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Table of Contents
How much does it cost to buy alpacas?
Pet Alpacas
Pet quality alpacas can be purchased for as little as $250 each and up to $1,500 each, with a general cost of about $500 – $1,000 each. When looking for pet alpacas make sure you consider the look of the alpaca, the friendliness of the alpaca, the quality of the breeder, and overall animal health.
Are alpacas a good investment?
Just a few decades ago there were but a handful of farmers and ranchers importing and breeding alpacas in the United States. Now, thanks to a number of factors, alpacas are considered a lucrative and relatively easy livestock investment, with their numbers climbing to about 50,000 in this country.
How many acres do you need per alpaca?
Alpacas and llamas do not require much land. Sheridan recommends two acres of pasture for up to a dozen llamas (a maximum of six llamas per acre), and Foss said you should have one acre of land for every six alpacas. Sheridan said that llamas need some fencing, but it does not need to be especially strong or high.
How many alpacas can you keep on an acre?
How much land do I need? Anyone with an acre of pasture has enough land to keep alpacas. They have a stocking rate 1 greater to that of sheep so around 6 alpacas per acre throughout the year. Higher stocking rates are possible when land rotation is available and on improved pasture.
What is the lifespan of an alpaca?
Alpacas have a natural life span of 15–20 years.
Do alpacas get on with dogs?
Alpacas are reported to get along with other animals such as cats as well with other livestocks. Commonly used as guard animals for sheeps and goats against canids, alpacas can be wary and stressed amongst the presence of dogs. They will often stomp, potentially injuring your dog.
How long can alpacas be left alone?
Another plus: Unlike dogs, alpacas can be left unattended for a few days, such as when their owners are traveling. 2. Alpacas are not llamas: Although both are camelids and share the South American continent as their ancestral home, alpacas are about half the size of llamas.
What is the most profitable small farm animal?
- 1 – Cattle. With a massive market for beef in the U.S. and Canada, raising cattle is at the top of the list for livestock. …
- 2 – Chickens. …
- 3 – Goats. …
- 4 – Bees. …
- 5 – Rabbits.
Can I make money from alpacas?
But do they make money? Alpacas are not sold for meat. Farmers generate money by selling their fleeces or breeding young. The fleeces are, however, particularly valuable.
Are alpacas high maintenance?
Are alpacas easy to care for? Alpacas are a small and relatively easy livestock to maintain. They stand about 36′ high at the withers (where the neck and spine come together) and weigh between 120 to 200 pounds. Like other types of livestock, alpacas need basic shelter and protection from heat and foul weather.
Are alpacas noisy?
Are alpacas loud? Generally, no! Alpacas are by nature quiet, friendly herd animals, and many of the noises which are mentioned above are not particularly noisy. The most common sound that they make is the humming noise, which is not particularly loud and many people find actually fairly pleasant.
Are alpacas hard to care for?
Alpacas Are Relatively Easy to Care For
However, when taking into account the care needs of most other livestock and pets, you will see that alpacas are actually very easy to care for! They tend to take care of themselves, they are clean animals, and they are usually healthy and hardy.
Can 2 male alpacas live together?
It’s very common to keep two (or more) male alpacas together, so yes! Go for it. When keeping male alpacas together, it’s most common to separate them into two herds. Most alpaca ranchers and farmers keep the intact males (machos or studs) in one pasture and the castrated males (wethers) in a separate pasture.
Are alpacas OK in the rain?
Alpacas do not like rain and definitely prefer shelter, but the shelter must look safe to them. If it’s too small or has no easy exit, they might see it as a trap and the rain might seem a better alternative. Alpacas WILL go in out of the rain if they have a reasonable shelter. They don’t like to get wet.
Where do alpacas sleep at night?
The sleeping location of alpacas will vary by geography, weather, accommodations, and the alpaca’s personality itself. Some alpacas will sleep outside all year round and others will always sleep inside a barn. Our alpacas originally slept outside and even in winter. Now they all tend to sleep in the barn.
Is raising alpacas profitable?
“Is Alpaca farming profitable?” Is the most widely asked and discussed question. The appropriate answer to this question would be yes, Alpaca farming is super profitable. The farm owner can generate profit from selling meat, fiber, baby Alpacas, and offering them for breeding, as a show animal, or sheep guard.
How much money can you make from alpacas?
The Alpaca Economy
“If you just sell the raw fiber, you’re pretty much breaking even,” explains Connie. For instance, an alpaca that produces 10 pounds of raw fiber that is sold at $3 an ounce would generate about $500 in income. Alpaca owners who can prepare the roving themselves earn more per ounce for their fleece.
