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Alpaca Facts
Alpaca History Basic Facts Suri or Huacaya? Alpaca Fleece Keeping Alpacas Alpaca History Alpacas have a long and distinguished heritage. Archaeological evidence shows that they began to be domesticated 
over 6000 years ago by the ancient civilizations of South America. Evidence further suggests that these animals
may have been worshipped and definitely played a central role in South America's various cultures. The Incans
so highly prized these gentle animals that their fleece was reserved for use by royalty alone.
We are lucky to have the alpaca with us today. Alpacas were nearly wiped out twice – first during the time of the Spanish conquest, when herds were destroyed in attempts to subjugate native populations, and again in the 20th century when terrorist organizations decimated herds in a similar attempt to subdue local populations. The alpaca was first imported to the United States in 1983. Today over 2000 farmers across North America are involving in raising, improving, and preserving this very special animal. Back to Top Basic Facts Alpacas are camelids – that is, members of the camel family. At an average of 105-150 pounds full-grown and standing at about 32-39” (at the shoulder, the alpaca is the smaller of the two domesticated South American camelids, which are alpacas and llamas. Only the vicuna, a very rare South American camelid, is smaller. Alpacas are modified ruminants and chew cud. They graze on grass and like to browse on weeds, shrubs, and leaves; they can also feed on hay and grain supplements. They live 
about 15-25 years and have
wonderfully gentle personalities, making them easy to handle and very desirable as livestock.
They are very communal creatures. They feel most comfortable in a herd and should not be kept without other alpacas. They communicate their feelings through ear, body, and tail movements, and a few sounds such as the “humming” of a mother to her cria (baby alpaca), a shrill alarm sound, or the unique “orgling” sound male alpacas make during mating. They are quite gentle in nature but are capable of kicking or spitting if they are upset or annoyed. A male alpaca is considered ready for breeding at about 3 years of age. A female alpaca is ready to breed at about 14-18 months of age and can be bred at any time of year. She will normally deliver a single cria which will weigh 15-20 pounds at birth and which will typically stand to nurse within the first hour after birth. Crias are weaned at 5-6 months, after which they are known as “tuis” until they reach breeding age. Back to Top Suri or Huacaya? There are two types of alpacas, suri and huacaya. Suri alpacas are the rarer type; about 20% of American alpacas are suris. The most noticeable difference between suris and huacaya is their fleece. Suri fleece is long, fine, straight, and high-luster; it hangs straight down from the body in pencil-like locks. Huacaya fleece is crimped, dense, and wooly in nature, growing straight out from the body. Huacaya alpacas look “fluffy” or sheep-like; suris look “silky” with flowing “dreadlocks.” Back to Top Alpaca Fleece  Alpaca fleece is superior to wool. It is stronger, warmer, and softer. It comes in more than 22 natural colors ranging from pure white to jet black, with grays, fawns, and chocolates in between; it also easily takes dyes. Alpaca fiber has a silky-soft feel like cashmere. It is hypoallergenic, resists odors, tearing, pulling, pilling, static, staining, and has unique thermal properties. Alpacas are shorn annually. The best, finest fleece comes from an alpaca’s first (baby) shearing. Each alpaca yields about 5-10 pounds of fleece per shearing. It is ready for spinning into yarn or to be felted into cloth with minimal preparation. Back to Top Keeping Alpacas One of the reasons for the growing popularity of alpacas is due to the ease of keeping alpacas. They are gentle, intelligent, hardy, disease-resistant, and eat relatively little for their size 
(about 1 1/2- 2% of their body weight in hay per day).
Depending on the type of land, alpacas can generally be pastured at 5-10 per acre. They require fresh water, shelter, and free-choice access to salt and minerals. Clean-up is easy compared to other livestock, as alpacas tend to use communal dung piles. Alpacas are easy to handle and safe for most family members. They are friendly and learn to halter and lead within just a few sessions. Due to their easy upkeep and the value of their fleece, alpacas are an increasingly popular livestock and investment choice with a potential for significant income generation. Back to Top |
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Alpaca Facts