RAISING ALPACAS
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ALPACAS
ALPACAS WEIGH BETWEEN 120 AND 180 POUNDS, AND ARE APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET HIGH AT
THE SHOULDER, AND FIVE FEET AT THE TOP OF THE HEAD. THEY HAVE A LIFESPAN OF APPROXIMATELY
15 TO 25 YEARS. THEIR GESTATION PERIOD IS 11 TO 11 1/2 MONTHS. A SINGLE BABY OR CRIA IS
BORN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, WITH A BIRTH WEIGHT OF ABOUT 14-20 POUNDS.
TEMPERAMENT OF ALPACAS
ALPACAS ARE GENTLE, INTELLIGENT, CURIOUS, SHY, EASY TO HANDLE AND CAN BE HALTER-TRAINED.
THEY ARE HERD ANIMALS AND NEED AT LEAST ONE OTHER ALPACA FOR COMPANY. YOU NEVER HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN OR EVEN TODDLERS AROUND THEM. THEY ARE AN
ABSOLUTE JOY TO LOOK AFTER.
ENVIRONMENT
FENCING IS NEEDED TO KEEP OUT PREDATORS SUCH AS DOGS AND COYOTES. ONE ACRE CAN SUPPORT
APPROXIMATELY FIVE ADULT ALPACAS, DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF THE PASTURE. ALPACAS
ALSO REQUIRE FRESH WATER, SHADE IN SUMMER, AND SHELTER IN WINTER ALTHOUGH THEY ARE
QUITE HARDY.
CARE
ALPACAS REQUIRE PASTURE OR HAY WITH A PROTEIN LEVEL OF 9-11% FOR MAINTENANCE.
FEMALES IN LATE GESTATION (VERY PREGNANT) , NURSING MOMS AND YOUNG GROWING CRIA
REQUIRE HIGHER PROTEIN LEVELS, UP TO 15%. AVOID TIMOTHY HAY AS THE SEED HEADS GET
CAUGHT IN THEIR BLEECE. OPTIMUM NUTRITION IN REGARDS TO VITAMINS AND MINERALS IS
ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD HEALTH, REPRODUCTION AND BEAUTIFUL FIBRE. WE FEED OUR ALPACAS
A SUPPLEMENT OF A CUSTOM MADE PELLETIZED FOOD (LLAMA PELLETS) TO ENSURE THEY RECEIVE
ALL THE NUTRIENTS THEY NEED, AND TO GIVE THE PREGNANT AND NURSING MOMS THE EXTRA
CALORIES THEY REQUIRE. CLEAN WATER AND FREE CHOICE MINERAL SUPPLEMENT SHOULD ALSO
BE AVAILABLE (ONE 50 POUND BAG IS GENERALLY GOOD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS).
ONE SQUARE BALE OF HAY (100 LBS) WILL FEED ONE ALPACA IN WINTER FOR APPROXIMATELY
10-14 DAYS. HEALTH MAINTENANCE CONSISTS OF SEMI ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKS WHICH INCLUDE
IMMUNIZATIONS, PERIODIC DEWORMING, TOENAIL TRIMMING, AND ANNUAL SHEARING.
For more information on the care of your Alpacas, call Jocelyn or Robert at 503-787-4318
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