Alpaca Breeders Working Together To Build New Markets

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The young alpaca industry is pulling together through a provincial network and a national co-operative to find markets for their unique fibre product.

Alpacas are a domesticated version of a species that arose in the South American highlands, in the camelid family. They might be called "small llamas," in that they superficially look like a llama, but are much smaller. Unlike llamas, which are used as beasts of burden in their home countries, alpacas are raised only for their fibre.

"Alpacas were a hidden secret of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile for thousands of years," says Lynn Hilderman, who operates Country Vista Alpacas with her husband Don on a farm near Duval. "The first herds in North America and Australia only date back to the late 1980s."

Like sheep, alpacas are raised to be sheared, and their soft fibre is used for weaving various fabrics. Alpaca fibre grows in over 50 natural colours and many grades of softness and toughness.

"We shear them once a year, in April," says Lynn Hilderman. "It can be done anywhere from April to June. Then the new growth is enough to protect them from the summer sun, and there's lots of time to grow their heavier coats for winter."

The Hildermans are running some 36 head of their own, and caring for another 50 stock that will be sold on consignment for other producers. They have been in the alpaca business for 11 years.

"They are easy to raise," says Hilderman. "The animals are gentle, inquisitive, friendly, and intelligent. They don't eat much and don't require that much attention. They live up to 25 years and reproduce pretty much through their whole life cycle."

For producers, the challenge to make the industry viable is building markets. To that end, they have formed the Saskatchewan Alpaca Breeders Network (http://www.sabn.net/), which represents a majority of the 50 active breeders in Saskatchewan.

"You can enter at many levels, from just keeping a couple of fibre-producing males, to a group of mixed females, to top quality bred females," says Hilderman.

The SABN exists to share expertise and success stories and to promote alpaca fibre here at home and elsewhere. Members recently organized displays and sales at the Sask In Demand trade show held in Saskatoon, and their annual alpaca show was held in Nokomis.

Now alpaca breeders from across Canada are coming together in the Canadian Camelid Fibre Co-op (http://www.cancamco-op.com/) to market their product.

"The co-op was formed to provide quality assurance and uniform classes of fibre," says Lynn Hilderman. "This created certified classes of fibre so that you have consistency of colour and grade when it goes to the mill. As a result of the availability of large lots of uniform fibre, our products are now much softer and more durable."

Alpaca fibre is woven into a long list of products, from sweaters and scarves to insoles for winter boots. Hilderman says the industry continues to evolve, and the current players are looking for new entrants.

"We need more members supporting the co-op with more fibre," she says. "Canada is not a fibre-producing nation on the order of Australia or England, where their experience allows them to adapt to the market very quickly. We are still doing trial and error, although we have begun to produce some really beautiful Canadian-made alpaca products."

Hilderman welcomes inquiries from fellow producers, those interested in joining the industry, and anyone who would like to know more about alpaca fibre products.

For more information, contact:
Lynn Hilderman, co-owner
Country Vista Alpacas
Phone: 725-4337
E-mail: lynn@cvalpacas.sk.ca
Website: http://www.cvalpacas.sk.ca/