Alpaca Breeding

Alpaca Farms

alpacafan — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:49:32 +0000

Alpacas wandering the grounds of an alpaca farm

If you have never seen an alpaca or been to alpaca farms before, you probally have no idea what kind of animals they are. These are domesticated or even wild animals which have been raised for their lovely fur coats. They come from South America, mostly found in Peru. For hundreds of years, people though they were related to llamas. Most farmers will take their coats once a year and are sold for clothing or even for household items. The Alpaca coat fibers are very strong with a lot of warmth, suitable for any winter sweater. If you are a big fan of lambs, you will definitely love these cute Alpacas. They have captured the world’s attention and even though they are widely available in South America – this does not mean you can’t find them in other countries as well. The Alpaca is a mysterious and beautiful creature that farmers often use to make sure we have a great supply of winter sweaters. Alpaca breeding has been around for hundreds of years, even before farmers captured these animals.

There are many Alpacas for sale throughout the world but a majority of the time, you will find them from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and even in Ecuador. They have a few Alpaca farms in the United States although it is scarce to find them. But a persistent search on the Internet can yield some good results.

In the case that you plan on breeding alpacas, the best place to start is by visiting alpaca farms near your home. Alpaca breeders and farmers are generally a tight-knit community and will often answer any questions you might have before getting into the business. After all, they were beginners once too. To start your search, take a look is your local cattle classifieds. Although these sites are scarce, you can find 5-10 on the Internet if you do some digging. Before buying any of these adorable farm friends, you should look over their health conditions and their history of breeding. Taking a trip to the herd should be a fun experience for you and your family because you’ll learn more about the Alpacas and will ensure that they are in good condition for Alpaca breeding.

Alpaca Fiber

alpacafan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:41:55 +0000

All it takes is one touch of the soft alpaca wool and you’ll soon understand why alpaca fiber is so highly valued and sought-after. This natural fiber is very soft and luxurious, with an almost silken quality to it. It repels water naturally, so garments made from spun alpaca fiber are ideal for a variety of outdoor uses.

Types of Alpaca Fiber

There are two basic kinds of Alpaca, the Huacaya and the Suri. Alpaca Fiber from the Huacaya tends to be soft and dense while the fiber from the Suri is usually much longer and silken in quality.

Alpaca Breeding

alpacafan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:32:51 +0000

Alpaca breeding is a popular and growing pastime on farms around the world and has gained significant popularity in the United States in recent years. Alpacas can be wonderful companions and make a great addition to almost any farm, but it pays to do some significant research into breeding alpacas before you consider taking a plunge.

The most important thing to understand about the current state of alpaca breeding is that there is very little demand and manufacturing capability around alpaca fiber. Therefore, the current state of breeding is that most alpacas for sale are valued on their line rather than production value. The industry is new, so much of the profit around alpacas is through careful breeding practice and diligent efforts around alpaca mating.

If you currently operate or are thinking about maintaining an alpaca farm, read on and you’ll find some valuable information about the industry.