Alpacas For Sale

Alpaca Introduction
The Alpaca is part of the Camaelidae family. There are several animals that make up the Camaelidae family. The Alpaca, Camel, Llama, and the Vicuñas that fit into that category. Unlike the Camel and Llama, the Alpaca and Vicuñas are the two highest producers of wool in the Camaelida line, which is their sole purpose of life. The benefits of having Alpaca wool instead of sheep wool is that it does not contain lanolin, it is much warmer and softer. These animals were never intended to be working class beasts to plow fields or carry cargo. Since the very early days Alpaca and Vicuñas wool was a fiber source used for clothing to South Americans where wild Vicuñas still roam free.

Alpaca Appearance
The two types of Alpacas are the Huacaya ((“wah-Kay’-ah”) and the Suri Alpaca. The easiest way to distinguish the two types is by the waviness of the fiber. Unlike the Huacaya Alpacas fiber, the Suri’s grows straight down in long thick cords similar to dread locks, but neat, clean, and not matted. Unlike sheep’s wool, Alpaca fiber is free of lanolin, more durable, and lacks the rough scratchy feel on the skin. Most Alpaca ranchers will sheer their herds once a season generally towards the warmer months depending on the region. Alpaca breeders know that alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, alpacas were not bred to be beasts of burden but were bred specifically for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, much as wool is. Alpaca fleece can be used to make many different items including blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles including sweaters, socks, coats and bedding. Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky natural fiber that comes in more than 52 natural colors. Each Alpaca can potentially produce 10 pounds of fiber each year. processing can range in costs from $10 to $60 dollars a pound depending on if you want it processed to sport yarn, or more intricately to finger weight yarn. Upkeep of the Alpaca fiber is highly laborious especially just before sheering time. After the fiber is sheered, the fiber needs to be skirted. Most Alpaca mills will not skirt the dropped off bundles of wool for vegetation or other debris for you. If you are not careful to have cleaned the fiber of impurities, you will have a lesser quality product.

Alpaca Behavior and Temperament
It is an understatement to say that the Alpaca is a curious creature. Most domesticated Alpacas will approach you from a distance just to see what exactly you are doing. If an Alpaca approaches you with its head near the ground, has its tail up, and runs towards you, you better get a move on. That individual Alpaca is showing an aggressive behavior, which could mean that he doesn’t want you in his space. Most of the time you will find that the submissive path is how Alpacas will respond. This time instead of charging, they will flip their tails onto their backs while dropping their neck so you can pet or feed them. You cannot say who will or will not decide to tag you with spit, but all Alpacas have the capability. “Spitting” is a term used when Alpacas, Camels, or Llamas project air, sometimes spit but mostly a green regurgitated matter from their mouths when they really don’t like something. Normally spitting is reserved for other Alpacas, but occasionally an individual with a little too much attitude will take out their wrath on a person. Just like people, Alpacas can have a wide variety of personality traits. Most Alpacas will be loving and curious, but still like to be observed by humans at arms length instead of being really cuddly. Pet Alpacas have been known to grown very fond of their owners, while herd Alpacas are more distant and cautious depending on how socialized with people they are.

Alpaca History and Origins
Thousands of years ago, in ancient villages and civilizations across South America, Alpacas were being domesticated by Man. One such tribe was The Moche people that were prosperous along Northern Peru from about 100 C.E to 800 C.E. Archeologists were able to reveal that the Moche people used the image of the Alpaca to create art through pottery and drawings.

It wasn’t until the 1980′s that Alpacas made their journey to American soil. South America was in a turmoil with terrorist activity during that time, with battles along the borders of Peru, that made the exporting of goods and the acquisition of the Alpaca more difficult, but not impossible. It is recorded through the ARI (Alpaca Registry Incorporated) site that this year (2010) the worldwide population of registered individual Alpacas was 164,027 with 150,424 being from the United States. There are several other thousand that are not in this count due to poor pedigree, but still are amongst the fiber producers of the world.

Early assumptions about the ancestry of the Alpaca were thought to have them be related to the Guanaco. For centuries this was what was thought due to excavating skeletal remains of the Guanaco and comparing them to the Alpaca. It wasn’t until forensic science finally caught up to speed in the ways of finding out who came from who. At the turn of this century Dr. Jane Wheeler proved in her thesis through DNA testing that the Alpaca is a direct descendant not of the Guanaco, but is in fact from the same gene pool as the Vicuñas.

Alpaca Reproduction and Health Concerns
Most Alpaca males will reach their full breeding maturity between 12 to 36 months. Females may reach their peek a year sooner than males. Breeding too soon can lead to painful uterine infections. Even though after their first year the potential to be bred is there, the health of the animal is at risk. Most Alpaca breeders will recommend that 18 months is the soonest to begin breeding. Once the Alpaca has conceived she will have a gestation period of about 10 or 11 months give or take a few days. The baby that is born is called a “cria.” On the rarest of occasions a doe will have twins, but the odds of achieving that is 1 in a 1,000 births. Humans can successfully wean off the cria at 6 months, but most Alpaca ranchers will prefer to let the mother decide when enough is enough. Depending on the individual some will take longer or shorter than 6 months to detach themselves from the convenient food source.
As with many hoofed animals that brave the elements, disease and infection is always a possibility. Prevention is key to keeping these ailments away. Foot rot happens when the hoof of the Alpaca is not properly cleaned of debris and clipped every month or two depending. There is an endless list of vegetation that is poisonous and fatal to the Alpaca. These include but are not limited to certain laurels, rhododendrons, western azalea, purple foxglove, yews, milkweed, and some of the ornamental grasses. The philosophy of “when in doubt pluck it out” applies to any plant you are not sure will react badly with your Alpacas 3 stomach digestive system.

Alpaca Summary:
There are so many ways to enjoy the Alpaca breed. More over it is quite a growing industry. Alpaca fiber, has long since been on rise, with the popularity growing each year. The Alpaca is truly an amazing animal. Alpacas are great social animals. Alpacas can be found all around the world. Visit our alpaca directory to find alpaca breeders and alpacas for sale near you.