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Showing Tips -
Showcasing your Alpaca –
Ideas and rules related to trimming your
alpacas fleece and more
by Tim
Lavan
Before you enter the ring, take the time
to make your life and your alpaca's life
easier. Take time to trim.
Allowed trimming includes - cleaning
dung areas around back end. Please!
Allowed trimming includes -
trimming away fiber from eyes so the
alpaca can see - if they can see- they
will be more comfortable during halter
training and in the show ring
Allowed trimming includes -
trimming the topknot to even out and
removing guard hairs.
Allowed trimming includes - toenails,
please! This helps greatly with the gait
of your alpaca.
Allowed trimming of teeth – For general
husbandry I suggest trimming teeth on
alpacas that have a slight overbite- it
doesn't take long and not only will help
the alpaca place better in the ring, but
help the alpaca's health in the long
run. Judges can usually tell when teeth
have been trimmed and if they ask,
answer honestly. Often trimming teeth at
7-9 months of age can make all the
difference in the future and those
alpacas may never need trimming again.
On the other side, once the adult teeth
come in after age 2, they may need their
first round of trimming. Always check
the teeth before each show season.
NO NO's for trimming -
Don't touch the blanket fleece, bib or
neck. If you puff up your alpaca, a
judge can not see the true character of
the fleece. You will not do well or
likely not even not place. It's
perfectly acceptable for your alpaca to
appear 'pasture clean.' That is - don't
go crazy and trying to remove every
piece of vegetable matter on the blanket
area. The more you pick away, the more
you can damage the appearance, handle
and character of the staple and crimp in
the blanket. It is acceptable to remove
large pieces of debris such as sticks,
pieces of bedding or cardboard - but be
gentle. Most of these are easily brushed
away by hand. If it is not coming out,
don't worry about it.
More
trimming information
Tip # 1- To Trim or not to Trim, that is the question
According to the AOBA Show rules, and most judges, it is o.k. to
trim the head of the alpaca to remove
wisps of hair that may get in the way of
vision. Around the eyes and even the top
of the head trimming is acceptable.
Trimming as well any dung tags from the
rear of the alpaca is perfectly
acceptable and highly thanked by the
judges while they check the back end
plumbing on your alpacas. However, it is
not acceptable to trim the bib area or
any part of the blanket fleece except of
course for the yearly shearing.
Tip # 2- To trim or not to trim, that is the question Part 2
It is acceptable to trim the teeth of the alpaca to allow the
hard top palate and the teeth to match.
If done when the alpacas are between 6-9
months of age, many times, the teeth may
never need to be trimmed again. Of
course, the alpaca is still growing and
the mandible (lower jaw) just like with
their fellow mammals, us the humans,
grows faster than the maxilla (upper
jaw). The jaw alignment may naturally
correct itself as the alpaca matures and
grows. We recommend checking bite once
a month while you are doing your herd
checks on body score and condition. That
extra second of checking could make it
easier to correct the bite than waiting
for a few months growth that may require
a vet doing the trimming.
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