Alpacas were considered a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a main role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America in the Andean countries of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Alpacas were domesticated about 10,000 years ago and are members of the camelid family.

In 1984, alpacas were first imported to the United States. Alpacas are now being successfully raised and enjoyed throughout North America and abroad. There are two types of alpacas – the Huacaya (wha-KAI-ah) and the Suri (surrey). Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36″ tall at the withers and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds which makes them about half to one-third the size of their cousin, the llama. Their life span is about 20-25 years, gestation is 11.5 months, with females reaching maturity around 18 months of age and males at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age.

Alpacas are hardy animals and do not require a lot of special care. They are thrifty as well, needing only about a bale of hay per month even if they are dry-lotted with no pasture to graze. Alpacas are ruminants, and have triple-chamber stomachs, they are grazers who quietly chew cud all day. They require grass, hay, clean water, and a modest ration of grain. This means that the average alpaca costs less to feed than the average dog! They are gentle animals and easy to handle. Alpacas don’t have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is easy since alpacas have communal dung piles. They require minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre.

Alpacas are most prized for their amazing fleece, also known as fiber. They produce one of the world’s finest and most luxurious natural fibers. The demand for this fiber worldwide exceeds the current supply, making alpaca fiber command 10 times the price of virgin wool. It is sheared from the alpaca once a year without causing injury and each animal produces enough fiber for several sweaters. Soft as cashmere and warmer, stronger and lighter lighter than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends). It is the most colorful animal in the world!  Rivaling cashmere in the fashion department, alpaca fiber is being woven into a variety of durable, silky-soft products. You can find alpaca sweaters, coats, capes, blankets, gloves, socks, scarves, hats, finger-puppets, teddy bears and other alpaca toys and accessories available for sale. Textile artisans seek out the precious alpaca yarns, rovings and raw fleeces for their projects on a regular basis. Many people who cannot wear wool can wear fine alpaca clothing in complete comfort. Alpaca garments are warm even when wet, making them ideal for outdoor activities. This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.

Alpacas are herd animals and should not be raised in isolation. They learn by observing other herd members as much as being trained themselves. Alpacas seem to sense the need to be gentle with children and are great favorites for 4-H projects, pets, and therapy animals. Many times llamas serve as guard animals for the smaller, less bold alpacas. Llamas are more than twice the size of an alpaca and their fleece is not nearly as soft and fine as the alpaca fleece.

Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active national organization. The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) with a growing number of Regional Affiliates and AOBA sanctioned national committees addressing every aspect of the industry.

The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) accepts fleece from its members, and turns the precious fiber into quality alpaca products. Members benefit from a ready outlet for their fiber, while the cooperative works to increase awareness of and demand for this every day luxury.

The Alpaca Registry has been established to help ensure accurate records and has a state-of the-art system to document bloodlines. Alpacas must be blood typed in order to be registered. Virtually every alpaca in the U.S. is registered.

THE HUACAYA

When most people think of alpacas, they see in their minds eye the huacaya. Huacayas (pronounced wa-KAI-ya) have the fluffy teddy bear appeal that many associate with alpacas and are the more common of the two types. They comprise about 82% of the U.S. alpaca population. The Alpaca Registry (ARI) showed about 136,000 huacaya alpacas registered in the United States as of October 2010.  These beautiful animals are characterized by their fluffy fleece. The fiber grows outward from the alpaca’s body and is so thick and crimpy that it forms halo of fleece all around the animal giving them their “cuddly” appearance. The fiber is soft and strong and generally crimpy throughout. It looks a lot like Corriedale and Romney sheeps wool (without the lanolin). At the microscopic level, the scales on follicle of the hair of the huacaya fiber are irregular and slightly serrated (though still smoother than sheeps wool) which helps it “grip” in processing and take dyes well. When commercially processed, huacaya fiber can be processed either using the woolen or worsted process and produces a soft, lofty thread or yarn. It’s ideal for knitted wear or soft tweeds.  Huacayas come naturally in a wide array of colors with white, brown, and black being the most common.

THE SURI

There’s nothing quite like a suri in full fleece, with its locks blowing in the breeze. Suris (pronounced SUR-ee) are the rarer of the two types of alpacas and comprise about 18% of the U.S. alpaca population. The Alpaca Registry (ARI) showed about 28,000 suri alpacas registered in the United States as of October 2010.  The first Suris were imported from Bolivia to the United States in the winter of 1991. Additional suri imports came in 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998 from Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Suris account for only about 1% of the total world wide  alpaca population. They are so rare that there may be fewer suris than the vicuna, the wild ancestor of the alpaca.

These elegant animals are characterized by their draping locks. You can see how the fiber hangs down rather than looking wooly and round like on huacayas. This fiber is slick and straight with little or no crimp and has a high degree of sheen. It looks a lot like Angora goat fiber. At the microscopic level, the scales on follicle of the hair of the suri fiber are smooth edged and one directional giving it this slickness.

