 Originating in the Andes of South America, Alpacas came to North American in the early 1980's. The first alpacas were imported to the United States in 1984. Since then, the North American herd has grown from a few thousand to tens of thousands.
The collective goal of North American Alpaca owners is to raise genetically superior alpacas that produce high volumes of fine fleece. This fleece is one of the primary purposes for raising alpacas; it can most closely be compared to cashmere. It is lightweight and has the most amazing softness, yet warmth that surpasses any other fiber, including wool.
Alpacas are a medium-sized animal and are smaller than their cousins the Llamas. Alpacas come in many different colors, the most popular being white, black, brown, rose, and grey. They even come spotted and in many color combinations. There are two types of alpacas - the Huacaya and the Suri. Huacayas have almost fluffy fiber, while Suris have long ropy fiber. The fiber is sheared annually without causing any injury to the animal.
So what do you do with the fiber once it’s off the alpaca? The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) accepts fleece from its members, and turns the fleece into quality alpaca garments and products. There are also several private mills and independent contractors that can handle fleece in quantity. The Alpaca goods that are the most popular are sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves and blankets. Over time it is expected that there will become an increasing demand for alpaca products.
Alpacas have a lifespan of about 20 – 30 years. Female alpacas can be first bred between 18 months - 2 years of age and can be bred every year. They carry a baby or cria for a gestation of 11.5 months. The delivery of a cria is similar to other mammals except that the alpacas do not lick their cria to dry them.
Alpacas eat grasses, hay and chew a cud. Most alpaca owners also feed a pellet nutritional supplement 1 or 2 times daily. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws so they are easy on pastures. Alpaca poop is similar to rabbit droppings (they are usually dry and look like a navy bean) and cleaning up is easy as a herd will usually make community piles in only a few places in the field. They require minimal fencing and you can have 5-10 animals per acre.
Alpacas are intelligent and easily trained animals; they are even gentle enough to be handled by children. They hum when pleased or happy and spit when they are not. They have definite personalities, which makes each one unique. They also make very good pets and companion animals.
Alpaca ranching is an exceptional investment livestock. A wide variety of people of all ages raise alpacas, many choosing it as a “retirement project” or a way to get out of corporate life and slow down. There are many alpaca organizations across the nation that assist newcomers to the industry and provide educational and training opportunities.
Alpaca shows play a large part in the raising of alpacas for many owners. Shows can range from regional to national. Alpacas are judged for conformation and fleece. Conformation includes judging of overall body mechanics: spine, legs, teeth and coverage, as well as quality of fleece: crimp, density, length and fineness.
The Alpaca industry has come a long was since it’s inception. Alpacas are a wonderful investment opportunity and a great lifestyle – we highly recommend it to anyone.
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