AlpacaGram 8.62 | AOA Announces U.S. Alpaca Fiber Standard

AOA Announces
U.S. Alpaca Fiber Standard

The AOA Board of Directors unanimously approved the U.S. Alpaca Fiber Standards put forth by the AOA Fiber Committee.

The purpose of the standard is to:

• Set our goals upon an ideal as a fiber industry.
• Include all aspects that represent uniformity of fiber together: grade, length, and standard deviations.
• Standardize accepted language as we move toward obtaining status for alpaca as a commodity.

There are many ways to evaluate fiber:

Histograms are a standardized machine test that provides data used in the fiber standards. They mark a point in time that provides data on the location of the fiber pulled for testing. Ideally, this represents the best or sweet spot of the blanket.

EPDs are a culmination of data entered into an algorithm to produce information about what the offspring of two known alpacas potentially could produce.

Halter Show Ribbons are accomplishments that represent how the alpaca presented in comparison to all entries in the class.

Fleece Show Ribbons are accomplishments that represent how the alpaca’s fleece presented against a scorecard of fleece characteristics. The judge’s assessment corresponds to a standard created by a fiber point system.

AOA’s approval of the U.S. Alpaca Fiber Standard supports, connects, and provides clarity in how we use multiple measures to evaluate and promote alpaca fiber. The standards may change as our industry evolves to a higher norm.