About Alpacas
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What is an Alpaca? | Alpaca
Questions & Answers | What is a Cria?
What is an alpaca?
The first question I am usually asked when I tell
people that we raise alpacas is "What is an alpaca?"
The easiest (and most common) way to answer that question is that
alpacas are like 'small llamas.' Llamas are undoubtedly the most
familiar of four closely related species of the camelid family,
also including the domesticated alpaca and their wild 'cousins'
vicunas and guanacos. But to describe the alpaca as a 'small llama'
is unfair to these unique and beautiful animals as they are a
species in their own right - not really "small anythings."
So, let's see if I can come up with something that does them justice!
The first known records of alpacas are in drawings
on cave walls in the Andean Mountains; domesticated for over 5000
years, they are kind of the 'domestic cattle' of South America,
perhaps the world's first domestic animal. In the times of the
Andean Indians and the Incas alpacas were considered to be legal
tender because of their valuable fleece. The heaviest concentration
of alpacas today is in the Altiplano - the high altitude regions
of southern Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Alpacas were first imported
into the USA in 1984, although fossil records indicate that 40
million years ago alpaca-like animals were indigenous to Northern
America.
There are two types of alpaca - the huacaya (pronounced
wah-kay-ya), and the suri (pronounced sir-ee). The main difference
between the two is in the appearance of their fiber. The suri
has fine fiber that is quite straight and appears to hang in dreadlocks
from their body. The huacaya has very crimpy fiber, which gives
them a wooly and round appearance. Both types come in a wide variety
of natural colors - 22 different ones in fact - ranging from bright
white to true black with all shades of brown and gray.
An alpaca's lifespan is around 20 years. They stand around 36"
tall at the withers and weigh between 100 and 175lbs. Alpacas
have no upper teeth (they have lower teeth and an upper dental
pad) and do not bite. They have soft, padded, earth-friendly feet,
and a non-aggressive personality. They are pseudo-ruminants with
a three chambered stomach; their diet consists mainly of grass,
from which they are extremely efficient at extracting maximum
nutrients.
Alpacas are very social animals, naturally living
in herds. Communication between alpacas is achieved through body
posture particularly ear and tail position. They also communicate
through a variety of humming sounds which almost sound like a
meditative chant. Occasionally they spit when threatened, (a fine
spray consisting of partially digested grass). Usual causes for
this defensive behavior are during mating/breeding and protection
of infants. Alpacas can often be caught in group-play sessions
such as 'sproinging' - this takes place usually around dusk and
the whole herd will join in and spring around with all four feet
together.
Alpacas are induced ovulators; they do not have
an estrous period, the act of mating itself causes the female
to produce an egg. They breed in a very unique position - the
female lies down in a position called 'kush' (the legs are folded
under the body and the animal is supported on it's 'knees'). The
male will then mount from behind and the whole process, which
can last up to half an hour, takes place in this position. The
gestation period in alpacas is 11 to 12 months at the end of which
the mother will give birth to a single baby (twins are extremely
rare). A baby alpaca is called a cria (pronounced cree-a), which
comes from the Spanish word for 'creation'. About two weeks after
giving birth the female is ready to breed again. Once they reach
breeding age (around 18 months), female alpacas spend the rest
of their lives in some stage of pregnancy.
Hopefully I have answered that original question
"What is an alpaca?" in a manner befitting the wonderful
animals that they are. There is so much more to say about them
- the list of characteristics, behaviors and adaptations that
make them unique and amazing is endless. If you have never had
the pleasure of meeting an alpaca face to face you are missing
a treat!
—Article courtesy of East River Alpacas, Rush,
NY
Everything You Always Wanted to Know
About Alpacas
Many people have never really even heard of alpacas
- if you are one such person you are far from alone. We love to
help people learn about these wonderful animals and firmly believe
that there is 'no such thing as a silly question.'
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about alpacas.
If your question is not addressed here please feel free to ask
us anything by clicking here.
Q. What exactly is an alpaca?
A. Alpacas and their close relatives, llamas, are members of
the scientific family camelid, as are camels, guanacos and the
extremely rare vicuna. The main difference between alpacas and
their larger llama cousins, other than size, is that alpacas are
raised for their luxurious fiber.
There are two types of alpaca - the huacaya (pronounced wah-kay-ya),
and the suri (pronounced sir-ee). The main difference between
the two is in the appearance of their fiber. The suri has fine
fiber that is quite straight and appears to hang in dreadlocks
from their body. The huacaya has very crimpy fiber, which gives
them a woolly and round appearance. Both types come in a wide
variety of natural colors - 22 different ones in fact - ranging
from bright white to true black with all shades of brown and gray.
