Silk Creek Alpacas - About Alpacas

Alpaca History | Alpaca Facts | Alpaca Myths | Alpaca Lifestyle | Business vs. Investment

Alpaca History:

Alpacas are members of the Camelid family along with Vicuñas, Camels, Guanacos & Llamas. They are native to the Altiplanos of the Andean Mountain range of South America. They are primarily found in Peru, Bolivia & Chile. They have provided clothing and transportation to the Incas for thousands of years. They have been domesticated for over 5,000 years.

They were first imported to the United States in 1984. There are around 100,000 alpacas in North America.

Alpaca Facts:

There are 2 different types of alpacas, Huacaya (pronounced wah-Kai-ya) and Suri (pronounced surrey). At Silk Creek Alpacas we are only breeding Huacaya alpacas. Huacaya's fiber is short, dense and crimpy and looks like wool. It is soft to the touch, and unlike wool, does not have lanolin. Alpacas also have finer (and less) guard hair than most sheep, so some people who are "allergic" to wool find that they can wear alpaca clothing with no problems.

Alpacas on average are 36" tall at the withers (back) and weigh between 125 - 175 pounds. They do not have hooves, but soft padded feet with 2 toes. They are gentler on pastures than most livestock since they are lighter and do not have hooves. They do not have horns, claws, incisors or upper teeth.

Alpacas are ruminants (similar to cows, goats, sheep, giraffes, etc.) and have three stomachs. They are adaptable to any climate. They do great at 15,000' in the Altiplano to sea level on the Oregon coast.

The average lifespan of an alpaca is around 20 years. Female alpacas are ready to become pregnant around 18-24 months of age (age isn't the only factor on being ready to be pregnant, You also have to take in to account weight, size, and social maturity). Gestation is 11.5 months, and alpacas are ready to get pregnant again about 2-3 weeks after they give birth. Alpacas normally give birth, without assistance, in the daylight hours. Baby alpacas are called Crias.

Alpacas are intelligent, curious, and very predictable. They are social animals, and seek and need companionship. It is not appropriate to have just one alpaca alone, you should always have 2 alpacas together to keep each other company. Alpacas communicate verbally and by posturing. Verbally they communicate with a soft hum, a loud warning call, or when mating, a distinct orgle. They will also communicate with body language with neck posturing, ear and tail positioning and head tilt.

Alpacas are sheared once a year, and their fiber is used to produce many products. In ancient times, alpaca fiber was known as the "Fiber of the Gods". It is soft as cashmere and lighter and warmer than wool. Alpaca comes in 22 natural colors.

Alpacas require minimal fencing. They will not challenge a fence, and most fencing is used to keep predators out, and not as much to keep alpacas in. You have have 5-10 alpacas per acre depending on amount of grass. We plan to keep around 5 alpacas per acre.

Alpaca Myths:

Myth:	Alpacas all go the bathroom in one pile.
Fact:	While it is true that alpacas do like to be clean, and deposit their bean-like pellets in concentrated areas, they will have more than one "bean pile". These piles will be concentrated in areas approximately 6' in diameter.

Myth:	Most alpaca ranchers have been raising livestock or have been farmers for years.
Fact:	Some alpaca owners have owned other livestock or been farmers before, but a large number of alpaca breeders are like Julia and I, new to the agricultural world. Alpacas are a fairly easy animal to take care of. They do not need expensive machinery, heavy-duty fences, nor years of schooling to raise and breed. All that is needed is land for them to roam, and a love of learning each and everyday from this beautiful animals.

Myth:	Alpacas are like camels, and don't need much water.
Fact:	Alpacas are from the same family as the camel, but, they need as much water as any other type of livestock. They need constant clean and fresh water.

Myth:	Alpacas spit and kick.
Fact:	OK, this one is true. This is a natural defense system for alpacas. While they do not spit often, and usually don't spit at humans, if you get between 2 fighting alpacas, or are doing something they don't like, WATCH OUT!!

Alpaca Lifestyle:

Who raises alpacas?	Alpaca owners and breeders come from all walks of life. Many are doctors, financial advisers, educators, or cattle farmers, to name a few. Some raise alpacas as a full-time business, others commit part-time. From young families to empty-nesters, phased retirement to full-retirement, raising alpacas offers countless options for everyone.

