all about alpacas

The alpaca is a domesticated member South American camelid family. The camelid family also includes llamas, guanacos, and vicunas from South American Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile and the Bactrian and Dromedary camels from Asia and Africa. The alpaca derived from the wild vicuna, resembling and closely related to the llama which were derived from the guanaco. Camelids actually originated on the plains of North America about 10 million years ago and then migrated to South America about 2.5 million years ago. Two wild species, vicunas and guanacos, emerged and continue to thrive in the Andes. It is believed that about 6,000 years ago alpacas were created through selective breeding which was heavily influenced by the vicuna. Alpacas played a central role in the Incan culture that was located in the high Andes mountains of South America. The Incas domesticated the alpaca and utilized its fleece. The ancient Incan civilization profited from the fiber produced from these fine animals. The imperial Incas clothed themselves in garments made from alpaca and many of their religious ceremonies involved the animal. After the Spanish Conquest the alpaca and the llama were extensively hybridised, leading to a gradual reduction in the amount of high quality alpaca fibre. Exporting of alpaca fiber to Europe began in earnest after Sir Titus Salt discovered a way of manufacturing alpaca cloth. He found that alpaca fiber was stronger than sheep's wool and that its strength did not diminish with fineness of staple. The alpaca textiles he fashioned from the raw fleece were soft, lustrous, and they soon began making their mark across Europe.

Once reserved for Incan royalty, this luxurious fiber is truly one of a kind. Similar to cashmere in softness, yet warmer, and comparable to sheep's wool, but lighter in weight and stronger, alpaca fleece is not prickly to the touch and bears no lanolin, making it nearly hypoallergenic. Not only do alpacas produce the world's finest and most cherished natural fibers, their fiber comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal, approximately 22 basic colors with a plethora of variations and blends. No other animal that produces fiber for textile use has such an enormous variety of colors.

At Tuscany Valley Alpacas and Stoney Ridge Alpacas, alpacas of all colors grace our pastures.

In 1984 alpacas were introduced to the United States and have flourished since then, thanks to their incredible adaptability to various climates. There are two types of alpacas that populate the United States, the Huacaya alpaca and the Suri alpaca. Huacaya alpacas have dense, crimpy sheep-like fiber which is extremely fine, adding to the alpacas woolly round appearance. Suri alpacas, which are far more rare (estimated to make up between six and ten percent of the alpaca population), have very silky fiber which forms into long dreadlocks. Both fleeces are soft and generally free of guard hair. Fibers of both types are considered luxury fibers in the textile trade because of their unique qualities. Baby alpacas provide the finest fleeces.

Alpacas are alert, curious, calm and predictable. They express themselves with a soft hum and with body language, such as neck posturing, ear and tail positioning, and head tilt. They have excellent eyesight and hearing, and will alert the herd and their human keepers with a staccato alarm call when danger is perceived. Alpacas rarely spit at people unless frightened or abused, but will use this form of communication with each other to register a complaint. Just as humans are social beings, alpacas are social herd animals and should be kept near other alpacas. These gentle charismatic animals do not have upper incisors, horns, hooves, or claws, making them a wonderful addition to any farm with young children.

Adults weigh between 100-190 pounds. Their height ranges between 32"- 39" at the shoulder. Their relatively compact size contributes to easy management. Alpacas require minimal fencing and can be pastured at five to ten animals per acre. A three-sided shed is ideal for alpacas, considering they prefer the cool outdoors with open space to roam and graze rather than being closed off in a barn. Alpacas are modified ruminants. They feed on grass, quality hay, and special alpaca crumble. Fresh water is a must in order to keep their thirsts quenched. They rank high in digestive efficiency and do well on good quality forage and hays. Occasional supplemental feeds, vitamins, and minerals are provided when required. An alpaca costs far less to feed than most traditional domestic animals. While hardy and generally disease resistant, basic care of yearly vaccinations, worming, and regular toe and occasional dental care is recommended. Alpacas are shorn every 12 to 18 months to harvest their exquisite fleece, and for health and management purposes. Parasite control is an important factor when keeping a healthy herd. Although alpacas do have a communal dung pile which helps control their internal parasites, they should be de-wormed quarterly and vaccinated annually. Climate should also be taken into consideration when maintaining an alpaca farm. Tuscany Valley Alpacas, LLC. is geographically located in the southern part of the country. Alabama summers are hot and humid. Preventing heat stress is a must. Fans and shaded quarters help to reduce the likelihood of heat related illnesses.

The lifespan of an alpaca is roughly 20 years. A female does not fully mature until she reaches approximately 16-18 months of age and should not breed until that time. Males are generally ready to breed for the first time at 2 to 3 years of age (when testicular growth is adequate). Males "orgle" when hoping to mate and during the act of mating. This sound helps get the female "in the mood" and is believed to also help the female ovulate after copulation has occurred. Females are "induced ovulators" since they have no estrus cycle. Hence, both the act of mating and the presence of semen cause them to ovulate. The gestation time for an alpaca is normally 11 to 11.5 months and produces a single baby which is usually delivered from a standing position during daylight hours, most commonly between 10am and 2pm. Twinning is extremely rare and generally not compatible with life. The young are called crias. Birth weight averages between 12-18 pounds and cria may be weaned at approximately six months of age. A female is generally receptive to breeding again two weeks after giving birth.

Today there are about 3.5 million alpacas in the South American Andean highlands. Since the major first importation into the U.S. in 1984, the North American herd has increased from a few alpacas in zoos and private collections to about 50,000. About 95% of North American alpacas are registered by The Alpaca Registry (ARI). The ARI utilizes DNA technology to verify Alpaca lineages. Alpacas are popular internationally for their luxurious fiber and as pet, show, and investment animals in the United States. Alpacas can be seen at fairs and fiber fests throughout North America.. These animals are popular in other countries such as Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, France, Israel to name a few. Today, the center of the alpaca textile industry is in Arequipa, Peru; yarn and other products made from alpaca are sold primarily in Japan and Europe.

Costs vary throughout the United States; breeding females cost between $12,000 to $30,000 on average and sometimes more depending on lineage. Pet quality males generally average between $500 to $1,500. High-end herdsires have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many breeders give a discount if more than one Alpaca is purchased from their farm. As in other markets, alpaca prices are influenced by supply and demand and general economic conditions. The number of alpacas found in countries other than South America is still extremely limited. The long gestation time of female alpacas help maintain a slow growth rate, making demand much higher than supply, which has increased the value of these beautiful animals considerably. Additionally, there are numerous tax benefits to those who raise alpacas.

Feel free to call and discuss the tax benefits of raising alpacas.

ALL ABOUT ALPACAS

This page was last updated: July 20, 2010