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Source: https://www.livescience.com/52668-alpacas.html
Facts About Alpacas
Adorable, docile and soft, alpacas are prized as pets and cattle around the world. There are no wild alpacas. Alpacas are domesticated versions of vicuñas, South American ruminants that live high in the Andes. Alpacas are related to llamas, which are domesticated versions of another wild Andean ruminant, the guanaco. While llamas are used as pack animals, alpacas are raised mainly for their soft wool.
Guanacos and vicuñas are found throughout the Andes Mountains. They are descended from camelids that developed in North America and migrated to South America 3 million years ago, according to Phil Switzer, an alpaca breeder based in Colorado. These animals evolved into guanacos and vicuñas, and about 6,000 years ago, people in the Andes began to domesticate them. There are two breeds of alpaca, the Huacaya and the Suri. Huacaya alpacas are more common, according to Switzer.
The main difference between the breeds is the length and fineness of the wool-like fiber, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Suri (lowland Alpaca) have very long fibers (“silky dreadlocks,” according to Alpaca Ventures), while the Huacaya (highland Alpaca) have a more compact “crimpy” fleece, with shorter fibers.
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The Definitive Guide to Raising Alpacas
Having gone from boom to bust seven years ago, alpacas are poised to once again take the country by storm. (And is it any wonder?) [22.09.2015]
But by 2008, the boom had all but gone bust, as increasing supply, coupled with the economic crisis, pushed the industry off a cliff. Ranches closed, and rescue organizations sprang up across the nation to deal with the neglected beasts.
“It was a speculative thing,” explains Faith Perkins, who has been raising alpacas in Salem, New York, for 17 years. “These animals were new to the country, and there weren’t very many of them.” The people who’d jumped on the bandwagon (Jeb Bush among them) were relying on what Colorado alpaca rancher Mike McDermott describes as “the horse-industry model: raise the animal, show the animal, get a good ribbon for the animal, and sell the animal based on that ribbon.”
Lost in this show-pony scenario, however, was the then-exotic alpaca’s most prized attribute: its soft and luxurious fiber. Alpaca fleece is practically water-repellent and, unlike sheep’s wool, lanolin-free and therefore hypoallergenic. “Now the animals are finally getting into a more realistic range for people who want to make money farming them for fiber,” McDermott says of prices that have dropped by as much as two-thirds. Mike Safley, the Hillsboro, Oregon, breeder who helped create the U.S. alpaca registry in 1989, warns that the get-rich-quick days are over. “It’s a full-time job,” he says. Safley estimates that only 10 to 15 percent of U.S. alpaca farmers currently make a profit. But as a true market for alpaca fiber begins to take root in this country, the opportunities are only growing.
And really, who could resist these guys? Alpacas go beyond adorable – they grow to about half the size of a llama and can be white, black, brown, or any shade in between. They don’t bite or butt, and are free of sharp teeth, horns, hooves, and claws. “They’re quite docile and easy to work with,” says Perkins of her herd of 23. They also make fine groundskeepers: Alpacas’ feet have soft pads, which won’t churn up the earth the way hard cow hooves do. And instead of pulling grass out by the root, the camelids nibble off the top of the plant. Essentially litter-box animals, they establish a few communal spots for their poop – which yields killer compost. Because alpacas have three-compartment stomachs, their dung gets a head start on processing. Safley sells the stuff to organic farmers, who “rave about it in terms of its nutritional value for vegetables.” (Still, we cannot tell a lie: Alpacas spit. Mostly at each other, it’s true, but an owner can get caught in the crossfire.)
There are a few things you should know if you’re thinking about buying an alpaca. First, you’ll be purchasing more than one (the herd animals prefer company). The typical lifespan is 15 to 20 years. And there are only two breeds: the huacaya, which comprise 80 percent of the alpacas in the United States, and the longer-haired suri. Though prices don’t vary much by breed, they range widely according to purpose. You can nab a pet, basically a cute lawnmower, for as little as $200. A nonbreeding male with decent fiber runs $500 to $1,000. Females who produce both fiber and offspring typically start at $3,000 and can go up to $30,000 or more, while show-worthy herd sires still fetch as much as $60,000. These last cost so much because only 2 or 3 percent of males are used for stud, and neither artificial insemination nor embryo transfer is permitted by the national registry system, now overseen by the Alpaca Owners Association. Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, the nonprofit organization can recommend a breeder in your area. (The registry doesn’t recognize alpacas imported after 1998.)