Q. What is a cria?
A. A cria is the name for a baby alpaca. Weaned crias are known
as weanlings or tuis. In Spanish the adult males are known as
machos and the adult females are hembras.
Q. What do you do with alpacas?
A. Alpacas are primarily raised as an investment opportunity.
Currently the market and value for alpacas is in the animals themselves
- breeding them and selling the offspring provides a very good
return on investment. There is also a market for their fleece.
Income from sale of their fleece is typically adequate to cover
the cost of care (food, medical, etc.)
Q. Do they make good pets?
A. Many people do have alpacas purely as companion animals. They
can make very good pets if they are well treated and the owners
are realistic in their expectations. They are more cat-like than
dog-like in their attitude towards us humans - somewhat timid,
but very curious and intelligent, and with handling and time most
will eventually eat out of your hand, and can be trained to lead
by halter. Some people do enter performance type events, such
as obstacle courses, with alpacas and have a lot of fun doing
so. They do not really like to be held and "petted"
and are especially sensitive to being touched on their heads and
legs.
Q. How much do they cost?
A. Prices range from around $500 for a gelded male with no breeding
potential to many thousands of dollars for top quality breeding
males and females. Females can be worth anything from a few thousand
dollars to tens of thousands depending on their age, quality and
breeding history. The girls are valuable because of their ability
to produce crias that can be sold providing very good returns
on the initial investment. Top quality males with good offspring
have a high value as breeding animals also - they can command
high incomes for their owners in stud service fees.
Q. What if once I have made this investment
the population explodes and decreases the value of the animals?
A. While the future of an alpaca investment cannot be guaranteed
any more than you could guarantee an investment in the stock market,
it does appear to be more predictable. First, the value of the
animals has been stable for the past 15+ years. Second, population
explosion is not possible because the registry for alpacas is
now closed in the U.S. That means imported animals can no longer
be used for registered breeding stock. In addition, alpacas have
a long (11-12 months) gestation period and typically give birth
to a single offspring. At this point, the industry remains healthy
with demand for animals and fiber continuing at strong levels.
Q. Are alpacas dangerous?
A. Absolutely not! As I have heard it perfectly put "we
don't eat them and they don't eat us"! They are wonderful,
gentle animals - very safe for adults and children alike (in fact
they are often very curious and enchanted by children and make
great 4H animals). Alpacas do not possess the teeth, horns, hooves
or claws to do any harm. They don't bite, they don't butt and
it is not common for them to kick. They are sensitive around the
back legs and will instinctively kick out if they sense a threat
from the rear but they do have soft padded feet so injury is not
likely.
Q. Do they spit like llamas?
A. The bad news is yes they can spit! It is probably their only
vice and one of their only defense mechanisms. The spit is a fine
spray of partially digested grass, not too pleasant smelling,
but it brushes off once dry. The good news is that alpacas rarely
spit at people. If a person does get hit it is usually because
they got caught in the crossfire between two squabbling alpacas,
probably at dinnertime!
Q. What do they eat?
A. Alpacas are ruminants, which means they chew cud like a cow
or a deer. The bulk of their diet is made up of low protein hay
or pasture grass. They are from a harsh climate so they are well
adapted to make maximum utilization of their food. There are a
number of commercially available alpaca feeds, but these should
be rationed as a vitamin and mineral supplement. Their primary
food source should always be good quality grass and/or hay. They
do not drink a lot of water (another of their natural adaptations
for survival in the mountains of South America) but access to
clean, fresh drinking water is a must at all times.
Q. Are they easy to keep and care for?
A. Yes alpacas are relatively easy to keep and care for. They
are small and easy to handle. They are hardy animals and are highly
resistant to disease. A simple protocol of worming and annual
vaccinations is recommended but the need for veterinary care is
minimal with alpacas. They do not challenge fences, and any fence
suitable for sheep is suitable for alpacas - barbed wire should
be avoided. A barn is nice but not necessary for their comfort.
A simple three-sided run-in so they can get out of the elements
is recommended. Alpacas come from a harsh climate naturally so
they are pretty tolerant of cold conditions but do not fair as
well in extreme heat, hence the need for a shelter to provide
shade. Fans can be great comfort to them during the highs of summer.
