Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Shearing Day - 2011

We sheared our alpacas last weekend.


My camera was there.  However it was quite lonely on the table and did not get any shots of the herd or the shearing process.

It was a cool day and has been overcast and rainy ever since.  The alpacas have been a bit chilly, but are doing well.


I have been practicing giving our alpacas a Stove Pipe Leg.  I think it looks nice and I was able to give it to one of our girls last year.  This year her leg fiber was felted.  So I decided to shear the remaining legs close so that the fiber can be usable next year.


I wonder if anyone else has had this issue or has a preference on the Stove Pipe Legs?

2 comments:

oak haven alpacas said...

ahh they always look so neat and trim after shearing :)

We've changed our preference for shearing and now take more off the legs than we have in years past. As new breeders we loved the woolly look. But as the practical part of farming has taken hold, that fiber gets matted or full of burrs (our biggest issue this past year). We take more off the legs and top knots than we have in years past. But it all comes down to personal preference and what works for you :)

Cara

Kathryn Ray said...

Thanks Cara.

When we lived in NM, we always sheared the legs close due to the burrs. I like both looks, but I prefer to be able to use the fiber.