The alpaca is a proud and noble animal, yet is very docile and loving. It is relatively small and simple to maintain, can be easily halter trained and is usually gentle enough to be handled by children. In fact, because of it’s padded feet and gentle grazing habits, it is possibly the world's most environmentally-friendly farm animal.

Things to consider

Alpacas have a strong herding instinct. They know that to be separated from the herd is dangerous for them. Because of this, it would be cruel to keep a single animal and reputable breeders will not knowingly sell an alpaca that is to be kept on its own. If you already own a couple of pet males and decide that you would like to keep females as well, then ideally you should purchase a minimum of two females. This is because alpacas normally live in a matriarchal society and so your females will need the companionship and support structure that can only be offered by other adult females.

Stud males

There is no need to own a stud male unless you wish to, because there are many breeders around the country who are happy to supply breeding services. In fact, acquiring a stud male does not usually become cost effective until a herd contains at least six breeding females. Any stud male you use should introduce genetic variety to your herd and as well as enhancing the quality of your existing stock.

Husbandry - what your alpacas need from you

In practical terms, the recommended stocking density for alpacas is usually no more than five alpacas per acre but this is very dependent on the quality of pasture available. Remember, if your acre includes your house or other buildings it will not be able to support as many alpacas. They do not usually challenge fences and require minimal care outside of rudimentary shelter, vaccinations, vitamin injections and periodic de-worming. Alpacas actually have a novel way of reducing worm related problems for themselves as they tend to create one or two “poo piles” within a paddock. Since they do not graze near these piles, their exposure to worms is minimised. They do not suffer from foot rot but may need to have their toe nails trimmed from time to time.

Shearing

One other very important task is shearing. Some huacaya grow six kilograms or more of fleece in one year so for the well-being of the animal they must be shorn every year. This would usually be done in late spring or early summer - basically their fleece needs to be removed before the start of the hot weather. Suris, on the other hand, are often shorn every two years because of the characteristics of their fibre. However, this is timeframe is ultimately dependent on how well the alpaca copes with the hot weather. If they show any sign of heat stress and they must be shorn.

Food, water.......................

Alpacas are modified ruminants, which means they chew the cud. They are very efficient grazers and browsers, but they do require dry roughage to help them with their digestion. They should always have access to hay but be wary of feeding them too much in the way of supplementary foods that are high in protein. However, as in all things it is important to strike a happy balance with this because extra protein may well be beneficial for your alpacas during times of stress, for example, when females are pregnant or lactating, or during bad weather and in the winter. For more information please read our page on Alpaca nutrition.  

..............and shelter

It is a recognised fact that although alpacas are hardy animals and are used to harsh climatic conditions, the high wind-chill caused by the combination of cold, wet and wind can lead to hypothermia. In these conditions, extra protein may help to keep them warm but it is really important that in addition they have access to shelter - either natural or man-made. It is also imperative that alpacas have clean drinking water available at all times.

Get to know your alpacas

Although alpacas are generally hardy, healthy animals there is no substitute for knowing how each of your alpacas usually behaves. Spend time simply watching your them because, apart from being very enjoyable, knowing their normal habits and behaviour will help you to recognise if something is wrong. Alpacas will attempt to mask illness or pain until they can no longer hide it. You must act immediately if you notice any of them appearing to be unwell.

A word of caution

In their native habitat, alpacas are browsing animals that find nutrients not only in pasture, but also in the leaves, twigs and bark of trees and shrubs. However, if they graze on dangerous plants this can cause problems . Fortunately, many poisonous plants are not palatable and would only be eaten in desperation, so alpacas that have access to good quality pasture are much less likely to suffer from plant poisoning. For a list of poisonous plants and huge amounts of other useful information, check out the Alpaca Association New Zealand web site at www.alpaca.org.nz. We would highly recommend membership of the Association and, in fact, it is absolutely essential for anyone wishing to breed alpacas.