Abstract
A total of 153 midside fibre samples, one per animal at left side, were obtained in two shearing periods (I Period: December 2009, n=109; II Period: March 2010, n=44) from white Huacaya alpacas belonging to CIPCS – Lachocc herd of National University of Huancavelica. Fibre diameter profiles (FDP) were obtained using the OFDA 2000 instrument, measuring fibre diameter every 5 mm along the entire length of staples (Brims et al., 1999), in a subsample of between 400-800 fibres per animal. Different fibre diameter profile variables were calculated and compared between shearing periods taking into account differences due to sex and age.
The variables were the following: average fibre diameter (AFD), maximum and minimum fibre diameter (FDMax, FDMin), its respective positions (PMax, PMin), fibre diameter change along the staple (TACA, calculated as the absolute value of (FDMax – FDMin), and fine ends (FE; calculated as the difference between the mean diameter of fibres in the first (f) and last (l) 5mm of the staple, and FD: FE=[(f+l)/2]-FD). Results show different FDP for the two shearing periods, being significantly different PMax PMin and FE (P<0.05). No differences for sex were observed, but age affected AF, FDMax, FDMin, PMax, PMin, TACA and FE (P<0.05). These results showed, in terms of the needs of textile industry in processing performance, a better quality of fibre obtained during the shearing of December 2009.
Keywords: alpaca, fibre diameter, shearing
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