Alpacas are members of the camel family and were
domesticated several thousands of years ago. They are originally from South
America in the Andean countries of
Alpacas are hardy animals that do not require a
lot of special care. They are thrifty as well, needing only about a bale of hay
per month per animal, even if they are kept on dry lot with no grazing
pasture. Estimated costs to feed an
alpaca run approximately $1.00 per day. That means the average alpaca costs
less to feed than the family dog.
Alpacas are raised for their luxurious fiber,
which is shorn once a year and produces enough raw materials from each animal
for several sweaters. The fiber comes in 22 natural colors, contains no lanolin,
requires no chemical scouring, is warmer, stronger, lighter and more breathable
than wool. Many people who cannot wear wool can wear fine alpaca clothing in
complete comfort. Alpaca garments are warm even when wet, making them ideal for
outdoor activities. Perhaps, this is the reason that on the world market alpaca
fiber commands 10 times the price that virgin wool does.
Alpacas are herd animals and should not be raised
in isolation. They seem to learn by observing other herd members as much as
being trained themselves. A minimum of two alpacas is recommended for the well
being of each alpaca. Well nurtured,
they seem to sense the need to be sensible and gentle with children and are
great favorites for 4-H projects, pets, and therapy animals.
While alpacas are remarkably easy to house and
care for, there are certain things they need to be healthy and happy. This
article covers routine care, but for more detailed information, a prospective
buyer should contact a local alpaca breeder. It is advisable to find a
veterinarian in a buyer’s local area who has experience with either alpacas or
llamas. Failing that, any vet who is comfortable with goats, sheep, and horses
can care for alpacas. An alpaca’s digestive system is similar to that of goats
or sheep; its reproductive system is more like a horse’s. An alpaca’s medical
needs are few, but they are a little different than traditional livestock.
A Brief History of
Alpacas
Alpacas are thought to be descendants of the wild
vicuna. Early camelid ancestors migrated south from North America to the
There are two types of “humped” camels. One is the
single humped dromedary of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and
Andean Indians domesticated alpacas more than
5,000 years ago. The Inca Empire further refined alpaca husbandry in the 11th
and 12th centuries. To the Incas, alpacas were the most valuable of all
domestic animals. They were so important to the Empire that a royal
organization of nobles ran the breeding program that selected for fiber production
and the perpetuation of the species. Alpaca husbandry thrived up until the time
of the conquistadors, who to make way for their own domestic livestock herds, nearly
wiped South American camelids out of existence.
Types of Alpacas
Within the species, there are two types of alpacas, Huacayas (wah-ki-ah) and
Suris (sir-e). Huacayas comprise
approximately 98% of the alpaca population. Their fleece has waviness or “crimp,” which
gives huacaya their fluffy, teddy-bear-like appearance. Suris are distinguished
from huacayas by their fiber, which is finer and straighter. Suri fleece has little or no crimp, so the
individual fiber strands cling to themselves and hang down from the body in
beautiful locks. It parts along the
length of the spine, much like the hair on an Afghan hound. The suri is very
rare, with the worldwide ratio at about 2%.
Personality
Alpacas are shy, quiet, curious and intelligent.
Because they are herd animals, they develop relationships based on their
position in the group. Dominant females become the herd “matriarchs,” and
dominant males become the “bosses.” Alpacas have no natural self defense
mechanisms, so they cannot bite aggressively, as they lack top incisors (front
teeth) just like goats or sheep. Their feet are padded on the bottom, so they
cannot do much damage by kicking. They lack claws or horns. Their primary
self-defense is to run away. While they are generally quiet, they do seem to
communicate by emitting a gentle humming sound. They do have an alarm call that typically means a predator is in the
area.
They spend much of the day cushed (lying down),
chewing their cud. They enjoy an evening or morning romp, where the whole herd
moves as a unit in a bouncy gait called “pronking.” Some antelopes have a similar gait.
