First Time Shearer

[zoo pacas]

I will be involved in my first shearing in May and I want everything to go as smoothly as possibly.

We are bringing in a local farmer to shear, but we will be providing all the equipment. We will be shearing with electric shearers, on the ground using the stretching out method. All three alpacas were shorn last year.


1. One alpaca has a matte on the top of his head, and one on his legs (which weren't shorn last year). What is typically done with matted areas? Completely clip them off? Leave them...then what?

2. Suggestions on what to use (kinds of rope? etc?) to tie up the legs.

3. What parts are we shearing exactly? Last year the legs were left and top of the head and that was about it. I've read about the body shear. What's tradition? What's necessary?

4. What else do i need to know?!?!

Stacey T.
National Zoo
Washington DC

[Marty McGee Bennett]

Normally your shearer would bring all of this along with some expertise about how to shear alpacas. I would be very nervous doing this with someone who wasn't experienced enough to have his own gear and who knew how to use it. I would REALLY try to find someone who shears alpacas on a regular basis to do this. It is something that can go very wrong very quickly. I urge you to find someone else.
As far as the top knots. I like to use Fiskar scissors to shear top knots and any thing matted must be cut off and you must cut behind NOT through the mats. Normally one shears the whole body including the legs unless the animals are being shown or are for sale and you are more concerned with looks instead of practicality. It is possible to cut animals quite badly even with electric shears if you don't know what you are doing. I just can't imagine having someone who didn't have his own gear show up and shear my animals.

[zoo pacas]

Just for clarification: The man who will be shearing is the alpaca farmer who gave us the alpacas - he has about a hundred of his own. The reason we have to have our own equipment is a red-tape issue because the zoo is a Smithsonian/Government institution. I'm sure this man knows what's going on, but I am new to alpacas and am trying to learn learn learn. It's great to get multiple replies and lots of feedback from the posts on the forum!

[Marty McGee Bennett]

whew! That makes me feel better. Very strange government policy as it is much better for the animals to be shorn and restrained using the gear that the man would bring himself since he would know how to use it and you will only use it once a year. Very odd.
If you haven't done a seach on the word shearing... there is quite a bit already on the forum and I have just posted a downloadable article called Stressless shearing in the guild library under RESOURCES: Herd Maintenance

[gogolfarm]

The ropes are specially make and run about $600 to $700 for the set. I would suggest having a pad or mat so both the paca and the people shearing are more comfortable. Also you will need two ancor points to attach the ropes to.
I do not like the method of leaving fleece on the head and legs. Looks sloppy and do not feel that the animal is going to feel entirely better. How would you like to have a face mask and leggens all summer. Yes it does take a couple more minuets to finish the job.
Tom

[Marty McGee Bennett]

I agree 100 percent and I would consider doing a dry run with a human playing the part of an alpaca so you can make sure that you know where to stand how to block unwanted escape routes that sort of thing. We do this every year at our shearing clinic and it is very instructional for all us two leggeds!