About Alpacas

Alpacas are members of the Camelid Family and are related to Dromedary camel of Arabia, the two hump Bactrian camel of Asia and the Llama, also of Sth America.

Alpaca are the domesticated fleece animal derived by the ancient Inca Indians from the wild vicuna, a smaller-framed, fawn coloured camelid species, found still in remote regions of the Andes mountains.
The Incas also domesticated the wild guanaco species to produce the taller and stronger llama, used as a pack animal.

Both the vicuna and guanaco are thought to have migrated over biological  time from the Asian land mass across North America, leaving no current remnant species in North America.
Being distant camelid relatives, alpaca and llama can be (and have) interbred (and very few alpaca have no chromosome remnants of llama in their genes).  Interestingly, an alpaca has been crossed with a camel, producing a sterile curiosity and proving common heredity.

Fibre from the finest alpaca herds were woven into fabric "fit  for the Gods" by Incan artisans.
The ancient Incas clearly accomplished by selective breeding an alpaca fleece finer than currently achieved with the benefits of genetic theory and technology.  Archeological  specimens of garments, presumably intended for royalty, have been analysed using current technology and shown to be made of fibres of 12 and 13microns in diameter, superior to that generally found in modern day herds.

The arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors in South America in  the 16th century, saw  the deliberate destruction of the Incan Empire: extermination of royalty and aristocracy and slaughter of the elite herds of alpaca. Remnants of alpaca herds dispersed to the high altitudes of the Andes.

Expertise and knowledge was lost.  Farming of alpaca continued for centuries in the hands of peasant farmers.  Fabric was produced using primitive means.

The Peruvian fabric industry today is centred in Araquipa. For the world market  most fibre is obtained from peasant farmers who herd small numbers of animals on the Altiplano, on high altitude native pasture or scrub land of low fertility in harsh weather conditions of misty rain and cold temperatures.  The mills can produce tops, yarns and fabric.

From this humble setting the noble alpaca has been selected and exported to the world.

Alpaca were first imported into New Zealand in late 1800s, a farming venture experiment that did not last.

Apart from in zoos, alpaca were unknown until the first shipment occurred in 1986.  Initial small numbers have been boosted since, with importations from Chile, Peru, USA and Australia. Trade continues, with elite animals carefully selected from leading breeders in Peru and exports from Australia. It is no suprise that NZ alpaca breeders have achieved high standards in their stock and markets are opening up in UK, Europe and Japan.  Quarantine regulations allow exports from NZ to virtually anywhere in the world

It is estimated by the Alpaca Association New Zealand that alpaca numbers 15,000 including registered and guessing the number of unregistered.

By far the majority of alpaca are farmed in small herds of less than 20 animals on small holdings and lifestyle blocks.  This reflects their ideal suitability to this situation, and their hardiness and ease of care.  As long as a few basic principles are understood and can be maintained, alpaca can be farmed at stocking rate of 5 animals per acre on a block as small as an acre.

There are an increasing number of owners and breeders in Taranaki.  Some are members of Alpaca Association NZ which supports and promotes alpaca farming and maintains links with government agencies within NZ and with overseas alpaca associations notably in Australia.

A cluster group of owners is established and currently meets every two months. Any alpaca owner is welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings.  Organised activities held at different properties, at a convenient time at the weekend, are intended to be helpful to new owners and experienced breeders alike and are planned by the group as a whole.  Often the most helpful information is obtained from informal chatting with others who have "been there - had that trouble too!"

Alpaca do require several measures to ensure good health. Any livestock farmed intensively risk parasite infection.  Alpaca defaecate all in the same place in the paddock.  This makes removal of dung from the paddock a relatively efficient process and desirable in order to reduce the parasite burden.  This is particularly important in small holdings.  In larger paddocks it is also advisable and many breeders have vacuum machinery to clean the paddocks. In conjunction with this measure injectable drench is advisable, administered to each animal once or twice per year.   Faecal Egg Counts can be taken to rationalise this treatment.

