About Alpacas - About Alpaca Fiber

Alpacas are a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization. Alpaca were first imported to the United States in 1984 and are successfully raised in North America and abroad.

There are two types of Alpacas, Huacaya (fluffy teddy bear looking with crimpy soft fiber) and Suri (long curley and soft dredlock looking fiber).

An alpaca can be expected to have a life span of about 20 years. Gestation is 11.5 months and twin alpacas are rare. Alpacas are ruminants that eat grasses and chew cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall and generally weigh between 100-200 pounds. Alpacas are gentle creatures without incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean up is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the pasture or paddock. Fencing for alpacas is more of a design to keep predators out than to keep alpacas in. Fencing should be woven type however high tensile will work fine as long as you have no predator problems. You can pasture up to 5 alpacas on 1 acre of ground and we recommend that pastures or paddocks be rotated often.

Alpacas produce on of the world's "finest" of natural fibers. Each year we shear the alpaca without causing injury. The fiber produced is as soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than most wools. Alpacas produce fiber in more colors than any other fiber producing animal. There are 22 basic colors with variations and blends. This fiber was once reserved for the Incan Royality but now is available to spinners and weavers around the world.