Alpaca Welfare & Management

Alpacas are members of the Camelid family and come in two types, Huacaya and Suri. All of our alpacas are Huacaya. Alpacas are bred for their fibre, which is strong but very soft and is compared to Cashmere. The fleece comes in a choice of twenty-two natural colours. They are a herd animal and so must be kept in a group of at least two or three. Males must be separated from females once weaned once they are about six months old. Stocking levels are about six per acre depending on the grass quality. They prefer good pasture but will thrive on poor pasture. They are grazers so care should be taken to ensure they cannot access toxic plants such as ragwort, yew, rhododendron, laburnum and laurel.

Alpacas are very hardy animals and will often prefer to be out during the winter months but it is important that shelter is available so that they have the option, especially so that they can find shade in the summer months. They love to play and can frequently be seen running and frolicking. Alpacas are very good at jumping but luckily this is something they rarely do, usually only if frightened. Suitable fencing is about four feet high and a post and rail construction is quite adequate. They require access to fresh water and, during the winter, hay or hayledge must be available. They also need a low protein feed to supplement their diet and provide the adequate minerals which are essential to alpaca’s welfare. They also require a six month worming and vaccination programme which can be carried out by yourselves or your vet.

Alpacas are intelligent animals, they have good memories and are very curious. They will frequently watch with interest when anything is happening in their field, in fact, by now ours should be able to put up their own fences! They can be halter trained quite easily from the age of about six months.

Alpacas are usually sheared annually during the summer when their fibre is about four to six inches long. This is carried out by an experience alpaca shearer who will also trim their teeth and nails. However, nails do need checking several times a year and may require trimming, especially if the animal does not walk regularly on a solid or concrete base.

Female alpacas can be mated at any time but ideally it should be arranged so that the cria (baby) can be born during the late spring or summer months. With a gestation period of fifty weeks, spring is the best time for mating. Females can be mated from fifteen months old and will produce one cria with twins being very rare. The cria are an absolute joy to watch since they will be up and running around within a few hours of being born. Alpacas usually give birth easily and unattended (very convenient!) and almost always between the hours of 8 am and 2 pm. It is important to select a good quality stud male as many of his traits are passed on. Females can be re-mated within two weeks of giving birth.