas are related to llamas, which are domesticated versions of another wild Andean ruminant, the guanaco. While llamas are used as pack animals, alpacas are raised mainly for their soft wool. more »