Why do people raise alpacas?	Alpacas offer a very attractive business and farming opportunity no matter where you live: urban, suburban, or rural. Urban dwellers can board (or "agist") their alpacas at nearby farms/ranches so they can enjoy the benefits of ownership while living in a large city or suburb. People also raise alpacas for companionship and to enjoy a rural lifestyle.

How do you transport an alpaca?	If traveling for short distances, they can be transported inside vans or other larger vehicles. Most folks put down a piece of old carpeting or inexpensive Astro-turf to minimize the impact on the vehicle's carpeting in case an "accident" were to occur. Most of the time, however, the animals will "cush" (that is, sit down) for the journey. Longer distances generally require transport in a livestock trailer.

How much acreage does it take to raise an alpaca?	Because the animals require so little pasture and food, you can usually raise five to ten alpacas per acre, depending on terrain, rain/snowfall amounts, availability of pasture, etc. They can also be raised on dry lot and be fed grass hay, if desired. Consult with your local County Extension Officer for specific local recommendations.

Are alpacas easy to care for?	They are a small and relatively easy livestock to maintain. The alpacas need basic shelter and protection from heat and foul weather, and being livestock, they do require certain vaccinations and anti-parasitic medicines. Additionally, their toenails need to be trimmed every couple of months and the fleeces sheared off once a year. Speaking of toenails, these animals do not have hooves-they have two toes, with hard toenails on the top of their feet and a soft pad on the bottom of their feet, much like a dog's foot. Therefore, you don't experience compaction of the soil to same degree that you would with other types of livestock.

What type of shelter and fencing do alpacas need?	This varies widely, depending on such things as weather and predators. But as a general rule, the alpacas do need at least a three-sided, open shelter where they can escape inclement weather. And if predators are present in your neighborhood, then a minimum of five-foot-high, 2" by 4" no-climb fencing is necessary to keep out the predators. Traditional horse fencing (with 4" by 4" openings) is not recommended, as curious alpacas might be physically harmed if they put their heads through that type of fencing.

What do alpacas eat?	The main thing alpacas eat is just grass or hay, and not much of it-approximately two pounds per 125 pounds of body weight per day. A single, 60-pound bale of hay can generally feed a group of about 20 alpacas for one day. Alfalfa is discouraged or fed only sparingly, as it has high protein content that can be unhealthy for the animals. Additionally, all alpacas require access to free-choice mineral supplements and plenty of fresh water to drink.

Business vs. Investment:

Alpacas are sometimes thought of as a good investment, but we feel that alpacas need to be thought of as a business, and not an investment. When you have an investment, you do nothing but put money in, and hope that you have a good return on your investment.

With alpacas, you need to do more than just hope you will make money. Alpacas are a livestock that have needs that must be taken care of daily. Fresh water, food, and hay need to be taken care of daily. Bean collection needs to happen daily (if possible). There are health concerns that you need to keep an eye out for. You need to shear annually and trim toenails every 2-3 months. You need to repair fences, put up new fences, mow the pasture, reseed, rotate pastures, and other farm maintenance. There is birthing, breeding, transporting, blood testing, fecal testing, and many other ways you will interact with your alpacas on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Don't forget Farm Days, Farmer's Markets, fairs, and other events to get your farm out in the view of the public. And most importantly, you need to continue your research on how to better care for these wonderful animals.

Once you have done all of that, you are not done. There is the business side of raising and breeding alpacas. You will need to market all the animals you have for sale. You can do this through your own web page, through Alpacanation, or other web sites (like EVAA). You may want to show your animals, their fleece or both at local, regional or national shows. You will need to be in contact with other alpaca breeders to keep up on what they are doing, new feed, new medicine and doses, and just to keep in touch with good friends!

As you can see, raising and breeding alpacas is not a sit back and wait, get rich quick scheme. It is a labor of love. Yes, you can make money raising alpacas, that is what makes it a business, and not a hobby.

Mike Safley from Northwest Alpacas wrote a great article, "The Alpaca Business, A Unique Opportunity", that discusses his business philosophy, and why the Alpaca Business is a great business to get in to.

If you are looking for an "investment" please contact us. We do have an "Alpaca Investment Plan" that we could discuss. This would be a great opportunity for people who would like to own alpacas, but don't have the land to raise them.

*Alpaca information from AOBA's Alpaca Info pages.

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