GUANACOS

MALE GUANACOS FOR SALE | FEMALE GUANACOS FOR SALE | MALE ALPACAS FOR SALE | FEMALE ALPACAS FOR SALE |

Our new girls have arrived!

Here they can be seen enjoying a dust bath after a long trip from Ohio.

1) Faith 2) Jewel 3) Reba 4) Shania 5) Wynona 6). Midget

1) Prince Legolas, our first registered guanaco 2) Lady Galadriel, 1st registered female 3) Arwen! born 2/24/06. Our 1st cria.
as a yearling being silly. This picture was
taken shortly after he was shorn.

Welcome to our ranch and store, Royal Fibers.

Click here: Guanaco Facts to learn more about guanacos.

Prince Legolas came to us with Ms. Piggy (formerly "Stinkette") from Utah. Ms. Piggy is 1/2 guanaco and 1/2 miniature llama. She is definately Queen Bee around the Guanaco pen! Her fiber seems to be more like the guanaco sire's than her dam's. Both were shorn before they arrived, so I have not had a chance to spin their fiber yet.

Guanacos have a double coat similar to cashmere; the under coat is a fine fiber one of the finest natural fibres in the world, and boasts a uniform and very pale camel colour. The outer coat consists of much coarser fibres, guard hairs, these are a much darker cinnamon (the belly and neck contain white guard hairs) and act to keep debris and moisture out. Guanaco fiber must go through the dehairing process which removes these coarser guard hairs and leaves the downy undercoat which is the valued part of the fleece. The average weight of fleeces is about 750 grams although some breeders have some guanaco that produce nearly 2 kilos. The fleece of the Guanaco is technically made up of hairs with a medullated core and should therefore be called fiber not wool. The processing to remove the guard hair and the (generally) lighter coat, as well as the scarcity of guanacos outside of South America all lead to the premium price of this fiber. Of all the world's furbearing animals the guanaco's wool is second only in fineness to that of its wild cousin, the vicuna.

Fiber diameter is a key factor in determining the potential economic value of fiber produced. The diameter is measured in microns. The average sheep has a micron of 15 - 30, Guanaco is typically around 12-17 although with selective breeding, the fiber diameter can be brought down. Because the fiber itself has fewer scales than sheep's wool, it has a much softer, less scratchy feel and handle.

Fiber length, as much as micron count, is the measurement that interests spinners as the longer the fiber, the finer it can be spun. Although research by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) showed that fiber quality was not affected by nutrition in domestic herds, wild populations of Guanaco withstand severe conditions and this can cause 'crimps' in the fiber which effectively weakens it. Although the micron is comparable between the wild and farmed populations, the staple length is notably different, with domestic herds producing much longer fibers. Mainly through the ability to monitor and control shearing programs.

At Royal Fibers, we have in place a breeding program which concentrates on the conformation of the animals, their fleece micron, fleece weights and temperament. The breeding groups are run as closely to their natural behaviour as possible with a single male running with a group of several females. Earnest and demanding consumers will know exactly which guanaco has produced the fiber they are purchasing for their use or garment. This system will be a certified batch numbering system. The farm has access to fiber analysis equipment which enables us to sample fiber from every animal on the farm and build up a good record of genetic lines. It is however, very important not to compromise the fleece weight for the sake of fineness.

I will have guanaco fiber available through the store soon.

TOP