Nourishment
Alpacas are ruminants, meaning they chew their
cud. The type of hay best for them is grass hay, such as orchard grass or
timothy or coastal
Shelter
Alpacas are easy to care for compared to some
livestock. They are adaptable and live
in many climates. Although
Alpacas need some space to move around, but since
they are not very big, they can live in surprisingly small areas. Five to ten
alpacas per acre gives plenty of room; and lots of alpaca owners house them in
smaller areas than that, especially if they are “let out” into a run or field
periodically. There should be a good shelter so they can escape the cold, rain,
snow or heat. Alpacas do not challenge fences, but the area where they are kept
must be fenced to discourage predators. One of the biggest threats to alpacas
is dogs--even the family dog can be a problem if it is not used to livestock.
Other predators to be concerned about are coyotes, wolves, bears, and mountain
lions.
Alpacas are naturally clean animals, generally
“dunging” in only one area of their enclosure, which they avoid for all other
activities. Their manure is valuable and makes great fertilizer, requiring no
composting. Gardeners love it, so an owner should have no problem getting rid
of it.
Health Maintenance
Like all livestock, alpacas can get parasites. However,
it is less of an issue than in some other species, such as donkeys or goats.
Owners should rake all loose hay and clean all the dung piles daily to reduce
the risk of parasite contamination. A vet may also recommend periodic worming
medications to prevent the usual internal and external parasites. Again, prospective
alpaca buyers should consult with an alpaca farm in their area, because
parasite treatment may vary widely depending on climate.
Alpacas are grazing animals and will also eat many
kinds of shrubs and trees; some of which may be harmful. It is best to keep
them away from garden areas or potentially toxic shrubs and trees. A fellow
alpaca breeder can help new alpaca owners identify any problems in area, or the
new owner can contact the local county extension agent.
For good health, alpacas need to be sheared once a
year. Alpacas also need their toenails trimmed about every month or two. An
annual inoculation is given to protect against clostridia and tetanus bacteria.
Some areas also recommend annual rabies and/or
Shearing
For health reasons, all alpacas should be shorn
once a year even if the owner does not wish to use the fleece in any way. Many
breeders use a shop-vac to vacuum or blow out debris before shearing. Do this
outside to avoid showering everyone with dust or subjecting everyone to the
loud noise of the vacuum. It’s always a good idea to wear hearing protection
and a dust mask. If there are enough people to help, this can be done the day
of shearing. Pick out as much debris as
possible by hand or use a wand to help dislodge dust, etc. The cleaner fiber is
before clipping, the easier it is to shear and process.
Shearing should remove the fleece almost to the
skin, leaving ¼” to ½” on the animal. It is alright to leave fleece on the head
and lower legs, but everything else is removed. Shearing can be accomplished
using scissors, sheep shears or electric clippers. Shearing should be done in
the spring before the weather heats up. If you only have a couple of alpacas,
chances are you can take your alpacas over to another alpaca owner’s ranch
during shearing season to have them shorn for you. Most professional shearers
charge about $30 per animal, but sometimes you can work out a barter with an
alpaca owner, trading fiber for shearing. You can also sell your fiber to
cottage artists or some vertically integrated alpaca owners for $5-$20/lb
depending on the quality of the fiber, the color and the fineness. Put out your
request for helpers far in advance of your shearing day. Plan to have a crew of
at least three people, besides the shearers, to help. If you can arrange more
people, that’s even better. You can never have too many helping hands. Some
farms use shearing day as an “Open-Farm” day and invite the public to watch the
proceedings. While that can be great fun and a good source of advertising, it
might be a good idea not to do it on your very first shearing event.
Reproduction
Female alpacas can have one baby a year and
typically have few birthing problems. Twins are very rare and usually do not
make it to birth; however, some do survive. The alpaca mother nurses her baby,
called a “cria,” for 6-8 months. Babies start eating hay pretty much right
away, but do not really live on it until they are 4-5 months old. Baby alpacas
live with their mothers until weaning. After that, they should be moved to
another pen, at least until the desire to nurse ceases. Once weaned, male and female
alpacas are usually kept separate to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Young males become mature enough to breed between
the ages of 18 and 36 months, although some have been known to breed at much
earlier or later ages. Male alpacas kept as pets or fiber animals should be
gelded after the age of 18 months. Gelding prevents behavior problems, such as
fighting, and also keeps the fleece from coarsening as the alpaca ages.
