Alpaca Fleece
Alpacas are prized for the wonderful characteristics
of their fleece. Shorn off once a year in
a process that does not harm the animal,
alpaca fleece is extraordinarily soft. It
can be woven very into very fine fabric
and still be strong and warm. It will change
into felt like other natural wools, and
so is a favorite of fiber crafters. Hand-spinners
love its extraordinary softness and variety
of natural colors. Alpaca fleece comes in
more natural colors than any other fiber
producing animal; there are 22 colors officially
recognized by the U.S. alpaca registry:
Alpaca Registry, Inc.
Alpaca fleece is currently used to make
a growing market of end products from blankets,
hats, scarves, gloves, rugs, and teddy bears,
to high-fashion coats and garments.
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Alpacas originated in the South American countries
of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia from the high altitudes
of the Andes mountains. They are members of the camelid
family, related to their larger cousins, the llamas
and their smaller cousins, the vicuñas. The people
of the Andes mountain regions have bred alpacas for
many hundreds of years to produce the fine-fleeced blanket
that they have today.
 Investment
Opportunity
The US registry has been closed to new imports from
other countries for several years, thus protecting the
growing US alpaca market and keeping prices high. There
are slightly over 100,000 alpacas registered in the
US currently and the numbers grow slowly due the gestation
length of approximately 11 months.
In addition to profiting from sales of the fleece and
alpaca fleece products, alpaca breeders can earn a substantial
income from breeding alpacas and selling their offspring.
Breeding quality alpacas generally range in value from
$10,000 to $40,000 for breeding females and $5,000 to
$35,000 for high quality males.
Types of Alpacas
There are two types of alpacas: suris (sûr-ee)
and huacayas (wah-ki-ah). The two are distinguished
from one another by the characteristics of their fleece.
Suris have fleece that hangs in drapey, sometimes twisted,
lustrous locks more similar in properties to hair. This
variety of alpaca is more rare, making up approximately
10% of the US alpaca population. Huacayas have crimpy
fleece that grows straight out from their bodies similar
to sheep.
Caring for Alpacas
Alpacas are relatively easy to care for. They are a
hardy breed accustomed to the cold, high altitude mountain
climates. They need the basics: food, water, and shelter.
They eat hay and grain and mineral supplements. They
are wormed and vaccinated on a regular, periodic basis,
shorn once a year, and occasional may need to have their
toenails or teeth trimmed. Being fairly small animals,
a single alpaca consumes a very small amount of hay
in comparison to a horse or cow that would normally
be up to 10 times heavier. They don't pull grass out
at the roots, and are thus not too hard on their pastures.
Visit a Farm
 One
of the best ways to find out more about raising alpacas
is to visit an alpaca farm near you. Come see our alpacas
and how we operate our farm. We would welcome the opportunity
to give you a farm tour and introduce you to the wonderful
world of alpacas!
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