When commercially processed, suri fiber is almost always processed using the worsted process, which results in a thin, hard thread which is used in making gabardines and crepes. Suri fiber brings a premium price on the world market because of its scarcity and unique characteristics.  Because of the hang of the fiber, suris often look more delicate than their huacaya counterparts, but they are every bit as well boned and muscled. Weights and proportions are about the same for both types of alpaca.  Traditionally, most suris were white, but U.S. alpaca breeders have been selectively breeding since the animals were imported to the United States to produce colored suris and now many colored suri alpacas are available.

PERSONALITY

Alpacas are shy, quiet, curious and intelligent. Because they are herd animals, they develop relationships based on their position in the group. Dominant alpacas become the herd “bosses”. Alpacas have no natural self defense mechanisms – they can not bit aggressively as they lack top incisors (front teeth) just like goats or sheep. Their feet are padded on the bottom so they cannot do much damage be kicking. They lack claws or hooves. Their primary self-defense is to run away. While they are generally quiet, or perhaps emit a gentle humming, they do have an alarm call that typically means a predator, such as a dog, is in the area.  They spend much of the day kushed (lying down), chewing their cud. They do enjoy an evening or morning romp, when the whole herd moves as a unit in a bouncy gait called “pronking”. Some antelopes have a similar gait.

MANAGEMENT

Nourishment
Alpacas are ruminants, meaning they chew their cud. The type of hay that is best for them is grass hay such as orchard grass or timothy. Alpacas do enjoy a treat of alfalfa, and alfalfa can certainly be added to a grass hay diet for an animal that needs to gain some weight. However, a diet composed entirely of alfalfa is generally too rich for an alpaca. If they get fat, their fiber coarsens significantly – often so much, it is I no longer suitable for clothing and thus doesn’t have much value. Alpacas require lots of good, clean water to drink. Some owners report that alpacas like carrot slices as a special treat, especially when training. Alpacas also need minerals. There are minerals specifically formulated for alpacas which can be purchased along with a variety of alpaca care products from suppliers that can be found on the internet.

Shelter
Alpacas are easy to care for, compared to some other livestock. They are adaptable and live in many climates. Heat, especially humid heat, is difficult for them; but there are management techniques to help combat hot weather. Contact an alpaca owner in your area for some great ideas on how to help your animals cope with extremes of temperature.
Alpacas need some space to move around but since they are not very big, they can live in surprisingly small areas. Five to ten alpacas per acre gives plenty of room; and lots of alpaca owners house them in smaller areas than that, especially if they are “let out” into a run or field periodically. There should be a good shelter so they can escape the cold, rain, snow or heat. Alpacas do not challenge fences, but the area they are kept in must be fenced to discourage predators. One of the biggest threats to alpacas is dogs – even the family dog can be a problem if it is not used to livestock. Other predators to be concerned about are coyotes, wolves, bears, and mountain lions.
Alpacas are naturally clean animals, generally “dunging” in only one area of their enclosure, which they avoid for all other activities. Their manure is valuable and easy to use fertilizer, requiring no composting. Gardeners love it, so you’ll have no problem getting rid of it.

Health Maintenance
Alpacas can get parasites, like all livestock. However, it is less of an issue than in some other species such as donkeys or goats. Owners should rake loose hay and clean the dung piles daily to reduce the risk of parasite contamination. Your vet may also recommend periodic worming medications to prevent the usual internal and external parasites.

Alpacas are grazing animals and will also eat many kinds of shrubs and trees, some of which may be harmful. It is best to keep them away from garden areas or potentially toxic shrubs and trees. A fellow alpaca breeder can help you identify any problems in your area, or you can contact your County Extension Agent.

For good health, alpacas need to be sheared once a year. In hot climates, some owners shear twice a year to keep the alpacas from overheating. Alpacas also need their toenails trimmed about every month or two. An annual inoculation is given to protect against tetanus and clostridial bacteria. Some areas also recommend annual rabies vaccination. You will want to check with your vet to see what they recommend in your area.

THE EARTH-FRIENDLY ALPACA

Alpacas have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years. They are one of Mother Nature’s favorite farm animals. They are sensitive to their environment in every respect. The following physical attributes allow alpacas to maintain their harmony with our Mother Earth.

• The alpaca’s feet are padded and they leave even the most delicate terrain undamaged as it browses on native grasses.
• The alpaca is a modified ruminant with a three-compartment stomach. It converts grass and hay to energy very efficiently, eating less than other farm animals.
• Its camelid ancestry allows the alpaca to thrive without consuming very much water, although an abundant, fresh water supply is necessary.
• The alpaca does not usually eat or destroy trees, preferring tender grasses, which it does not pull up by the roots.
• South American Indians use alpaca dung for fuel and gardeners find the alpaca’s rich fertilizer perfect for growing fruits and vegetables.
• A herd of alpacas consolidates its feces in one or two spots in the pasture, thereby controlling the spread of parasites, and making it easy to collect and compost for fertilizer.
• An alpaca produces enough fleece each year to create several soft, warm sweaters for its owners comfort. This is the alpaca’s way of contributing to community energy conservation efforts.