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Accoyo |
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The name "Accoyo" refers to an Alpaca that has been
bred at Estancia Accoyo in Peru. In the US the name "Accoyo" refers
to alpacas imported from the estancia or to direct descendants of
these imports. An alpaca is considered to be a pure or full Accoyo
if its parents are both pure Accoyos.
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Agistment |
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An arrangement in which an alpaca owner boards the
animal at a location other than his own property.
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AOBA |
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The
Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.
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ARF |
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The Alpaca Research Foundation.
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ARI |
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The
Alpaca Registry, Inc. was created in 1988 and is the central storage
and retrieval center for all information on almost every alpaca in
the United States. The Registry records and maintains data on
pedigrees, blood typing, registry numbers, and other vital
information on registered alpacas, and makes this data available
upon request.
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Blanket |
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That
part of an alpaca's coat that extends from the nape of the neck at
the withers along the back to the tail and down the flanks to the
belly and haunches.
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Bred Female |
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A pregnant alpaca.
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Breeding |
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Induced ovulation (no estrous cycle) through physical
copulation between sire and dam.
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Character |
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The overall evaluation of a fleece or lock as based
on handle, staple length, fineness, density, luster, and softness.
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Conformation |
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The shape or contour of the alpaca, resulting from
the appropriate arrangement, or balance, of all body parts.
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Cria |
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A baby alpaca.
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Crimp |
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The even, corrugated wave formation in the staple
(lock) of Huacaya fiber.
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Dam |
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An alpaca's mother.
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Density |
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The
number of fibers in a specific area of an alpaca's body.
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Fiber |
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The
fleece of the alpaca also known as wool or fur.
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Fineness |
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The diameter in microns of individual alpaca fibers.
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Genotype |
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The entire genetic constitution of the individual
alpaca.
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Herdsire |
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A male alpaca with genetic characteristics desirable
for breeding.
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Histogram |
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(1) The most common graphical presentation of
quantitative data. The variable of interest, such as fiber diameter
measured in microns, is placed on the horizontal axis and the
frequency values, such as the percentage of fibers per micron, are
placed on the vertical axis. (2) A micron test report that includes
administrative information provided by the identification sent in
with the individual sample. The histogram on such a report depicts
the measurement of 2000 fibers in scale.
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Huacaya |
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A type of alpaca whose full coat presents a round and
wooly appearance. The Huacaya fleece is crimped and very dense.
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Live Birth |
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A portion of most alpaca purchase contracts involving
a bred female, in which the seller guarantees that the cria, when
born, will be alive and survive for a stated minimal amount of time,
usually 48 hours.
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Parturition |
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The process of giving birth; also called birthing.
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Pet Male |
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A
male alpaca whose genetic characteristics are not considered
desirable for breeding; usually gelded at 9-12 months of age.
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Phenotype |
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The entire physical, biochemical, and physiological
makeup of an individual alpaca, as determined both genetically and
environmentally.
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Shearing |
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The once-a-year harvesting of alpaca fibers usually
carried out in mid-spring in order to make the alpaca cooler through
the summer and allow the coat time to grow back before the cold of
winter returns.
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Sire |
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The alpaca's father-sometimes called "herdsire."
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Suri |
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Suri
alpacas are distinguished in the camelid family by their unique
fiber characteristics. The fiber grows parallel to the body while
hanging in long, separate, distinctive locks. Suri fiber locks,
made up of high-luster fibers, drape down the sides of the body in a
twisted or flat form of various size. The alpaca with "dreadlocks".
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Tui |
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The best fleece an alpaca will ever produce, usually
its first coat called Tui.
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Vicuna |
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A small (90 pounds) South American camelid with an
extremely fine cinnamon and white coat; some consider the vicuna to
be the direct ancestor of the alpaca.
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Weanling |
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A weaned alpaca less than one year old.
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Wool Cap |
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Wool on the alpaca's head and between its ears which
is considered a desirable aesthetic quality; also known as the
topknot.
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Yearling |
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An alpaca one to two years old.
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*Please contact
customerservice@alpacanation.com with any terms and
definitions you feel should be included in this list. We
appreciate your help in providing accurate information to the
alpaca industry. |
