Proud Members of:

AOBA

&

PNAA
Pacific Northwest Alpaca Association

About Alpacas:

Alpacas are gentle and easy animals to handle.  Alpacas are safe; they don't bite or butt.  Even if they did, without incisors, horns, hoofs or claws, little harm can be done.  Clean-up is  easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock.  They require  minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 animals per acre.  They communicate with a  variety of "hums" ear, tail and body position.  They are extremely intelligent and curious.  They do not have strong defenses and rely on "safety in numbers", so they are strong herd  animals.  This means you must have two or more at any one time.  If alone, they can become  stressed, paranoid or, worse, stop eating and die.  You can keep a bred female with a gelding  (males who have been neutered).

Caring For The Alpaca:

As the region they come from has terrible and limited forage (some areas such as Peru and  Chili have not had rain in over 50 years!), they are among the most efficient utilizers of food  on earth. An adult will consume around 2 1/2 pounds of forage a day although most breeders  in the U.S. supplement this with a grain and mineral mix. Due to their efficiency, their solid  waste looks like large rabbit pellets and is primarily composed of indigestible fiber. This  means, unlike other livestock, they are relatively smell free and their waste can be composted  for 6 months and used as fertilizer.

Caring for alpacas is much like caring for a dog or cat.  However, they are livestock and  require more knowledge and care. Compared to horses, cattle sheep etc., they are far easier  to care for. The actual time involved in caring for them may only amount to an hour or two a  day but it is every day.  Typical care might be:

*  Hay and supplement feeding - twice a day
*  Fresh, clean water - all the time
*  Pasture and shed cleaning, fence check - weekly
*  Worming and routine body check, including weight - once a month
*  Trim toenails and check teeth - every other month
*  Shearing fleece - once a year
*  Visit from vet - once a year
*  If showing- halter and lead training as required (including socializing)

Heat is a big concern for alpacas and you must provide shade and protection from strong heat.  Fans and good air circulation are a must!

Alpacas are relatively helpless when it comes to protecting themselves. Therefore, predators are another big concern.   Make sure your pastures and fenced areas are sufficient to keep out all other animals, including the neighborhood dogs! The purchase of a Guard Llama or a Great Pyrenees is a great idea. We utilize both and have had no problems. The Llama works great with the cria where the dog seems to get a little rough with his play.