Alpacas . . .

A Cherished Treasure

Alpacas are members of the camelid family from the South American countries of Peru, Bolivia and Chile. They were considered a cherished treasure by the ancient Inca civilization. Inca nobility reserved the alpaca fiber for use. It is one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers. Soft as cashmere, warmer, lighter, and stronger than wool, it comes in 22 different colors.

There are two types of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri. The huacaya has very crimpy, "teddy bear" look fiber. The suri fiber hangs from its body in a rope like fleece similar to dreadlocks.

Alpacas are very gentle and relatively easy to raise. They weigh between 120-180 pounds and are about 3 feet tall at the shoulder. They have no claws, horns and don't butt. They have only one row of teeth and soft pads on their feet. Their diet is grass, hay and a small amount of feed. They are intelligent and easy to train.

These animals have a multi chambered stomach and chew cud to digest their food. This enables the alpacas to eat far less than other animals.

Alpacas consolidate their waste into one or two spots in the pasture. This controls the spread of parasites and makes it easy to collect their manure. Alpaca manure is an excellent fertilizer for gardens and flowers.

Alpacas are considered disease resistant animals, which lowers insurance and veterinarian costs. They have a life span of approximately 20 years.

Alpacas are sheared yearly in the spring. Each animal will produce five to eight pounds of fleece a year. 

Alpacas have a gestation period of 11-11 1/2 months. Normally the female will  produce one baby, called a cria. The alpaca females are induced ovulators and can be bred at any time of the year.

Alpacas are registered through the Alpaca Registry Inc. (ARI) by DNA blood typing.

Come for a farm visit to learn more details about these amazing animals. Call Fred or Nancy Medland at 614-873-4285.