ALPACA QUICK FACTS

General

• Height:  30-40” at the withers; 4-5’ at the head
• Adult weight:  100-180 pounds
• Newborn weight: 15 – 20 pounds
• Average gestation:  340 days
• Average lifespan: 20-25 years
• Average breeding life: 15 years, for females
• Adaptable to any climate
• Have soft padded feet with two toes
• Do not have horns, hooves or claws, incisors, or upper teeth
• Have three stomachs (semi-ruminants), eat grass and chew cud

Maturity

• Females mature at 15-20 months
• Males mature at about 3 years

Behavior

• Alert, intelligent, curious, and predictable
• Social animals that seek companionship
• Communicate by softly humming
• Also communicate with neck posturing, ear and tail positioning and head tilt
• Deposit their odorless bean-like pellets in concentrated areas

Glossary

• Huacaya (wah-KAI-ah): most common breed of alpaca.  Crimped fiber grows perpendicular to body, giving them a fluffy appearance.
• Suri (surrey): less common breed of alpacas, accounting for about 10 percent of all alpacas, fiber grows parallel to body and hangs down the sides in penciled ringlets. 
• Macho: male alpaca
• Sire: father of an alpaca
• Hembra: female alpaca
• Dam: mother of an alpaca
• Cria: baby alpaca

Fiber/Fleece

• Shearing: Once every 12-24 month
• Harvest: 5 – 9 pounds of fiber
• Hypoallergenic: alpaca fiber does not contain lanolin (as in sheep wool)

Maintenance/Care

• Sheared without harm every 12 to 18 months
• Require minimal fencing.  They can be pastured at 5-10 per acre
• Virtually disease-resistant animals
• Require annual vaccinations with tetanus and other locally appropriate vaccines
• Need routine parasite control
• Need occasional nail and/or teeth trimming

End Products & Markets

• Main end-product is fiber
• Soft as cashmere and lighter and warmer than wool
• Garments from high fashion to durable every-day-wear
• Markets include: hand-spinners, knitters, weavers, even tie-flying anglers!

Want to know more? Learn about the Alpaca Business and Lifestyle.