|
The Ideal Alpaca Community
Alpacas were domesticated from vicuna over 5,000 years ago. This makes them the
world's oldest breed of livestock. The vicuna's coppery-gold fleece is the
finest and most expensive natural fiber in the universe, selling for as much as
$2,000 per square yard of cloth.
When the Incas ruled Peru, alpaca fiber measured two microns finer than
cashmere. Then came the conquistadors with their merino sheep from Spain. In
the Colonial period that followed the Spanish conquest of Peru, the alpaca
began a long period of decline until today there are fewer than 2.5 million
alpacas in the world.
In 1983, the first alpaca were exported from South America to the United States.
Before that export, alpacas were found only in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Today
alpacas are being raised in Australia, Japan, Canada, England, France, Germany,
the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and Israel.
For the last 500 years, alpacas have been tended by the Quechua Indians who have
been unaware of the modern advances in animal breeding based on the relatively
new science of genetics. Today, alpaca breeders worldwide are unlocking the
genetic treasure chest of the alpaca. Both the suri and huacaya breed of alpaca
are being rediscovered and rapidly returned to their place at the pinnacle of
fiber producing livestock. We, as breeders, are only beginning to understand
the ultimate value of the alpaca.
The Ideal Alpaca Community is a group of breeders who believe in the ultimate
potential of the alpaca. We are joined together by common principles and goals.
Our collective purpose is to raise genetically superior alpacas that produce
high volumes of fine fleece. We have chosen the World Wide Web as the
communication medium we will use to reach our mutual goals, keeping our
individual farms and ranches informed of our collective achievements.
We all share a belief in the
Ideal Alpaca Breed Standards, Ideal
Alpaca Type, and the use of progeny-tested, impact sires we call
Studmaster™ males. It is through the use of high quality males and
their progeny that the genetic improvement of our individual herds will be
assured.
The Internet allows us a common market place for our alpaca herds. Each member
of the Ideal Alpaca Community offers their clients the same opportunity to
market their farms and alpacas through our community based web site,
www.IdealAlpaca.com. We believe that the combination of a science-based breed
improvement program and our Internet marketing strategy will give our members
the maximum opportunity for success.
Breeding Principles
Our members believe that the following principals are important to the success
of their individual herds.
| A. |
Breed
standards are an integral part of defining elite alpacas. |
| B. |
Each breeder should have a clear view of the Ideal Alpaca
type. |
| C. |
The alpacas' primary purpose is as a fleece animal. The
ultimate value of the breed is based on the inherent genetic ability of the
alpaca to produce a fine, luxurious fleece for use in high fashion garments. |
| D. |
By improving the alpaca to their full genetic potential and
making them a more productive fiber-bearing animal, the breed will be more
valuable to their shepherds and be better cared for over time. |
| E. |
A thorough knowledge of bloodlines, classic livestock breeding
theory, and an understanding of genetic selection techniques are prerequisites
of success in the alpaca market. |
| F. |
The transparent recording of careful fleece measurements is
the key to identifying genetically superior breeding stock. |
| G. |
Showing alpacas in halter classes and promoting the results
leads to credibility and sales in the alpaca community. Showing the progeny of
our Studmaster™ males will create sales
opportunities for each of the Ideal Alpaca community members. |
| H. |
Alpaca herds must be managed efficiently and consistently to
produce maximum profit. |
Marketing Objectives
The ideal alpaca community recognizes the power of the Internet in the
marketing of alpacas. Each member realizes the value of educating their clients
and doing their level best to see that the people who buy their alpacas will
have the information necessary to succeed in the alpaca business. By providing
our customers with the opportunity to join the Ideal Alpaca Community, we
believe that they will have the tools they need to prosper in the alpaca market
long term.
The Importance of Community
The Internet and this website allow each of the members to profit from our
fellow breeder's knowledge and success in the alpaca business. Each breeder
member is intent on the success of fellow community participants. This can
manifest in many ways:
| A. |
The members share genetics through the common ownership of
males and the availability of breeding stock from community members. |
| B. |
The sharing of knowledge through the website's chat room,
educational seminars, and promotional events. |
| C. |
The belief in, and sharing of, common ideas of alpaca
excellence which will lead to the creation of an ideal breed of alpacas which
will be recognized by the marketplace as superior. |
| D. |
The collective promotion of members' farms and alpacas. |
The ideal alpaca network is a collective effort that is intended to create the
maximum opportunity for profitable farms and elite herds for the individual
members.
|