One of the primary reasons people breed alpacas is because they are beautiful and enjoyable to own. There’s just something about looking out of your window and watching these beauties grazing in your pasture that is irresistible. Not to mention the strong return on the owner’s investment and tremendous tax benefits that they can offer. And if that isn’t enough – they are easy to care for, require little maintenance and are gentle enough to involve children of any age in 100% of their care. The demand for alpacas in the U.S. has never been greater and shows no signs of declining. There’s just something about those big, beautiful, brown eyes, and ultra soft fleece that makes you want more and more. And of course, there’s nothing like watching your alpacas give birth and within an hour having an adorable baby (called a cria) scampering around the pasture.
Alpacas tend to be very healthy and easy to look after. They have a gentle nature, which makes them 
ideal for people who are not already familiar with livestock. They don’t bite or butt. Because of their gentle disposition and small stature, children often train and show them. In fact, the more accustomed they are to human touch, the gentler they often become. And you don’t have to have a big farm and lots of acreage to raise them. Fewer acres are required to sustain them as compared to other grazing livestock – 8-10 can be raised on an acre of good lush pasture. Although many farms have 100 + animals, the average herd size is 10.
Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains region of Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The alpaca is one of four species of South American camelids (the others are the llama, vicuna and guanaco). Alpacas are ruminants with three stomach compartments that efficiently convert grass and hay into energy. Their feet are padded which makes them very easy on the ground and friendly to the environment. Alpacas lack upper front teeth and delicately trim the pasture without pulling up the roots. Adult alpacas usually weigh between 120 to 180 lbs and stand 30-40 inches at the withers. Life expectancy is 15-20 years, and many females continue to reproduce into their elder years.
There are two breeds of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri. They are similar in size and form, but have distinctively different types of fiber. The huacaya’s dense fleece grows straight out from its body and has crimp (waviness) along its length, giving them a soft fluffy look. The suri has a straight fiber that hangs from the animal in ringlets or locks. Suri fleece is noted for its bright shine or luster
Alpaca fiber is considered a rare luxury fiber which is warmer, softer, stronger and lighter than wool. It is prized for its softness (like mohair), uniform fineness and strength. In fact, alpaca products are ideal for those allergic to sheep’s wool. Alpacas come in a multitude of colors, twenty-two of which are recognized by the alpaca fiber industry. Besides basic black and white, they come in many shades of fawn, tan, brown and gray. Alpacas are shorn annually with one fleece usually yielding from five to eight pounds, enough to produce several garments. Alpaca fiber is very durable and is used to produce sweaters, scarves, socks, hats, vests, luxurious coats, blankets and rugs.
Although they have many similarities, alpacas and llamas have distinct differences. Alpaca fiber is much finer, softer and denser and they are about half the size of llamas.
Although used for their meat in South America, alpacas are not used for meat in the U.S. Alpacas are an enjoyable livestock alternative. They are gentle, beautiful, easy on pastures, easy to care for, relatively disease free and entertaining to watch. Alpacas are purchased as production animals, fiber sources, show animals and pets. Most are easily halter broken and many can be trained to maneuver obstacles. They are not suitable for packing like the llama. Alpacas are easy to transport and can be transported in a horse trailer or even in the back of a van, as they lie down (cush) while the vehicle is moving.
Alpacas need adequate, well-maintained pasture and must be fenced in. Fencing must be high and tight enough to keep out all potential predators, including dogs. Alpacas do not challenge fences. They are hardy and adapt to all climates. However, they need protection from temperature extremes and wet weather. In warm weather proper ventilation and fans are a must and even air conditioning can be used in extreme conditions. Our alpacas enjoy having their bellies sprayed with water on hot days.
Alpacas do well on pasture or clean, grass-type hays. Overfeeding and frequent use of protein-rich hays, such as alfalfa, are unhealthy and should be avoided. Fresh water should always be available along with mineral salt. Alpacas tend to create community manure piles, inhibiting the spread of parasites and facilitating pasture clean up. Alpaca’s fertilizer has little odor and makes great fertilizer.
Alpacas communicate in a variety of ways. Posturing with the ears, neck and tail is often used to maintain the pecking order of the herd. They spit at each other as a warning to back off. Their most common sound is a pleasant, soft humming. Mother alpacas often cluck to their newborn babies. Occasionally one can hear an alpaca alarm call, warning the herd of possible danger. Alpacas are herd animals and prefer the company of other alpacas. Within the herd there is a hierarchy of dominant and less assertive animals.
Alpacas are hardy, disease resistant animals. Health care is minimal and includes a vaccination program to protect against parasites and various diseases of local concern. Their nails should be trimmed regularly and not allowed to grow long and curl. Some alpacas need occasional teeth trimming. The fighting teeth of adult males are usually cut off at gum level.
Female alpacas are generally bred at 14-18 months of age. They are induced ovulators, meaning breeding induces ovulation. Males mature more slowly and typically begin breeding at 2 ½ to 3 years of age. Males and females should be separated at about 6-8 months of age (typical time of weaning), as an occasional alpaca can become sexually mature early. The most common method to confirm pregnancy is to place a male in with the female (referred to as teasing). If she is not pregnant, she will generally be receptive to breeding. If she is pregnant, she will spit at the male. Pregnancy is also confirmed with ultrasound and progesterone level testing. The mother (dam) is generally rebred three weeks later.
The gestation period for alpacas is about eleven months. Females produce a single baby, called a cria. On rare occasions, alpacas give birth to twins. Crias normally weigh from 14-20 lbs. at birth.
Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active national organization, The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA). There are also a growing number of Regional Affiliates and AOBA sanctioned national committees addressing every aspect of the industry. One such regional affiliate is the Mid Atlantic Alpaca Breeders Association (MaPaca), a cooperative group of about 80 breeders from Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. There are also a growing number of AOBA sanctioned alpaca shows across the United States. In fact, in 2003, AOBA sponsored the biggest alpaca show ever.
Alpaca owners also enjoy an Alpaca Registry (ARI), which was established to help ensure accurate records with state-of-the-art technology to document bloodlines. In order to be registered, all alpacas must be blood typed. Virtually every alpaca in the U.S. is registered.
Another organization that works to benefit alpaca owners is the Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA). The AFCNA works to increase awareness of and demand for alpaca fiber and turns member’s fleece into quality alpaca garments and products.
Alpacas offer a significant return on investment compared to other types of livestock and can offer very attractive tax advantages. If they are actively raised for profit, all the attributable expenses can be written off against your income. Expenses include feed, fertilizer, vet care, travel, farm labor, marketing, depreciation of tangible property and more.
Some investors don’t actually raise their animals on a day-to-day basis. Some live in the city and are building their herd toward the day they change careers or retire to country life. Others invest solely for the exceptional returns and potential tax advantages provided by alpacas, and therefore board their animals with alpaca breeders. For all investors, alpacas offer a great way to diversify their investment portfolio with a commodity that is both rare and in demand worldwide.
Good quality breeding females range in price from about $15,000 to $40,000. Prices vary greatly on males, however, well-known proven herdsires have sold at auctions for prices ranging from $50,000 to $260,000. Since only the best males are used for stud service, geldings are readily available. Their prices average $1,000 – 2,500 (about the same as a high quality purebred dog) and are excellent fiber quality animals for those interested solely in the fiber end of the business.
