We breed alpacas which have very fine primary fibres and high levels of fibre density and length.
Low primary fibre diameter
Very fine primary fibres ensure that the animals are free of guard hair. And because the wool follicles that produce very fine primary fibres require small numbers of pre-papilla cells to be involved in their construction during foetal development, more pre-papilla cells remain to be used in the formation of greater numbers of secondary wool follicles, thereby increasing the follicle and fibre density of the alpaca.
High fibre density
High fibre density brings to the Huacaya fleece an assembly of thin, not thick, staples with high crimp amplitude. The thin staples in the high density alpaca below are only about 3 mm wide and are approaching the 'fibre bundle' stage. In a low density alpaca, the staples can be very thick, as much as 40 mm wide.
This adult Huacaya alpaca female at 2 years of age tested 60 follicles per square millimetre for fibre density (c/w industry average of 35) and 0.40 millimetres per day for fibre length (c/w industry average of 0.30). The mean diameter of the primary fibres was 28 microns (c/w with industry average of 35 microns). The secondary fibres had a mean diameter of 22 microns.
The fibre bundle is the basic unit of fleece structure. It corresponds to the cluster of fibres produced from each follicle group in the animal's skin. Similarly, the follicle group is the basic unit of follicle arrangement in the skin.
For a Huacaya alpaca which has exceptionally high fibre density (and length), fibre bundles will be abundantly visible throughout the fleece and these fibre bundles will be closely packed together and very long.
It is the same phenomenon in Merino sheep, which like the Huacaya alpaca, produces wool fibres that crimp. The Merino fleece below consists entirely of fibre bundles, each about 1.5 millimetres wide (the same width as each follicle group in the skin). This fleece is from an adult Merino ewe which produced 8 kilograms of 16.0 micron wool for 12 months wool growth. Its fibre density is 120 follicles per square millimetre and its fibre length, 0.50 millimetres per day.
The fleece from an SRS® Merino ewe. Note that the fleece consists entirely of fibre bundles. Staples (locks) have disappeared.
High density also brings to the Suri alpaca fleece an assembly of many staples that are consistently thin from base to tip (see photo below). On close inspection, fibre bundles can be seen emerging from the skin, only to twist together into thin staples. The thin staples need to be fast growing and gently coiling to allow easy fibre separation.
An advanced Suri alpaca with visually high levels of fibre density and length. Now 14 months of age, these traits will be measured when the animal is 2 years of age.
In both Huacayas and Suris, high density produces fibres that are highly aligned, fine in diameter, evenly sized and evenly shaped with smooth surfaces (low cuticle scale height). These features give the fleece its exceptional softness and with the high fibre alignment, its exceptional lustre.
Electron micrograph of a wool fibre showing a cylindrically shaped and fine fibre with long and flat cuticular scales.
High fibre length
High fibre length throughout the alpaca's life is critically important to achieve genetically. It is a key SRS® breeding objective.
There is an urgent need to correct the current industry situation worldwide where it is commonplace for alpacas to lose fibre length with age. Tests at our laboratory on alpaca herdsires sampled globally testify to this fact.
| Age (years) |
Fibre length (millimetres per day) |
Crimping time (days) |
Number of Huacaya alpacas tested |
| 1 to 2 | 0.39 | 13.1 | 76 |
| 2 to 3 | 0.38 | 14.7 | 57 |
| 3 to 4 | 0.33 | 17.0 | 36 |
| 4 to 6 | 0.30 | 19.3 | 43 |
| Older | 0.28 | 27.8 | 35 |
The present situation is that fibre length decreases rapidly with age (also in Suris) and crimping time increases with age. This is typical of the condition known as 'dogginess'. It is accompanied by a decrease in crimp frequency with ageing.
To overcome this problem, it is probably necessary to select for reduced crimping time whilst maximising fibre length. This is likely to give rise to alpacas which are efficient feed converters with well-organised blood networks to the wool follicles (the latter feature accompanies selection for high follicle density).
Currently the minimum SRS® requirement for fibre length of an adult Huacaya alpaca between 2 to 4 years of age is 0.35 millimetres per day with many SRS® selected animals now exceeding 0.40 millimetres per day. The industry norm is closer to 0.30 millimetres per day.
Fibre length is greatest in fleeces which not only have long fleeces but also have high crimp amplitude and low crimp frequency.
If a semi circle is the maximum expression of a crimp wave, the fibres will be, on average, about 50% longer than the fleece. This high crimp amplitude is linked to high fibre elasticity and excellent drape in finished products. However, Huacayas, on average, have fibres that are only 11% longer than the fleece. The fibres are lazy and could be bred for much better elasticity and drape.
Diagram of a single wool fibre. The vertical arrows indicate crimp amplitude. The horizontal arrows indicate crimp frequency.
Processing performance and end product quality
Worsted processing trials conducted from 1997-2002, by Itochu Wool Limited (then, the largest buyer of Australian wool) showed that SRS® Merino wool processes exceptionally well during topmaking, spinning, and weaving. In all, 16 trials were carried out in Italy, Japan, Thailand, India, and Australia, covering Merino wools ranging from 17.3 to 20.7 microns. In each trial, SRS® wool was compared with traditionally bred wool of high quality.
