Raising Alpacas

Raising alpacas can be extremely rewarding, fun, and profitable. There is nothing like going out to the pasture in the morning, and seeing a brand new cria (baby) sitting along side its mother. Every alpaca is endowed with a unique personality, just like dogs or cats. They’re much easier to raise than you might think. OK, let’s get started. Here’s what you need to consider when first starting out. Most of the following observations are based on my personal experiences, and that of fellow breeders.

Physical Setup

When raising alpacas you’ll need a fenced-in pasture. I have a six foot around my property, because I have some stray dogs in the neighborhood. So, I would recommend a fence that will keep out any kind of predators. Remember, alpacas are usually on the bottom of the food chain, their major defenses being spitting and kicking with padded feet.

The next consideration is the pasture. After conducting research on raising alpacas I discovered that fescue is toxic. The pasture I decided on is a combination of Bermuda and orchard grass. I have a good amount of shade, and the orchard grass does much better than the Bermuda. Alpacas can survive almost anywhere, but you need to know what’s dangerous for them (such as cherry trees).

I have a 100 + year old property, and I had to clear off a lot of old barbed wire and miscellaneous junk and metal before I started raising alpacas. In fact, three years after I cleared off the property, I’m still finding bits and pieces of metal and glass around, since the site had been an old blacksmith’s shop.

Shelter

Most every authority on raising alpacas recommends a three sided shelter. I recently visited a large ranch (400 alpacas) in Australia, and they didn’t have any shelter at all. Even though it’s a dry climate, I wouldn’t even consider it. Alpacas like having shelter during a heavy downpour. They also like to be able to see out of their shelter. One of my barns has a window, and I can see my alpacas looking out the window to check things out. I’ve heard of alpacas not entering barns that were too dark, and once a window was put in, they were fine.

The shelter should also have electricity. You’ll need this for lighting and any fans you may install to cool them down during the hot summer months. A source of water close by is very helpful, because who wants to trudge a bucket of water across a field? I’ve also learned in raising alpacas that they enjoy having their stomachs hosed down in the summer. I also have a child’s wading pool in all my pastures, next to the barn. This way the alpacas are able to dip their stomachs when they feel like it.

Purchasing Alpacas

Most breeders involved in raising alpacas advise purchasing the best quality animals you can afford. First of all, you should decide whether you’re going to raise suris or huacayas, or both. Suris typically seem to command about a 10% premium over huacayas, but they’re more difficult to keep clean and there aren’t as many buyers for them as there are for huacayas. When I started raising alpacas, I chose huacayas, because I thought they’d be easier to sell.

Next, you must decide what your goals are when choosing your foundation stock. How many males and how many females? Do you want to start with young breeding stock, or purchase proven breeders? White or colors? If colors, do you want to breed for specific colors, such as grey and black? Do you want to breed just white alpacas, or white Accoyo alpacas? How many animals do you want to end up with, and how many can your pasture support? There are many different choices you can make, and there are no wrong answers.

When you seriously consider raising alpacas, the issue of expense always arises. The price range for bred females is $15,000 to $30,000, and better quality males go for $20,000 to $50,000. I started out with bred females, and buying stud services ($1500. to $3000.) for the first couple of years, until I had a stud of breeding age (eighteen months to two years). If you’re intent on raising alpacas for profit, be sure to buy only registered alpacas. 95% of alpacas in the US are registered through ARI. The other 5% are usually pet quality. Pet quality animals sell for $1000 to $1500.

One of the most important things to understand when raising alpacas is phenotype versus genotype. Phenotype is how the animal looks and genotype refers to the genetics that the animal will pass on to their prodigy. When I first started I bought two older, proven females bred to a stud with a great lineage. One of my females was small and had buck teeth (and a sour disposition!), but she produced blue-ribbon babies. She’s had three babies since I’ve owned her, and all have been outstanding. So, the moral of the story is: genotype is more important than phenotype. See, high school biology did pay off!

Farm visits are an early first step in the buying process. I recommend you visit as many alpaca farms as possible. You’ll see a wide range of practices in raising alpacas, from small family farms to sophisticated operations. Bring a list of questions. Many farms offer introductory classes in raising alpacas, but remember, their goal is to promote their farm and their animals.

Feeding

Alpaca’s diets consist of grass, grain, and supplemental hay. Grass seems to make up the majority of the diet. When choosing grain, take a sample of the grain and drop it in a glass of water. If it swells up, it’s full of filler. Many commercial alpaca grains seem to fit this category. This can cause an alpaca to choke on the grain. I have gotten together with a number of other breeders and have my grain custom milled. In raising alpacas, it’s important to give them the best nutrition available. During the cold winter months, when there’s less grass available, make sure you have plenty of supplemental hay available. I usually buy Bermuda or orchard grass. Below are pictures of a hay feeder and feeding bins for alpacas. I like to separate the grain bins, so the alpacas fight less over their food.

Most alpaca breeders change the water every day. I use rubber buckets, because they’re easier to clean. The hay feeders, grain bins, and water buckets are available at most local feed stores.

Expenses

Here are some typical expenses incurred in raising alpacas:

• Food - feed, hay, mineral supplements • Vaccinations and worming medicine • Vet expenses – annual checkups, health certificates, cria expenses • Agistment expenses – in case you’re not raising alpacas on your property • Breeding Fees • Travel expenses – this includes travel to shows and seminars, transportation expenses for breeding, picking up feed and supplies • Education – seminar and conference expenses • Association dues – such as AOBA, state and local associations • Marketing expenses – Advertising, signage, and website expenses • Farm equipment and tools – can include a scale, shovels, and other common farm equipment • Labor – in the beginning you’ll do most of the work yourself, but you may elect to bring in some part-time help later on

The yearly expense in raising alpacas seems to be around $250 to $300 per animal. That’s less than I spend on my dog per year!

Breeding

The goal, when raising alpacas is to breed for genetic gain. In other words, you want to improve the quality of your herd. It has been said that less than 1% of all male alpacas should be used as studs. Unless you have a superior male, it will benefit you to find the best outside stud available for your females. While an unproven male (no confirmed pregnancies) may be a cheaper stud, you may be wasting your time and money. It’s often best to find a stud that has a proven track record.