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Aren't Alpacas just small llamas? No! Alpacas are members of the camelid family, making them cousins to llamas, vicunas, guanacos, and camels. Llamas are mainly beasts of burden, while Alpacas main purpose is to produce fiber. Alpacas have a lifespan of approximately 15-20 years and have a mature weight of about 130 to 175 pounds and are about 36" tall at the withers. The gestation of the Alpaca is about 11 months, and they produce one offspring per year, called a cria. Crias weigh about 15 pounds at birth. Female Alpacas, sometimes called hembras, reach sexual maturity at about 18 to 24 months of age. Male alpacas, sometimes called machos, reach sexual maturity at about 24 to 36 months of age. Alpacas are modified ruminants, meaning they have only three compartments to their stomach, and they chew cud. Alpacas require approximately 3 pounds of grass hay or pasture per day, and depending on the quality of your hay and/or pasture, little (about 1 pound per day) or no grain. Alpacas use communal dung piles, so clean up is very easy and their manure is also very low in nitrates so it does not burn plants and can be used almost immediately. Alpacas have padded feet, and require occasional trimming of their toenails. Alpacas also require regular worming, which costs about $1/month depending on your area. Alpacas require minimal fencing, however many farms will have extensive perimeter fencing to keep predators at bay. There are two breeds of alpacas: huacaya and suri. Huacayas have a crimpy (wavy) fleece that grows straight out from their bodies giving them a teddy bear appearance. Suri alpacas have a locking fleece that hangs down from their skin making them look like they have dread-locks all over their bodies.
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