Munlochy Alpacas - Farming alpacas

The alpaca has a noble bearing, yet is very docile and loving. It is relatively small and simple to maintain, can be easily halter trained and is usually gentle enough to be handled by children. In fact, because of it’s padded feet and gentle grazing habits, it is possibly the world's most environmentally-friendly farm animal.

Things to consider
Alpacas have a strong herding instinct. They know that to be separated from the herd is dangerous for them. Because of this, it would be cruel to keep a single animal and reputable

breeders will not knowingly sell an alpaca that is to be kept on its own. If you already own a couple of pet males and wish to keep females as well, then ideally you should aim to purchase a minimum of two females. Since they normally live in a matriarchal society, female alpacas need the companionship and support structure that only other adult females can offer. There is no need to own a stud male unless you wish to, because there are many breeders around the country who are happy to supply breeding

services. In fact, acquiring a stud male does not usually become cost effective until a herd contains at least six breeding females. Any stud male you use should introduce genetic variety to your herd and further enhance the quality of your existing stock.

Husbandry
In practical terms, the recommended stocking density for alpacas is usually about five animals per acre but this is very dependent on the quality of pasture available. They do not challenge fences and require minimal care outside of rudimentary shelter, vaccinations, vitamin injections and periodic de-worming. Alpacas actually have a novel way of reducing worm related problems for themselves as they tend to create one or two “poo piles” within a paddock. Since they

do not graze near these piles, exposure to worms is minimised. They do not suffer from foot rot but may need to have their toe nails trimmed from time to time. One other very important task is shearing. Some huacaya grow a fleece of six kilograms or more in one year so for the well-being of the animal, this must be removed annually generally in late spring or early summer. Suris, on the other hand, because of the characteristics of their fibre, are often shorn every two years.

pain until they can no longer hide it. You must act immediately if you find any which seem to be unwell.

A word of caution
In their native habitat, alpacas are browsing animals that find nutrients not only in pasture, but also in the leaves, twigs and bark of trees and shrubs. However, if they graze on dangerous plants this can cause problems . Fortunately, many poisonous plants are not palatable and would only be eaten in desperation, so alpacas that have access to good quality

Alpacas are modified ruminants, which chew the cud. They are very efficient grazers and browsers, but they do require dry roughage to assist digestion. Feed dry, low protein hay ad-lib (too much protein is believed to have a detrimental effect on fibre quality), but controlled feeding of extra protein may be beneficial during times of stress, for example, when females are pregnant / lactating, or during bad weather. It is a recognised fact that although alpacas are hardy animals and are used to harsh climatic conditions, the high wind-chill caused by the combination of cold, wet and wind can lead to hypothermia. In these conditions, extra protein may help to keep them warm but, in addition, they must have access to shelter. It is imperative that alpacas have clean drinking water available at all times whatever the prevailing weather conditions.

Although alpacas are generally hardy, healthy animals there is no substitute for knowing the individual characteristics of your herd. Spend time simply watching your alpacas, because, apart from being very enjoyable, knowing the normal habits and behaviour of your animals will help you to recognise when something is wrong. Alpacas will attempt to mask illness or

pasture are much less likely to suffer from plant poisoning. For a list of poisonous plants and huge amounts of other useful information, check out the Alpaca Association New Zealand web site at www.alpaca.org.nz. We would highly recommend membership of the Association and, in fact, it is absolutely essential for anyone wishing to breed alpacas.