Information About Alpacas

The Alpaca is a gentle, charming, and valuable member of the camelid (camel-id) family, which includes camels, llamas, vicunas, and guanacos. Originally, they were found only in the Altiplano (high plains) of Peru and Bolivia.

About 1200 AD the Inca were carving out an empire in the Andes amid a harsh environment. They used crude tools to cultivate the land. Terraces and irrigation systems as well as drainage systems were constructed. Stone storehouses were built to store food. The Incas cultivated such foods as corn, potatoes, and squash. They also domesticated llamas as a beast of burden and kept alpacas for fine fleece. Garments made from alpaca fiber were reserved for royalty. Peasants caught wearing alpaca clothing were punished, sometimes even killed. With the Spanish conquest of the Incas in the 1600's the alpaca herds were massacred almost to the point of annihilation. The remaining animals survived with the help of the Indian people and the alpacas' amazing ability to live under harsh conditions at high altitudes.

In the mid 1800's Sir Titus Salt, a woolen manufacturer from Bradford, England, discovered the wonderful qualities of alpaca fiber. Against his father's advice he accepted a consignment of "alpaca hair" and proceeded to spin and weave it into beautiful alpaca fabric and alpaca products. The result of his work gained prominence throughout England.

In 1984 the first alpacas were imported into the United States. At present time, there are only about 24,000 alpacas in this country, about 12,000 in Australia, and a small number in Canada, England, New Zealand, France and Japan.

• Part of the camelid family, alpacas are about 1/2 the size of a llama
   

• Alpacas are native to the high Andes mountains of South America
   

• Life span is 15-25 years
   

• Average Weight: 100-175 pounds
   

• Average Height: 36" at the withers
   

• Gestation Period: about 335 days
   

• 85 to 90 % of Alpacas in the world are "White"
   

• Alpacas are prized for their luxurious fiber which is sheared once per year and comes in 22 natural shades, making them prized by spinners and weavers
   

• An average alpaca will yield approximately 7-11 pounds of fiber per shearing which is enough fiber to make 4-6 warm sweaters. Alpacas deliver offspring, called cria, once per year, almost never have twins, and birth weight is 15-19 pounds
   

• Alpacas are sociable herd animals and need at least one buddy
   

• These animals are intelligent, clean, very curious and often bond with their caretakers
   

• Alpacas are not used for packing
   

• Alpacas are earth-friendly. Their feet are padded and leave even the most delicate terrain undamaged as it browses on native grasses

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info@willeofthevalleyfarm.com