The topmaking advantages of SRS® wool in these trials are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1 - Topmaking advantages of SRS® wool
| Italy | Japan | Thailand | Australia | |
| Number of trials | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Fibre diameter (microns) | 17.3 - 17.9 | 18.7 - 20.7 | 18.7 | 18.2 - 18.7 |
| Extra Hauteur | 11% | 4% - 9% | 14% | 9% |
| Short fibre advantage | 12% - 25% | 21% - 35% | 25% | 58% |
| Noil advantage | 7% - 13% | 0% - 25% | 22% | 39% |
In these trials, SRS® wools produced consistently longer Hauteur, less short fibre, and less noil (waste). Longer Hauteur with less short fibre content allows for: considerably more length of yarn to be produced per kilogram of top; higher spinning speeds to be used; the yarn to be spun into lighter weight yarns than is normally attempted; and for a high level of yarn evenness to be maintained. Yarn breakages during spinning were reduced by 20% to 30%.
These results are in agreement with the findings of other textile researchers. For wools of the same fibre diameter, those with deep and bold crimp, as exemplified in SRS® wool, make tops 8mm to 16mm longer Hauteur, with approximately half the noil and card waste of wools of finer and less defined crimp. (Stevens and Crowe, 1994). Longer Hauteur tops spin more efficiently and produce yarns that are more even and break less often (Yang, 1993; Lamb and Yang, 1996).
SRS® yarn was assessed as being soft and silky, with very good natural strength and elasticity which again allow high processing speeds to be used during the weaving stage.
The SRS® fabrics were described as feeling more like cashmere than a traditional wool fabric with excellent draping qualities, a natural ability to stretch, less creasing, and a deep rich appearance after dyeing, particularly with pastel colours.
A Japanese knitwear manufacturer, reported (June 2008) that the garment quality of 10% cashmere and 90% 18.0 micron SRS® Merino wool is the same as 100% cashmere of 16.0 microns.
References
Lamb, P.R. and Yang, S. (1996)
Choosing the right top for spinning. In TOPTECH 96.
Papers presented at Geelong, Australia, 11-14 November 1996.
CSIRO Division of Wool Technology and International Wool Secretariat. Pp. 258-276Stevens, D. and Crowe, D.W. (1994)
Style and processing effects. In WOOLSPEC 94.
Specification of Australian wool and its implications for marketing and processing.
Papers presented at the seminar held by CSIRO Division of Wool Technology and International Wool Secretariat. Sydney, 23-24 November 1994. Pp. E1-E12Yang, S. (1993)
The effect of the fibre length distribution on yarn evenness and tensile properties.
Restricted Investigation Report, CSIRO Division of Wool Technology, Ryde
LATEST NEWS UPDATES
30/08/10 - SRS® Conference in Western Australia - thanks Carolyn & Peter
On 21 and 22 August, 51 of us gathered at Carolyn and Peter Richard’s Suncloud Farm in Merredin WA for a series of talks, discussions, and demonstrations centered on the theme of working together to breed, consolidate, and deliver superior alpaca fibre to high end, luxury markets. The write-up in the Weekly Livestock (Western Australian version of the Land newspaper) was titled 'Positive focus on Australian alpaca industry'. The article was very supportive of the work undertaken by SRS®, Breeding Advisers and working parties to push the industry forward into the fibre and textile market.
The facilities at Suncloud are magnificent, and Peter and Carolyn (a powerhouse pair) and their enthusiastic team warmly welcomed us all and ensured that we were warm, dry, instructed, entertained, and very well fed over 2 days; giving us not only a superb 4 course conference dinner in the Igloo on Saturday night, but a 3 course breakfast at 8am the following morning! All our Western Australian subscribers attended – well done - and were joined by subscribers from New South Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand.
We are indebted to Carolyn and Peter and their team for the superb facilities we enjoyed at Suncloud, and for their great organisational skill in ensuring all who attended had such a wonderful and exciting 2 days. Thank you again.
12/07/10 - Sunshine Coast Alpacas on Show
This excellent event, organised by Australian Alpaca Association Ltd., Queensland Region, was held on 3 and 4 July 2010. Approximately 160 alpacas were entered. Judging was expertly done by Nerida Aldred. SRSAI breeding advisor, Jim Watts, presented a workshop on the Sunday which was well attended and received keen interest from alpaca breeders.
24/05/10 - Latest Newsletter
In Subscribers Resources- Updates for Subscribers is the latest newsletter. One from Dr Jim Watts detailing the genetic improvement in alpacas in the last 4 years as well as important changes to the fibre standards form 1 July 2010. The second is a report from Julienne Gelber and the Fibre Working Party.
22/05/10 - Alpaca workshop on 3 October 2010
SRSAI will hold an alpaca breeding and fleece preparation workshop at Pat Bova's property at Penrose, NSW, on Sunday 3 October 2010. The workshop will be an opportunity to highlight the WA conference proceedings of 19-20 August and to invite subscribers to bring along their top alpacas and fleeces for display and inspection.
BULLETIN BOARD
New Subscibers Welcome
For more details click on
subscriber benefitscurrent subscribers listing
subscription application
