Alpacas are NOT Llamas
So,
what ARE they?
Alpacas and
Llamas - historically hailing from the mountain regions of Peru, Chili
and Bolivia - are similar in a great number of ways, and yet also quite
different from one another.
They are both two-toed, four-legged, long-necked, walking rugs, and each
are members of the CAMELID family. That's right...they're basically
little, humpless, charming and adorable, soft and fleecy, sweet and
gentle, extra-valuable camels! That may be a slightly over-simplified
explanation, but it's true!
Alpacas and
Llamas can reside, side by side, harmoniously together, too. Sometimes
llamas serve as 'guards' for the smaller, less bold alpacas. Alpacas
stand between 30" and 36" at the withers (base of their necks), and
typically weigh between 100 and 150 pounds; whereas Llamas are quite a
bit bigger and weigh in around 400-500 pounds! They're bodies are
bigger, their backs are stronger, and their fleece is not nearly as
delicate and fine as the alpaca fleece. People are generally reluctant
to pack a little alpaca and risk rubbing that valuable fleece the wrong
way. No, alpacas are not utilized as, nor thought of as, "beasts of
burden."
Alpacas are most prized for their amazing fleece, which is also known as
FIBER. The demand for this fiber worldwide exceeds the current supply,
so alpaca fiber is not inexpensive. Rivaling cashmere in the fashion
department, alpaca fiber is being woven into a myriad of durable,
silky-soft products. You can find alpaca scarves, sweaters, capes,
socks, hats, shirts, skirts, finger-puppets, teddy bears and other
alpaca toys and accessories available for sale. Textile artisans seek
out the precious alpaca yarns, rovings and raw fleeces for their
projects on a regular basis.
Since both
alpacas and llamas are ruminant mammals, and have triple-chamber
stomachs, they are grazers who quietly chew cud all day. They require
mostly grasses, hay and most any other vegetation found growing along
the trails they traverse. Alpacas and llamas bred and raised in
captivity are also fed a modest ration of grain each day, along with
fresh hay, and clean water.
In a Nutshell...
The following is used by permission:
- Alpacas are safe, they don't bite or butt. Even if they did,
without incisors, horns, hoofs or claws, little harm can he done.
· Alpacas are small and easy to handle.
· Alpacas are useful: they produce fine and valuable fleece as well as
make wonderful pets.
· Alpacas are intelligent, which makes them pleasant to be around and
easy to train.
· Alpacas are beautiful; they come in over 22 colors, and are clean and
pleasant to be near.
· Alpacas do not require butchering in order to be profitable.
· Alpacas do not require special shelter or care.
· Alpacas are considered disease-resistant animals, which lowers
insurance and veterinarian costs.
· Alpacas are adaptable to varied habitat, successfully being raised
from Australia to Alaska and from 15,000 feet to sea level.
· Alpacas are rare outside of South America and cannot be mass-produced.
· Alpacas require minimal fencing.
· Alpacas can be pastured at 5-10 per acre.
· Alpacas are easy to transport, which allows them to be traded across
the country or around the world.
· Alpacas have a relatively long and trouble-free reproductive life
span.
· Alpacas can be insured against loss
Alpaca’s Breeding/Reproduction
Reproduction and Registration
The courtship ritual of the alpaca is very unique. The females are
induced ovulators, meaning there are no heat cycles, and that they can
breed any time of the year. This is the main reason why most alpaca
breeders will maintain separate male and female herds, that is, to
maintain control over who breeds with whom, and when. Another thing that
induced ovulation to means is that it takes the physical act of breeding
to cause ovulation to occur. Additionally, the female has a small cervix
that is very difficult to penetrate. For these reasons, artificial
insemination (AI) is virtually impossible. In the end, "it takes the
boys to make the babies," thus preserving the vaule of high-quality
studs.
Breeding
Methods
There are two basic breeding methods available: pen breeding and pasture
breeding. Pen (or "hand") breeding involves introducing the male to the
female in a small enclosed area for mating. If the female is not
pregnant, she will eventually sit and allow herself to be mounted. The
male makes a very distinctive "orgling" sound while they mate, which can
last anywhere from about 5 minutes to 30 minutes or more. The males do
not ejaculate, per se; they are "dribble" inseminators, with a
near-continuous stream of semen introduced to the female. Typicall, the
breeder will then reintroduce the same male/female pair to each other a
few days later, and if the female has ovulated (and hopefully also
conceived), she will not permit the male to breed with her.
Pasture (or
"field") breeding is also a popular method of herd management. Under
this system, an alpaca rancher pastures a single male with a group of
females for a lengthy period of time (sometimes year-round).
The
gestation period is 11 to 12 months. Females have single births almost
always, and human intervention is rarely needed. The newborn (called a "cria"
[kree' -ah]) weighs between 15 to 19 pounds, with delivery occurring
almost always during daylight hours. The newborn cria is usually
standing and nursing within 90 minutes of birth, and will continue to
nurse for about 5 to 6 months until weaned. Twins are very rare, only
about 1 in 10,000 births. The time between delivery and re-breeding for
the mom is usually only between 2 to 3 weeks, so adult females basically
spend their whole lives pregnant.
Alpaca Fiber Information
Alpaca fiber, sometimes mistakenly referred to as alpaca wool,
is sorted into 22 distinct colors, ranging from blacks through browns
and whites, and including subtle shades of maroon, peach and grays.
Alpaca fiber can be blended into an infinite array of natural colors,
including combinations that do not occur naturally. Alpaca fiber takes
and retains dyes very well.
Alpaca fiber has little to no guard hair and no lanolin. It is
unusually strong and resilient. Fabrics made of alpaca fiber are
unusually easy to care for and long-lived. These and other qualities
make alpaca fiber a sought out commodity in commercial textile houses.
Alpaca fiber offers the following benefits and qualities
