Basic Vocabulary
Hembra - Spanish word for adult female alpaca
Macho - Spanish word for adult male alpaca
Cria - baby alpaca (newborn to approximately 6 months)
Weanling - weaned alpaca (no longer drinking milk)
Yearling - one year old alpaca
Maiden - a female alpaca not yet had a cria
Stud male - a male alpaca certified for breeding purposes
Breeding female - a female alpaca usually over one year old used for reproduction
Wether - a neutered male alpaca
Orgling - a noise produced by a male alpaca while mating to induce ovulation in the female alpaca
Spitting - to projectile vomit. Usually between alpacas when determining the feeding or paddock hierachy. Rarely ever done at humans. A defense mechanism e.g. employed by highly protective females when they feel their cria is threatened
Spit-Off - a breeding female will spit at a male when she does not want sexual advances. Often used as a method to indicate ovulation and early pregnancy. Reasonably reliable but usually followed up with a veterinary consultation with ultrasonography due to the high value of breeding stock
Phenotype - the physical appearance of an alpaca e.g.conformation, fleece qualities
Genotype - the genetic make-up of an alpaca