Shearing:

Alpacas require shearing annually – usually between October and December.

Fleeces should be skirted and sorted and then sent to AAFL for processing.

Shed Preparation: Ensure shed is clear of all possible contaminants

(straw, hay band, string and any foreign objects)

-     Have fleece bags & labels organized and easily accessible

-   Organise staff jobs, brooms and animals.

Animal Preparation: If bad weather, have animals shedded overnight to ensure dry fleeces

Animals can not be shorn wet.  Fleeces cannot be bagged wet.

-         Flick off excess vegetable matter and dust.

-         Sort animals into age & colour groups

-          Shear animals starting from youngest to oldest in colours light to dark.

Shed hands & brief job descriptions:

Shearer: Shears animals – some shearers will also vaccinate & do nails and teeth.

Handlers:                      Keep animals up to Shearer & drop and tie animals to floor.

Rouseabout:                 Pre-skirt fleece on the floor as it is shorn.  Sort pieces & rubbish into bags.

Sorter:                         Skirt fleeces on table before bagging & weighing.

                                   Weigh all fleeces & pieces and collect data.

Medic:                         Ensures all animals are vaccinated and nails trimmed before release

                                   (If Shearer does not do it)