Young females become mature around the age of 18
months. Some females can become pregnant earlier than 18 months, but breeding
them is not recommended as they are still growing and are mentally immature.
Males and females may still be reproductively sound at advanced ages. Alpacas
live 20 years or longer.
Health care
Alpacas are generally hardy and disease resistant but benefit greatly by
preventative medicine and ready access to veterinary services. In areas with whitetail
deer populations, an inexpensive monthly injection of Ivermectin to prevent
meningeal worm is necessary. Essential minerals to the species including
selenium and phosphorus should be provided in a grain mixture. Nail care and
trimming is important and should not be allowed to grow long and curl.
Physical Characteristics
Toenails
Alpacas have a hard, protective upper toenail that must be trimmed every few
months. The bottoms of their feet are soft pads with a leather-like
consistency. Because of these soft pads and relatively low body weights (as
opposed to other forms of livestock), their feet do little damage to the ground
in their pasture areas.
Fiber
Alpaca fiber is stronger and more resilient than even the finest sheep's wool.
Unlike sheep's wool, however, alpaca contains no lanolin and is ready to spin
right off the animal. It comes in 22 distinguishable colors. Alpaca fiber is
considered hypoallergenic and will not irritate the skin. This is because the
scales of fiber lie down against the shaft of each hair follicle. Alpaca wool
is scientifically proven to be a better insulator than sheep's wool.
Teeth
Alpacas only have bottom teeth for eating. On
the top is a hard gum pad against which they crush grain, grass, and hay in a
back and forth grinding motion. Their upper lip is split to make this back and
forth motion easier. Alpacas have a very short tongue attached to their jaw.
Because of this, they cannot grab hold of plants and grass to pull them up by
the roots, as do goats, sheep, horses, etc. Alpacas nibble plants down to about
¼ inch, which enables their pastures to grow back quickly.
Breeding Methods
There are two basic breeding methods--pen breeding
and pasture breeding. With pasture breeding, females are free to roam with the
males. With pen breeding, a breeder can keep better track of when mating occurs
and more easily approximate the most likely due date. In this method, the
female is introduced to the male every three days for two weeks. This way there
will be an egg present during breeding. If the female goes down (
Gestation Period
The gestation period is 11-12 months. Females
usually have single births, and human intervention is rarely needed. The
newborn (called cria) usually weighs between 15-19 pounds, with delivery
occurring usually during the daylight hours. The newborn cria is usually
standing and nursing within 90 minutes of birth, and will continue to nurse
until weaned at 6 months of age. Twins occur about every 10,000 births, but are
usually stillborn. The time between breeding and rebreeding can be as little as
3 weeks.
Alpaca Communication
Alpacas have a very complex language of gestures
that they use to communicate with each other. They use body posture, ear, tail,
head and neck signals, several vocalizations, scent and smell, locomotion
displays and herd response to communicate.
Broadside Pose
Males strike a pose broadside to signal aggression
from far off. They stand sideways, rigidly holding their tail high, neck
arched, ears pinned back and nose tilted skyward. This posture can signal to an
intruding male a mile off that it is approaching the gesturing male's
territory. A male in the company of females is likely to strike this pose.
Alert Stance
When a dog or cat walks nearby, all alpacas will
stand with their bodies rigidly erect and rotate their ears forward in the
direction they are staring. The tail is usually slightly elevated. This posture
signals curiosity about a change occurring in the immediate environment. This
posture will come before an “alarm call” or rapid flight, if the herd
interprets the change as danger. It also will cause the entire herd to bunch
together and move forward in unison to investigate or chase off the intruding
animal.
Standoff
Two animals will stand rigidly within a few feet
or even inches of each other, ears pressed back, neck held high, head tilted
upward and tail elevated. The standoff is a middle grade show of aggression,
often between alpacas of similar rank. It happens when neither alpaca
immediately yields to another's show of dominance. If one of the animals does
not eventually walk away or turn its head, spitting, pushing and aggressive
noise may erupt. Females often resort to this behavior near food or in defense
of a cria.
