Your Michigan Source for Alpacas

Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of South America.  They are camelids; cousins to camels, lamas, guanacos, and vicunas, imported from Chile, Bolvia, and Peru.  Alpacas are not aggressive animals, they are easy to raise, very hardy and require minimal shelter.  They are earth friendly animals with clean habits and a wonderful natural curiosity.  Alpacas make a variety of sounds such as clicks and snorts but are best known and loved for their humming.  But most of all:  Alpacas are easy keepers; have a charismatic manner; do very well on small acreages; produce a luxury product which is in high demand; and offer an outstanding choice as an investment. 

There are two types of Alpacas: 

Huacaya        Suri  

Huacaya fiber is crimped and fine, giving these animals a wooly appearance.  They have 12 shades of color.  The Huacaya are somewhat distinctive looking and are referred to as "the Peruvians".

Suri are the other type of alpaca.  They are usually white and are different from the Huacaya in that their fiber has no crimp, giving them a very fine, silky fleece.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What do Alpacas eat?  Alpacas thrive on many types of high protein hay or pasture grass provided it has a balance mineral content.  We also feed them a pellet supplement daily. 

Are Alpacas expensive to maintain?  Not at all.  Alpacas eat surprisingly little.  An adult Alpaca only requires about 2-1/2 pounds of hay or grass per day.  Most bales of hay are 50-60 pounds each so you can see how long one will last, depending on the number of Alpacas eating from it.  Animals are also given a supplement.  Depending on the number of animals, a 50 pound bag can last for quite a while.  The largest expense would be veterinary care.  Fortunately, Alpacas are generally hardy and it is not often that a vet must be called.  After proper   instruction, vaccines and wormers can be administered by yourself. 

Do you have to have a large farm to take care of Alpacas?  No.  It is estimated that you can have up to 20 Alpacas on 1 acre.   You can still invest in Alpacas even if you do not have land.  Boarding is available at our farm. 

Do Alpacas spit?  They will spit on one another when annoyed but will rarely spit on people. 

How many crias do they have each year?  One.  Twins are extremely rare.

How much time do Alpacas take to care for?  Alpacas are extremely easy to maintain.  We feed them hay and pellets once a day.  They are also very clean animals because they choose a communal dung pile, making clean-up fast and easy.  They do not require grooming like dogs, due to the density and length of their fleece.

What disposition does an Alpaca have?  Our Alpacas love us as much as we love them.  They love getting attention from us, and some even run to the fence to greet us.  They are very curious, and like to be around people.  Alpacas are very lovable animals.

Do Alpacas smell?   No.  Alpacas are never bathed, and they still have no odor.  Alpacas dung doesn't even have an odor. 

What do they do all day?  Alpacas spend most of their day outside crazing during the warm summer months.  During the winter, we keep our Alpacas indoors some of the time.  They do go outside too, but prefer to stay in the shelter of the barn at night.  Alpacas like to play too, especially the crias.  They like to race around together - trying to outrun each other, known as the 'cria race'.. 

If you would like further information or if you would like to schedule an appointment - please call us at (877) 60-PACAS or send us an e-mail at gknapp@kialpacas.com