Alpacas - Introduction

The Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is one of two domesticated breeds of South American camel-like ungulates, derived from the wild guanaco. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger in size, and has a long erect neck with a handsome head.

Alpacas are kept in large flocks that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of between 3500 and 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year. They are not used as beasts of burden like llamas, but are valued only for their fiber, of which Indian blankets and ponchos are made. The alpaca comes in 22 natural colours. In stature, the alpaca is considerably inferior to the llama, but has the same unpleasant habit of spitting.

In the textile industry, "alpaca" is a name given to two distinct things. It is primarily a term applied to the wool, or rather hair, obtained from the Peruvian alpaca. It is, however, more broadly applied to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca fiber but now frequently made from a similar type of fiber, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even some high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohairs and lustres. However, as far as the general purchaser is concerned, little or no distinction is made.

Types of livestock     

The term 'livestock' is nebulous and may defined narrowly or broadly.

Domesticated animals such as include pigs, cows, goats, deer, sheep, donkeys or mules, horses, yaks and chickens are certainly livestock. In addition, camels, llamas, emus, ostriches may be intentionally reared and be 'livestock'. This definition includes mammals and birds.

On a broader view, 'livestock' could incorporate the intentional rearing of butterflies [1] and honey bees. [2] [3][4] [5][6] [7]. Taking 'livestock' to mean 'domesticated animal' could include aquaculture, including fish, mollusks, shrimp or other water-borne invertebrates.

By contrast, on a very narrow view, 'livestock' refers to red meat animals: cattle and lamb.

This article considers 'livestock' based on the middle view. The following table summarises types of livestock.
Animal / Type    Wild ancestor    Domesticated    Area first domesticated    Current range    Uses
Alpaca
Mammal, herbivore    Vicuña    Between 5000 BC and 4000 BC    Andes    Andes, North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand    wool
Bison
Mammal, herbivore    American Bison    Late 19th Century    North America    North America, Australia    meat, leather, dairy
Camel
Mammal, herbivore    Wild Dromedary and Bactrian camels    Between 4000 BC and 1400 BC    Asia    Africa, Asia, Australia    Labour, dairy
Cow
Mammal, herbivore    Auroch (extinct)    6000 BC    Southwest Asia, India, North Africa (?)    Worldwide    Meat (beef, veal, blood), dairy, leather, labour
Deer
Mammal, herbivore    Wild deer    1970    North America    North America, Australia, New Zealand    antler velvet, antlers, meat (venison), leather
Dog
Mammal, carnivore    Wolf    12000 BC    Worldwide    Labour, meat
Donkey
Mammal, herbivore    Wild ass    4000 BC    Egypt    Worldwide    Labour, meat, dairy
Goat
Mammal, herbivore    Bezoar goat    8000 BC    Southwest Asia    Worldwide    Dairy, meat, wool
Guinea pig
Mammal, herbivore    Cavia tschudii    5000 BC    South America    Worldwide    Meat
Horse
Mammal, herbivore    Wild horses of Southern Russia (extinct)    4000 BC    Ukraine    Worldwide    Labour, military, meat, dairy
Llama
Mammal, herbivore    Guanaco    3500 BC    Andes    Andes, North America    Labour, meat, wool
Mule
Mammal, herbivore    Sterile hybrid of donkey and horse              Worldwide    Labour
Pig
Mammal, omnivore    Wild boar    8000 BC    Southwest Asia, China    Worldwide    Meat (pork) and bacon, leather
Rabbit
Mammal, herbivore    Wild rabbit    between AD 400-900    France    Worldwide    Meat, wool
Reindeer
Mammal, herbivore    Wild reindeer    3000 BC    Russia    Arctic    Meat, leather, antlers, dairy, labour
sheep
Mammal, herbivore    Asiatic mouflon sheep    8000 BC    Southwest Asia    Worldwide    Wool, dairy, meat (mutton and lamb)
Water Buffalo
Mammal, herbivore    Wild water buffalo    4000 BC    China (Tibetan Plateau)    Asia, South America    Labour, meat, dairy
Yak
Mammal, herbivore    Wild yak         Tibet    Tibetan plateau    Meat, dairy, wool, labour

 

Cite: Wikipedia

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