SO YOU WANT TO KNOW
ABOUT ALPACAS....
" Alpacas belong to the camelid family
" An adult alpaca stands approximately 36 inches at the withers (on average)
" Adults weigh between 125 & 225 pounds
" The life span of an alpaca is up to 25 years (circumstances vary)
" Alpaca do not have hooves, rather a soft pad under a top toe nail
" Alpaca have no upper teeth, only a soft plate
" Their toe nails and teeth may require trimming
" Alpacas have 4 teats
" Alpaca have 3 stomachs
" Alpacas come in 22 colors and 250 variations or shades of these colors
" Colors range from white to black
" There are two types of alpaca -- Huacaya and Suri. The huacayas fleece has been likened to that of a sheep (only much softer). The suri tends to have pencil-like locks that are long and give it the look of having 'dread-locks.'
" Alpacas 'hair' is called fleece or fiber
" Male alpaca are often called Macho
" Female alpaca are often called Hembra
" Baby alpaca are referred to as 'cria'
" Alpacas are timid by nature but can be trained to lead
" Alpacas have three lines of defense: kicking, spitting and when all else fails, run! It should be noted here that alpaca kick and spit only when they feel threatened. Their preference is to avoid confrontation.
" Alpacas are valued for their fleece, which currently sells for approximately $3 - $5 an ounce
" Alpacas are sheared annually
" Average shearing weight is between 7 & 10 pounds
" Alpaca are induced ovulators and can be bred throughout the year
" Female alpaca have a 355 day gestation period and produce one cria (twins are very rare)
" Birthing is generally trouble free with most births taking place during daylight hours
" Cria are born front feet first, followed by the head and the rest of the body slips easily through the birth canal
" Females may lay down to give birth, but can often be seen standing and even walking while giving birth
" Alpaca values vary from state to state but on average, a female will sell for $15,000 - $25,000, but have gone as high as $100,000 and higher on occasion) Herdsires range in price from $20,000 - $50,000 with exceptional males fetching as much as $250,000.
It is worthwhile to note here that the alpaca population world wide is low. Add to this the fact that the alpaca gives birth to only one cria a year (keeping the population relatively low). There is a high demand for its luxurious fiber, which is part of what makes the alpaca such an excellent investment.
This of course is just a brief introduction to the alpaca. We encourage you to take a closer look at this beautiful, inquisitive animal. you can take a closer look at our 'family' by clicking on our alpaca sales page.
Alpaca Care....Alpacas are relatively easy to care for compared to other livestock. They require shelter from sun and harsh winds/wet weather, minimal food compared with other livestock, and are in turn easy on the environment! They are very hardy yet are also stoic, making it sometimes difficult to know when one is sick or in need of extra attention. A simple 3-sided structure will often do quite nicely for shelter except in the harshest of conditions of wind or wetness. Depending on the quality of the pasture, 5-10 animals can be maintained on one acre of land! Their padded feet do not destroy the surface of the ground or tear up the roots of the grass either! They do require good fencing, not so much to keep them in, but to keep predators out. Many alpacas across the country have been sadly killed by neighborhood dogs. Coyotes, mountain lions, and other predators pose a threat as well, but in most cases the biggest threat is by dogs, especially when working in groups.
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW...
WHERE DO ALPACA'S COME FROM????
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 sheared 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, it is also hypoallergenic. 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.
Mulberry Trail Alpaca Farm belongs to the following Alpaca Organizations:
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. www.alpacaregistry.net
