<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="65001"%> Alpaca Story

Edwin & Elaine Wyatt

Box 638
Broadview, Saskatchewan,
Canada S0G 0K0

Tel: (306) 696-2882
doubleealpacas@xplornet.com

* * * Alpaca Story * * *

Alpacas are the oldest domesticated animals in the world and are native to South America. They were raised by the Inca Indians of Peru for their fine luxurious fibre. When the Spanish Conquistadors invaded South America theydestroyed alpacas by the thousands. Alpacas were an unfamiliar animal and they did not want this animal competing with their wool producing sheep. The alpacas that survived this slaughter were moved higher up into the Andes Mountains away from the Spanish invaders. So for the last 500 years alpacas have survived in extremely high altitudes, existing on very poor quality feed. 

While this may seem to be less than ideal conditions, the alpaca has survived and grown in numbers until Peru has developed a viable textile industry, producing high quality textiles, sought after world wide in the fashion industry. 

The alpaca has many unique characteristics: 

  • adults weigh between 120-175 pounds and stand about 3 feet tall at the withers with the neck extending above
  • Cria (babies) weigh about 15-20 pounds at birth
  • Cria are usualy born during daylight hours
  • mothers do not lick their cria but allow them to dry in the sunshine
  • gestation period is 11.5 months
  • females do not have a heat cycle but are induced ovulators so can be bred at any time of the year
  • their communication is a soft humming sound
  • their feet have a soft pad similar to a dog and with 2 toe nails on each foot (toe nails need trimming)
  • members of the camelid family and have a split lip like a camel
  • very disease resistant
  • use a common dung pile
  • an alpaca produces 5-15 pounds of fleece annually
  • intelligent and easy to train
  • gentle enough for the children to be around
  • is a ruminant with 3 stomachs
  • easy to transport in trailer, truck or van as they lay down when moving

Alpaca Facilities

  • A 3-sided shelter is adequate in some localities, however in South East Saskatchewan we prefer to have a barn with a lean-to on each side to provide protection from the summer and winter winds
  • staw or rubber matting to provide a clean, warm surface to lie on in winter
  • 4-5 foot high fencing to keep predators such as coyotes and stray dogs out of the alpaca pastures
  • field fence works well to keep all sizes of predators out and the alpacas don't get hurt in the fence

Caring For Alpacas

  • good quality hay, about 2-3 pounds per alpaca per day
  • grain or pelleted ration (about 1 pound per alpaca per day)
  • the amount of feed required is proportionate to quality of feed, conditioning of individual alpacas, outdoor temperatures and chill factors
  • free choice minerals unless using a prepared feed with minerals included
  • fresh supply of clean water
  • shearing once a year
  • trimming toenails 2-4 times a year depending on the alpaca and the walking surface
  • trimming teeth on some animals (usually done at shearing time)
  • trimming fighting teeth on males at about 2 years of agen
  • yearly 8-way vaccination
  • at least twice yearly treatment for parasite control
  • vitamin A&D shots for young alpacas
  • training sessions on a halter for adequate control of youralpaca (the more time you spend, the better trained it will be)

We love our alpacas, love working with them and love to talk about them. They are an investment you can hug that will put a smile on your face, lower your blood pressure and relieve the stress of our busy lives.

 
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