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 successf ...

(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 ...

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 l ...

, 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

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 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 = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, 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 differ ...

* Vests *

Sweater A sweater (North American English) or pullover, also called a jumper (British English and Australian English), ...

s * Bedspreads

Meat

While huayacas were never bred for meat, their meat is a useful perfectly edible by-product and very high in protein. 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