The humming creatures to be featured at fairgrounds show.
Attention, alpaca lovers: The first ever Mid-Missouri Alpaca Day will bring 12 local alpaca breeders and their herds to the Boone County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Twenty to 35 alpacas will be on hand to be met, admired and possibly fed, and their owners will be ready to answer questions. Besides meeting the alpacas and their breeders, there will be alpaca fleece and fleece products, spinning demonstrations and a children’s area with stories, felting projects and alpaca-themed T-shirt making.
Not exactly sure what an alpaca is? The fluffy animals are members of the Camelid family, the same family as the llama, and hail from Peru, Bolivia and Chile. There are two types of alpacas: the Huacaya and the Suri. The Suri are the most rare, and their fleece feels almost like silk when made into yarn and used in projects. Both Huacaya and Suri fleece are incredibly soft and warm. Breeders estimate that alpaca fleece is three times as warm as wool. Breeders shear alpacas just once a year.
Alpacas stand about 36 inches tall and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. They have a graceful, long S-shaped neck, a crop of curly fleece atop their heads and large bright, dark-colored eyes. Their fleece has 22 natural color variations. Babies, or crias, have fleece about an inch or so long; the adults’ coats grow to be around 3-inches long. They generally live to be 20 years old and give birth to just one baby a year. Alpacas do not have teeth or hooves, making them rather defenseless. They are known for their calm, curious, social and disease-resistant qualities, and they communicate with soft humming.
Alpacas first came to the United States in 1984 and are most popular in Colorado, Washington, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Oregon. Alpacas are still catching on in Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. There are an estimated 60,000 alpacas in the United States, making them rare. The Licklider family, one of 12 mid-Missouri alpaca breeders, consider the animals an alternative livestock for farmers.
“Alpacas are just a lot easier on the land, they weigh a lot less, and they eat a lot less,” says Mary Licklider. “We spend about a half-hour or so a day with them. We clean up their poop pile, sweep up the loose hay, give them water and feed, and then we’re done.”
While discussing what they appreciate most about the alpacas, Gary and Mary Licklider agree on their peaceful demeanor.
“They’re all pretty good-natured,” Gary says.
“They’re really soft,” Mary says. “The way they hum too — it’s really soothing.”
The Lickliders also enjoy many aspects of the alpaca fiber.
“There are so many good qualities in one fiber,” Mary says. “It’s strong, warm, has a wonderful drape when you make it into clothing, it’s hypo-allergenic, and it’s washable.”
Off to the side of the garage, the Lickliders have a room they use as a store where they feature items made with alpaca fleece. A large bulletin board is covered with ribbons from shows and contests, and several large plastic containers sit in the middle of the room. Sweaters, hats, ponchos and other handmade items have been packed away for a show. Mary takes the lids off and picks through the boxes, bringing out some of her favorite items. When producing some of the items Mary notes which alpaca it came from — such as a camel beige-colored knit from Truman, and a dark scarf with a natural luster from Puck. Truman is one of Mary’s favorites.
“He’s fluffy,” Mary says. “He was also one of the first that were born on our place.”
The first item she finds is a dark-gray poncho that is soft to the touch, then several cardigans, also soft, and very lightweight.
“These are the sort of sweaters you would wear indoors,” Mary said. She then pulls out a heavier sweater. “This one you could wear in place of a coat.”
The last item she shows is a remarkably soft white teddy bear made with fleece from a baby alpaca.
Next Mary walks towards the barn and several alpacas dart across the entrance. It’s a dark and cold night, and that makes for happy alpacas.
“They run and they play,” says Mary. “The babies do this gazelle-like leap.”
Inside the barn, Professor Grey, a friendly white cat, greets Mary. She walks over to two plastic barrels and takes out a cup of the alpacas’ feed, a mixture of corn, pellets and hay. The alpacas eagerly take food from hands, creating an almost ticklish feeling against one’s hands as they chomp.
Each year the Lickliders chose a different literary work to find names for their alpacas. Some of the selected names include Truman, Bess, Puck, Oberon, Titania, Miss Maudie, Scout, Prospero, Miranda and Ferdinand.
One alpaca female stands halfway through one of the doorways to see what all the fuss is about.
“She’s the alpha female; she sets the tone,” Mary says. “If she decides to get up and go outside to eat, usually everyone will follow her, whereas if the babies are out playing, no one pays much attention to them.”
Another alpaca with teddy-bear-brown-colored fleece and a white nose looks in through the window on the door to the barn with a curious expression. The soft sounds of humming ensue while the alpacas look for more food.
“I like the sound the moms make better than the babies,” Mary says. “The babies get to sounding like whiny children: ‘Mom ... Mom ... Mom.’”
After all the food for the visit has been given away the females run out into the yard to play. Noticing their absence, the males leave shortly after and race around to the dividing fence to see what the females are doing. The barn is now deserted except for Professor Grey. Mary shares how her family became alpaca breeders.
“We were looking for something; we had all this land that we hadn’t done anything with yet,” Mary says. “We were looking for something we can do together that is fun and would generate a little retirement income as we go.”