Section 14 – Alpaca and Goat Identification and Fibre

Alpaca Identification

Identification

The recorded alpaca identity must be the animal's official identity in the member country and must be unique to that animal.

Where the identity of an individual animal is not unique, the record must so state (e.g. flock identities for goats/sheep). The identity number used for a flock or herd must be unique for that flock or herd.

The alpaca' s identity must be visible.

The alpaca' s identity should be unique and never be re-used.

The alpaca' s identification device/ method, must comply with legislative requirements.

Alpacas, which lose their identity device must be re-identified and, wherever possible, with their original number, provided that there is evidence that the alpaca is being correctly identified (where this is not possible, a cross reference to the original number must be maintained).

Method of Identification

1. The alpacas identity number may be attached to the alpaca by a tag, tattoo, sketch, photo, brand or electronic device.
2. Alpacas moving from one member country to another should, wherever possible, continue to be identified using their original identity number and name.
3. In the case of imported alpacas, where the number has to be changed, the official records should also show the original number and name. The original number and name must be reported in Export Certificates, AI Catalogues and in catalogues of important shows and sales.
4. Where an alpaca is identified using an implanted 'electronic device, the alpaca must be marked in a way which indicates the presence of an "electronic identification" device.

Member Role

1. The member organisation must maintain a record of the approved identification methods used in the member country.
2. The member organisation must determine, within the constraints of the member country legislation, the identification methods to be used on recorded alpacas and herds or flocks.

Identification Standard

1. The alpaca identity number will be a maximum of 12 digits (including check digits where used) and the three digit numeric code representing the name of the country in accordance with ISO 3166 shall be added to identify the country of origin. Three digit numeric ISO codes must be used for data transfer and storage. In printed documents the ISO alpha country code should be used.
2. For electronic identification standards see Appendices in this publication.

Cashmere Goat Identification

General identification rules

1. The recorded cashmere goat identity must be the animal's official identity in the member country and must be unique to that animal.
2. Where the identity of an individual animal is not unique, the record must so state. The identity number used for a flock or herd must be unique for that flock or herd.
3. The cashmere goat's identity must be visible.
4. The cashmere goat's identity should be unique and never be re-used.
5. The cashmere goat's identification device/method must comply with legislative requirements.
6. Cashmere goats that lose their identity device must be re-identified and, wherever possible, with their original number, provided that there is evidence that the cashmere goat is being correctly identified (where this is not possible, a cross reference to the original number must be maintained).

Methods of identification

The cashmere goat's identity number may be attached to the animal by a tag, tattoo, sketch, photo, brand or electronic device.

1. Cashmere goats moving from one member country to another should continue to be identified using their original identity number and name wherever possible.
2. In the case of imported cashmere goats, where the number has to be changed, the official records should also show the original number and name. The original number and name must be reported in export certificates, AI catalogs and in catalogs of important shows and sales.
3. Where a cashmere goat is identified using an implanted electronic device, the animal must be marked in a way that indicates the presence of an electronic identification device.

Record of identification methods

1. The member organisation must maintain a record of the approved identification methods used in the member country.
2. The member organisation must determine, within the constraints of the member country legislation, the identification methods to be used on recorded cashmere goats and herds or flocks.

Standard for cashmere identities

1. The cashmere goat's identity number will be a maximum of 12 digits (including check digits, where used) and the three-digit numeric code representing the name of the country, in accordance with ISO 3166, shall be added to identify the country of origin. Three-digit numeric ISO codes must be used for data transfer and storage. In printed documents, the ISO alpha country code should be used.
2. For electronic identification standards, see Appendices in this publication.

Alpaca Fibre

Harvesting

According to the auto certification methodology yet applied in other advanced fibre animal breeding systems, alpaca fleece collection critical points have been identified in shearing fleece management, fibre harvesting and classification where with easy procedures, a suitable product for the next processing step can be obtained. Through the present procedure, the possible defects that may be found in the end product can be easily individuated and corrected localizing the error of management in the previous step of the alpaca fibre processing chain. (Or because it is possible to locate exactly where the defect has been done).

The principal critical point of the present action are organized in 6 distinct steps:

1. Alpaca clip preparation standard
2. Structural needs.
3. Preparation of the proper shearing.
4. Proper shearing.
5. Grading and classing.
6. Packaging and transport.

The characteristics that done good alpaca fibre products qualities for the textile industry, strictly joint to the shearing management, fleece harvesting and fibre grading and classification, are:

1. The finesse (expressed in fibre average diameter -mm).
2. The finesse homogeneity (expressed in average diameter Coefficient of Variation - C.V. %).
3. The length (expressed in millimeters - mm).
4. The length homogeneity (expressed in hauteur Coefficient of Variation - CVH).
5. The presence of medullated fibre (expressed in percentage %).
6. The presence of impurities (expressed in greasy yields and percentage of vegetable matter presence - %).
7. The colour.

For the fleece harvesting the follow structures and equipment are utilized:

1. Rest area before the shearing.
2. Shearing area.
3. Clip in the strict sense of the word.
4. Grading areas.
5. Proper grading equipment.
6. Packaging and baling area.

The final goal of a correct management of the different steps of the fibre/fleece shearing, harvesting and grading are:

1. The manufacturers can benefit of raw material easily and with confidence.
2. Maximizing the financial return (profit).

Harvesting Guidelines

Guidelines are the behaviors required during the shearing period and the organization of the different structure within the different working areas.

Step 1: Alpaca clip preparation

Before the alpaca enter in the clip areas the follow cautions have to be taken into account:

1. Keep the alpaca in rest paddock near to the clip area.
2. Keep the alpaca dry.
3. Divide the alpaca in different groups according to the color, age and sex, in order to shear first the white alpaca, more young and with the finesses fibers. This is the way to obtain the more homogeneous lots for color and quality (finesse).

