Alpacas originate from Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

There are two types of Alpaca - the Huacaya (wha-ky-a), which has a dense fibre that grows straight out from the body with a crimp in the fibre, giving the animal a Teddy Bear appearance. The other is the Suri (soo-ry )which has fine straight fibre that hangs down from the body with a part along the back.

Alpacas are a regal animal , gentle .graceful and intelligent and a joy to own and work with. They are members of the camelid family which were domesticated over 5000 years ago in the highlands of Peru, making them the oldest domesticated animals in the world.

Their multi-hued fibre is soft, luxurious and lightweight. It is stronger and warmer than wool, as soft as cashmere and comes in 22 Natural colors. No need for dying. One of the most appealing features of Alpaca fleece is the fact that it contains no lanolin (as does sheep's wool) which makes it hypoallergenic.

The average weight of an adult Alpaca is about 110-220 lbs, depending on the sex of the animal. Height is approx. 36 inches at the shoulder. The life span of the Alpaca is approx. 20 years. Because of their size and disposition, Alpacas are easy to handle and great for small acreages. Depending on the quality of pasture, one may be able to keep 6-8 animals on 1 acre of land.

Alpacas are Induced ovulators, meaning they can be bred when it is convenient for the owner. This is great for the owner in that one can set up a breeding schedule that has all cria (babies) born in the spring of the year to avoid the hazards and inconveniences associated with winter birthings. The average gestation period is approx. 340 days. The cria are almost always born in the daytime, between 11am- 3pm., again making monitoring very convenient. Most births are relatively easy for the females and require very little intervention by the owners.

Overall, they are an extremely easy animal to raise and maintain. Clean up is easy as they use a communal dung pile, so they only soil a few spots in the pasture. They are generally a very gentle animal and children often can handle and lead them around easily. My 6 yr old and 2 yr old granddaughters often go into the fields with them without fear.

In summary, the Alpaca industry is very young in North America. Because of the increasing interest and potential tax benefits, raising Alpacas can provide an excellent investment opportunity.