Do alpacas make good pets?
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.
Are alpacas easy to keep?
Are alpacas easy to care for? Alpacas are a small and relatively easy livestock to maintain. They stand about 36′ high at the withers (where the neck and spine come together) and weigh between 120 to 200 pounds. Like other types of livestock, alpacas need basic shelter and protection from heat and foul weather.
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Alpacas: Dollars and Sense – Hobby Farms
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Alpacas are considered by many ranchers to be a lucrative and relatively easy livestock investment Find out if the alpaca and its benefits are compatible with your farm
Alpaca History
Care and Feeding
Fencing and Housing
Alpaca Herds
Alpaca Economics
Entering the Market
Where to Find Alpacas
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Alpaca Cost and Care: Understanding the True Cost of Alpaca Ownership
Summary of Alpaca Acquisition Cost
Everyone who asks us about alpaca farming wants to know about the investment costs and the revenue opportunities. The revenue opportunities vary greatly from farm to farm, however, the initial alpaca cost and the expense of ongoing care are fairly consistent.
The largest variation you’ll find in the cost of alpaca care and ownership is the quality of alpacas you purchase. You have to decide if you want pet quality, hobby farm quality, or show quality animals. This will significantly influence your purchase price, source of alpaca sales, and the criteria by which you’ll select the animals.
While overall alpaca costs can range between $250 – $50,000 per animal, the cost of most alpacas will fall between $3,000 – $10,000 per alpaca. You will find these costs vary based on age, conformation, fiber quality, lineage, facial appearance, and personality. The higher the quality of all of those elements, the higher the demand and the higher the cost of the alpaca.
Supply and Demand Influence
Those alpaca prices can seem very high to those new to the industry, but the cost structure is justified when you consider the uniqueness of birthing and raising alpacas. Supply and demand (basic economic concepts) greatly influence the cost and sale price of alpacas.
The cost of alpaca acquisition is higher than many livestock because they are unlike other farm animals. Here are just a few of the nuances that make the initial cost of alpaca ownership as high as it is:
Alpacas were first imported into the United States in 1984, so they have not been in the US all that long. That means the availability is not the same as other livestock.
The majority of the world’s alpaca population lives in Peru. The importation of alpacas from Peru is no longer allowed. Local farmers can only import alpacas from Australia and Canada, which greatly reduces the availability of alpacas and this is especially true of high-quality alpacas.
The alpaca reproduction cycle is not like most livestock. Their reproductive process is not conducive to artificial insemination, which makes natural alpaca pregnancies the only option.
Alpacas are pregnant for almost an entire year and most breeders in the midwest only breed in spring and summer months. This makes the opportunity for breeding more limited than other animals.
Alpacas only have one cria per pregnancy. Twins occur occasionally, but it is very difficult to get both crias through a healthy delivery. Therefore one mother can only deliver one cria per year.
If one does not have their own herdsire (adult male), they must pay another farm for breedings. Quality breedings will cost between $1,000 – $5,000 per cria.
Note: Suri alpacas have much less supply than Huacaya alpacas, so these will come at a premium price within the United States. The alpaca industry is dominated by Huacaya alpacas, so there is more supply and thus they are not as expensive as Suris.
Alpaca Revenue Opportunities
While I just covered all the negatives to raising alpacas, there are many benefits. And these benefits tie into business plans and the opportunities of obtaining a solid return on investment. These include:
Alpacas have multiple revenue streams that include: Raw fiber sales Sale of finished fiber products (yarn or clothing) Sale of actual alpacas Breedings of alpacas Manure sales (the manure is high quality and serves as organic fertilizer) Meat sales Sales of services related to alpacas
Alpacas live around 20 years, which means your initial investment has many years to pay itself back
Alpacas do not cost a lot to feed
Alpacas are low maintenance, which makes them easy to care for
Alpacas are eco-friendly and sustainable for the environment
One female alpaca can give birth to 10+ cria, which makes her revenue-generating opportunities ten times her purchase price
Now that we’ve broken down the pros and cons of investing in alpacas, let’s chat more about the individual costs associated with the different types of alpacas. I’ll break down the various types of alpacas and then we’ll dig deeper into the startup and ongoing costs associated with raising alpacas.
