Alpaca Rearing - An Easy To Learn Profitable Business

For those who don't know, alpacas are small-built mammals standing about 5 feet tall and weighing 100 to 200 pounds. They belong to the camel family, and are related to the Asian camel, the South American llama and the vicuna.

They originally bred in Bolivia, Chile and Peru in South America. When invading Spaniards brought European cattle with them, alpacas were forced to migrate to the Andes mountains where they settled down and bred.

These gentle and docile animals are mainly raised for their luxurious fleece or fiber. Alpaca fiber is woven to provide warm clothing that's considered superior to wool.

Fabrics made of alpaca wool are not only functional, but have also been considered a luxury for centuries.

In the 1980's, these animals were exported from South America, to other countries, including the US, which started maintaining their own herds. Of around 2 million alpacas, the US has only about 60,000, a mere fraction of its cattle population.

The alpaca livestock in the US is mainly of 2 types. One is the huacaya, with a fuzzy, or teddy-bearish, coat. The other type - the suri - has a long coat of lustrous locks, that part down the alpaca's back and cascade down either side.

The small number of the existing animals, compared to other grazing farm cattle, has helped keep the cost of alpaca fiber high. This has made Alpaca rearing commercially viable.

Alpaca fiber can be used in its natural shade, or, in the case of the lighter tints, be dyed darker. This, combined with the fact that alpacas have more color variations than any other mammal, makes them even more commercially viable.

They are present in more than 22 colors, with white, beige, fawn, brown, grey, and black being the main ones. Spots are also prevalent, similar to pinto and appaloosa horses, as also different color face and legs from the rest of the body.

Apart from having enough finances, you must also have the right aptitude to rear alpacas. You must love animals, and the outdoors, and be attuned to raising pets. In other words, you must make sure you give them love and affection, and treat them as "family".

On their part, alpacas are ideal gentle pets. They don't bite like camels, but may spit at you if you confine them in a small area. They are extra caring with small children, and gregarious - they mix well with other animals and humans.

Alpacas are playful. They communicate with one another by humming. They emit a high pitched bray, or alarm call, when a stray dog or some other animal, enters their pasture.

The young ones or crias gambol like lambs, possibly in order to build up body warmth, which is necessary in the cold nights of the mountain ranges. Alternatively, it may just be a case of high spirits.

Their small size is another point in favor of breeding alpacas. They can be transported easily. Even the elderly, children and petite women will find it easy to lead these animals.

You can check out alpacas, live, at various shows, where you can see for yourself what good breeding can do. You can also experience the feel of genuine luxurious alpacas fleece.

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