When people hear the word alpaca, they most likely think of cute animals that live in South America and have large teeth. However, alpacas are much more than just a cute fluffy face. The cute and soft alpacas are valued worldwide as farm animals and cattle.
Alpacas are camelids living in South America. Compared to other varieties of camelids, alpacas are animals with one of the most valuable fibers: because of their quality and the highest production. Alpacas are only bred to obtain fiber. Alpacas are very delicate animals but are self-sufficient. It is easy for them to adapt to the new environment. Alpacas, living in the high Andes, can adapt to any climate: dry and hot summers or cold winters. Alpacas graze all year round with herds at the high Andes in Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of 3500-5000 meters above sea level. Adult alpacas grow to about 3,2 feet tall and weigh between 100 – 190 pounds. Alpacas do not have incisors, horns, claws, or hooves. Hygiene is also easy to maintain, as alpacas only leave their droppings in a few places in the paddock or in the alpaca house. They need a minimum territory, about 30 alpacas can live on an area of 0.5 hectares.
*Alpacas are recognized as ecologically friendly animals*
– They do not cause any damage in the place where the farm is located.
– They have a three-sided stomach – this allows them to convert food into energy more efficiently, requiring much less grass than other farm animals.
– Alpacas eat grass that is delicate and do not damage the roots.
– South American Indians use alpaca waste as fuel.
– Manure is a good soil conditioner in which fruit and vegetables are grown. Currently it is used in ecological fields.
– The fiber obtained from alpacas contains grease, so the fabrics can be washed without the use of chemicals.
-The variety of colors and types allows designers and weavers to use this fiber to make various products and to be creative without the need to use paints and other chemicals.
For thousands of years, alpacas have inhabited the high Andes of South America. The greatest development of alpacas is associated with the Inca civilization. During the Inca era, the production of alpaca fiber and their products depended on the status of a person, religion, and compliance with the required regulations. The Incas could appreciate beauty and perfection. As well-organized and full of ideas, the Inca civilization created fibers and beautiful fabrics. The Incas also contributed to the development of alpacas.
From alpacas, the Incas obtained an exclusive and soft fiber for making fabrics and clothes. Comparing European fabrics (during the time of the conquest), the Incas produced fabrics of the best quality. These advantages of alpaca fiber and their products made it the most important element in the Inca Empire. The amount of possession of alpaca products proved the social position and wealth of the Inca. Alpaca products were also a way of paying the army. The retreating troops preferred to burn down warehouses full of fabrics rather than let the victorious army take them over. During the invasion of South America 500 years ago, the Spaniards believed that alpacas were not as good as their sheep. They also knew that these animals were a livelihood for the Inca. So, their goal was to exterminate alpacas. Fortunately, the Indians, who lived high in the mountains, helped the animals move around. In this way, the alpacas were saved from extinction. It was found that about 40-50 million alpacas lived in South America before colonization. Currently, there are only about 3 million of these animals in the former Inca Kingdom.
Alpacas have unique wool that is very warm, light and extremely soft. It is also surprisingly strong and durable, which makes it perfect for the processing process. The structure of alpaca wool gives the products made of Its incredible thermal properties and durability. Wool is soft to the touch like silk and shiny. Therefore, it is so desirable in the production of high-quality yarn and textile products in Europe, Asia, and the USA. Alpaca wool is recognized as one of the best natural wool in the world. Alpaca wool comes in many natural colors, from pure white through various variations of champagne to dark brown and even lavender gray, silver gray and black. Alpacas can be crossed with each other and thus produce more color variations, besides, the shaved wool can be dyed and mixed with any other kind of wool.
*HUACAYA*
Huacaya alpaca fiber demonstrates the properties of the recruiter. This natural wave in the alpaca fiber makes the products made of it maintain their shape for an exceptionally long time. Huacaya alpaca wool is most used to produce knitted goods.
*SURI*
Suri’s wool looks like long pencil curls, nothing like straight dreadlocks hanging from the body. The wool is shiny, more slippery, and silky to the touch than Huacaya alpaca wool. It is commonly used in high-quality goods that show how beautifully it works with light.
Alpacas produce roughly 4 – 10 pounds of wool all over the body a year. Selective animal coverings can add to this weight. The baby (the first baby alpaca wool) has the best wool and is the most expensive. The highest quality products are made of this wonderfully soft wool. The cut alpaca wool is divided into parts, considering its quality and cleanliness. The best quality comes from the animal’s back, the so-called veil. Wool from the belly, legs and front of the chest is the poorest quality because it has more and thicker hair that can irritate the skin. However, it can be mixed with other wool and thus be used to produce cloths, socks, or other products.
Among these animals that live naturally in the high Andes, there are two varieties – Suri and Huacaya. Each of them has a different appearance and type of fur cover. The Suri variety is much less common, as Huacaya accounts for almost 92% of the total population. It is not difficult to distinguish between species because Suri has long, silky, and extremely delicate strands that grow perpendicularly on both sides of the body. Huacaya, on the other hand, is characterized by denser and more fluffy hair, as well as a well-developed body, a small head, and a strong neck.
Due to the period of the Spanish conquest, Suri is a dying species – it was then that most individuals of this variety were killed, but the Indians managed to save some of the alpacas, which are the most valuable today. Depending on what wool the breeder wants to obtain, the appropriate species should be selected. The Suri fleece will be more valuable, mainly due to its shiny effect and delicate structure. Huacaya wool resembles sheep wool and is more common, therefore its market value is lower.
