Alpaca Shearing

After a pork lunch on the deck we visited the on site butcher shop. The family butcher shop in Cypress River burned down last year. While they are in the process of rebuilding they have a trailer on site to use as a temporary meat cutting location.

Back to the shearing location the three alpaca were anxiously awaiting their turn. Alpaca hair does not have lanolin oil like sheep do. This meant that Louis had to keep oiling his clippers. Also, it meant that fur was everywhere. It doesn't stay in a bundle like sheep fleece. 

The three alpacas got shorn and had their nails and teeth trimmed. Alpacas teeth grow long, rather like a beaver, as they normally eat lichen off rocks which would wear them down. So with a grass diet their teeth get overgrown. 

By the end of the day we all were sweaty, stinky and tired. It felt good to be of help to Lisa and for our efforts we each received a bag of fleece. 

The shaggy sheep dog look!!

Getting set up to shear the alpacas.

Jessica holding the first alpaca to be sheared.

The alpaca fleece is very thick.  Here you can see the outer layer is dirty, but the inner one is clean.

So clean and white the under fur is!!

The alpaca sits down making the shearing more difficult.

The alpaca suddenly decides to get up!

Don't I look cute in my new doo?
Quite the difference from the sheared alpaca to the two unsheared ones!!