Alpacas

Living on an acreage has given us the opportunity to raise alpacas. They are an easy to care for livestock that eat much less than our horses do. Our herd of nine alpacas will go through a round bale of hay per month during the winter, while our two horses will eat the same amount in less than two weeks.

We have owned this herd since June of 2011, and I have no regrets. It will soon be time to shear them so I can begin to make yarn and other items from their fleece. I am a crafty person by nature and I can't wait to begin creating rugs, blankets, mitts and socks from the fleece. It will be a learning experience I can hardly wait to get started on. I belong to Paca This on Facebook and fellow members are very helpful when it comes to needing assistance or information regarding these beautiful animals.

Why alpacas you ask? I am less intimidated by an alpaca (which weigh about the same as I do) than by cattle (which are MUCH heavier). The fact the animals do not have to be slaughtered to get a financial return appeals to me the most. I grew up on a farm that raised cattle and I was always afraid of them. They were so much bigger than I was, and much more aggressive when the calves came along. A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be home when one of our alpacas gave birth, and the mother didn't chase me or try to hurt me when I had to move the cria (baby) to a better spot. (Why she had it in the dirt is beyond me!)

Below is a picture of our herd today. They saw me at the fence and came running; they were expecting some handfuls of green grass or perhaps a bucket of oats. They know when I am at the fence there is usually a little treat waiting for them.

The cria on the far right was born on April 19; the one next to her was born February 4. When we bought the herd of seven, we were told none of the females were pregnant, so the cria were a nice little surprise. The littler one is a female, while the other is a male. We do not know the genetic line of the sires, so we will be selling them as pets/fiber animals only. That is, if we can part with their cuteness. 

Alpacas are also great for lowering blood pressure. They are a quiet animal and make soft humming sounds when eating and wandering about. I like to sit and watch them move about the pen; I will even go inside the pen and sit in a lawn chair. They don't take long to come over and visit me, as they are very curious. It is very relaxing and I don't have to worry about getting hurt.

One of the nicest things about raising alpacas is they are perfect for acreage living. Anywhere from five to eight may be pastured on an acre of grass. They are great lawnmowers and do not destroy the roots of the grass like other animals do. They nip the grass off above the ground level so there is some left to continue growing. It is advisable to rotate them in the pasture to keep them from over-grazing, which they will do if there is a shortage of grass. They also have soft padded feet which are much easier on the soil than the hooves of cows and horses.

If you have any questions about alpacas, please do not hesitate to ask in the comment section. I will do my best to answer, and if I am unable to I will refer you to someone who can. We are still in the learning stages of this industry; an industry I am very happy to be a part of.

Have a great day!