- Alpaca ownership in New Zealand has been developing in recent years. However, very little academic research has been conducted in this area, particularly from alpaca owners' points of view. This exploratory study attempts to close some of the knowledge gaps in this area. more »
- The alpaca is one of the four South American species of the family Camelidae. Its placenta, like that of other camelids, is diffuse and epitheliochorial in type. The chorionic epithelium is thrown into unbranched villi or folds which are closely apposed to corresponding undulations of the uterine epithelium, and the fetal-maternal interface consists of an intricate interdigitation of fetal and maternal microvilli. In late gestation both chorionic and uterine epithelia are deeply indented by placental capillaries, so that the minimum intercapillary distance across the diffusion pathway may be as little as 2 μm. This distance appears to be less than that found in the epitheliochorial placenta of any other species of domestic ungulate in late gestation: it may be one of several adaptations to pregnancy at high altitude. Delivery of the fetal membranes occurs some 45 minutes after the birth of the fetus. The placenta is non-deciduate. more »
- The alpaca fiber weight-loss was carried using the method of H_2O_2 oxidation pretreating combined with Wolsen acid protease processing. The strength and surface friction property was researched after weight-loss slenderizing, and the relationship between the processing condition of Wolsen acid protease and weight-loss, scale frictional coefficient, and frictional effect were analyzed. At last, the linear fit and regression equation between strength retention and weight-loss of alpaca were educed. more »
- Sixteen intact male alpaca consisting of four age groups (AG1, 16 ± 4.4 months, 44.3 ± 9.2 kg; AG2, 25 ± 1.8 months, 51.7 ± 2.3 kg; AG3, 35 ± 1.1 months, 64.7 ± 15.6 kg; and AG4, 60 ± 12.0 months, 67.0 ± 8.2 kg) were housed in metabolism crates (20 °C with 12:12 h on:off light cycle). Three forages, straw (ST), grass hay (GH) and alfalfa (ALF) were fed to each alpaca in random order. The forages were fed at 12 h intervals with water provided ad libitum. Treatment periods were 14 days, with blood samples collected over a 24 h period on day 14 to determine temporal patterns of plasma metabolite and electrolytes. Dry matter intake was lower (P more »
- The bending evaluation of the softness of single fiber is important information for both the basic investigation of fiber bending properties and the textile softness. A single fiber axial compression bending measurement is presented. The resistance to bending behavior of wool and alpaca fibers has been compared by a column buckling method. It shows that alpaca fibers have a much higher resistance to bending namely higher bending stiffness than wool and the softer feeling of alpaca fibers mainly due to the lower surface frictional resistance namely easy to slip between fibers. more »