It's spring, time to shear the alpacas

Spring is here, it's time for our alpacas to go to the hairdresser for the annual clipping.

It's finally spring ! you may not know it but spring is a very important season for La Maison de l’Alpaga. Indeed, even if our clothes and accessories are mainly worn in winter in cold weather, the story of their creation begins in spring.

From April to May, our little alpacas have to get rid of their pretty, soft fleece. It's time to harvest the wool. Spring is the season when alpacas go to the hairdresser. After spending a warm winter under their fur, it's time to set them free so they don't suffer from the summer heat. Unlike some animals, the alpaca does not molt, so it is essential to clip it to prevent it from suffering from the heat or from being handicapped by its fleece.

Photo taken during one of our trips to Peru. The alpacas of our breeders in semi-freedom.

Mowing is not dangerous for the alpaca, on the contrary. This action lasts about fifteen minutes and allows you to remove between 10 to 12 cm of hair with each pass of the mower. This action is carried out by professionals who take care not to frighten the animal so that the shearing goes as well as possible for the animal and for the breeder so that neither is injured. This task cannot therefore be entrusted to just anyone when one is attached to the well-being of the animal and the quality of the wool it provides. This experience (normally) only takes place once a year. It makes it possible to harvest the wool according to its quality. The best is on the back of the animal then on the neck and then all the other parts of the alpaca's body. On average, shearing an alpaca is equivalent to 2.5 kg of wool.

Photo taken during one of our trips to Peru. The alpacas of our breeders in semi-freedom.

Although shearing is mandatory, it is still a source of stress for alpacas, which is why it must be done calmly and gently so that the animals are relaxed and confident with the breeder.There are a lot of misconceptions about alpaca shearing and animal suffering, and rightly so. This is why La Maison de l’Alpaga is committed to animal welfare. Indeed we work with small local breeders in Peru who take care of the alpacas. They therefore live in their natural habitat in semi-freedom. The practices are therefore not the same as the large farms that mass breed alpacas in a small enclosure.

Animal welfare is our priority, the quality of the wool results above all from the quality of life of the alpaca. The better his living comfort, the better the quality of his wool.

Here is a video that may change your mind about alpaca shearing: Alpaca shearing