Information on Alpacas
			Alpacas are smaller cousins of the llama, both members of the South American camelid family. They are similar in many ways, but the alpaca has a finer, more uniform fleece. Most people find them easier to manage. Alpacas have been raised for their fiber for centuries; during Incan times the finest alpaca garments were reserved for members of the royal family. Still a luxury fiber, alpaca is used by fashion designers for the finest suits, coats, and sweaters. With their comparatively small size and padded feet, alpacas are well suited to smaller acreage. An environmentally sound livestock, they don’t have a destructive impact on the land. They choose “potty” areas in their pasture, and that makes it easy to clean up their manure, which has a magical influence on flower and vegetable gardens (better than horse manure.)

In many parts of the country, alpacas only require a three sided shed for protection from heat and cold. Most breeders supplement pasture and/or hay with some grain, and possibly a mineral supplement. Alpacas have 3 stomachs, and are very efficient at making the most of the roughage they consume. We Americans have a slight tendency to overfeed.

In the East, white tailed deer carry a parasite that is deadly to the alpaca - meningeal worm. Careful breeders worm their alpacas every four to six weeks with Ivomec or Dectomax to protect against this parasite. They also administer yearly vaccinations, including rabies. Growing toenails need trimming occasionally, and alpacas are sheared yearly in the spring. This harvests their wonderful fiber, and gets them ready for the heat of summer. There are two different breeds of alpaca with very different fiber; Huacayas look like woolly teddy bears, and Suris look like elegant models with longer, tightly coiled hair. Suri fiber is glossier and finer, and huacaya fiber tends to be crimpier (more elastic,) and more dense. The fiber can be sent to a co-op or mill for processing, or sold to hand spinners. Finished products range from rovings, to yarn, to garments. Some breeders spin the fiber themselves, enjoying the progression from fleece to fashion. Wearing a sweater from a favorite animal yields a very special satisfaction.

The second source of income is the selling of offspring. The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) offers a sound base for reaching other breeders and would-be breeders. AOBA holds a yearly competitive show, which is complimented by many educational seminars. There are many affiliate groups across the country that offers similar shows throughout the year. This is a great network to help you evaluate your breeding program, sell the fruits of your labor, and benefit from the breeding programs of other farms. Alpacas must be registered with ARI, where their blood is cross-typed with the parents. Keeping exact lineage records helps breeders understand the genetic probabilities of color.

Life with the gentle-natured alpacas has a rhythm of its own, tied to the natural cycle of the seasons. The 11 ½ month gestation period leaves a lot of time for wondering whether the cria (baby) will be male or female, and what it will look like. Waiting is tempered by the joy of watching the crias grow, and run, and play, and fulfill the promise they convey.