Meet the cast: Taylor is the hog, whenever chow is involved. Skylar, with her dark, coffee-colored coat and stark white face, boasts a certain theatrical flair. And Chaos, one of the two males, is partial to “cushing” in front of electric fans on hazy summer afternoons. Like people, the eight alpacas of A York Alpaca Farm in southeastern Clay County each have their idiosyncrasies. That delights their humans, Jim and Mitzi York.
The Yorks discovered alpacas three years ago, when Mitzi came across an image that captured her attention.
“I said, ‘I’m not sure what this is, but I need one,'” she laughed, remembering the instant attraction. Thing is, once she began researching this domesticated species of South American camelid, it soon became apparent that one is not enough. Alpacas love company. A strong herding instinct means they need the companionship of others of their kind in order to thrive.
Mitzi was sold, but there was Jim to consider. He wasn’t wild about the idea — “until we visited an alpaca farm,” said his wife, with a smile.
Jim has been won over, as the phrase goes. That was apparent during an August evening visit to the Yorks’ alpaca pens.
“They became our babies, our fur babies,” he said, giving a few pellets of feed to Diez by hand. He had no fear of being bitten, although alpacas have two sets of teeth for processing food. Molars in the back of the jaw efficiently chew cud, but in front they have teeth only on the bottom and a hard gum, or dental pad, on the top, for crushing grain, grass or hay. They have no horns to butt with and try to avoid running into people.
These environmentally-friendly animals are docile and quiet, Mitzi was happy to learn. When they do vocalize, it’s with a humming sound. They will occasionally produce a more shrill call if a spat with another animal or a cause for alarm arises. And yes, like all members of the camel family, they may spit from time to time.
Not llamas
Alpacas and llamas are sometimes confused, the Yorks acknowledge. Alpacas are smaller than their llama cousins, which can weigh in at 250 to 450 pounds. Alpacas average 100 to 200 pounds. While llamas are primarily used for packing or as herd guards, alpacas are mainly raised for their luxurious fleece. That is the Yorks’ plan, explained Mitzi, showing a pastel-hued bracelet she wore, woven from the silky, natural fiber. Alpaca fleece is recognized globally for its fineness, durability, thermal quality and luster. It can be transformed into everything from garments to tapestries. The species can display more than 100 coat colors. Shades of silver are the most prized, said Jim.
The Yorks have picked up a set of new skills since they traveled to Tennessee three years ago to pick up their first two alpacas: shearing, clipping alpaca toes (don’t call them hooves), administering regular medicines for parasites plus keeping up with vaccinations, building fences and shelters, cleaning pens and scrubbing buckets, among them.
They have a new vocabulary, too. Terms like cush and cria are common now. To cush (sometimes spelled kush) means an alpaca lies down on the ground with all four legs neatly underneath. “They fold up nicely,” Jim joked, passing on a saying he’d heard. A cria is an alpaca baby.
Little one
At present, the cria at the Yorks’ farm is Cocoa Puff. Born to Diez on April 30, young Cocoa is daily filing away impressions of all creatures who walk about upright. She adroitly kept an adult alpaca between her and nosy, visiting newspaper cameras but was, at once, curious and irresistible.
Alpacas often seem imminently huggable. In the animal kingdom, however, they are prey animals and are generally wary. If handled properly, they will get used to people but rarely come running to be stroked, as a dog or cat might, according to the Alpaca Owners Association.
“The peacefulness, just sitting and watching them,” Mitzi responded, when asked what she finds most enjoyable about the herd. “Their uniqueness drew me to them, too.” The animals are good for a laugh as well. “Every day they do something funny.”
Alpaca Farm Days
The Yorks want to share their fleecy family with the public Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., to celebrate National Alpaca Farm Days. Alpaca farms nationwide will invite their communities to visit and learn about this amenable species. To find out more, contact the Yorks by leaving a message at 662-404-3197.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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