Alpaca Quality Compared to Purchase Cost
Pet Alpacas
A pet quality alpaca will be just that – purchased for the purpose of love and entertainment. A pet alpaca will be very inexpensive, however, you won’t have a lot of options for breeding, selling the alpaca for profit, or using the alpaca fiber for the production of yarn and products. Pet quality alpacas can be purchased for as little as $250 each and up to $1,500 each, with a general cost of about $500 – $1,000 each.
When looking for pet alpacas make sure you consider the look of the alpaca, the friendliness of the alpaca, the quality of the breeder, and overall animal health. Not all alpaca farms, breeders, or animals offer the same quality for “pets”, so look around and visit a number of farms.
Hobby Farm Alpacas (Fiber Alpacas)
A hobby farm alpaca is one that is above pet quality, but not quite to show quality. This type of alpaca will be more expensive ($1,500 – $5,000), but it will come with better conformation and higher quality fiber. Having this level of quality opens up your alpaca farm to revenue. You’ll be able to breed the alpaca, sell the offspring, and produce quality yarn and alpaca products for sale.
Educate yourself on alpaca conformation prior to purchase, as you’ll need to be able to ascertain genetics and the possibility of birth defects. Carefully consider the animal’s age, existing offspring, conformation, and health prior to purchase.
Show Quality Alpacas
A show quality alpaca takes you into a whole new level of investment and purchase decisions. Your investment per alpaca will begin at a minimum of $5,000 and will run up to about $20,000 per animal. Some recent sales have been around $50,000 per alpaca with the highest record sales at $675,000. The record high price was for Snowmass Matrix, who was a 20+ champion and first place winner. You’ll see this Matrix’s genetics in many top herdsires including our own Romeo and Captain America.
Conformation, esthetics, color, and fiber quality will be key decision criteria if you wish to show alpacas and win the coveted blue ribbons and banners. Fiber animals need to have strong EPD scores and fiber histograms should be closely reviewed.
Decision criteria within alpaca conformation include:
Bite
Ears
Front and rear legs
Body score
Tail
Body capacity
Overall balance and proportion
Movement
Testicles and Genitalia
Decision criteria within Huacya alpaca fiber quality include:
Fineness
Density
Fleece weight
Staple length
Uniformity
Lack of guard hair
Crimp
Handle
Uniformity
Now that you know what to consider when selecting alpacas for sales, let’s move onto overall cost of ownership.
Breakdown of Alpaca Investments and Costs
When we first started in alpaca farming, we didn’t fully understand the cost of acquiring and raising alpacas. We had a decent grasp on the cost of the actual alpaca purchase, but we didn’t understand the “things” we’d need to purchase along the way. But with the help of books and other alpaca farms, we quickly figured it out and our alpacas live in a nice comfy “diva barn” and they have plenty of space to roam. We’re still working on the roaming part because it appears, alpacas can never have enough grass to snack on.
One-Time Alpaca Purchase Cost
Item and/or Service Pet Quality
Cost of Investment Hobby Farm Quality
Cost of Investment Show Quality
Cost of Investment Purchase Price of Three Alpacas $1,500 $6,000 $15,000 Alpaca Registration $165 Included in Above Included in Above Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Test $75 $75 $75 Fecal Test $105 $105 $105 Total Cost for Three Alpacas $1,845 $6,180 $15,180
My husband has done a great job tracking costs, possible revenue streams, and maintaining a business plan for the farm. Knowing your total ongoing cost of ownership is important because you cannot formulate a business plan without it. Keep in mind the ongoing costs do not include breedings. If you are going the show route, you’ll need to purchase breedings from high-quality herdsires.
Ongoing Cost of Alpaca Farming
We have removed sawdust and hay from our ongoing usage and costs. This drops the estimated annual cost to $312 per alpaca. After further cost-cutting, our actual annual costs per alpaca end up being about $250.
Item and/or Service Single Alpaca
Annual Maintenance Cost Three Alpacas
Annual Maintenance Cost Shearing $35 $105 Vaccinations $20 $60 Food – Hay $100 $300 Food – Grain $120 $360 Straw for Bedding $22 $66 Sawdust for Interior Litter Box $35 $105 Onsite Health Check with Licensed Vet $37 $37 Total Annual Cost Per Alpaca $369 $1,107
The startup costs were another area where we went astray. We understood the barn and fencing, but we lost track of vaccines and vitamins. We also didn’t account for Dolly’s ultra-dense fiber that would need to be touched up between shearings. All in all, we were not that far off and I’d say our total alpaca startup costs have been close to what we expected.
