Alpacas get a makeover for summer

Kate Lemmon | 16th October 2009

Queensland Times

THE summer heat is rolling in, and for Ipswich's alpacas, that means it's time to get a new do.

To prepare alpacas for the stifling Queensland summer, their breeders have to shear, clip and file the furry animals into shape.

As compensation, Ipswich breeders have become part of a lucrative international market for alpaca fleece, where demand always exceeds supply.

But for Forest Hill breeder Barbara Mills, who owns 25 alpacas, her brood are loved for their companionship more than their value.

“They have so many unique characteristics,” Mrs Mills said.

“I live for my animals. Each has their own personality.

“I love seeing the result of the breeding. They are very intuitive creatures. I had one girl run up to me recently and look at me in the face and cried out a couple of times; when she turned around I saw she had a bubby stuck. So I got to help deliver it. She just stood there and let me do it.

“They really bond with you.”

Mrs Mills, who runs Pepperina Alpaca Stud, said their fleece was noted for its high thermal properties, durability and variety of natural colours.

“It can be worth up to $60 per kilo and most adults yield about four kilos each,” she said.

Alpaca shearer Dustin “Dusty” Gillies said the shearing season was something he enjoyed as a hobby.

“I drive a truck usually, but do this in my spare time during the spring,” Dusty said.

“I love it. They're a heap of fun to work with. We drench them, vaccinate them, and clip their nails - the lot in 15 minutes.”

All jokes about their quirky fringes aside, the annual shearing of the Ipswich alpacas is a matter of life and death - if they are left without a yearly prune, they overheat and die.

Mrs Mills said alpacas were rapidly becoming the most popular animal for hobby farmers.

“Farmers now use them to protect their livestock from dingoes and predators,” she said.

The Pepperina alpacas are luckier than some, such as the ones served up on dinner plates in Sydney restaurants.