About Alpacas

• A Brief History
• Alpaca Fiber -- Gift of the Gods
• The Endearing Alpaca

A Brief History

      Alpacas have been domesticated for over 5,000 years and played a central role in the ancient Inca civilization that was located high in the Andes of South America. They were treasured for their incredibly soft, luxurious fiber, and believed to be a gift from the gods. Through careful and selective breeding the wild vicuna was eventually domesticated into the modern day alpaca.

      When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived, it very nearly meant the end of the alpaca. They were able to survive through the efforts of the native people and through their remarkable ability to thrive in conditions that proved to be too harsh for other domestic animals. Today there are over 3 million alpacas living in these same challenging environments in the Andean highlands of Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

      The first alpacas were imported into the US from Chile and Bolivia in 1984, followed by the first Peruvians in 1993. They have been in demand ever since. In 1998 the members of the Alpaca Registry (ARI) voted to close the Registry to importation, thus ending the importation phase of this vital and evolving industry. North America now benefits from the finest alpaca genetics of various countries, and with time, good management, and thoughtful breeding programs will produce the highest quality alpacas in the world. At approximately 80,000 alpacas in North America, they will continue to be a rare resource for many, many years to come.

      Alpaca owners today enjoy a strong national association (AOBA), a state of the art registry (ARI), and a system of affiliate groups that serve nearly every geographic location. In addition, we are in the early stages of developing a national fiber cooperative (AFCNA), which will greatly benefit members , as well as make North American alpaca fiber more available to the consumer.

Alpaca Fiber -- Gift of the Gods

      There are 2 types of alpacas, the Huacaya and the Suri. The primary difference is in their fiber. The Huacaya has a crimpy fleece which stands out from the body, giving it a fluffy teddy bear appearance. The Suri fleece has no crimp, but hangs downward in silky, tight locks. Both types are sought throughout the world for the finest and warmest garments.

Prized as a luxury fiber, alpaca is comparable in many ways to cashmere. For those sensitive to the "prickle factor" of many natural fibers, alpaca is very appealing. It does not contain lanolin and due to its fineness and lack of guard hair, garments made of alpaca can comfortably be worn next to the skin. Lightweight, much warmer and more durable than sheep's wool, alpaca garments last for a long, long time and are often passed down through generations.

      Alpaca fleece comes in a remarkable variety of colors, more than any other natural fiber. For those sensitive to dyes, this provides quite a pallette to choose from, without having to resort to harsh dyes.

      Today we all can wear garments made of fiber that was once reserved only for Incan Royalty!

The Endearing Alpaca

      Alpacas are members of the Camelid family, which also includes the llama, vicuna, and guanaco. They are small, about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of a llama and easy and safe to handle, even for children. Averaging about 140 lbs. at maturity, they stand approximately 3 feet tall at the withers.

      Their life span is 20-25 years and they have a very hardy constitution. Most alpacas will be quite content with a 3-sided barn or shed where they can get out of the sun, wind or rain. They prefer not to be in a closed-in structure. You can reasonable get by with up to 10 animals per acre if you are very consistant about hygiene, and provide plenty of quality grass hay and fresh water.

      Good fencing is very important because, even though alpacas will not challenge a fence, they are essentially defenseless against predators such as coyotes or neighborhood dogs. A balanced pelleted feed, seasonally appropriate vaccinations and worming, and occasional herd health duties are really all that they basically require. We feel that the most vital task of the alpaca owner is to learn to OBSERVE. If you get to really know your animals and what is normal for them, you will save yourself a lot of time, money, and anxiety.

      A very attractive element of sharing your land with alpacas is how "earth-friendly" they are. They're easy on the land, with soft, padded feet that leave very little imprint behind. When they graze, they don't pull up the grassroot. They make very efficient use of grass and hay, so clearly don't need to eat as much as other domesticated animals. This efficient use of food produces manure that is partially broken down, rich and easy to use in the compost and garden. They deposit their waste in small, specific areas, which helps to control the spread of parasites and makes cleanup a breeze.

      Alpacas are generally easy to breed, being "induced ovulators". This means they can be bred year round, and depending on the climate, the ranch manager makes this decision. We elect to do pen breeding, as this gives us the most control and information about the date and specifics of each and every breeding. Pregnancy is confirmed by ultrasound. Females can begin breeding at around 18-24 months of age, and males can generally start at 2-3 years old. The females can produce a single cria per year, after a gestation period of 11-11 1/2 months. Birthing is generally fast and trouble free, but we take our period of birthwatch very seriously, and consequently have only missed a couple of births. Cria are almost always born in the morning hours, and need very little postnatal care from humans. After the baby is born, the other alpacas respectfully greet it, one by one, nuzzling it and welcoming it to the herd. This is always a beautiful and treasured ritual for us to be priviledged to observe.

      The cria stays close to mom most of the time for the next 6 months, gradually venturing away more and more, to play with other cria and to learn about the world.

      Often, around dusk, the youngsters will prong around the pastures like antelope. This is a exuberant expression of joy and good health, and is so infectious that sometimes the pregnant moms will join in. Come to think of it, we even have once or twice!