Getting Started:

First you need to make a few decisions. What is my plan, how will I pay for them, and where will I keep them? All three of these questions are important to plan out before making an investment in alpacas or in any business for that matter.

There are three main strategies to consider. The first is to recoup your initial investment as quickly as possible. That involves selling the crias (babies) that your pregnant females deliver until you have broken even. The second is to retain most if not all offspring and go for maximum growth. The third is a mix of growth and selling.

There are different financial options when you have decided to own alpacas. You can purchase them outright, finance them, or consider a mix of both. How quickly you want your herd to grow will be a major factor. For example if you had $50,000 initial capital to start your herd, you could purchase one outstanding pregnant female. Another option would be to purchase several good quality bred females, possibly even with cria (babies) at side. Or you could purchase a larger starter herd with a down payment and make monthly payments. Most sellers offer terms. It really depends on your growth plan and how quickly you want your herd to grow, and what quality level you choose.

Now that I have a plan what do I need to do now?

When first starting up your alpaca ranch it can be confusing on the supplies you will need. Here is a partial list of suggested supplies. This is not a conclusive list but will help you get the supplies you need to start up without all the confusion. 

Walk your pastures:

It is very important before you put alpacas on your land that you walk the pastures and get rid of any flowing plants that the alpacas could possibly eat. Not all flowering plants are poisonous to your alpacas but it is much better to air towards caution. This should be an ongoing process you do on a regular basis.

When walking the pastures fill in any holes that could cause injury or broken bones to your alpacas. 

For the Southern ranches, take the time to kill any fire ants that took up residency on your land. We have not seen a problem with fire ants harming the alpacas but once they are grazing on the fields you can not safely kill or prevent the ants from further taking over the field. When choosing the fire ant pesticides do not use anything that last more than 30 to 60 days. Make sure you take the time to read the label and allow sufficient time for the pesticide to dissipate before allowing your investment to graze. We have not found a fire ant preventative that is labeled for grazing fields although some fire ant preventatives started out for the farming industry.

Protective no climb fencing is very important to install on the perimeter of your pastures. Alpacas only line of defense is to run and spit. Obviously spitting is not going to stop a raging dog from attacking. It will be just a matter of time before the alpaca is caught and harmed or killed when they try to run. You may want to consider investing in a livestock guard dog or a gelded llama for protection in addition to the no climbs fencing.

Essentials:

• Fresh Supply of hay; Orchard/Orchard mix is the preferred hay but others can be used if orchard is not available (no or very low alfalfa content)
• Fresh supply of alpaca feed
• Water buckets and feed pans
• We like automatic waters that can be purchased from Jefferies or Tractor Supply. They are easy to clean and require very little maintenance.
• Fans and Shelter
• Shelter can be something as simple as four posts with a cover on them allowing enough space for your alpacas to cush under during the heat of the day or access to a barn.
• Halters and leads
• They can be purchased from Quality Llama products.
• Halters should be various sizes from cria to large adult.
• Our experience is you can never have too many
• Food Scooper and measuring cup
• Plastic or metal feed container, air tight for open feed
• Wheelbarrow
• Shovels, rakes and lobby pan
• Insurance
• Wilkin Insurance http://livestockinsurance.biz/
• Prairie States http://www.prairiestatesinsurance.com/

Medical Supplies:

• Electronic Digital Thermometer

• Vet-Wrap or Ace Bandage 4" and 2"
• De-wormers: Ivomec Plus, Panacur, Valbezan, etc
• B-12 Complex (increase appetite, overall health)
• Syringes: Needled: 20G X 1 3cc, 60cc Catheter tip syringe, No needled: 30cc and 12cc
• Mineral Oil
• Fleet Enema
• Mylanta
• Swat
• Toe nail clippers
• Clean Bucket (stainless steel)
• Betadine Solution
• Alcohol (Isopropal)
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Triple Antibiotic Eye Ointment (w/o Steroids)
• Rubber Gloves

Supply Links:

• Jeffers Livestock http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/
• Quality Llama Products www.llamaproducts.com

Reference Material:

Dr Even Field Manual (a must have)