ALPACA SHELTER AND PASTURE:

• Alpacas prefer open barn structures to a closed shelter, or stall, but easily adjust to stables or barns.

• They are content with simple shelters in the cold winter months. It is not uncommon to see our alpacas sleeping outside in the late fall-early winter.

• Good ventilation, shade, and fans are a necessity in the hot weather.

• Shelter should be available at all times, if they want to use it they will

• Alpacas are extremely "earth-friendly." In their pasture they graze the grass down evenly but do not destroy the root system.

• They also have soft padded feet, so there is little to no damage to the pasture area. 

• Alpacas consolidate their waste materials in one area of their paddock, which allows for easy cleanup and minimizes the spread of fecal parasites into their grazing areas.

  ALPACAS  CARE AND MAINTENANCE​​

• They require basic care with regular worming and annual inoculations.

• Alpacas do not usually get groomed, but are shorn yearly in the spring to keep them cool through the summer.

• Alpacas require fresh water daily and grass hay (if pasture is insufficient for grazing).

• Specially formulated grain is provided (approximately one-half pound per day per adult animal) to supplement the necessary vitamins and minerals needed which are not found in most pastures in North America.

• Toenails need to be monitored on a regular basis. At around one to two years of age teeth may need to be filed. (we train you to do this)

• I can't stress how important it is to provide cool shelter for summer.  We have wadding pools, sprinklers and fans for our animals, so they are comfortable on the hottest of days.

• Alpacas are inexpensive to maintain. The cost of feeding them will vary throughout the year.

  • In the winter, when snow covers the ground, you will need to supply the entire diet,

  • In the summer, you only need to supplement the alpaca diet. Fresh grass is always preferable to grass hay.

  • We feed each alpaca daily grain supplements year-round (one to two cups), but give them (under vet advice) more in the winter months, especially pregnant and nursing mothers. Alpaca pellets are a mixture of supplements (vitamins and minerals) and can be found at many feed stores.

  SHEARING AND THE FLEECE

• Alpacas are shorn once a year in the spring before it gets too hot.

• Raw fiber can be sold directly to hand spinners and other crafters or you can have your fiber processed by a commercial mill and spun into yarn.

• Alpaca fleece is easy to work with. You can even spin it yourself for a variety of apparel and craft projects .Alpaca fiber is classified as a rare specialty fiber. It is three times warmer than sheep wool fiber and more luxurious than cashmere.

• There are more than 22 natural colors of alpaca fleece. An infinite array of natural colors can be produced by blending these fibers. Alpaca fiber can also be easily dyed.

• Alpaca fiber is strong and resilient and has more thermal capacity than almost any other animal fiber. The fiber actually contains microscopic air pockets that contribute to the creation of lightweight apparel with very high insulation value. Alpaca fiber does not itch because it does not contain lanolin and has a smooth cell structure.