Startup Costs for an Alpaca Farm
Item to Purchase Startup Investment Cost Fencing for 600 Feet of Coverage $2,500 Heated Water Buckets – Qty 2 $45 Hair Clippers $37 Nail Clippers $25 Stall Mats for 192 Feet – Used for Cement Floors $252 Halter and Lead $30 Vaccines – Clostridium Perfringes Types C&D (CD&T) $15 Ivomec or Dectomax Dewormer $68 A&D Injectable Vitamins $19 Bo-Se Injectible Selenium and Vitamin E $30 Needles for Injections – 100 Count $20 Total Startup Costs Per Alpaca Farm $3,041
If you are just starting up an alpaca farm you want to do as much research as possible. You can find a lot of good information from the Alpaca Owners Association, books specific to alpacas, and from the farms you visit. Most alpaca farms will welcome visitors and they’ll be happy to spend time answering your questions.
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Alpacas: Dollars and Sense – Hobby Farms
Just a few decades ago there were but a handful of farmers and ranchers importing and breeding alpacas in the United States.
Now, thanks to a number of factors, alpacas are considered a lucrative and relatively easy livestock investment, with their numbers climbing to about 50,000 in this country.
Still, this is a drop in the bucket when compared to about 3.5 million alpacas in South America, their continent of origin.
What does this mean for the alpaca in North America and its breeders and owners? How long can the growth of the alpaca market in this country be sustained? And dollars and cents aside, just what makes the alpaca so lovable?
Alpaca History
Alpacas are modified ruminants, part of the camelid family, which also includes llamas and camels. They are smaller than their cousins, standing at about 36 inches at the withers and weighing in at about 150 to 200 pounds.
While their smaller size and quizzical faces do in fact give them a high cuteness factor, whether or not they are huggable is debatable.
Many ads and websites for alpacas feature the ubiquitous picture of an adorable child hugging an adorable alpaca, but at the end of the day these are livestock creatures.
You may find the occasional alpaca that enjoys his hugs, but for the most part, they’re happy enough to mingle amongst their own and come to humans for treats and a good scratch.
Regardless of its predisposition toward being hugged, the alpaca is significantly easier to handle than most other livestock. They are smaller and therefore less intimidating than horses or cattle, don’t challenge fences the way goats do, and are hardy and easy keepers. Alpacas are certainly “user-friendly” livestock, which helps explain both their attractiveness as a livestock investment and their reputation for huggability.
Alpaca history accounts for their resilient nature … Alpacas are originally from South America where the Incas bred them for thousands of years the Incas’ lives were intertwined with those of alpacas, using the animals for fleece, food and transportation. During the Spanish colonization of South America, alpaca and llama numbers dwindled and the Inca and their livestock fled mostly to the higher, harsher climates of the Andes Mountains. As a result, the alpacas became extremely efficient grazers.
In 1984, several alpacas were imported to the United States from Bolivia, Chile and Peru. But in 1998 the U.S.-based Alpaca Registry Inc. was closed to any newly imported animals in an effort to improve the breed in this country. As word spread about the ease of care and keep of alpacas, the number of breeders and enthusiasts has grown.
Care and Feeding
Just how easy are alpacas to keep? Here are some basics:
Alpacas are extremely efficient grazers so they require little pasture and, with their padded feet, they are very easy on the land. Many breeders supplement alpaca diets with orchard grass hay and add a small ration of pelleted grain.
Those who keep alpacas for breeding and for fleece production (as opposed to just pasture pets) may want to adopt a more specialized feeding program. For instance, pregnant females may require more nutrition than what is readily available in pasture and hay, so an owner may consider additional nutritional supplements. Free-choice mineral blocks can also be provided. And for the very particular breeder, agricultural extension agents can be brought in to test the nutritional value of available pasture and hay.
The cost of feed is a small factor to consider. Alpacas only eat 1 to 1.5 percent of their body weight per day. In terms of cost, this works out to about 50 cents per alpaca per day.
Providing fresh water is critical for all animals. For alpaca owners in northern climes this means making sure water containers haven’t frozen. Automatic heated waterers help keep water chores to a minimum.
As with all livestock, alpacas warrant careful attention to their health. Annual vaccinations and regular deworming are necessary. Routine procedures, such as deworming, can be handled by an owner, which goes a long way toward saving on veterinary bills. In fact, finding a vet knowledgeable in alpaca care becomes one of the first chores of an alpaca owner. While more vets are becoming acquainted with the breed, their numbers are still few and far between.
