Alpacas require
to be shorn (removal of their dense coats) once a year rather as is
the situation with sheep. Normally - subject to weather conditions
and your location - this would be carried out in the late spring.
An important factor to always consider
is any element of stress, which might be experienced by the animal,
balanced by the importance of the removal of the coat, which allows
them to be kept in a more comfortable state during the hot summer
months. To this end special attention should be paid to both the
"shearing facilities" and the equipment used.
In order to conduct the "harvest" of the
fibre, which is a valuable product and much in demand, certain specific
equipment will be needed.
For the removal of the fibre the normal
machine used is a "sheep-shearing machine". This is a "motor in
the hand-piece" clipper, equipped with a clipper "head" designed
to accommodate sheep blades, which are known as "cutters and combs".
(See Fig. 1)
Clippers, which are fitted with horse/cattle
"heads", (See Fig. 2) are not suitable for the purposes of
shearing Alpacas. The reason for this is that the head takes the
wrong type of blades. The blades for a horse/cattle machine are
designed only to cut "single strand" animal hairs. As such they
contain too many teeth and will not penetrate the dense fibre of
the Alpaca.
Certain heavy-duty horse/cattle clipper
can be fitted with a shearing head - purchased as optional extra.
However it is not possible to fit a shearing head on those machines,
which fall into the "light-duty" category.
As the fibre from the Alpaca is a valuable
product, one should use a specialist blade, called a "Camelid" comb.
(See Fig. 3) This is a blade comb, which has been specifically
designed for use on Alpacas. The specific design of the spread and
length of the comb blade teeth allow for the easy penetration of
the dense fibres.
The Camelid comb blade is constructed with
13 twin-bevelled teeth. Each alternate tooth has a raised "spine"
or "nib". This "spine" causes the blade to be raised off the body
surface thereby allowing approximately an additional 1mm or so of
extra depth before cutting thus resulting in more coat cover being
left on the animal. (See Fig. 4)
Normal sheep "cutter" blades (See Fig.
5) are used in association with the Camelid comb blades to produce
a high quality clip. The same comb blades can be used on Lamas,
Vicunas and Camels.
Those who want to leave a greater depth
of coat (as in the case of an older animal or inclement weather
conditions) should consider the use of the "comb lifter." This is
an ingenuous, yet simple devise, which is fitted under the blade
comb screws of the clipper, beneath the comb blade, will very effectively
leave an additional depth of cut of approximately 3/8th inch. (See
Fig. 6)
When considering the selection of a shearing
machine, whilst performance in important, comfort in use, is a key
factor, after all the task in hand is not likely to be a matter
of just a few minutes! So the more comfortable the machine the better
it will handle and the faster the job will be achieved. There are
a number of "shearing" machines, most of which are unfortunately
fairly bulky and not particularly comfortable to use for a prolonged
period.
The Premier "Dominance" Shearing machine
however is the exception to the rule and one, which has the benefit
of being both slim to hold and compact in length as well as lightweight.
In addition to its powerful motor, it is cool running and of fairly
low noise level, this makes it a perfect choice for both male and
female end-users.
The Premier "Dominance" range contains
two shearing models the 3000s and the 4000s. (See Fig. 7)
Both look and are identical, except that the 4000s model has a 15%
additional motor power achieved by way of tighter winding of the
armature wire. However this results in a small increase in the noise
level as a result. The 3000s machine can adequately cope with large
stud sizes; the 4000s model is a slightly more demanding machine
and as such is considered more suitable for the professional user
with large numbers or a shearing contractor.
Both models can be converted into horse/cattle
clipping machines by fitting the appropriate horse/cattle head.
Regular oiling is an important feature
with any make or model of shearing machine. One needs to be mindful
that two metal objects are tightly clamped together and passing
across the surface of each other at speeds well in excess of two
thousand strokes per minute.
Lubrication is there essential and at regular
intervals. Make sure you are using the correct type of oil (see
your handbook,) that you have plenty of oil available, and that
you direct a few drips on the blades and in various oiling points
frequently! A decent sized oil can with a long spout is a valuable
accessory!
