Frequently asked Alpaca questions
Q. What do you do with an Alpaca?A. They provide an excellent investment opportunity, and are the source of luxurious fiber. The fleece, comparable to cashmere, is known for its finess, lightweight, and luster. Alpaca textile products are recognized worldwide. Everyone should own a soft, warm Alpaca sweater.
Q. What do Alpacas do besides grow fiber?
A. They make excellent companion animals and are also show animals with high aesthetic appeal. They have lovable dispositions. Alpacas are easily trained to lead and are gentle enough to be handled by children. They are always a hit in a parade.
Q. What do Alpacas eat?
A. They are ruminants, which means they chew cud like cow or deer. They survive well on different kinds of low protein hay or pasture grass, providing it has a balanced mineral content. Because Alpacas evolved in harsh conditions, they utilize their food more efficiently than other ruminants. They cost as much per month to feed as a dog.
Q. Are Alpacas smart?
A. Yes, they are amazingly alert animals who quickly learn to halter and lead. They constantly communicate with each other though body posture, tail and ear movements, and a variety of sounds. The sound heard most often is a soft humming, a mild expression befitting a mild animal.
Q. Are Alpacas easy to care for?
A. They are small and easy to maintain, rarely over eat and require no extraordinary care. They should have basic shelter for protection against heat and foul weather. They do not challenge fences. They simply need shearing, worming and vaccinations.
Q. Do Alpacas spit?
A. They will spit on one another if sufficiently angered, but they rarely spit on people.
Q. How much acreage does it take to raise Alpacas?
A. They are and ideal livestock for small acreage. You can comfortably stock between five and ten animals per acre. This makes the Alpaca ideal for people who have only a few acres and who want the pleasure of small herd and a healthy investment return.
Q. How do you transport Alpacas?
A. They are stress resistant, load and travel calmly. Once en route the Alpaca lies down and enjoys the ride.
Q. What do you call an Alpaca?
A. Baby is known as a cria. The weaned crias are known as weanlings or tuis. In Spanish, the adult males are known as Machos and the females are Hembras.
Q. Are Alpacas dangerous?
A. Absolutely not! They are safe and pleasant to be around. They do not bite or butt, and they do not have the teeth, horns, hooves, or claws to do serious injury.
Alpaca facts
- LIFESPAN 15-25 years.
- AVERAGE HEIGHT 36″ at the withers.
- AVERAGE WEIGHT 100 to 175 pounds or about one-half to one-third the size of a llama.
- AVERAGE GESTATION 335 days.
- BIRTH WEIGHT 15-19 pounds. Babies can often stand and nurse within 30 minutes to one hour. Infant mortality is very low.
- COLOR Alpacas usually come in solid colors. there are 22 basic colors with many variations and blends.
ALPACA REGISTRY
The Alpaca industry had the foresight in 1989 to create one of the most sophisticated animal registries in existence. Virtually all of the Alpacas In North America are registered. The registry protects the existing gene pool and helps ensure that each breeder’s investment is also protected from cross breeding with llamas and guanacos. Parentage must be established for purposes of registering Alpaca offspring. Each baby is blood typed to prove its dam and sire. The University of California at Davis Serology lab maintains the Alpaca blood type data bank.