Submissive crouch
While slouching slightly, the animal lowers its
head, curves its neck toward the ground and flips its tail onto its back. This
is a posture seen in adolescent and young adult animals and signals to a
dominant animal that its higher status is recognized and that no challenge will
be forthcoming.
Vocalizations
Alpacas use complex sets of sounds to communicate
with each other.
Humming
Humming is the predominant sound you will hear
when you come to an alpaca ranch. Alpacas hum for many reasons. From birth until
at least six months, mothers and their crias hum to each other constantly. As a
sign of distress at separation from each other, alpacas will hum mournfully.
Weaning is a particularly stressful time for both mom and cria and humming is
constant and heart wrenching. Alpacas also hum when they are curious, content,
worried, bored, fearful, distressed or cautious.
Snorting
Alpacas give a very subtle snort to another alpaca
if he or she is coming too close, or being too familiar.
Grumbling
Alpacas signal their food trough territory to each
other by grumbling at equal ranking animals. Feeding time often sounds like a
bunch of complaining kids bickering at each other.
Clucking
Mothers generally cluck around their crias,
particularly when starting to nurse. To politely warn you, sometimes, alpacas
cluck when you are getting too close.
Screaming
Some alpacas are very high-strung and extremely
fearful. When you handle them, or their crias, they will put their face next to
your ear and let loose a deafening scream. If they are so frightened as to
scream, a very revolting spit is probably not too far away!
Screeching
When fighting over food, some alpacas get
frustrated and let out screeches and accompanying spits at each other. Males
will screech and scream when their wrestling gets too serious and someone gets
mad.
Alarm Call
When something unusual or resembling a predator
appears in the vicinity, one alpaca will sound a high-pitched, rhythmic keening
sound, which causes the herd to bunch up for protection.
Orgling
Male alpacas have a unique throaty vocalization
they make when mating. Each male has his own style and intensity of orgling
that may involve throats, lips and breathing apparatuses.
Spitting
Spitting is perhaps the
least endearing feature of alpacas. It is one of the few defense mechanisms an
alpaca has and is quite an effective deterrent. The material is basically
regurgitated or recently chewed grass, and it brushes off when dry. It does
have a distinctive and somewhat offensive odor, and it is best to avoid being a
target.
However, it is quite rare that alpacas spit at people. It is normally used as a
pecking order mechanism with other alpacas. If a human hit occurs, it is
usually because the person has not read the signs properly when stepping
between two squabbling alpacas and the human gets caught in the
cross-fire. Male alpacas horse around, stand each other off and spit at
each other. Both males and females spit in dominance over food. Moms will spit
at another mom's babies who try to suckle or mount her or get too close to her
newborn.
Are Alpacas right for you?
Alpacas are perfect for a family farm. They are gentle and easy to handle. They are
safe even for younger children to work with, as they do not bite or butt. This is
a venture that the whole family can work together on.
Potential new alpaca owners will often have
sticker shock at the initial look at investing in alpacas. But think of the
investment this way. At this stage of the industry's development, price is directly
related to the individual breeding potential and the potential quality of the
offspring.
For example, a gelding (castrated male) has no breeding potential and is
therefore the cheapest alpaca to buy (around $500 to $1,500). On the other
hand, a high quality male with many good progeny on the ground has a very high
breeding potential and can be worth many thousands of dollars. He can also
command a high income from the stud services he provides.
Female prices are a reflection of quality, age, breeding history and to which
stud male she is mated. Females can be worth anything from a few thousand
dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
Income from females is derived from selling the offspring. However, breeding
plans should be made so that long term depreciation of the older breeders and
increases in quality of offspring are taken into account.
Alpaca breeders enjoy nurturing their animals
every bit as much as receiving the profits they provide. Since 1984, alpacas
have appeared, almost simultaneously, in several countries where they had never
been seen before. The
What do you do with alpacas?
Alpacas can provide an excellent investment
opportunity and are the source of luxurious fiber. The fleece, comparable to
cashmere, is known for its fineness, light weight, and luster. Alpaca textile
products are recognized world-wide. Everyone should own a soft, warm alpaca
sweater.
What do alpacas do besides grow fleece?