The largest concern for alpaca breeders is healthcare for pregnant females and, of course, their babies, known as crias. Some owners prefer to send their pregnant females out to farms that have more experience at birthing, but in reality alpaca births tend to be fairly easy. Most likely due to the fact that they hail from a cold climate, alpaca births occur during the day and are typically uncomplicated. Regardless, a responsible alpaca owner will want to be present at the birth should any trouble occur. Amongst the many skills new owners should study up on before venturing into breeding is how to deal with troubled births.
Teeth and toenails must be routinely trimmed. Again, most owners will choose to do this on their own once receiving instruction from a competent teacher. Many new alpaca owners will find that the breeder they buy their stock from can be a tremendous source of knowledge when it comes to care and maintenance information.
Fencing and Housing
Since alpacas rarely challenge fencing, the strength and type of fence should be more about keeping predators out than keeping alpacas in. After a recent hurricane, breeder Chris Lewis of Alpaca Advantage in Delaplane, Va., discovered that a few trees had come down in his paddocks, crushing fence lines and leaving wide-open gaps toward the roads. His alpacas, however, thought better of leaving their safe enclosure and none had made any attempt at escape.
Predators are a big concern to alpaca owners, so in order to keep coyotes, feral dogs and others out, many breeders use no-climb fencing in combination with standard oak-board fencing.
A three-sided shelter is generally sufficient for alpacas. Since they hail from cold, windy mountainous areas and are well equipped for such weather. Heat and humidity are of more concern for alpaca owners. Protection from the sun is critical; when heat and humidity combine, additional measures must be taken. Some farms incorporate fans and misting systems, others just spray down their herds with water.
Shelters need to be large enough or number enough to accommodate all members of the herd. Since females need to be kept separate from the males (both studs and geldings), separate sheds need to be provided, or, if barns are used, they must be sectioned off.
Alpaca Herds
There are two types of alpacas—Huacaya and Suri. Ninety percent of alpacas in this country (and worldwide) are Huacaya. They are distinguishable from each other mainly by their fleece: The Huacaya fleece is wooly and the Suri fleece falls like pencil-thin dreadlocks.
The majority of alpaca owners and breeders have less than 10 animals, so in this case herd management is straightforward. Females are kept separate from the males, and females with young cria at their sides should be further isolated (though, as herd animals they should never be kept entirely separate from the rest of the herd as this will cause more stress than necessary).
The herd typically shares a communal manure pile making alpaca easy to clean up after. Their manure is rich and small, similar to sheep manure, and is welcome to gardeners even before composting.
Alpaca Economics
The first question potential alpaca owners usually ask is whether or not money can be made from alpacas. If a buyer forms a plan, sets goals, properly prepares his or her farm (or an agistment arrangement with another farm), cares for the herd and carefully plans breeding, then the answer is almost a definite “yes.” Presently there is still strong demand for well-bred breeding stock, and this is keeping prices high.
When Amy Makrosky, current president of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) bought her first four alpacas eight years ago, she asked herself the question “What if prices fall?” Since she had already fallen in love with the creatures, her bottom line was, “if the market drops out, I’ll still have them and I’ll still love them.” Fortunately for Makrosky, the market has not fallen and for now, shows no sign of abating. Her original herd of four has since grown to about 100, which she keeps on her farm in Texas.
Still, at a minimum of about $12,000 for a female alpaca, many buyers will want more from their investment than a lovely, but expensive pet. The question of whether a return can be made on an investment in alpacas lies not only in the apparent strength of the current market, or on one’s ability to care for livestock, but also how adept and inclined one is at marketing. Presently, approximately 85 percent of alpaca breeders are making their income through the sale of breeding livestock alone, with no concern for the sale of fleece. This means ranchers must become proficient at the art of selling and marketing their livestock.
According to Chris Lewis, while nothing is guaranteed, an investor in alpacas will meet with financial success if he or she makes an educated effort. “The biggest mistake new owners of alpacas make is spending all their investment dollars on breeding stock alone,” says Lewis. It might be wiser, he suggests, if an investor, for example, has $60,000 to spend, devote $40,000 to breeding stock, $10,000 on marketing and sales, and set aside the final $10,000 for breeding fees, unexpected vet bills and other miscellany.
The question of profitability also concerns what is considered “well-bred stock.” Since there are no set guidelines for conformation, what presently wins in the show-ring is what’s the nicest looking animal on any given day in the ring. In other words, breeders have been breeding for “pretty,” with a focus on color and some popular conformation points.
