FENCING

Let's begin with a discussion of the perimeter fence, as it is of primary importance. An alpaca's only means of self-protection is to flee and we take that away from them by enclosing them in small spaces. Thus, a perimeter fence, which provides adequate protection from predators, is a basic requirement. Generally, the perimeter fence is of woven wire (2x4 or no-climb is preferred). In our area of Northeast Ohio, the primary predators are dogs, but we also have coyotes which all pose a threat to alpacas. So, your perimeter fence should be at least five feet in height, (higher is always better). But, most importantly, protection of your alpacas from predators should be a primary concern when setting up their area.

Pasture requirements are minimal, except it would be a kindness to offer them sufficient room to run. The rule of thumb is no more than 8 to 10 animals per acre, although I know of instances of greater numbers than that. Sometimes, in dry weather you can find your paddocks overgrazed in a hurry. There should be a number of separate areas for segregating the males from the females. Ideally, you would have separate paddocks for breeding males, breeding females, and weanlings/juveniles, with enough additional paddocks to provide for pasture rotation.

The interior of your barn should be as flexible as possible. Moveable partitions (corral panels) work well. Swinging gates can also be strategically placed to change the configuration of the stalls. You're only limited by your imagination! Alpacas are herd animals and like to be together. I prefer an arrangement with a feeding dish for each animal, and we separate our girls into different stalls i.e.; fast eaters, slow eaters, nursing dams.. I use moveable plastic feeders that hang along the fence. Hay stations can be shared by a number of animals, providing there is good access for all. I recommend that you purchase pig stall panels from Tractor Supply, cut in half short way and fold them like a book. I use alligator clamps to tie them to a gate panel at an appropriate height for the particular stall it will hang in. This method of hay feeding allows the Alpacas to nibble thru without swishing all the hay out of a bucket. My girl Peek-a-boo will pick up and throw out those neat metal rings that some use to keep the Alpacas from swishing the hay on the floor. Whatever method you use should allow the alpacas to eat in a natural position, and should keep the hay clean and contained to help to keep their fiber free of debris.

When constructing your barn, give some thought to the flooring. There are a variety of materials available. I have seen rubber mats used over concrete floors - which are very nice, but can be a bit pricey. We started with concrete floors in our barn. I think that the ideal may well be a concrete floor with drains so that you can hose them down in the summer. Also in the heat of summer, the Alpacas appreciate the coolness of the concrete. In the winter, you might want some of those rubber mats for them to lie on. I do recommend the limestone screenings or quarry sand around the exterior of the barn to cover any muddy spots or where they have made dung piles. The overall impression will be nicer; you will not be walking through the mud, and clean up is a snap!

Alpacas are basically healthy animals and there is no disease that is specific to them. They are, however, subject to some diseases carried by other animals and require some bio-security considerations. You should have a quarantine area that does not drain into or share a fence line with another paddock (or is adjacent to a paddock that can be emptied for the quarantine period). This area will be used for alpacas that come to your farm, or those returning to your farm from elsewhere like shows and breedings. There are some resistant parasites and diseases out there that you would not want to bring into your herd. A regular quarantine routine can save you a lot of grief and money down the road! And, of course, there is vaccination. We vaccinate based on the recommendation of our veterinarian, and suggest you do the same. Alpacas need a regular program of worming, but the amount of time in between depends on the area in which you live. All areas east of the Mississippi have large populations of white-tail deer, carriers of the Meningeal worm, which is a most dangerous parasite for alpacas. This worm attacks the central nervous system and can be devastating to the animal's health. If you have white-tail deer, you will need to worm monthly. In other areas of the country, you should probably worm based upon fecal tests. Always, always, always consult your veterinarian!

CARE & MAINTENINCE

There are a number of pellets manufactured for Alpacas specifically. In our area we generally supplement with pellets.  Buckeye and Mazuri pellets are all appropriate feed, and readily found. I particularly recommend the Buckeye mix, if you can get it. It is reasonably priced, and provides for the animals' complete nutritional needs. Dr Norm Evans has a pellet mixture which is also quite complete and is produced by Agway, and some others. Dr. Evan's mixture has become more widely available in recent years, but is a more costly feed. In addition to pellets, you will need to offer clean hay, orchard grass. Pure alfalfa hay is too rich in calcium and protein and will cause an imbalance of nutrients, as well as fat animals. I cannot speak as to which grasses make good hay in other areas of the country. You will need to look into what is available in your specific area. Also, I like to offer a mineral mix, free choice. There are several products recommended for alpacas and may be purchased through any of the camelid supply companies. And, of course, forage for grazing. I know that a number of farms will dry lot, but Alpacas take great pleasure in being able to walk about and browse in a pasture. Fresh, clean water must be available at all times. It is not a good idea to have a source of water such as a pond or stream within your pasture area. They may stand in it in hot weather causing the constantly wet fiber to rot and fall off. It grows back, but you will have some unsightly animals until it does!

We clean up the poop piles daily near the barn and the pastures weekly. I should note here that Alpacas are very neat animals and their dung piles are often places for socializing. They all go in the same area and frequently at the same time. Clean-up is a breeze! Speaking of poop, if you haven't caught a whiff - of that produced by Alpacas - you'll be surprised. I wouldn't go so far as to call the scent fragrant, but I wouldn't call it an odor either.  Should you smell something it isprobably the urine.  That can be decreased by using a Stall Dry product or some absorbent pine pellets. 

