explain

Explanation

WHAT IS AN ALPACA?

Alpacas are members of the South American Camelid Family. This family is comprised of the vicuna, guanaco, llama and alpaca. Unlike the llamas, which were primarily used as pack animals in South America, alpacas were raised for their cashmere-like fiber, once reserved for Incan royalty. They have been domesticated for over 5,000 years. Alpacas and llamas are native to the Andean Mountain Range of South America and are primarily found in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. While there are over 3 million alpacas in South America, there are only about 14,000 in the entire United States. The number of countries importing alpacas is growing and includes Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Alpacas are often raised as an alternative to sheep farming.

There are two types of alpacas, both of which are represented in the United States, the Huacaya (wa-ki-a) and Suri (sir-e). The Huacaya's fiber has a wavy or crimped appearance while the Suri's fiber hangs in uniform locks.

These animals are extremely gentle and calm with an intriguing inner struggle between curiosity and shyness. It is truly fascinating to watch them interact with each other with their expressive body language and humming. They have a soothing, serene manner that is positively contagious. With their soft, luxurious coats and fascinating personalities, alpacas are gaining popularity among those who want an animal that is easy to care for and offers a good investment.

ALPACA DIET AND CARE

Alpacas are grazers and like cattle, they chew their cud. They have a split upper lip which prevents them from damaging the vegetation's roots. They require good quality hay (primarily grasses) supplemented with grain and mineral mixes to meet their proper nutritional requirements.

Like llamas, they have communal dung piles, that is, they defecate in fixed areas which makes clean-up easy. Alpacas will avoid grazing these areas thus keeping parasite infestation low. They are on strict deworming programs and require annual boosters of certain vaccinations.

An alpaca is sheared once a year, usually in the spring. Since the Alpaca is native to the Andes mountains, shearing is recommended before the heat of summer makes the animal uncomfortable. Fleece yield varies depending on the size, quality and time since the alpaca was last sheared. Most commonly, alpaca fiber is sold to hand spinners at a price of about three to five dollars per ounce. The demand for fiber is high and will grow in the future. Currently there are not enough alpacas in this country to yield sufficient fiber to supply a commercial market. That's why the demand will only increase over the upcoming years. There are attempts currently being made by alpaca breeders to form co-op's for pooling together smaller quantities of fleece from several smaller breeders, to obtain a price break from commercial spinners.

Veterinary care is usually minimal. Every month an alpaca is dewormed and once a year an immunization shot is given. Pregnant females are tested in a variety of ways during their pregnancy. These tests include blood tests for progesterone levels, an indicator of continued pregnancy, possibly an ultrasound, and behavior tests. Toenails need trimming every couple of months.

Because the native habitat of the alpaca is the Andes mountains, they are well insulated from the cold of winter. Their incredible fleece is why alpacas are in such demand today. Because an alpacas fleece is such an excellent insulator, the summer heat can be hard on them. We give our animals plenty water and a shady place to rest. In extreme conditions, we use an electric fan to help cool our animals off. We use both a traditional barn and a three-sided shelter for providing protection from the elements for our alpacas.

ALPACA BEHAVIOR

Alpaca's are very social animals and will be lonely without a "friend". First time buyers are encouraged to purchase 2 or more animals in their first purchase. An economical choice to a second animal is a "pet" quality male (non-sire), to keep other alpacas company.

An alpaca will occasionally spit when threatened. The act is almost always directed at another alpaca. Usually the spitting occurs when a female alpaca feels her cria (baby) is threatened. A cria is ready to be weaned from its mother's milk at 5 to 6 months of age.

ALPACA ECONOMICS

Supply and demand is what drives prices in the economy. Currently, the demand for alpacas is high while supply is low. The supply is low for a couple of reasons. First, imports are very limited and secondly, the gestation period for an alpaca is 11 and 1/2 months. Because of this, the alpaca numbers in this country will continue to grow at a moderate rate. Because of this lack of supply, alpacas generally command relatively high prices. It is not uncommon for a breeder (investor) to nearly recover their initial investment within a year of their purchase. Along with crias commanding a nice return on your investment, there are tax advantages as well. Currently, Alpacas used for breeding may also be depreciated off your taxes.

Full theft and mortality insurance is available from several insurance companies. The current rate for a small breeder is approximately 3.25% of the insured value of your alpaca. Like all insurance, rates vary for animals at greater risk. An example of this is a newborn which cannot be insured for the first 24 hours. Higher rates apply until an alpaca reaches an age of 3 months.

The industry standard for boarding an alpaca is 2 to 3 dollars a day. At J. Baka's Alpacas, we offer special discounts for animals purchased through us.

Summary

ALPACA FACTS

- Lifespan averages between 15 and 25 years.

- Height is approximately 36 inches at the shoulders.

- Weight ranges between 100 and 180 pounds (1/2 to 1/3 the size of a llama).

- Average gestation is 335 days (11 1/2 months) but can range from 320-376 days.

- Single births are the norm, twins are extremely rare.

- A newborn alpaca, called a cria (cre-a), typically weighs between 15 and 19 pounds. Babies stand and begin nursing within 30 minutes after delivery.

- Alpacas come in a rainbow of natural colors (22 recognized) with varying patterns.

- Alpacas require fencing to protect them from predators such as dogs and coyotes.

- Alpacas do not require a lot of acreage (5 to 8 animals per acre is optimum).

- Female alpacas can start breeding as early as 12 months of age, and be re-bred as early as 2 weeks after parturition. Breeding age depends on a number of variables. At J. Baka's Alpacas, we feel it is better to let a female mature a couple of extra months, then to force a breeding too early.

- Male alpacas can begin to breed at 2-3 years of age. We feel it is important to let males mature to at least this age before trying to breed them, or have your female bred to them.

- Alpacas are very social animals and communicate to each other with soft humming noises, body and head movements.

- Alpacas are one of the premier livestock investments, as they can be depreciated yearly and there is a strong market for their offspring.

J. Baka's Alpacas is located on Foskett Rd., near I-71 and Route 3, in Medina, Ohio. We pride ourselves on being a small, family oriented farm that deals with people while keeping the health and happiness of the Alpacas in mind. We don't believe that bigger farms are necessarily better. At J. Baka's Alpacas, you will always get the service you expect when making any type of investment for your future.

The family-run Alpaca farm that continues to provide you Alpaca service well after your purchase is complete!