Many in the alpaca industry, however, are starting to breed with an eye toward what they see as the only true future for alpacas: fleece production. Some breeders are now more carefully considering the very technical aspects of fleece quality and incorporating breeding practices to improve it.
Alpaca fleece, a highly coveted luxurious product, is five times warmer than sheep’s wool and seven times stronger. In South America, alpacas are bred specifically for their fleece. Here in the United States, however, there are so few alpacas that, up until now, no economic incentive existed to market fleece beyond the niche markets of hand-spinners and weavers. The entire national clip (all the fleece collected in a year in this country) is now about 50 tons, compared to Peru’s 4,000 tons. A commercial mill could process that amount in three days. As a result, there is little motivation for American large mills geared for sheep’s wool to modify in any way to accommodate this new product.
Two things need to happen to change the minds of American large mill owners. The number of alpacas in the United States has to increase dramatically (which it is on track for) and breeders must start to breed their stock with an eye toward fleece quality.
The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) was established in 1998 to assist its members in collecting, processing and distributing their alpaca fiber. While it’s not yet running at a profit, the Cooperative hopes that increased awareness of its goals, along with increased numbers of alpaca breeders interested in working the fiber angle of their industry, will mean profits for all involved soon enough.
Fiber aside, money can certainly be made in the market for breeding livestock since that market is far from saturated and enjoys a strong demand. As of this writing, a well-bred female can easily fetch $20,000 and a superb herd-sire was recently auctioned for a record-breaking $250,000!
A number of factors assure future market growth. As of 1998, imported alpacas can no longer be registered with the Alpaca Registry Inc. While ostensibly one can still import alpacas, concerns over foot-and-mouth disease have, for the most part, closed off the United States from new imports. Also, investors in the alpaca market are strongly encouraged to work strictly with registered animals only. All of this, combined with the fact that alpacas have just one cria per year, means that the growth rate is set.
Entering the Market
A typical entry into the business of alpaca breeding goes something like this: A breeder new to the industry prepares his farm (fencing, shelters, feed, et cetera) and purchases his herd of alpacas—usually concentrating his initial investment on bred females. Let’s say he invests $90,000 on five females. Each bred female produces a cria within a year. About half of the offspring will be female, half males. Some of the female offspring will be sold, the rest kept to augment the breeding herd. In five years, the starter herd of five bred females can grow to 30 animals, now leaving the breeder with $500,000 (potential) worth in alpacas. Even before an actual return is realized, alpaca owners enjoy several tax advantages, from depreciation to real-estate tax reductions.
Those unable to pony up the initial cash needed to make such an investment can take advantage of financing options provided by many alpaca breeding farms. Another option for those unable to make a large initial outlay of cash is to join an alpaca investing syndicate where members each invest a certain percentage toward the purchase and care of alpacas.
Whichever entry route is taken, the potential significant return on investment within four or five years is part of what is driving this market. But many individuals seem to be attracted to alpacas for lifestyle advantages as well. With such small land requirements (depending on geography and pasture management, between five and 10 alpacas can be kept per acre), and ease of care and breeding, many novice and hobby farmers see alpacas as an easy gateway into livestock ranching.
Lewis believes that many individuals, including a significantnumber of retirees, in the post-September 11 world have been drawn to a more simplified rural lifestyle. And alpacas are an easy and welcome fit with that “back to the country” inclination. “After September 11th, there was a big surge of interest [in alpacas],” notes Lewis. “People were leaning toward a different set of values, a more old-fashioned way of doing things, where security and quality of life are more important.”
As Lewis points out, alpacas blend in nicely with those new inclinations. “They’re just a pleasure to be around.”
Where to Find Alpacas
Alpaca breeders and owners are very plugged in to 21st century technologies and communication methods.
Finding out more about alpacas on the Internet is fun and easy. Additionally, many sites have search functions that make it simple to find alpaca breeders near you. Alpaca industry insiders often encourage farm visits for those even just considering investing in alpacas.
Most likely because they know any time spent with alpacas is ultimately an addicting experience.
Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA): www.alpacainfo.com. On AOBA’s official website you can locate breeders, check out the extensive calendar of events, order print and video information on alpacas (and their breeding and care), or just peruse their pages for loads of information on getting started with alpacas.
www.alpacainfo.com. On AOBA’s official website you can locate breeders, check out the extensive calendar of events, order print and video information on alpacas (and their breeding and care), or just peruse their pages for loads of information on getting started with alpacas. Alpaca Registry Inc. (ARI): www.alpacaregistry.net. This database housing the genealogy, blood typing and ownership records of alpacas in North America contains information regarding membership requirements and benefits. Since its inception in late 1988, the Registry has mandated blood typing as a requisite for registration and accepts only offspring of registered alpacas that qualify by blood typing.
www.alpacaregistry.net. This database housing the genealogy, blood typing and ownership records of alpacas in North America contains information regarding membership requirements and benefits. Since its inception in late 1988, the Registry has mandated blood typing as a requisite for registration and accepts only offspring of registered alpacas that qualify by blood typing. Alpaca Nation (www.alpacanation.com) is an independent website where individual alpaca farms can advertise their services and livestock sales. The site is well organized, easy to navigate and a great place to start “virtual” alpaca shopping.
(www.alpacanation.com) is an independent website where individual alpaca farms can advertise their services and livestock sales. The site is well organized, easy to navigate and a great place to start “virtual” alpaca shopping. ILoveAlpacas.com: www.ilovealpacas.com. You’ve seen the commercials, now enjoy the site. This ad campaign was financed and created by a group of about 100 alpaca breeders. Many of these breeders had valuable marketing and communications experience from their previous professional careers and this combined knowledge is now being applied to their alpaca marketing efforts. The site, while containing some basic introductory information on the alpaca industry, is fundamentally designed to direct potential investors to alpaca farms near them.
This article first appeared in the July/August 2004 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
What llamas and alpacas can do for your homestead
Photo by Gabor Degre
Hailing originally from the South American Andes, llamas and alpacas may seem like exotic additions to a homestead or small farm. But these camelids can be a natural fit for the homesteading lifestyle.
Though many people keep llamas and alpacas as pets, they are surprisingly versatile and can be used for everything from producing lustrous fiber to guarding other livestock.
“They’re easy keepers,” said Bill Franklin, a retired mammalian wildlife ecologist from Iowa State University. “They’re not very demanding. You just need to give them food, water and proper shelter.”
Here is what you need to know about llamas and alpacas before you add one to your small farm or homestead.
What is the difference between llamas and alpacas?
Llamas and alpacas are usually grouped together because they are both camelids (a member of the camel family) but there are some key differences between the two animals as well as differences in the uses they can have on your homestead.
“They are in the same family, and obviously they are both domesticated,” Franklin said. However, he explained that alpacas were originally domesticated as a producer of wool, while llamas were domesticated for backpacking in the High Andes.
As a result, there are some physiological differences between the two. While alpacas are known for their soft fleece, llamas have a thick double coat with a coarse outer layer. Llamas are also significantly larger than alpacas, almost double the weight and nearly a foot taller on average.
Uses for llamas and alpacas on a homestead
The main difference between llamas and alpacas, though, is how you would use them around your homestead. Franklin said there are some llamas who have been bred for finer wool, but given their ancient history as a fiber animal, alpaca wool reigns supreme.
“Alpaca fiber is better than wool,” said Lennie Foss, president of the New England Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association. Foss owns 83 llamas on his breeding farm in West Newfield, Maine. “It’s 99 percent hypoallergenic. Most people who do quilting or work with the yarn that’s what they look for is the alpaca fiber.” Foss said alpacas can produce four to seven pounds of raw fiber a year.
Llamas, meanwhile, are used primarily as guard animals, especially against large predators like bobcats and coyotes.
“They’re a big animal, they stand right out and they don’t give ground. That cowers predators,” said Michael Sheridan, owner of Hemstreet Farm based in Elma, New York. “They’re very good with coyotes. Coyotes don’t come around [llamas]. They’re really fearful of them.”
Sheridan has raised llamas for about two decades and has had great success with them as guard animals. “They have this idea of belonging to a group or a herd and they protect everything that’s in their herd,” Sheridan said. “They’re excellent — better than dogs.”
For the most part, guard llamas can peacefully coexist with other animals after they have bonded to them.
“The only animal I had trouble with were guard dogs,” Sheridan said. “The guard dogs didn’t get along with the llamas because both sets of animals wanted to guard the other set and not be guarded.”
Franklin also said llamas make better pets, if that is why you are looking to have a camelid on your homestead.
“Llamas are good around children,” Franklin said. “They’re great pets. They’re so gentle, they’re used a lot in therapy in hospitals.”
There are some commonalities between the two camelids, though. Both llama and alpaca manure can be used as a rich fertilizer for your garden. As grazing animals, the two camelids are also both effective for pasture maintenance.
