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Alpaca Vocabulary Terms

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Agist- When an alpaca owner lets his/her animal live at someone else’s farm, this is called “boarding” or “agisting.”

 

Alpaca Talk :

                Bugling – The warning sound made by alpacas when they trouble or a threat.

                Clucking – The sound alpaca moms make when they talk to their baby (cria).

                Humming – The sound alpacas make when they are talking to one another.

 

Carding – The process of combing and cleaning alpaca fiber.

 

Cria – A baby alpaca (either boy or girl).

 

Dam – An alpaca mother.

 

Drop Spinning – A process used to spin alpaca fiber into yarn.

 

Fiber – Alpaca hair.

 

Fleece – All the alpaca fiber from one alpaca after it is sheared.

 

Grazing – Alpacas eating grass in the pasture.

 

Grooming – Cleaning the alpaca with a brush.

 

Halter – A special strap that alpaca owners put on the alpaca’s head in order to help guide the alpaca where to walk.

 

Herd- A group of alpacas.

 

Herd Sire – The male alpaca that is in charge of the herd.

 

Huacaya – A breed of alpaca with fuzzy fiber that grows straight out from the body.

 

Paddock – A small fenced in area where the alpacas live when they are not out in the pasture.

 

Pasture – Where alpacas live and graze.

 

Shearer – A person who cuts the hair (fleece) off the alpaca.

 

Shearing – Cutting the hair (fleece) off the alpaca.

 

Sire – A daddy alpaca.

 

Spinner – A person who makes alpaca fiber into yarn.

 

Spinning Wheel – A machine used by the spinner to make yarn.

 

Suri – A breed of alpaca with long fiber that hangs in ringlets.

 

Veterinarian – Animal doctor.

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