Shearing

Alpacas are generally shorn annually in springtime when the weather is warm. Most alpacas are shorn by lying them down on the shearing board and restraining them in a rope harness, or prone on the ground. This may look unusual but ensures that the animal is kept as still as possible, to be shorn with the minimum of fuss and without undue stress. Females are usually shorn between birthing and mating or between 6 and 45 weeks of gestation, thus avoiding the periods when the foetus is most vulnerable.