“They are very good at maintaining. It looks like a golf course out there,” Sheridan said of his llamas. “You don’t even know they’re down there. There is very little mess and very little smell.”
How to choose a llama or alpaca
Different breeds of llamas and alpacas will mostly vary by length and color of wool. “It’s all personal preference,” Foss said.
When it comes to buying llamas and alpacas, the experts agree that breed matters less than personality.
“Some [individual llamas and alpacas] are more friendly than others,” Foss said. “It’s all how much you interact with them on a daily basis. Some will come right up and nuzzle you. Some look at us [as if to] say, ‘I’m not getting near you.”
For camelids being used as guard animals, temperament matters especially.
“Look for llamas that have been previously trained,” Sheridan said. “When you’re buying a llama, you should be able to put the halter on the llama yourself. If you can’t do it on the farm where you’re buying it, you’ll never do it on your own farm.”
“If you’re buying a guard animal, get a castrated one or a female,” said Colt Knight, state livestock specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Uncastrated males, he explained, are more likely to be distracted by their natural mating instincts. “If you just wanted your llamas or alpacas as guard animals, you can select your animals for less high quality wool.”
Both llama and alpacas should be kept with companions.
“For a small farm, llamas really need a companion,” he said. “If they’re going to buy more than one, make sure the llamas that you’re buying are compatible with one another. Llamas are very sensitive to status.”
Likewise, alpacas need the companionship.
“[Alpacas] are herd animals, so you definitely need at least three of them,” Foss said.
When minding the flock, however, Sheridan said that llamas should be assigned guard duty one at a time. “If you have two cops you might find them in a donut shop rather than a patrol car,” he said. “It’s the same with llamas.
What do you need to raise llamas and alpacas?
Alpacas and llamas do not require much land. Sheridan recommends two acres of pasture for up to a dozen llamas (a maximum of six llamas per acre), and Foss said you should have one acre of land for every six alpacas.
Sheridan said that llamas need some fencing, but it does not need to be especially strong or high. “I’ve got split rail fencing and that’s fine,” he said.
Because they are smaller, alpacas need a little more protection. “Make sure you have at least five-foot-high, no-climb wire fencing to keep any predators out,” Foss said.
The diet of an alpaca or llama is comprised primarily of grazed grass and hay with some oats during the winter and an occasional vitamin supplement.
“Just make sure you have no poisonous plants to alpacas that are in the field,” Foss said. Such plants include buttercup, azaleas, rhododendron and ragwort. “You also need second cut hay for your alpacas. First cut hay does not give alpacas the nutrition they need.”
Camelids are generally hardy, but they do require shelter from extreme temperatures. Many farmers use three-sided shelters for their llamas and alpacas to provide shade and shelter from the cold.
“The big thing is having a proper shelter for them where they can get in and out of the wind,” Foss said.
Llamas and alpacas also require routine care. Franklin said both llamas and alpacas should be sheared once a year in the early spring, though woolier breeds may need to be sheared twice a year.
“You might find somebody who can come in and shear them,” Sheridan added. Many owners shear their own llamas and alpacas, but you may want to have a professional shear your camelids if you do not have experience shearing wooly creatures. Sheridan also recommended having a professional shear your animals if you want to process the fiber to sell it to ensure the quality of the fine fleece.
Llamas and alpacas also have long toenails. Without the regular wear of Andean mountain climbing, they will need to be regularly trimmed.
“Like all animals, their whole body depends on how their feet and their legs operate,” Sheridan said. “Like us, their toenails grow and they have to be clipped. That’s something that should be done every three months or so.”
Owners can clip the toenails themselves, but it takes some practice. Though Sheridan said that toenail clipping gets easier as camelids develop a relationship with their owners, llamas and alpacas can panic when they have their feet touched, so the animals need to be tied or restrained. Stand behind the leg, lift the animal’s foot by bending the leg on the natural bend of the knee and clip the toenail with a proper tool (one designed expressly for clipping camelid toenails is best, though gardening shears also work well) until the toenails are in line with the natural pad of the foot.
Making sure your camelids have the proper vaccines is also important for their health. Check with your area livestock veterinarian to vaccinate your llamas and alpacas against rabies, tetanus and other common diseases.
Sheridan said to be especially careful about meningeal worm, which infects camelids’ nervous systems. He regularly has a vet provide shots and oral medication to deworm his llamas, which provide protection against the meningeal worm.
You do not need to be homesteading in the Andes for llamas to be a great addition to your livestock. With some care and consideration, these camelids might find a comfortable home on your homestead
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