Q: Why do we raise alpacas?
A: Alpacas are not just luxury fiber animals - they are investment and a lifestyle. Prized for their luxurious, warm and colorful fiber for thousands of years in their native South America, in the United States they now provide a lively marketplace for breeding, showing, crafting and the textile industry. Alpacas are insurable, low-maintenance compared to other livestock, and can provide excellent investment and tax benefits, too. Gentle, curious creatures, they can learn to lead on a halter and be handled by adults or children.
Q: Do I need a farm to raise alpacas?
A: Not necessarily. Some alpaca breeders choose to board their alpacas full-time at other farms, which allows the breeders to participate in the investment and tax benefits of raising alpacas, as well as focus on special areas of interest such as fiber artistry or showing alpacas, without having daily care obligations for their herd.
Q: What distinguishes alpacas from other species?
A: Prized for their luxurious fleece, alpacas have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years. They are native to the Altiplano region of the Andes Mountains in South America. Alpacas belong to the camelid family (shared by camels, llamas, vicunas and guanacos), and are widely regarded to be descended from the wild vicuna. Roughly half the size of a llama, an adult alpaca weighs between 100-200 pounds. Alpacas are approximately 32 inches tall at the withers (shoulders). There are two breeds of alpacas -- huacaya (wah-KY-yuh), which have a dense, crimpy fiber, and suri (SUR-ee), which have long, pencil-shaped locks of fiber. With their luxurious fleeces, short muzzles and spear-shaped ears, alpacas have great aesthetic appeal as well. Alpacas typically reach physical maturity around age two. The gestation period of an alpaca is on average 11.5 months (usually between 335-355 days), and twins are rare. At birth, a typical healthy cria (CREE-uh) weighs between 15-20 pounds and learns to walk and nurse within 30-60 minutes of birth.
Q: What makes alpaca fiber unique?
A: Alpaca fiber is extremely fine, yet it is stronger and softer than other exotic fibers. Alpaca fiber comes in 22 distinct natural colors -- more colors than any other luxury fiber -- including shades of black, brown, fawn, white, maroon and grey. Alpaca fiber dyes well and is colorfast. Alpaca fiber is hollow, so it's simultaneously lightweight yet extremely warm, durable and easy to care for - in addition, it is hypoallergenic (no lanolin). Alpaca fiber can be blended with other natural and synthetic fibers for use in a wide variety of end products. Alpacas are shorn annually, and each animal typically yield 5-10 pounds of fiber each year.
Q: Are alpacas easy to maintain?
A: Yes. Their small size and gentle dispositions make them easy to care for. Alpacas need the basic care that any other animal requires: fresh water, quality forage (hay/pasture with proper protein and mineral content), essential nutrients (grains/minerals), and regular vaccinations/de-worming. Of course, alpacas also need annual shearing each spring after the last frost and occasional toenail trimming. Facilities for alpacas should have secure fencing to keep out predators and adequate shelter for protection against extreme temperatures, including hot or cold. (Care should be taken to avoid toxic plants in or around the pastures. Your county extension agent can provide advice on this topic.) Good management practices, such as regular testing of pasture, hay and water, mucking of paddocks/pastures and regular "herd health" sessions with good record-keeping, go a long way to keeping alpacas healthy and happy. Alpacas are ideal for people who want to raise livestock on smaller acreage. We suggest 5 to 8 head per acre, depending on the quality of the forage.
Q: How do you transport alpacas?
A: Alpacas can be transported in a horse trailer - but for small groups and shorter trips, one or two will fit comfortably in the back of a minivan with the back seats removed. Alpacas can be taught to load and unload calmly. Once the vehicle begins moving, alpacas will "kush" (rest in a seated position). It's a good idea to stop ever few hours to allow them to stretch, nurse, and answer "nature calls."
Q: Are alpacas safe for people of all ages?
A: Yes. They are gentle and pleasant to be around. They do not have upper front teeth, horns, hooves, or claws.
Q: Do alpacas spit or kick?
A: Yes, but rarely at humans, and only at each other as a pecking order tool. If a human is on the receiving end of alpaca spit, it is likely that he or she was in the wrong place at the wrong time between two alpacas having a disagreement. Alpaca spit is nothing more than chewed grass, but it does have a fairly unpleasant odor. Alpacas, especially pregnant females, have a natural sensitivity in their hind legs and may kick if they sense danger approaching from behind, such as unwanted attention from a male. Regular handling as youngsters tends to alleviate this sensitivity. A human who is standing in the wrong place at the wrong time will be minimally injured, since the foot is soft and padded.
Q: How smart are alpacas?
A: Alpacas are bright, inquisitive animals who learn to halter and lead with proper handling as youngsters. They communicate with each other through small gestures such as tail and ear position and body posturing, as well as a variety of sounds, ranging from a soft "cluck" to a squeal. The most common sound alpacas make is a soft humming.
Q: Are alpacas environmentally friendly?
A: Yes, alpacas are among the most environmentally friendly farm animals. Their feet are padded, so they won't damage grass while grazing. Rather than pulling up grass by the roots, alpacas graze on the tender shoots. Alpacas are efficient ruminants. They have three stomachs and convert their "fuel" (grass and hay) to energy with very little waste. Because alpacas digest so efficiently, their manure makes a clean and excellent fertilizer for a wide range of plants, including fruits and vegetables. Alpacas centralize their "bathroom" in a concentrated area of the pasture. Not only is this much easier to keep clean, more importantly it helps control the spread of parasites.
Q: How does the alpaca industry differ from other livestock fads, such as the ostrich?
A: The answer is founded in basic economics. Ostirches were imported and raised in the U.S. in an attempt to CREATE a market demand for their meat. Alpacas were imported into the North America to MEET the market demand for their luxurious fiber. Demand for alpaca fiber outpaces the supply. Ostriches reproduce very quickly, which created a "bubble" that ultimately burst, whereas alpacas reproduce slowly (one cria per year; twins are very rare), which helps maintains a steady, healthly population growth.
Alpacas were imported into North America from the mid-1980's until 1998. The imports are now closed so that North American breeders can continue to grow and refine the North American herd. Ninety-nine percent of the world's approximately three million alpacas are found in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, so the upside for the North American market is significant.
The Alpaca Registry (ARI) was established to ensure accurate records with a DNA blood-typing system to document bloodlines. Alpacas must be DNA blood-typed in order to be registered. At the end of 2005, ARI had records on over 90,000 alpacas in several countries worldwide, although the vast majority (over 90%) of those herds reside within the United States. Thousands of owners have actively conducted transactions with the ARI since 2005, and as the popularity of alpacas continues to grow in North America, the number of owners and alpacas in the U.S. is expected to grow exponentially.
Have more questions? Please contact us.
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