Their earth-friendly padded feet do no damage to pastures, as
found with other livestock.
Q. How much land do they require?
A. Alpacas are ideal if you don't have a lot of acreage. You
can comfortably graze between 5 and 10 alpacas on one acre. Although
it is not necessary, optimally you should have twice the required
acreage so that you can rotate your pastures, (i.e. two acres
for 5 - 10 alpacas.)
Q. Do they get along with other animals?
A. Alpacas are naturally wary of members of the canine family
but other than that they do fine with other livestock. They can
be easily kept in the same pasture as sheep, goats, llamas etc.
Caution should be used when pasturing alpacas with horses and/or
cows due to the risk of the alpacas being injured if kicked.
Q. What is involved in breeding and birthing?
A. Female alpacas are ready to breed at around 18 months of age.
They do not have a breeding season and can usually be mated at
any time of the year. Alpacas require 'live breeding' - artificial
insemination is not possible because like cats and rabbits they
are induced ovulators, which means that the act of breeding causes
them to ovulate. The gestation period is approximately 11.5 months.
Births are usually trouble free and most often occur in the middle
of the day. Typically, no help is needed in the birthing process.
The whole process of breeding to birth is relatively easy and
problem free.
Q. How often do they need to be sheared?
A. Alpacas are usually shorn once a year for their own comfort.
In the case of the suri alpaca this is sometimes reduced to once
every two years. Depending on the density of the fleece each adult
alpaca will usually produce from 3 - 10 lbs per year. Some of
the high quality stud male's production can often be higher.
Q. What is so special about their fiber?
A. The fleece shorn from alpacas is hair not wool. It has a silky
shine, and super soft feel, yet contains no lanolin and is hypoallergenic.
People who have allergies associated with sheep's wool can comfortably
wear luxurious alpaca garments. Alpaca fiber is much stronger
and yet finer than sheep's wool. It is as soft as cashmere and
three times warmer than sheep's wool. Evolving in freezing temperatures
at high altitudes has given alpacas more thermal capacity in their
fiber than any other fiber-bearing animal. Alpaca fiber is officially
recognized in 22 different natural colors and is highly prized.
It can be processed into high quality fashion garments such as
suits, jackets, skirts and coats, as well as soft, light, warm
sweaters. Because of it's thermal properties coarser fibers may
also be used in quilt filling. The international market for alpaca
product is enormous with demand always exceeding supply.
Q. What is an Accoyo alpaca?
A. The name "Accoyo" refers to an Alpaca that has been
bred at Estancia Accoyo in Peru. In the US the name "Accoyo"
refers to alpacas imported from the estancia or to direct descendants
of these imports. An alpaca is considered to be a pure or full
Accoyo if its parents are both pure Accoyos.
A more important question would be why breeders so highly prize
this particular line of animals. The answer lies with the breeding
program of Don Julio Barreda, the owner of Estancia Accoyo, which
has created superior quality animals. Estancia Accoyo is located
in Macusani, Peru at 15,000 feet above sea level. Since there
are few places in the world where animals of any kind are raised
at that altitude, it follows that only hearty animals prosper.
And since alpacas are valued primarily for their fleece, it is
easy to assume that they would have superior coats. This has been
proven at alpaca shows in Peru and theUnited States. According
to National Geographic Magazine, Maccusani, Peru, is the world
center for Alpaca fiber production. While there are other ranches
on the Alta Plano of Peru, it is Senor Barreda at his Estancia
Accoyo who has controlled and maintained the breeding program
that has made these animals world famous. The political turmoil
in Peru has had a toll on the many ranches and their alpaca herds.
Only Don Julio has maintained the royal bloodlines, breeding carefully.
For over fifty years he has been breeding only those alpacas that
meet his very exacting standards for conformation and fiber fineness,
density and uniformity. In his own words: "I have been able
to breed well- defined Alpaca phenotypes with an absence of atypical
animals. I attribute Accoyo's success at breeding Alpacas with
superior production qualities to the father's lineage."
Q. How do I get started raising my own alpacas?
A. First of all we recommend visiting as many farms and talking
with as many breeders as possible. Almost all alpaca breeders
are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience
with potential new breeders - we LOVE to show off our alpacas!
This is a great way to learn lots of "dos and don'ts"
from people who have already done the legwork. Many people buy
a couple of geldings to begin with and once they feel confident
that alpacas really are easy to care for and an utter joy to be
around, they take the next step to the larger financial investment
of breeding animals. Other people just dive right in. Whatever
your comfort level there are breeders out there who would love
to help you succeed.
