INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALPACA

Alpacas are the smaller cousins to the llama. They are about 36" tall at the shoulders and weigh about 150-200 pounds. Alpacas originate from Chile, Peru and Bolivia. There are two types of breeds - the Suri and Huacaya. Suris have highly developed lock structure and generally more luster to their fiber. Huacayas are generally larger with more "crimpy" and thus dense fiber.

Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984 and must be registered with the Alpaca Registry.  There are about 158,000 registered Alpaca in the US.

Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers. It is shorn from the animal without causing it injury. Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends). This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.

Fleece is shorn once a year. Many owners enter the fleece in shows throughout the year then have the fleece processed. There are a wide variety of options available to owners from selling the fleece right off the animal to having it cleaned and processed into garments. You'll get about 4 pounds of fleece per year, per animal. It will cost about $8/lb to have it washed, and then about $30/lb to have it processed into yarn. You'll get about 80% back as yarn and can charge about $6/oz when selling it. Prices may vary in regions and costs will be different for additional processing (i.e.: made into a sweater).  

Females have one cria (baby) per year with an average gestation of 11 - 11 1/2 months. Cria are normally born during daylight hours and weigh between 13 and 22 lbs. Cria are typically weaned at around 6 months. Lifespan in North America is estimated to be about 20 years. Most females will produce a cria a year throughout most of their life. Females can begin breeding between 18-24 months. Males can start breeding around 3 years old. There is usually very little wait time to breed females back after they've had a cria.

STRONG NATIONAL, REGIONAL and STATE SUPPORT

Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active national organization. The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) with a growing number of Regional Affiliates and AOBA sanctioned national committees addressing every aspect of the industry. They are very supportive to farms including national marketing and commercials. In addition, they have an annual show that includes many educational classes, vendor booths and national competitions for halter and fleece entries.

State and Regional organizations also add to a strong support system and generally host an annual fleece and halter show. Tennessee belongs to the Southeastern Alpaca Association (SeAA) and hosts the Southern Select show in March of each year. TN also has a state organization - TN Alpaca Association.

The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) accepts fleece from its members, and turns the precious textile into quality alpaca garments and products. Members benefit from a ready outlet for their fiber, while the cooperative works to increase awareness of and demand.

Regional Fiber Companies benefit alpaca owners as well. For example, Tennessee has the New Era Fiber company in Lebanon, TN that can handle all fiber processing and is run by two experienced and active alpaca farms.

The Alpaca Registry, Inc. is an organization that manages a database housing pedigree and parentage information for registered alpacas. The Alpaca registry verifies all alpacas by DNA. An alpaca must be registered in order to be shown AND an alpaca must have registered parents in order to be registered. The Alpaca registry is now closed to imports in the US to protect and promote the value of the US herd. The owner of each registered alpaca receives a certificate that documents its bloodlines and serves as evidence of ownership for the animal.

Organizations such as the Alpaca Research Foundation are dedicated to alpaca research - ensuring a healthy success as the industry grows.

In addition to organizations like these, Alpaca can be fully insured at very reasonable prices.