Agistment: The word used to describe boarding in the alpaca industry
Alpaca Canada (AC): The national organization which represents the interests and evolving needs of Alpaca Canada members and promotes the development of a viable, sustainable and integrated Canadian alpaca industry. www.alpacainfo.ca
Alpaca Ontario (AO): The provincial alpaca organization for Ontario. They host education events and shows. www.alpacaontario.ca
Cria: A baby alpaca
Crimp: The amount of wave the fibre has. On a good quality alpaca, the crimp should be consistent from base to tip.
Fibre: The term used to describe the “fur” that alpacas grow. The term wool is not used for alpaca.
Fleece: Another term to describe the fibre that the alpacas grow.
Luster: How shiny the fleece is. The shinier it is, the more valuable.
Micron (µ): A unit of measure used to measure the diameter of the fibres. The smaller the number is, the finer the fleece. The majority of alpaca fiber is 16µ - 30µ.
Natural Fibre Testing Center/Old College: A fibre testing centre in Alberta, Canada. The tests which are done here measure the fibres along the whole length of the sample, not just the base. This test shows the average fiber diameter (AFD) through the entire growth period of that sample.
Yokom-McColl: A fibre testing center in the US. The tests done here (called butt cut testing) measure the fibres at the base of the skin. This shows the median fibre diameter (MFD) at the time the sample was taken.