Origin & Background
Alpacas are members of the camelid (camel) family, which originated in North America. Alpacas date back 6000 years and were domesticated in South America. Alpacas produce one of the most luxurious fibers in the world. There are two types of Alpacas, one being the Huacaya which have crimpy fleece, and the other being Suri which have silky fleece.

	Huacaya Alpaca		Suri Alpaca

Statistics - Health
The life span of an alpaca is 15 - 20 years. They weigh 100 to 175 pounds at maturity. Alpacas will stand up to 36 inches tall at the shoulders. Alpacas come in 22 recognized, natural colors. An alpaca can produce one baby (cria) in a gestation of 335 to 345 days. The cria can weigh between 12 - 18 pounds at birth and can stand and nurse within one hour of birth. Female alpacas begin breeding between 14 - 18 months of age, while males begin breeding at about 3 years of age. The female will produce one baby (cria) per year during a reproductive life of 15-20 years.
The alpaca is ruminant with three stomach compartments, which make them very efficient eaters. They consolidate their feces in one or two areas of the pasture. This makes for easy disposal and helps control parasites from spreading. Alpaca dung is somewhat order-less and is an excellent fertilizer for flowerbeds and gardens.

Care - Housing
Routine care involves shearing, worming, trimming toenails and vaccinations. Alpacas are shorn usually once a year producing five to eight pounds of luxurious fleece. Depending on the alpaca involved it may produce more or less. The fleece is soft, lightweight, and water-resistant. The fleece sells from $2 to $6 an ounce. Alpacas are very hardy animals requiring a minimal amount of health care. They only require a small amount of supplement food in addition to normal grazing. Most would say that an alpaca eats less than a dog in one month. They definitely eat less than a horse. It would take 10 alpacas to eat what a horse does in one day. They are quick learners and communicate with each other by a variety of vocalizations and body movements. Alpacas adapt to variety of climates, conditions. They need shelter for protection from bad weather, which can be provided by the use of a barn, shed, or lean-to. They do not challenge fences and are great for small acre livestock. Up to 7 alpacas can be kept on one acre of land.

Investment / Pet
Alpacas make excellent investments, pets, and fiber producers. They are clean intelligent animals with lovable dispositions. They are gentle enough for a child to handle and can make excellent 4H projects. Alpacas are considered the world's finest livestock investment. They have a high profit potential from marketing their fleece, and from production of offspring. Because alpacas are considered livestock, owners receive favorable tax credits.

The range of value for females is currently between $12,500 - $40,000. Females with unique attributes have sold for more than $40,000. Young unproven high quality stud prospects routinely sell between $7,500 - $25,000. The high quality males with unique characteristics or exceptional offspring on the ground have sold in excess of $100,000. Some beginning breeders start with several breeding females and one male, or a breeding pair. Most alpacas are sold for cash. Many buyers convert other assets to purchase their first investment in alpacas. Some breeders offer financing for your purchase. It is usually short term and involves paying for the animals before you take delivery. Many breeders will accept the following:

--------------Purchase price: $22,500 -----------------------------------Down payment: $ 9,000
-------------Three installments of $4,500 each --------------------- Balance at delivery $0.00

This is just one example but most breeders will work with you on your purchase and will require you to have a contract on the purchase of your animal. Alpacas can be insured to protect your investment.

Alpaca breeding allows for tax-deferred wealth building. A small owner can purchase several alpacas and then allow his herd to grow overtime without paying income tax on its increased size and value. If the same amount of money were invested in a Certificate of Deposit any interest earned would be currently taxable. In addition, the CD could not be deprecated, thereby offsetting the tax due on the current income. You can deprecate your alpacas over a 5-year period.