Argentina's annual camelid fibre production is estimated at 60 000 kg for llama (Lama glama), somewhat more than 2 000 kg for guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and about 845 kg for vicuña (Vicugna vicugna). The potential for increasing these amounts is huge considering that barely 30 percent of llamas are shorn and considering the size of the wild camelid population in the country. A compilation of published and unpublished work confirms that almost 50 percent of the llamas are single-coated, about 40 percent have white fleeces and that average fibre diameter is about 22 µm in the main llama production area. In general, there is a wide variation in fleece weights and fibre quality between and within herds. However, a llama fleece classing and pricing system is not yet in place to motivate implementation of breeding programmes. Guanaco and vicuña fleeces are double-coated but the fine undercoat represents more than 80 percent of the fleece weight. The proportion of down fibre remaining after mechanical dehairing is only 50 percent in guanacos and 70 percent in vicuñas. The guanaco undercoat fibre diameter is about 16 µm and vicuña fibre diameter is typically between 13 and 14 µm. Both fibres are relatively short. Research is needed to establish optimum shearing season and shearing frequency that results in fibre quality demanded for handcraft and industry in each of the three species.

The present work is intended to describe the variability of fibre colours in the population of alpacas from the region of Huancavelica, Peru. The population structure, the incidence of defects and the quality of the fibre, were also analysed. A total of 2341 animals from 22 flocks from seven communities with colour alpacas were characterised. The quality of fibre was analysed using a small subsample (121 alpacas). 10% of the animals were Huarizos and about 20% of stained colour. 96% of the animals of solid colour were from Huacaya breed and only 4% of Suri breed. Sixty six percent of the alpacas were of white colour. The cream and coffee colours were well represented, not however the black and grey. For the Suri breed, the conservation problem goes beyond its colouration, the breed itself being at risk. The population structure and the presence of defects seem to indicate less attention in the handling of the colour alpacas than in the white alpacas. Also the quality of the fibre of the coloured animals was less than that of the white alpacas, decreasing as the dark tone of the fibre increased.

The population of llamas (Lama glama) from Argentina and southern Bolivia high altitude plateau (altiplano) meets special characteristics in relation to the rest of this species. While interest in this population has been established as a genetic resource many works have not been done describing their productive attributes. In this paper, the relationships between age, sex, animal morphology, coat colours (pigmentation patterns and white spot design), fibre quality (degree of fineness and mean fibre diameters, fleece types or styles and colours) of flocks in six areas of the northern of the province of Jujuy altiplano (143 flocks, 10760 animals) were established. Using a clusters experimental design, frequencies of the different characters and correlation coefficients between them were calculated. Relationships between fleece types, morphology of animals and fleece types between them, fleece types and fineness, fleece types and pigmentation patterns, the relationship between white spot design and fineness was established. It can be concluded that the domestic camelids populations studied here were composed of animals with high fibre production potential and have great possibilities for improvement through breeding programs.