Alpaca Farming for Beginners: Alpaca Care and Info on Keeping Alpacas

Alpaca farming information for the novice on raising alpacas, looking at what they eat, alpaca care, housing, and health problems.

ALPACA FARMING: OVERVIEW

Alpaca farming used to be seen as a sure investment for homesteading and farming. High returns were promised with alpaca investment in raising and keeping alpacas, and many believed that they would make a lot of money in the process, without doing a proper alpaca business plan and thorough investigation.

Unfortunately, those who went ahead with alpaca investment, outlaying thousands for top breeders in the hope that they would get rich quick have found that this has not been so, and the price of Alpacas has become far more affordable for those who just want to keep them for pets.

However, alpaca raising does have other advantages, mainly of course the alpaca wool that they produce. Their lovely fibre is light-weight, less greasy than sheep's wool, and is know for its softness, lustre and warmth. Alpacas come in a range of colours which is ideal for those who want to use fibre that is natural and free from chemical dyes. In addition, they are eco-friendly with soft padded feet, not hooves, which has a low impact on the landscape.

They also make excellent 'guard dogs' and will keep predators away from your sheep. Not only will alpacas protect your sheep, but they will also protect your poultry from foxes and wolves.

The best thing for the organic alpaca farmer and homesteader is the alpaca manure and their toilet habits. Alpacas are very obliging in that they choose one place to relieve themselves and soon you have a manure heap of good, non-smelling, slow-releasing manure which is ideal for your vegetables, orchards and flower gardens.

For those of you who are wanting to keep alpacas for the above reasons then it is useful to think of having 2-3 castrated males. As alpacas are herd animals they need to have the company of other alpacas. Buying whethers is a cheaper option than buying breeding quality alpacas. In addition they can be shorn twice a year, and their fleece can be used for home spinning, felting or weaving.

Alpaca farming means that alpacas are very easy animals to keep, and really don't need much maintenance. They are good with children, almost always give birth during daylight hours, have a low-protein diet of grasses and pasture plants and do not suffer from fly-strike. They do, however, need a lot of water, particularly in the summer, where they can drink up to 4 liters of water a day. They will need some shelter, usually a 3-sided structure is sufficient so that they can get out of the wind, sun and rain when required.

ALPACA FARMING: ANIMAL CARE

The alpaca is not used to high temperatures and humidity. As a result, if they can suffer from heat stress, which can lead to illness and ultimately death if not caught in time.

Commonly used is the heat index, which is simply a formula to estimate the risk of heat stress. The Heat Index can be estimated by adding the temperature (F) and percent humidity (%). Typically, a heat index of less than 120 is safe, 120 to one 180 creates possible problems, and greater than 180 is the range where animals are in the most danger.

The best solution is to make sure that your alpacas have shade and water at all times. Shade created by trees, shade cloth or better still, a tall barn that will give shelter and ventilation. Having fans fitted is also a solution in areas of high heat and humidity.

Plenty of water should be made available, and it should be kept out of the sun in a shady spot.

Shearing alpacas when it is hot is another way of reducing the possibility of heat stress. A full shear is better, although barrel cuts are acceptable.

Make sure that your animals are well fed, but not overfed, as overweight animals suffer more from the heat than those that aren't obese. Proper nutrition of the animals is also important. In particular, providing adequate selenium, vitamin E, copper, zinc, and B vitamins such as thiamine can increase the tolerance of environmental extremes.

Keep a close eye on your animals during the hot summer months and look for the signs of heat stress. Nasal flaring, open-mouthed breathing, increased breathing rate and effort, drooling, depression or dullness, not eating feed, scrotal swelling in intact males, weakness, trembling, a rectal temperature greater than 104 degrees F, a heart rate over 90 beats per minute, or a respiratory rate over 40 breaths per minute are all signs that things are not well.

Move the animal into a shaded area of your homestead and hose the animal down with cool water, making sure that the animal is thoroughly soaked and not just wet on the surface, as the fibres can trap the heat and make things worse. Try and get the animal to drink some water, and call your vet immediately.