Alpaca Facts
What is an alpaca? Alpacas are members of the camelid family that also includes llamas and camels. An adult usually weighs between 150 to 175 lbs., compared to 300 to 450 lbs. for a llama.
What uses are there for alpacas? First of all, they are great pets and companions, especially if they have been handled by humans from birth. We make a point of giving hugs and kisses to our young animals every day so they become accustomed to human contact. Second, alpaca wool is one of the most valuable fibers in the world. It is extremely soft, yet strong. It does not contain lanolin, so most people with wool allergies can wear it with no problem. Because each strand of the fiber is hollow, alpaca wool works just like insulation in keeping a person warm. In fact, it is such an efficient insulator that many wool spinners blend it with lesser fibers because a tightly knit, pure alpaca garment can actually be too warm.
Any other uses for alpacas? Probably the greatest value in an alpaca today is in breeding. It is very difficult to import alpacas into the United States at this time. Therefore, virtually the entire demand in the growing American alpaca market will have to be met internally -- that is, by American breeders producing new offspring. An average breeding female sells anywhere between about $8000 and $30,000, sometimes even much higher. Males are usually pretty cheap, $500 to $1000, unless they are stud quality. Most non-breeding males are gelded and used as pets or guard animals for smaller livestock like sheep and goats. Because of the closed import market, experts predict a stable American market for alpacas for another decade or more. While there are more than 210,000 llamas in the United States, there are less than 50,000 alpacas.
What are baby alpacas called? A baby alpaca is called a cria. The mother is known as the dam and the father is known as the sire.
How quickly do alpacas multiply? Very slowly. A female alpaca will normally produce one offspring per year. Twins are extremely rare and usually don't survive. An alpaca pregnancy is about 335 days. Female alpacas don't go into "heat" like a dog. Rather, ovulation is induced by the breeding process. In other words, it is the act of mating that causes a female to release an egg to be fertilized. A female is ready to breed at about 14 to 18 months. Males (perhaps like humans!) mature later. A male alpaca reaches maturity at about 2 1/2 to 3 years.
Are alpacas hard to raise? Not at all. Alpacas are probably the easiest livestock to raise. An open barn or three sided shelter from the wind is all the housing they need. Sometimes they will sit out in the field even when it is snowing or raining. An adult alpaca will eat about a quarter bale or less of hay a day, compared to a full bale or more a day for a horse. An acre of pasture can support 5 to 10 alpacas. Of course, like any animal they need plenty of fresh water. Alpacas don't have hooves; rather they have padded feet and toenails. Because of this, they are very gentle on the pasture. Also, they don't eat the grass all the way down to the root like a sheep, so they aren't as hard on the vegetation.
What do alpacas eat? Besides hay, we feed our alpacas about a cup of alpaca/llama grain per day. They don't really like carrots, apples or other horse treats. However, they do like leaves that fall in the pasture from some of the trees. They also need a dry mineral supplement and occasionally some salt. We also accidentally discovered that they like to eat Christmas trees, but that's another story.
What kind of personality does an alpaca have? Just like people, alpacas have lots of different personalities. However, two of the most common traits are shyness and curiosity. They are very gentle, calm animals, but they also like to play. Our alpacas frequently play king-of-the-hill on a small dirt pile we built for them. They also like to chase each other and, sometimes in nice weather the young ones like to "spring" -- basically they look like they are jumping on pogo sticks with all four legs, just like a lamb will do. They are very friendly with the other animals -- sometimes our chickens like to hitch a ride on their backs, especially when they want to warm their feet. However, one of our young males also enjoys "chicken bowling" -- running through the flock at full speed.
Do alpacas spit like camels and llamas? Yes, but mainly at each other as part of socialization and establishing "pecking order." Most alpacas don't spit at humans unless threatened.
Do alpacas bite? No. Alpacas only have teeth on the bottom of their mouths. On top they have a somewhat soft plate. In fact, a young child can safely feed an alpaca. If one gets too excited while eating from your hand, the slight nip you would receive would be kind of like grandma biting you after she takes out her dentures.
Are alpacas dirty? Alpacas are very clean animals. They pick two or three places in the pasture to use as manure piles and all the animals visit the same spots. Their manure is relatively odorless and comes out like rabbit pellets. Because it is low in nitrogen, alpaca manure can be placed straight into the garden as fertilizer without danger of burning the plants. Alpacas love to take dust baths and will roll in the dirt several times a day in nice weather. They like to stand over a sprinkler or sit in our kiddie pools to cool off in hot weather.
Do alpacas make any sounds? Alpacas are very quiet animals. Their most common form of communication is a soft hum. This can mean various things, from contentment to nervousness, depending upon the tone. Occasionally, an adult (especially a male) will make a bellering noise not unlike a donkey when trying to ward off a dog or coyote.
Is it hard to get started raising alpacas? Not at all. Alpacas are very self-sufficient. If you have a little land and something to shelter them from the wind, you've got the right set-up. The proceeds from the yearly wool shearing will probably come close to the cost of the feed and vet bills. If you buy a pregnant female, you will probably recoup all or most of your original investment after the first female offspring is born. Also, many of your expenses are tax deductible. Consult your accountant for advice on your particular situation.
How can we meet some of these wonderful animals? We love to give tours! Whether you are young or old, one person or many, you are welcome to visit. We also schedule school tours. Just give us a call at the number on our home page. If you are interested in raising alpacas yourself, we will spend as much time as you would like teaching you everything you need to know. Please see our Tours section under Our Services.