![Alpaca](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Alpaca.jpg)
Huacaya is the one of the two breeds that make up the species ''Lama pacos'', commonly known as the
alpaca
The alpaca (''Lama pacos'') is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfu ...
(the other breed is the
Suri).
It lives on the
Altiplano
The Altiplano (Spanish for "high plain"), Collao (Quechua and Aymara: Qullaw, meaning "place of the Qulla") or Andean Plateau, in west-central South America, is the most extensive high plateau on Earth outside Tibet. The plateau is located at the ...
in the
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
, up to above sea level. Its natural range encompasses four South American countries.
Phenotype characteristics
Both breeds are easily identifiable by their phenotypic characteristics.
There are no differences in weight, or pup at birth () or the adult specimens, weighing about in males and in females.
![Alpaca skeleton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Alpaca_skeleton.jpg)
Animals of the Huacaya breed have a rounded and bulky appearance. Huacaya fiber grows perpendicular to the body of the alpaca, and is bulky, smooth and dense. Its curls in its sponge-like fibre are shorter and duller compared with Suri, with an absence of
wool grease that is characteristic of
Corriedale
The Corriedale is a New Zealand breed of sheep. It was bred from about 1882 in the South Island by James Little, who cross-bred Merino and Lincoln Longwool sheep. The breed was officially recognised in 1911. It has been exported to Australi ...
sheep.
Both alpaca breeds possess a vast array of coat colors, totalling 22 different varieties.
Population
Huacayas far outnumber the Suri population. In
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, all alpacas are of the Huacaya type, and there is a negligible amount of Suri specimens in
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
at the northern border.
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, which contains the majority of the world's alpaca, has 93% Huacaya as estimated by the
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
. Thus of the 3.7 million animals worldwide, more than 90% are thought to be of the Huayaca breed.
Products
Fibre
Huayaca fiber is made up of between 150–170 threads per . At thick, their fiber is thinner that of the Suri, and considerably whiter, on average. Suri fiber is marginally stronger
Some of the products that can be made with fine Huacaya fiber include:
*
Poncho
A poncho (; qu, punchu; arn, pontro; "blanket", "woolen fabric") is an outer garment designed to keep the body warm. A rain poncho is made from a watertight material designed to keep the body dry from the rain. Ponchos have been used by the ...
s
*
Scarves
A scarf, plural ''scarves'', is a piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or used to show the support for a sports club or team. They can be made in a variety of diffe ...
* Vests
*
Sweater
A sweater (North American English) or pullover, also called a jumper (British English and Australian English),[ ...](_blank)
s
* Bedspreads
Meat
While huayacas were never bred for meat, their meat is a useful perfectly edible by-product and very high in
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
. The carcass weight varies at around 50% of live weight and 23 kilogrammes.
Huacaya are thought to produce more meat than the Suri.
[Huarachi, David. Manual cría de camélidos sudamericanos. Ediciones Kollu Huma. 54 páginas.] Alpaca meat has a high protein to fat ratio, with the most common breed containing on average 23% protein.
References
{{reflist
Alpacas
Livestock
Mammals of Argentina
Mammals of Bolivia
Mammals of Chile
Mammals of Peru
Mammals of the Andes
Mammal breeds originating from Indigenous Americans