Alpacas were a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a central role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America in the Andean countries of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Alpacas are members of the camelid family and were domesticated about 10,000 years ago.
  
Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984. 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). The lifespan of the alpaca is about 20 years and gestation is 11.5 months. 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 a llama. Their life span is about 20-25 years, with females reaching maturity around 18 months of age and males at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age.

Alpacas are hardy animals that 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 feed-lotted with no grazing pasture. Since alpacas are ruminants, and have triple-chamber stomachs, they are grazers who quietly chew cud all day. They require grass, hay, clean water, and if raised in captivity a modest ration of grain. This means that the average alpaca costs less to feed than the average dog! They are gentle and easy to handle. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock. 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 clipped from the animal once a year without causing it injury and produces enough raw materials from each animal for several sweaters. Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends). Rivaling cashmere in the fashion department, alpaca fiber is being woven into a myriad of durable, silky-soft products. You can find alpaca scarves, sweaters, capes, socks, hats, shirts, skirts, 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 seem to learn by observing other herd members as much as being trained themselves. Alpacas seem to sense the need to be sensible and gentle with children and are great favorites for 4-H projects, pets, and therapy animals. Sometimes 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 delicate 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 textile into quality alpaca garments and 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 80% of the U.S. alpaca population. The Alpaca Registry (ARI) showed about 33,000 huacaya alpacas registered in the United States as of December 2002.  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 20% of the U.S. alpaca population. The Alpaca Registry (ARI) showed about 7,200 suri alpacas registered in the United States as of December 2002.

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 hors. 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.

Alpacas are often represented as "The World's Finest Livestock Investment." For most owners though, alpaca ownership should be thought of more as a business. You seldom have to trim the toenails on your stock portfolio or market your 401K. Alpaca ownership is more active than passive investing, (though alpaca investment strategies, like agisting and co-ownership, are also available) but the results are in your hands and the rewards can be larger as well. Alpacas can be raised profitably on small acrerage. Their high value and low maintenance needs make them ideal for both hobby farmers and full-time breeders. In addition, livestock offer unique benefits in the form of tax advantages, income deferral, and investment compounding. Alpacas are also fully insurable and can be depreciated. Many breeders also capitalize on the business opportunities presented by selling alpaca end products, support products, or services.
 
Alpaca prices have been stable for many years, so the key to profitability currently is in breeding animals and in selling or rebreeding the offspring (rather than simply reselling the original animal). Rebreeding any offspring further compounds your original investment. As the table on the right shows, starting with just 3 bred females could result in a herd size of 20 alpacas in 5 years, assuming half of the offspring are female and half are male. At an average value of, for example, $5,000 for males and $15,000 for females, your original investment of $45,000 would be worth $180,000 in 5 years.

The key to realizing this value is in marketing and selling those animals when you're ready, and it's this aspect that requires alpaca owners to think most like business people. Fortunately, national and regional organizations, like AOBA and OABA, have been formed to promote awareness of alpacas and to provide resources and venues to help their members market their animals. In addition many established breeders do co-marketing events as a service to their customers.

The fiber market is still being developed in the United States. Currently, there isn't enough alpaca fiber produced domestically to interest most commercial processors. Fiber operations can be profitable if the purchase price of the animals is low and the farm develops a strong market to cottage industry such as hand spinners, weavers, knitters, fiber artists, etc., or does value-added processing in the form of carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, etc.

Alpaca ownership can be rewarding on many levels. For owners who approach it as a business it can offer a significant return on investment in addition to the joy of owning these beautiful animals.

It’s just a simpler lifestyle that slows us down and helps us to enjoy the “little things”. Guinevere for instance, just three months old, sticks to her mother like glue and just about flips out when you touch her. I touch her anyway - everyday - I touch all of them as them pass by me on their way into the barn at feeding time. And I see them change and become more trusting. Yesterday I saw Guinevere playing with the other crias - she had actually left her mother’s side. It was just cool - it tugged at my heart to see her world get a little bigger as she ventured away from mom a little.

We “journey” to the barn each year on Christmas eve and sit in the straw amongst our alpacas for a reading of the Christmas story! Oh, we fire up the heater ahead of time and be sure we have hot chocolate ready to warm us. This year my six year old grandson read - it took awhile - there’s some tough words in that story - but he persevered. These times like many, many others on an alpaca farm are the times that memories are made of!

My ten year old daughter’s friend, Bailey, loves our alpacas! She spent the night over the weekend and the next morning the two of them asked if they could feed the alpacas - well, yes! They then proceeded to set up an obstacle course, January in Ohio, put a halter on several of our juveniles and spend the entire day outside with the alpacas. Bailey is working on her mom to let her ride the bus here on Tuesdays to work with our little ones - gotta get that “show string” ready!

This lifestyle is made possible for many since alpacas can be raised on relatively small acreage and they are clean, safe, quiet, intelligent and relatively disease resistant. Alpacas have soft padded feet, are gentle on the land, sensitive to their environment in every respect, and can be easily transported.
There are also plenty of family-oriented alpaca events around the country, including local and state fairs, alpaca farm open houses and auctions, and larger shows hosted by alpaca organizations. Some breeders also choose to get involved in selling products made from alpaca fiber as a hobby or an additional home-based business venture. The spinning and weaving of fiber is a skill that can lead to profits and is most enjoyable - I think of spinning as therapy!

Alpacas have brought impressive financial returns to families all across America, but it's the fun and hands-on nature of this lifestyle that has really captivated people searching for a simpler and more rewarding way of life. Even if you don't have the land and are presently committed to a full-time career, you can still begin your alpaca adventure by purchasing and boarding at a nearby alpaca farm or ranch. I would rather raise alpacas than anything I've ever done - it just doesn’t get much better than this!

Falling in love with alpacas is easy. The idea of a lifestyle that is a little slower paced, a little less stressful, a little more wholesome is appealing. Being your own boss is attractive. Getting into the alpaca business has been wonderful in many ways for us, but it’s not very everyone. So do your homework. Know what you are getting into. You must know up front that it is not a get rich quick scheme, it does not go without hard work, you get dirty, alpacas still have to be fed in sub-zero temperatures, sometimes babies die, sometimes mom’s milk doesn’t come in, and more money usually oes out than comes in during those first few years. That being said, for us the blessings have far outweighed the problems and what follows is a guide to help you decide. Let’s hope doing these things will be just the first steps on your alpaca journey!