They make excellent companion animals and are also
show animals with high aesthetic appeal. They have lovable dispositions.
Alpacas are easily trained to lead and are gentle enough to be handled by
children. They are always a hit in a parade.
Can you pack with an alpaca?
They can carry a small child or a light backpack
on summer outings, but for heavier loads, the larger llama is more appropriate.
Are alpacas related to the llama?
Alpacas are very closely related to llamas. They
are both from a group of four species known as South American Camelids. The
llama is approximately twice the size of an alpaca with banana shaped ears and
is principally used as a pack animal. Alpacas are exclusively bred as fleece
animals.
Can I have an alpaca as a pet?
Most alpacas make very good pets if they are
treated well and the owners are realistic in their expectations. Like any
livestock, the more handling they receive as youngsters, the quieter they are
as adults. Given time, most alpacas will eat out of your hand and training them
to lead by a halter is a straightforward process.
Alpacas generally don't like being held and are particularly sensitive to being
touched on the head. They are naturally curious and intelligent, and if you let
them approach you, rather than rush at them and expect an affectionate
response, the interactions can be very rewarding.
It is possible to have a single alpaca, but it is not a pleasant existence for
the animal. Alpacas are herd animals and are instinctively gregarious, as are
other domestic livestock. They obtain security and contentment from having at
least one other alpaca for company.
For this reason, it is usually recommended that two alpacas are the desirable
minimum.
Are Alpacas dangerous and are they smart?
They are not dangerous. They are safe and pleasant
to be around. They do not bite or butt, and they do not have the teeth, horns,
hooves, or claws to do serious injury. They are amazingly alert animals who
quickly learn to halter and lead. They constantly communicate with each other
through body posture, tail and ear movements, and a variety of sounds. The
sound heard most often is a soft humming, a mild expression befitting a gentle
animal.
Do Alpacas kick and bite?
When interacting with humans, kicking and biting
is highly individualistic. Alpacas are usually sensitive around the hind legs
and will instinctively kick backwards if they sense a threat from the rear.
Most alpacas do not kick at humans, but there are individuals that can be
quickly identified as being prone to kicking. This is more evident in a
pregnant female that wants to deter the advances of an amorous male.
Fortunately, because the foot is a soft pad, injuries to humans are minimal.
Most alpacas respond very well to desensitization of the hind legs if they
receive good handling as youngsters.
Alpacas that bite people are extremely rare, and it is not a general problem.
If it does occur, it tends to be an attention seeking behavior by spoilt pets
rather than an attack.
Can I run alpacas with other livestock?
Alpacas can bond well with other types of animals.
Naturally, alpacas and large aggressive dogs are not a good combination, but
there are many cases of quiet dogs mixing well with alpacas.
Individual alpacas have been very successfully run with sheep and goats to act
as fox guards. The alpacas tend to bond with the foster herd, and they are
naturally aggressive toward foxes.
If running with different livestock, alpacas will pick up the internal
parasites associated with the other animals and should be put on the same
worming regime.
Because of the risk of the alpacas being kicked, caution should be used if
running them with cattle or horses.
How often does an alpaca have to be sheared?
Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in spring.
Shearing is the biggest maintenance required and usually takes around five to
ten minutes per animal for an experienced alpaca shearer.
If you are purchasing your first alpacas, ask the vendors for the name of a
recommended shearer, or ask if you can bring the alpacas back to the property
on their shearing day.
A very small percentage of alpacas are shorn standing up, the preferred method
of shearing is to lay the animals on their side and restrain their legs with a
tether at each end. This protects the shearer and the alpaca from being
accidentally cut. One side of the animal is shorn, and it is then rolled over
and shorn on the other side. Depending on the density of the fleece, alpacas
cut anywhere between 3 and 10 pounds of fleece. Some of the high quality stud
males will cut higher weights.
What do alpacas eat?
They are ruminants, which mean they chew cud like
a cow or deer. They survive well on different kinds of low protein hay or
pasture grass, providing it has a balanced mineral content. Because alpacas
evolved in harsh conditions, they utilize their food more efficiently than
other ruminants. They cost about as much per month to feed as a dog.