Once you bring your alpacas home, caring for them is pretty straightforward. Extremely hardy, the animals require only basic shelter for protection from bad weather. A barn’s nice, but a three-sided lean-to will do. As for food, it’s all about hay and grass. “Alpacas eat less per month than a Labrador retriever,” says Perkins. Safley suggests allowing one acre of pasture for every three to five animals and supplementing with orchard”“grass hay, especially during the dead of winter. He feeds three alpacas a ton of hay – about $200 to $400 worth – a year.
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Alpaca Farmers – case studies
Mistletoe Farm – THE FRANKLIN ALPACAS YOU HAVE TO MEET
Tucked away just miles from downtown Franklin is Mistletoe Farm, a charming alpaca farm that produces its own yarn and handmade products. The story of Mistletoe Farm and it’s owners’ journey to becoming alpaca farmers is fun enough in its own right but seeing them care for their herd up close and realizing the incredible products made there are done so in the traditional methods, gives a whole other level of appreciation.
When visitors stop by the farm to meet (and feed) the friendly alpacas, they’ll also find a one-of-a-kind farm store showcasing numerous products made in the traditional methods with alpaca wool. For those that feel inspired, you also have the ability to learn traditional crafts such as weaving, spinning, and felting on site. Mistletoe Farm is a special place that you’ll want to add to your Franklin itinerary!
We caught up with Mistletoe Farm owner Leanne Butchko to learn more about how Mistletoe got started, the importance of eco-friendly goods, and her advice to other aspiring alpaca farm owners.
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A baby blanket, crocheted from soft and cozy alpaca fiber, was Charlene Schmid’s first glimpse into a new world of fiber. She was making it for her daughter, and the experience of working with such a silky, luxurious fiber left an indelible impression. “I didn’t want to use any other yarns after that,” she says with a satisfied laugh. “Alpaca was it for me.”
And while others might have been content to stock their craft cupboard with skeins of alpaca fiber after having such a revelation, Schmid took a different approach. She went out and bought an alpaca.
“It was a gradual process, but one that was inevitable,” she smiles. “I was a Montessori teacher and had been taking my students to visit a local alpaca farm for a few years. There was a great vintage machine there, and I wanted them to appreciate the work and skill of the people involved in the production of the fiber from beginning to end. One thing led to another, and I learned that others in Davis wanted to start an alpaca cooperative. That was the push I needed.”
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Starshire Ranch | Ellensburg, Washington
Starshire Ranch began in 2007 with Merino and Targhee sheep. As a spinner and knitter I love exploring new fibers. In 2010 we added four pregnant alpacas. Our experience with fiber and animal husbandry made owning alpacas a natural transition. We love each fiber for its own qualities but also appreciate the luxury of blending Merino and alpaca together.
We soon began showing alpacas and focusing on our breeding program as well. We breed for low micron, uniform fleeces as well as superior conformation and calm temperament.
Want to learn more about fiber and/or breeding? We offer support before and after the sale, support in husbandry practices, for both sheep and alpacas, as well as support in training, breeding and business needs.
Suri & Company of Fern Creek Farm | Missouri
Following a dream that started in 2008, Suri & Company has evolved into a farm dedicated to breeding and raising alpaca that have the “complete package”. Superior genetics, research, and passion brings Suri & Co. to the forefront of the industry, exceeding in the show ring while advancing the Suri Breed.
Suri & Company of Fern Creek Farm is situated on 150 acres of rolling hills, about 30 miles west of St. Louis, Missouri. With the help of two Great Pyrenees, three cats, and a handful of chickens, Jackie and Derik raise their herd of 38 alpaca with a hands-on-approach. Suri & Company is a legacy in the making.
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Alpaca Owners Association, Inc. (AOA)
Our Vision
A recognized and sustainable North American alpaca industry for alpaca owners, alpaca breeders, and those who design, produce, and sell alpaca related products and services.
Our Purpose
- To promote awareness of alpaca and alpaca products;
- To maintain an official DNA validated genealogical registry system;
- To administer an alpaca show system;
- To provide education to the Association’s members and to the public about the operation of sustainable alpaca businesses;
- To market alpaca and the use of alpaca products;
- To promote scientific research to benefit the alpaca industry; and
- To do any and all things necessary or incidental to achieving the purposes specified above.
