Abstract

QUISPE, Y; AYALA, C  and  FERNANDEZ, P. Characterization of alpaca huacaya fiber (Vicugna pacos) in the Original community of Chacaltaya. RIIARn [online]. 2023, vol.10, n.2, pp.105-113. ISSN 2409-1618.  https://doi.org/10.53287/uywt2797sd33z.

The population of alpacas in Bolivia is approximately 500,000 heads and whose main product is the annual shearing of the fiber, the same one that for its commercialization requires meeting various quality requirements and thus also obtaining the best prices for said product. Under this context the Chacaltaya Native community of the department of La Paz, the characterization of the production and fiber quality of 304 huacaya alpacas of different colors, of both sexes and age (DL, 2D, 4D and BLL) was carried out. The methodology involved field visits to obtain data and semi-structured interviews with the members of each family unit, the herds of the family units showed the following composition: 48.68 % DL, 27.30 % BLL, 14.14 % 4D and 9.97 % for 2D, which are managed under an extensive grazing system in native grasslands, where it has been established that the slaughter shearing is 70% biennial and 30% annual, with an average fleece production of 4.2 lb/alpaca for biennial shearing and 4 lb/alpaca for annual shearing. The frequency of colors was 97.37 % for solid colors and 2.63% for spotted colors. The results of the laboratory analysis indicate an average fiber diameter of 23.38 µm, with a coefficient of variation of 27.44 %, a comfort factor of 86.87 % and a wick length of 12.37 cm. It was established that the quality of fiber in the community is in the range of 22-25.5 µm, it presents a high percentage of variation in fiber length and the comfort factor is slightly low, recommending carrying out a program of genetic improvement by fiber diameter.

Keywords : alpaca; colors; fiber; fleece; mantle.

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