We trim our alpaca's toenails, if needed, when we do monthly worming. The regularity of trimming does vary from animal to animal and according to the surface they walk upon. We have grass pastures which don't wear the nails down, (the concrete floor in the barn helps!) so some of our animals require a trim every month or two. I recommend that you stay on top of this. An alpaca that does not get regular trimming may well develop curling toenails - an unsightly feature indeed!

Of course, these are fiber-producing animals. We shear annually in the spring,(end of April) which also helps the animals deal with our hot, humid summers. They may appear too young, but they can grow an incredible coat by July or August and really suffer as a result. Actually, the quality of the fiber at next shearing is also greatly improved, as that birth fiber can be just like Velcro!

I rarely shut the animals up in the barn. Normally, they just need some shelter where they can get out of the elements in the winter, preferably with straw or corrugated bedding for warmth. If you use straw, try to get it with as few seed heads as possible, as these are good fiber contaminants! And speaking of fiber contaminants, beware of wood chips!! They are not suitable bedding material for alpacas.

The only other routine care is during the hotter months, as these guys are subject to heat stroke. This is a particular problem in the Northeast where we have such high humidity along with high temperatures. You will need to provide shade and air movement for the hottest days. We use large industrial fans in the barns, placing them low to cool the Alpacas' bellies, and high just to keep the air circulating. Watching the Alpacas hanging out in front of the fans, chewing their cud, will make you want to join the herd!

The most fun job for Alpaca owners are the hose parties. They get wet, you get wet, and it’s hard to tell who's having the most fun. Be sure to spray their bellies and armpits only, not the blanket area. Imagine wearing a wet wool jacket out in the sun, and you'll appreciate the greenhouse effect as that wet fiber tries to dry. Trust me, stick to the belly. In Northeastern, Ohio, our summers can get pretty warm. I like to spray almost daily. I'm not sure if it's because I like to, or because the Alpacas want me to -- but we all have fun!

Breeding camelids can be very interesting, as they are induced ovulators and unlike most of the species with which we are more familiar. They are unique to my experience.  I will not go into all aspects of breeding here, but I would like to talk a bit about age. Females are capable of conception at quite a young age. At Sunburst Alpacas, we always wait to breed until they are a minimum of 120 lbs. and 18 months old. It depends on the animal and the circumstances. Waiting a bit allows the female to achieve most of her growth before facing the demands of producing a cria. Long-term prospects for the animal are greatly enhanced by waiting a few more months before breeding. We not only refuse to breed at a young age, we prefer not to purchase females that were bred at a young age. It has been my experience that these femeles do not always produce  enough milk for their crias and they are not ready for the high demands a cria will put on them!

Male Alpacas will sometimes be fertile and breed 18 months of age. It is preferable to wait until they reach 2 years of age.  Doing this may produce a more capable breeder requiring less assistance from you.  Several top quality males that I am aware of, were not fertile until after they reached their third birthday!

CRIA CARE

Care of the newly born cria can vary considerably and is too involved to go into here. However, I would like to stress the importance of not upsetting the mom. The dam and cria need to bond with minimal interference and as little stress as possible. Occasionally we have had to supplement the mom's colostrum with cow colostrum during the first 12 hours. But even trying to get that colostrum down must take a back seat to allowing mom and baby to bond. Typically, we find that the dams are perfectly capable of taking care of the cria. Our job is to disinfect the navel and toes and to keep a sharp eye out that all is proceeding normally. It can be a bit nerve-wracking, but often the best thing an owner can do is to "sit on their hands!"

Our approach is to clear out all the other Alpacas and leave mom and baby in a separate birthing area for several hours. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary to leave the new pair in a confined stall for several days.  Some crias pick right up on what their supposed to do and others are what we say in the business as "dummy crias."  These dummy crias often have trouble standing or latching on to or even finding the teats!  They are the ones that often need plasma transfusions or suplimentation.  We tend to keep this area well lit at all times because these lil guys tend to try to nurse the dark corners of the wall instead of mom.... If it's a pleasant day, we will put them in a small paddock for a little sun, preferably in view of the rest of the herd. It is always nice if the herd can meet the newcomer through the fence, as they seem to be anxious to greet and welcome the crias. These gals know how to tend their young and do a good job of it (most of the time).

 RECOMMENDED MUST READS

For further information, and more details, I recommend that you read the short book by Clare Hoffman, DVM, and Ingrid Asmus entitled Caring for Llamas and Alpacas, A Health and Management Guide. This book covers most of what you would need to know; and it has served well as a reference for us. I recommend it. It is our Alpaca Bible! There are many other reference books available. AOBA maintains a very nice library for their members. Visit our Links page for contact information. You can get Caring for Llamas and Alpacas from Useful Llama Items at (800) 635-5262, and other suppliers as well.

In this section, I have tried to give you an idea of what's involved in caring for these enchanting animals. Of course, there's always more than one way to get the job done. I hope I've been able to help you in your quest for information. Call me if I can be of any further assistance, but most of all, remember to have fun and enjoy the Alpaca Lifestyle!