Yesterday we sheared the alpacas. I do not like the process of knocking them down so we can shear them on the ground. It looks mean! I don’t like doing anything to the ones that scream either. Fortunately, only one screams.
This year I helped to keep the alpacas from rolling over by holding their hips down. I also kept the neck and leg fiber from mixing together. When the person who is shearing finished shearing the legs, I pulled the fiber away. The leg fiber then gets thrown away. When the guy holding the alpaca told me to, I also pulled the rope so the alpacas do not stand up or kick anyone.
During the shearing some one takes the fiber and labels it with the alpacas name and whether it is 1st (the fiber from there back) or 2nd (everywhere else except legs). Afterwards, the fiber is stored until it can be sold.
We shear in the spring so the alpacas won’t freeze in the winter and they won’t roast in the summer. I feel sad when it is over because I prefer fuzzy alpacas to skinny alpacas 🙂
