Ideal Alpaca Library

The Ideal Alpaca Library is one of the most complete resources you'll find on the internet. We hope you enjoy this collection.

The articles on this site are the copyrighted work of Mike Safley, unless specifically stated.

You are welcome to download articles for your personal use or to pass them on to a friend as long as you use either our PDF format or the HTML format.  If you would like to use any of the material by Mike Safley as content for your web site, please refer to our Terms of Use and Reprint Policies.

Opportunities & Challenges in the Genetic Evaluation of Fiber Characteristics In U.S. Alpaca

The advent of Alpaca EPDs in the U.S. provides exciting opportunities to enhance rates of genetic improvement in fleece and fiber characteristics.  The release of the first U.S. Huacaya alpaca EPDs for fleece weight and fiber diameter by the Ideal Alpaca Community in 2008 and the subsequent release of additional EPDs for fleece uniformity, staple length, percent medullated fibers, and curvature in 2009 provided an initial genetic characterization of over 5,000 Huacaya alpaca.  Results include EPDs for a wide range of animals, including imported foundation animals, heavily used “Studmaster” sires, breeding females, and young stock.  Extension of these evaluations to Suri alpaca is planned for late 2009.

Read more