Alpacas at a glance:
Origin: South America (Peru, Chile, Bolivia & Argentina).
Lifespan: about 15+ years.
Breeds: Huacaya ("wa-ky-uh") & Suri ("soo-ree").
Diet: predominantly grazers & occasional browsers. In Australia, pastures appropriate for sheep (grasses, clovers, legumes) are suitable. Oaten, lucerne & meadow hay are good supplements. Suitable fodder trees include tagasaste, acacia saligna, mulberry, honey locusts.
Average height: 90-95cm at the withers when fully grown.
Average weight+-10kg): Male about 85kg, female about 70kg,
Gestation: Averages 11.5 months, however some normal births occur <11 months & >12 months.
Average fleece quantity: Unskirted - 2.5-3kg, per fully grown alpaca with some males & wethers up to 5kg.
Temperament
Alpacas are relatively hardy & low maintenance livestock. They are generally docile, with a strong herd instinct & should not be run as individuals in isolation. Curiosity & intelligence are prominent traits of the alpaca. Although they are naturally curious, alpacas should always be approached gently.
Features
* can produce a natural fibre that is very soft to handle (higher quality fleece is always in demand for the fashion industry). Their fleece has good thermal properties
* They are environmentally friendly because they have soft padded feet which minimise damage to fragile soils, they do not ringbark trees, they require minimal chemical inputs(little or no drenching)
* adapt to a wide range of conditions
* no mulesing required & therefore no flystrike
* habit of using communal dung piles thereby reducing levels of internal parasites.
The above information is taken from "Managing Alpacas in Australia", a booklet put out by the Australian Alpaca Association Ltd. Should you like a copy I would be happy to post one out to you.
For more information on Alpacas go to Australian Alpaca Association Ltd or Australian Alpaca Association Ltd - Queensland Region