When fitting the comb and cutter to your
shearing machine it is most important to make sure that both blades
are correctly "aligned". If this simple but never-the-less important
fact has been overlooked then you are likely to experience difficulty
in shearing the fibre. In fact you may well find it extremely difficult
to even make a start!
The procedure for assembling the cutter
and comb is as follows: -
Naturally before embarking on blade fitting
disconnect the machine from any main electrical power supply!
Before you do anything with the blades,
first loosen the tension nut, on the shearing machine head to reduce
any existing tension. The first blade to be attached to the shearing
machine head is the cutter blade. This is the smaller of the two
blades and usually it has four teeth. On most modern shearing machine
the cutter is "seated" on two "cones" protruding up from the pressure
yoke. (These look like two forked prongs) (See your manufacturers
manual for blade fitting instructions.)
Once securely seated you should take the
other blade - known as the comb - this is the larger blade with
considerably more teeth) and slide it - so that the two slot cut
into back of the comb blade - slip under the two large head screws
situated on the clipper head base. (These you will have slackened
off first!)
Once both blades are in place lightly tighten
the two large nuts, enough to hold the comb blade in place. Next
rotate the machine until it is the right way up and then gently
move the lower comb blade forward until the upper cutter blade tips
are "riding" the crown of the bevel of the comb (See fig. 8)
by the required amount as described in you appliance manual. (Usually
1.5 - 2.0mm) This is the important bit, which will determine
the success or failure of your shearing activity! Get it incorrect
(See fig. 9) and the machine will not clip as it is intended
to!
If you turn the machine over and look at
the underside you will observe there is quite a gap between the
comb blade and the back plate of the clipper head. This is correct.
(See fig. 10) If it looks as in fig.11 it is in correct and
the four cutter teeth will be protruding well over the comb teeth
tips!
Incidentally always check that both the
right and left hand side teeth of the cutter blades to do not over
shoot the sides of the comb blade. If either does you need to check
the alignment and correct accordingly. Failure to do so may well
result in "nicking" the skin of the animal. In essence it is all
very simple - may require a bit of practice - but if over looked
- you are doomed!
One last factor, which often catches the
"novice" out, is if you forget to take up the slack with the tension
nut, when you switch the machine on, blades fly in every direction!
As a common sense factor always point the machine away from yourself,
other people close by, and not least of all, the animal/s before
switching on the power!
LASTLY REMEMBER! Shearing cutters
and combs - just like horse or cattle blades - go blunt without
warning. Alpacas have coats, which are hard to groom let alone get
totally clean; therefore the potential for meeting up with dust
and grit is considerable. Abrasive matter of this nature very soon
takes the edge off the blades!
If you intend shearing your entire stud
the same day, make sure you have enough blades. Ensure you are not
brought to an abrupt halt due to running out of sharp blades! If
you have say: 10 Alpacas - a good ratios might be: 1 comb/3cutters.
20-30 Alpacas: 2 combs/ 5 cutters. 50/100 Alpacas: 5 combs/12-15
cutters. 100-250 Alpacas: 10combs/25-30 cutters. Conditions vary
from farm to farm and weather wise, you may only use a proportion
of the suggested number, but one thing for sure it is a lot easier
to have enough blades as opposed to rounding all your "woollies"
up again and starting were you left off!
One valuable tip! After the shearing
is completed if you place all your blades in a pan of boiling water
with a drop of "fairy liquid" they will clean and be rid of any
grease which may have accumulated! Remove after the water has cooled,
wipe dry and clean. Store blades in a dry place, suitably oiled
and wrapped.
With these species the top priority is
the need for a really quite machine, especially for deer, whilst
clipping effectively and relatively quickly. Some of the most suited
clippers are to be found within the dog clipper sectors with highly
suitable choices being the Wahl/Moser KM1 & Moser Max 45 also Laube
and Oster models. Wide blades are generally preferred for body clipping
on the large animals, with the small traditional dog-sized blades
suitable for most rabbit breeds. For rabbits, especially the Angora
breeds, the Aesculap Favorita II is a popular choice when fitted
with the GT746 blade designed for just that breed.
|