The choice of the shearing period is the one of the more difficult period in the alpaca fibre production life. The shearing seasonal period will have chose according to follow different aspects:

1. Environmental conditions - the alpaca clip in cold and windy period will oblige the alpaca management and feeding inside with dry and concentrate food for 10 days at least.
2. Reproduction activities - the alpaca clip after the delivery or during the breeding season increase the fleece stain and reduce fleece and fibre yield.
3. Pasture vegetative phase - alpaca will have to be clipped before the pasture will produce the seeds, because they are the main reasons of the fleece contamination and depreciation. The vegetable matter, especially seeds, is impossible to remove during the different steps of textile process.

Step 2: Structural needs

The pens

In order to reduce the extraneous materials in the fleece, all the farm pens where the alpaca live have to be free by:

1. Bales, ropes, twines and strings for the hay packaging.
2. Wastes.
3. Equipments useless as old beams or old machineries.
4. Wires, barbed wires, old sandpapers, screws, nails, bolts and chains.
5. Cigarettes end.

The presence of these materials produces no end of troubles for the textile industry, since a strong economic devaluation of the end products and sometime the breaking of the textile processing machineries.

The clip shed area

A shed should be utilized only for the alpaca clip. In the present structure all the shearing activities will be carried out and the area will have to be divided physically in three distinct areas:

1. Alpaca handling area. Where the alpaca rest before to be bring in the clip area. Present sector have to be totally separate from the other two areas. It is necessary: to prevent draught and rain, to cover the floor with elevated wooden floorboard and to provide suitable ventilation.
2. Clip area. Where the alpaca undergo the shearing. Also the clip area has to be completely divided by the other two areas and to be covered by wooden floorboard. Every time the different alpaca shearing group, divided for finesse and color changes a carefully cleaning have to be done. Finally all the device necessary to immobilize the alpaca have to be done of no contaminant materials (i.e. cotton), in order to avoid especially synthetics fibers contamination.
3. Fleece Grading Area. Where the single whole fleece are separated and graded in different finesse categories. An appropriate artificial or natural light have to be foreseen in the fleece grading areas; the grading table has to be single separated wood board made in order to favor the impurities falling-out. For each fibre categories have to be available clean or new sacks.

Inside the shed area the follow main hygienic rules have to be observed:

1. Before the shearing , removing all the rubbishes and washing carefully the shed area when is empty.
2. Providing at the shearing staff all the equipments to clean the shoes (scrapers, tanks with cleansing and / or disinfectant liquid).
3. No smoking inside the clip area.
4. No eat food.
5. Forbidden all the alpaca paws grooming and especially the cutting nails.

Step 3: Clip preparation

Before to begin the real alpaca clip, all the hygienic rules above described have to be respected. All the alpaca must to go without food for at least 4 hours and they will present at the shearing according to pre - determinate categories (age, sex, color etc.)

Finally the bags, where the shearing and grading fleeces will be collected, will have to be checked inside in order to avoid the presence of rubbish and contaminant materials.

Step 4: Clip in the strict sense of the word

The alpaca clip method will have to perform according to the uses and methods of the local available shearers. Whatever will be the methods, the shearers will have:

1. To be careful to separate before the less valuable fleeces fractions (feet and belly parts).
2. To obtain the fleece intact as much as possible, in order to make easier the next fleece grading.
3. To avoid absolutely the double cut during the shearing, the consequence is a great average length variation of the fleece fibre that produces a heavy depreciation of the products.

After shearing, alpaca shepherd have to be careful to avoid the direct exposure of the animal at sunbeams or at currents of air in order to prevent sunburn and catching cold.

Step 5: Grading and classification

The principal grading aim is to offer fibre product in such way as the textile factories, before to start the process, have not to make further selection and cleaning procedure. The results are the elimination of adding costs and a better quality of the end product.

The main cares to carry out in the present step are:

1. The fleeces have not to be rested in the floor
2. As sheared, the fleeces have to be put soon in the grading tables,
3. Grading table has to be cleaned after the grading of each fleece.

The fleeces obtained are classified for:

1. Finesse
2. Colour
3. Length
4. Presence of medullated fibre or kemp
5. For the dirty fibers are foreseen special category- (Stained).

Each fibre category has to be identified by suitable codes which have to be affixed on packaging.

Table 1. Alpaca fibre classification proposal
Finesse Category
Under 20 microns	< 20 mm	(SP)
Between 20 and 25 microns	>20 mm and < 25 mm	(F)
Between 25 and 30 microns	>25 mm and < 30 mm	(M)
Over 30 microns	>30 mm	(S)
Stained		(STD)
Color
White	W
Light brown	FN
Brown	B
Dark brown	DB
Black	BLk
Light and dark gray	G
Pink gray	RG
Spotting brown	MTB
Spotting black	MTBLK
Length
> 85 mm < 160 mm	A.A.A.
> 40 mm < 85 mm	A.A.
< 40 mm	A.
> 160 mm	O.G.

Medullation

Very heavy medullated fibre should be separated from the finesse category and included in the category (S).

Step 6: Raw material packaging and labelling

There are different packaging methods. In any case any methods will be utilize, the bags have not to be stained and their self have not to be reason of contamination (i.e. plastic bags).

Generally strong envelops are preferred, where the fleeces can be well pressed and easy to store.

In any case each bag must to have an individual label in which is described two kind of information, one referred to the farms:

1. Animal code number.
2. Farm name.
3. Farm address.
4. Telephone number.

and another one referred at the fibre:

1. Finesse category (code)
2. Color (code)
3. Length (code)
4. Shearing year
5. The fibers average diameter when laboratory analyses have been carried out