Contact us for a farm visit to get you started on your journey.
—Article courtesy of East River Alpacas, Rush, NY
What is a Cria?
A cria (pronounce cree-ah) is the name for a baby
alpaca (llama, vicuna, or guanaco also). Of course alpacas are
technically considered a domestic animal but all of the information
here would be directly applicable to their wild relatives the
South America guanaco and vicuna, and the information on the miracle
of their digestive system would be the same for all junior ruminants
and pseudo-ruminants (which of course includes our visiting giraffes!).
After an 11-month gestation period the cria is born
with the whole herd gathering around in an attempt to protect
against potential predators. Alpacas give birth standing so life
begins with a none-to-graceful flop to the earth. Birth is usually
(as for most prey animals) relatively quick and problem free and
the whole emergence typically takes less than 30 minutes. Most
births take place between 8am and noon - while unproven it is
speculated that this birthing pattern is a continuation of the
birthing patterns observed in the alpaca's wild ancestors. In
the vicuna and guanaco populations, delivery during the relatively
warmer daylight hours may increase cria survival rate by reducing
fatalities due to hypothermia during the cold Andean nights. Alpaca
crias typically weigh between 14 and 18 lbs at birth and look
like something straight from the imagination of Dr. Seuss - a
quaint cross between fawn, lamb and giraffe calf…like all
nature's babies utterly adorable and amazingly resilient. Crias
and dams begin their bonding rituals immediately after birth,
getting to know each other's smell and also sound. One of the
most charming bonding methods, in my opinion, is in their quaint
vocalizations - mothers and babies will hum back and forth to
one another in creaky, kazoolike murmurs, I'm not sure what they
are saying but as an enchanted onlooker, or should that be 'onlistener'
the sound is somehow soothing and indicative of an 'all's right
with the world' general feeling. It is a treat and a privilege
to be allowed to listen in!
Alpacas, and their camelid cousins are described
as precocious species - most crias will be up and standing (albeit
somewhat shakily) within the first hour of birth, walking, even
running, and attempting to nurse shortly thereafter. This in itself
- as with many other non-human species - is Mother Nature at her
most amazing… in it's first 24 hours of life outside the
womb, the cria has achieved what it takes us humans 2 to 3 years
to master! Between the ages of three months and one year of age
alpacas grow at an alarming rate - in one year alpaca females
go through what a human female goes through in 14 years.
At anywhere from 3 months on mama alpaca will decide
it is time to wean her freeloading offspring… after all she
is already 2 ½ months into her next pregnancy by this time!
At this time the cria goes from being a milk drinker to a grass-digesting
ruminant - another of Ma Nature's miracle. Like all ruminants
alpacas have a divided stomach. True ruminants have four chambers
(reticulum, rumen, omassum and abomassum), alpacas are strictly
considered pseudo-ruminants with a three-chambered stomach, the
omassum being so small as to be insignificant; however the mechanics
are the same. The first three parts of a ruminants stomach (often
referred to as the forestomach) deal primarily with the fermentation
of the grasses that make up a ruminants herbivorous diet and the
abomassum is the part which deals with digestion in the true sense
of the word. An interesting structure can be found in ruminants
called the gastric groove. This groove runs the entire length
of the forestomach and can nearly completely close in infants
forming a 'tube' to transport liquids directly from the esophagus
to the abomassum, bypassing the rumen etc., so that it can be
properly digested. As the cria (or other infant ruminant) matures
and begins eating a fibrous plant diet, the gastric groove stops
closing so food can enter the rumen for fermentation. I found
this to be one of those "little-but-amazing" facts that
you come across in nature - an unimprovable, perfectly engineered
system!
On a lighter note, crias have that magical element
of youthful exuberance. In a world where energy is limiting and
adult animals of all species, predator and prey alike are all
too aware of the necessity to conserve energy until it is really
needed, crias seem to burn it as if there were no tomorrow. Get
a few of them together and you will be treated to the kind of
wonderfully hilarious haphazard ballet that only nature's babies
seem capable of. As if on cue and usually around dusk, crias will
spring into the air, twisting their heads and arching their backs
in joyous 'pronking' or 'sproinging' - a spontaneous performance
that really has nothing to do with locomotion and everything to
do with the exuberance of being young and alive… and being
an alpaca.
—Article courtesy of East River Alpacas, Rush,
NY
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