How is a llama different from an alpaca?
While the animals may seem remarkably similar at first glance, there are many characteristics that distinguish an alpaca from a llama. The first and most obvious is the appearance – the llama has long ears and an oblong muzzle. Alpaca’s hearing organ, on the other hand, is short and slightly resembles that of sheep, as is its rounded mouth. The lama is taller than its related cousin, is distinguished by a slender figure and heavier weight. Alpaca wool is single-layer and softer than the llama fleece, which has two layers of hair.
Pets also differ in disposition. Alpacas are gentler and more obedient; they are easy to train. Llamas are stubborn individuals that are often aggressive and daring. They are also famous for spitting – it is a form of communication, most often used among members of the herd, but a human can also fall victim to the llama’s behavior. Alpacas rarely use this skill and pose no threat to the breeder.
Alpacas are animals famous for their unusual wool. It is delicate, light and very warm, which is why it is so appreciated by many manufacturers. Its advantage is also high durability, which ensures that items made of alpaca wool serve their owners for many years. Exceptional softness and shiny shine guarantee that the fleece can easily find its buyers – the European market is constantly developing, which increases the demand for this material. Alpacas produce wool, which is considered one of the best natural fabrics in the world.
*Alpaca Fun Facts*
Alpacas are herds in many South American countries, generally high up in the Andes. There are no wild alpacas. Each alpaca belongs to a farmer who breeds it so that its wool can be made into clothes.
There are only two breeds of alpacas: the Huacaya alpaca and the Suri alpaca. Alpacas have an unbelievably valuable fiber that is of high quality.
Like wool, alpaca fiber is water-repellent but can wick away moisture due to its unique ability to mimic cotton in moisture. It is these features that make alpaca lighter than wool, but warmer than cotton in a cool and humid climate.
More than 6,000 years ago, the ancient Incas of Peru tamed these animals for their soft fleece. The Incas valued Alpaca fibers above gold.
They are also bred for their meat. Alpacas are descendants of vicuña, although they were originally considered the offspring of a llama. Alpine fiber is often used in the manufacture of blankets, sweaters, punches, and other textiles.
A haircut should be done once a year to maintain good health. Some owners in hot climates cut the alpaca fiber twice a year to prevent it from overheating.
Like llamas, alpacas are slender-bodied animals with a long neck and legs, a short tail, a small head, and large, pointed ears.
Since they are completely tame animals, alpacas can live quite a long time. If they are well bred, they can live up to 20 years.
In 1984, a small group of importers brought the first of a carefully selected herd into the United States and Canada. The North American herd has grown from several alpacas in zoos and private farms to around 20,000.
Alpacas are social animals. They live in herds that not only consist of other alpacas but also include other species such as llamas, goats, and sheep. Some studies indicate the existence of a hierarchical social order in alpacas.
Humans and Alpacas interact all the time, but unfortunately these animals could not exist without humans.
They are grazing animals and eat many kinds of trees and shrubs.
The way to distinguish an alpaca from a llama (except in size) is through its ears. Alpacas have shorter, straighter ears than the llama.
Their primary self-defense is escape.
Alpacas can breed all year round. Pregnancy takes around 11.5 months and usually ends in single offspring or twins. Twins are rare, about 1/1000.
Technically their fiber is flame retardant, meeting the standards of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Rigid Test Specifications as a Class 1 fiber for use in clothing and furniture.
Alpacas communicate through body language. They often spit when in danger, fear, or want to show dominance.
Because alpacas are smaller than many other animals raised for meat, one acre is enough to support eight animals.
Alpacas can have parasites like all farm animals. Owners should clean manure piles frequently to reduce the risk of parasite contamination.
Sometimes llamas serve as guard animals for smaller, less courageous alpacas. Llamas are more than twice the size of alpacas and their fleece is not as delicate as alpaca fleece.
An alpaca that is in danger will make a screaming, high-pitched, groaning sound.
Alpaca fiber is available in 22 colors and hundreds of shades, ranging from white to light pink gray and darker colors.
The oldest alpaca that ever lived was 27 years old. Most alpacas live between 15 and 20 years.
However, alpacas are adaptable and have been exported all over the world, including the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands, so often their “habitat” is farmland. Despite this, 99% of the world’s alpacas are found in South America.
They are herd animals and should not be bred in isolation. They develop relationships based on their position in the group. They seem to learn by watching other members of the herd.
Alpaca wool is hypoallergenic. It is also much softer than sheep’s wool and much less itchy.
Alpacas in a herd use the same space as a “toilet”, rather than emptying at random places as many animals do. This behavior helps to control the parasites.
When most people think of therapeutic animals, they envision dogs, but therapeutic alpacas are gaining popularity in hospitals, health care facilities, and retirement homes around the world. For example, one couple in Australia have been treating alpacas for 15 years.
Alpacas are known to be friendly to humans, including children. They are also friendly to family dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
Unlike other grazing animals, alpacas do not eat much.
An alpaca who wants to show friendly behavior will make a rattling or “clicking” noise.
They are shy, but very inquisitive, quiet, and intelligent.
Alpacas are highly intelligent animals and gentle. Each of them has its own personality.
Toenails need to be trimmed approximately every one or two months.
Alpacas have three compartments in their stomach that allow them to efficiently convert hay and grass into energy.
