Alpaca Vocabulary Terms

Agist- When an alpaca owner lets his/her animal live at someone else’s farm, this is called “boarding” or “agisting.” Alpaca Talk : Bugling – The warning sound made by alpacas when they trouble or a threat. Clucking – The sound alpaca moms make when they talk to their baby (cria). Humming – The sound alpacas make when they are talking to one another. Carding – The process of combing and cleaning alpaca fiber. Cria – A baby alpaca (either boy or girl). Dam – An alpaca mother. Drop Spinning – A process used to spin alpaca fiber into yarn. Fiber – Alpaca hair. Fleece – All the alpaca fiber from one alpaca after it is sheared. Grazing – Alpacas eating grass in the pasture. Grooming – Cleaning the alpaca with a brush. Halter – A special strap that alpaca owners put on the alpaca’s head in order to help guide the alpaca where to walk. Herd- A group of alpacas. Herd Sire – The male alpaca that is in charge of the herd. Huacaya – A breed of alpaca with fuzzy fiber that grows straight out from the body. Paddock – A small fenced in area where the alpacas live when they are not out in the pasture. Pasture – Where alpacas live and graze. Shearer – A person who cuts the hair (fleece) off the alpaca. Shearing – Cutting the hair (fleece) off the alpaca. Sire – A daddy alpaca. Spinner – A person who makes alpaca fiber into yarn. Spinning Wheel – A machine used by the spinner to make yarn. Suri – A breed of alpaca with long fiber that hangs in ringlets. Veterinarian – Animal doctor.