Although they can survive very harsh conditions, alpacas do best on good
quality pasture and benefit from having access to plant material with long
fibers, such as hay.
There are a number of commercial alpaca mixes available, but these are best
thought of as supplying vitamins and minerals rather than the bulk feed that is
obtained through grazing.
One important rule to remember is to introduce any changes to the diet
gradually over a period of a couple of weeks. This way the microbes in the gut
have time to adjust to any feed changes.
What sort of diseases do they get?
Compared with other livestock, alpacas are
relatively disease free. Because of their dry fleece and naturally clean
breech, fly strike is not an issue with alpacas. Vaccination programs vary by
geography on veterinarian's advice.
When buying alpacas for breeding purposes, it is advisable to arrange a
veterinary check to ensure you are buying a healthy animal.
Some gardens contain a number of plants that are toxic to most livestock
(oleander, rhododendron, laburnum, etc.). Care should be taken when fencing off
gardens that such plants do not overhang into alpaca areas. There is a history
of calamities with other livestock that have inadvertently been fed pruning
from such plants. Local nurseries can provide good advice on poisonous plants,
or check with your county extension agent.
Although some people think alpacas don't drink huge amounts, they do need to
have ready access to good quality, fresh drinking water.
Where & how do I start to become an Alpaca
Rancher?
The very first thing to determine is do you even
like alpacas? You need to visit a ranch and have owners introduce you to alpacas.
Having determined that you would like
this life style, after a few visits to different ranches, you need to decide
what size ranch you would like to run (small, medium, large or pet). Visit as many
different types of ranches as you can; this will help you make your decision.
Most people start out small but eventually develop into a medium or large ranch.
You will spend more time working when it is birthing,
shearing and vaccination time. Alpaca are shorn once a year and vaccinated 4 to
8 times a year, depending upon where you live.
When you know what type of ranch you want, the
next choice is do you have the land available or are you going to have to
purchase it? If you already own a ranch, you are ahead of the game. It can be a
large ranch or just a couple of acres (5 to 10 animals per acre). If you are
going to have to purchase land or a ranch, it’s always nice to buy a ranch with
all the buildings and fencing on it. If you’re building, keep in mind, “whatever
you think it will cost you to build, double or triple it.” Another
important note is to have an easy location to find, with good access for the public.
Purchasing your alpacas
The one thing that is never mentioned in the
industry is “Everything is negotiable.” It’s like buying a new car: you can haggle on
the price and services (boarding, breeding, shearing, etc.). If the alpaca is
priced from $8,000 to $14,000, there is not much room to haggle on the price,
but you can talk about the services. If the alpaca are priced $15,000 on up,
you can haggle on the price and services. Pet quality animals can be purchased
between $500 and $1,500. These are the non-breeding fiber producing animals.
There are different views when it comes to buying
alpacas. The first is to buy the best alpaca you can afford. The second is to
buy lower priced alpacas and breed up.
This means to breed more desirable qualities into your alpacas. The first takes
more money; the second takes more time. This is a choice you will have to make.
Talk to different ranches and find out how they did it, and is it working for
them? Some people will buy the alpaca and
work out free boarding or a reduced cost of boarding for a year prior to taking
possession. If you buy 3 pregnant female alpacas, you should be able to take
home 6 after one year. Ask about reduced breeding fees. Those 3 girls will need
to be re-bred before you take them home. Do not worry about purchasing a stud
until all your breed backs are done. When you purchase your alpacas, you will
most likely need insurance on them. It will cost about 3.25 to 3.5% of their
purchase price per year per animal. On a $10,000 alpaca, that will be about
$350 per year. Most people carry insurance on their alpacas until they become
self-insured. After you have decided which alpacas you want to purchase, you
will be asked to sign a contract. Have the seller give you a blank contract and
explain it to you. The contracts are very straight forward. The contract
protects both you and the seller. Make sure you understand it. The contract can
be amended to accommodate any changes you wish. At this time, you can insert
any requests that both you and the seller have agreed upon. You should also put
in a clause asking that the female alpaca be tested for proof of pregnancy. If
the seller does not have proof of pregnancy within the last month, then you
need another test (progesterone or ultrasound).
