Alpaca Information
Alpacas are in the camelid family along with camels, llamas & vicunas.
Alpacas live approximately 15-20 years.
A baby alpaca is called a cria (pronounced Kree-uh).
Average gestation period is 335 days.
Alpacas are ruminants (one stomach that has 3 compartments).
Alpacas were first imported to the U.S. in 1984. Imports stopped in 1999.
Alpacas are not a food source in the U.S. like they are in South America.
There are 2 types of alpaca - Huacaya (pronounced wah-ky-ah) and Suri (pronounced sir-ee).
Huacaya have the fluffy fleece and have a sheep-like look.
Suri have dreadlock-type fleece.
Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall at the withers and generally weigh between 125 and 200 lbs. They are gentle and easy to handle. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is easy as alpacas use a communal manure pile in only a few places in their pasture/pen.
They require minimal fencing & can be pastured at 5-10 alpacas per acre.
The Fleece
Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxorious natural fibers. It is clipped from the animal without causing it harm. Alpaca fleece is soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool. It comes in more colors than any other fiber -producing animal (approx 22 basic colors with many variations and blends). Alpaca fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.
Alpacas live approximately 15-20 years.
A baby alpaca is called a cria (pronounced Kree-uh).
Average gestation period is 335 days.
Alpacas are ruminants (one stomach that has 3 compartments).
Alpacas were first imported to the U.S. in 1984. Imports stopped in 1999.
Alpacas are not a food source in the U.S. like they are in South America.
There are 2 types of alpaca - Huacaya (pronounced wah-ky-ah) and Suri (pronounced sir-ee).
Huacaya have the fluffy fleece and have a sheep-like look.
Suri have dreadlock-type fleece.
Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall at the withers and generally weigh between 125 and 200 lbs. They are gentle and easy to handle. Alpacas don't have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is easy as alpacas use a communal manure pile in only a few places in their pasture/pen.
They require minimal fencing & can be pastured at 5-10 alpacas per acre.
The Fleece
Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxorious natural fibers. It is clipped from the animal without causing it harm. Alpaca fleece is soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool. It comes in more colors than any other fiber -producing animal (approx 22 basic colors with many variations and blends). Alpaca fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.