Alpaca fleece becomes a modern farming trend | South Bend Tribune

Alpaca fleece becomes a modern farming trend
South Bend Tribune - July 30 2006

Stanton Shepherd shed his General Motors Corp. job seven years ago, uneasy with the shifting industry and seeking a new lifestyle.

And he found — alpacas?

Today, Shepherd of Genesee County’s Grand Blanc Township drives a mobile-breeding lab with two male alpacas. They command $5,000 stud fees and draw investors hoping to cash in on a new farming trend.

The alpaca, built low to the ground — like a fullback with a pipe-cleaner neck — is related to the llama and known for a silky, hypoallergenic fleece used in luxury items such as sweaters, hats, gloves and socks. [more]