FIBER

Alpacas are raised for their exquisite fiber which comes in 22 striking natural colors, with each animal shearing 8-12 pounds once a year.  It is stronger and lighter weight than sheeps wool, and as soft as cashmere.  Many people who can’t wear wool due to its “prickle factor” find that they can wear alpaca garments.  Alpaca fiber is naturally fire retardant and warm even when wet, which makes it an ideal choice for outdoor clothing.

Hand spinners, knitters and weavers will readily buy your fiber production, or it can be sent to a fiber co-op and made into beautiful, soft garments that can be sold at a profit.  Prices vary with color and quality, but raw fleece will generally sell for $20-$30 per pound, and processed fiber selling for as much as $5 per ounce.

ANATOMY

Alpacas are ruminant animals, meaning that they chew their cud.  They are also exceptionally proficient at extracting nutrients from their feed.  Like cattle, alpacas have lower incisors an upper dental pad as well as molars. They are grazing animals that enjoy browsing for their food, whether it is pasture or most any commercially produced grasses or hay.

Alpacas are inquisitive, docile animals that can be easily kept on small acreage. They communicate with a variety of soft humming noises. Alpacas are herd animals, and do best when they are with at least one other camelid.  Because of the soft pad on the underside of the foot, they are very gentle on the land. They do not dig, root or paw, which is nice if you’ve ever had dogs, pigs or horses! The typical alpaca when full grown weighs between 125-175 pounds, stands approximately 3 feet at the withers and lives for 15 to 25 years.

REPRODUCTION

The female alpaca is reproductively mature between 15 months and 2 years of age, the male at 2-3 years. She will give birth to one cria (baby) after an eleven to twelve month gestation.  95 percent of alpacas are born without any assistance, which seems quite remarkable considering all the long legs and neck involved!  Almost all births are during daylight hours, with the majority before noon.

HUSBANDRY
Alpacas are naturally hardy animals that require minimal veterinary attention. They are resistant to many diseases that tend to trouble other species of livestock. Routine care consists of periodic vaccination and deworming, along with toenail trimming and annual shearing. These procedures are not expensive and do not need to be performed by a veterinarian.

Alpacas are ruminant animals, meaning that they chew their cud. They are also exceptionally proficient at extracting nutrients from their feed. Like cattle, alpacas have lower incisors and an upper dental pad as well as molars. They are grazing animals that enjoy browsing for their food, whether it is pasture or most any commercially produced grasses or hay.  An adult alpaca consumes approximately 2 percent of its body weight in forage per day. Most breeders offer a pellet ration once a day; this gives the owner an opportunity to interact with the animals and to do a brief visual wellness check.

Since the alpaca does not produce lanolin in its fiber they should have a clean area of sand available to get down and roll in for their skin health.  Alpacas cool themselves through their underbellies and inner legs.  A mister, sprinkler or water hose spray is always appreciated in hot weather.