How much should I pay for
an alpaca?
You will hear some ranchers say, "Get the
best alpaca you can afford." Others
will take a different approach to alpaca ranching. An example is one rancher who
bought 3 lower priced alpacas and 1 blue ribbon winner. That buyer’s thoughts
were that the more alpacas you have in year 1 the greater number you will have
in years 3 and 4. If you start out in year 1 with 4 alpacas, in year 3, you
will have 12. If you start out in year 1 with 2 expensive alpacas, in year 3,
you will have 6. If it makes sense to have more in year one, you can always breed
up in quality. With this approach, you should consider spending more on top of
the line stud breeding to get your quality up. The approach of purchasing the
best you can afford is valid as well. If you’ve got the patience to nurture
your investment and watch your business grow at a slightly slower rate with
higher quality, then you’ve lost less time in trying to breed up. Either
approach is fine. It’s just a decision you have to make.
Why do people call Alpacas the world's finest
livestock investment?
For any investment to be valuable, it must possess
certain qualities which make it desirable.
Gold is scarce, real estate provides shelter, oil
produces energy, bonds earn interest, stocks are supposed to increase in value,
and diamonds symbolize love. Alpacas share many of these investment attributes.
Around the world, alpacas are in strong demand,
and people pay high prices for them. They are scarce, unique, and the textiles
produced from their fiber are known in the fashion centers of
History has validated the value of the Alpaca.
"Livestock," or animals raised for profit, was an investment long
before financial stocks were sold on the New York Stock Exchange. The richest
families of ancient times counted their wealth by the size of their flocks of
sheep or herds of cattle. Today, wealth as a result of livestock ownership is
not as common, but tending to a graceful herd of alpacas can also be an
exciting way to earn a substantial cash flow and live a rewarding lifestyle.
Different types of Alpaca Ranches
Pet Ranches
This type of ranching has struck the interest of
many people. You will usually breed and buy alpaca that have nice fiber
but might lack the other qualities some ranchers are looking for (conformation
& ancestry). You will be dealing with very interesting people (spinners and
weavers). These people are the salt of the earth and are a pleasure to meet.
You will not be into the high dollar alpacas or have the worry of high dollar
breedings. Most pet quality ranches supplement their income in other ways. Pet
quality alpaca are loved by both adults and kids. The expense on keeping a
couple of alpaca can cost less than keeping 2 large dogs. They are great for
Small Ranch (1-20 alpacas)
Small ranchers are usually owners who simply enjoy
raising and being around alpacas. It's used as a life style change or to
supplement a retirement income. They would rather dedicate less time to working
and more time to being around the alpaca. The ranchers choosing this route will
most likely purchase 2 to 3 medium quality females and take the time to breed
up in quality. They most likely will not have an expensive stud and do some
outside breedings.
There are small ranchers who also enjoy entering
their alpaca in various shows and traveling to these different shows. Usually
their income is not based solely upon the alpaca, but you can still enjoy the
tax breaks (that can be significant) that come with raising alpacas. If you are
not inclined to get into shows and the cost of advertising, then you might want
to broker your animals.
Medium Ranch (20-60)
Those alpaca ranchers who fall into this category were
usually small ranchers just a few years back. They have found there is a demand
for boarding, shearing and sale of alpacas. They are knowledgeable because of
the time invested with alpacas. They will start breeding for stud quality males
and going outside to purchase studs for diversity. If you do not have the time
to wait for this to happen, then you will have to lay out a substantial amount
of cash to get started. It has been the experience of many that the longer you
are in this industry, the more opportunities you will see. Many ranchers now
raise, breed, board, shear, process and sell fiber from their alpaca. The
possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Large Ranch (60-??)
The large ranch is the type of rancher who is
willing to travel, go to all the large shows and has value added processing.
They not only raise alpaca, shear them, process the fiber into a finished
product, but also sell their product. This is a large operation and takes
either a lot of years or a lot of money to get off the ground. It's a high
risk, high reward operation. Large ranches will utilize every aspect of their
operation, from selling the manure to opening a store on the ranch to attract
potential customers.