Clostridium infections can be devastating and to protect against this range of diseases, in common with other species such as goats and sheep, "5-in-1" vaccination injections are given every 6 months.

Despite the bright sunlight in NZ, alpaca have been known to become Vitamin D - deficient (perhaps shielded by abundant fleece and at lower altitude than their native Andes). Combination Vitamin A,D&E are advisable for lactating and growing stock particularly over the winter (eg 3 injections 6 weekly beginning in May)

Facial Eczema is a major concern for alpaca owners because this sometimes fatal condition often occurs without any outward signs or warning.  Affected animals develop liver failure without any indication until advanced stages of the disease.  Prevention is important and regular antifungal spraying of pasture (beginning  before the spores appear) during summer and autumn and daily zinc in the form of pellets, is advisable.

Alpaca do not pressure fencing under usual feed conditions.  It is possible to farm these animals behind a 7 wire strained fence with posts at 10m spacings and without battens.  Conventional 7 wire post and batten fencing is more than adequate.
Electric fencing is not generally used or recommended.  Our animals cope perfectly well with a "hot" top wire.
Alpaca are not inclined to jump fences except perhaps when penned for mating or spit offs when "escape" becomes an option.
Weaning of cria can demand more of fencing. Although the dam is untroubled, the fretful cria may seek an escape route to re-unite with mum. Having one enclosure with more secure sheep netting will rectify this situation for the necessary week or two.

Yard facilities are necessary to confine animals in order to undertake injections or feet trimming.  For small numbers a pen made of two gates positioned in the corner of the paddock will suffice, as long as there are two or three people able to herd the animals into the pen.  For larger numbers, it is useful to have permanent pens measuring 3-4 metres square used when putting on halters, halter training, mating, spit offs, animal health procedures or restrictive feeding.

Although in their native habitat alpacas survive in alpine tussock and scrub vegetation, they have adapted well to rich NZ pasture.

Our property in Taranaki was once dairy farmland; green all year round, thanks to generous rainfall.  Our alpacas browse on this pasture year round and have ad lib access, from racks, to hay cut from these same paddocks.

Because of our latitude, daily during summer and autumn, we feed measured additional supplements in the form of feed pellets laced with zinc.  This is not for reasons of nutrition but is one way to administer zinc to guard against facial eczema.

Six weeks before delivery (and continuous for three months) pregnant females are given additional feed  in the form of a specially formulated dry chaff mixture to promote foetal growth and lactation.

Rather than a chore, the daily feeding ritual during summer is a chance to mingle with the herd and observe changes in their behaviour.   The alpacas get used to you and you get to know them and to appreciate their individuality. 

 

 

There is no "breeding season" for alpacas. 
Female alpacas are induced ovulators which means ovulation occurs in response to the whole mating performance by the macho, incuding the noise he makes (known as orgling).    Hopefully fertilisation results, followed by the prolonged pregnancy of 11 1/2 months (give or take a few weeks).
This is very convenient for lifestyle farmers, who , with simple forward planning, can choose any season of the year for their cria to arrive.   We want cria to be born in summer months and so we supervise pen mating in Feb/March the previous year.
Females are the most fertile two weeks following the birth of their cria.  This is when we bring the chosen macho into the mating pen with the female (and her new baby).  Mating occurs with the female cushed on the ground.  Yes - this means that the successful breeding female is pregnant all the time except for 2 weeks every year.
We check if the mating has been successful by bringing that pair back together.  If the female is pregnant and wants nothing to do with the male, she will spit at him - the so called spit-off test for pregnancy.   If the female is not pregnant, she will sit for him.

It is common in the industry, for stud males to be transported to the female to perform their duties during a brief visit - drive-by mating.   More certain method involves the female (and any cria-at-foot) being agisted on the farm of the stud male, allowing repeated matings to take place until pregnancy is certain.

During the pregnancy, further spit-off tests can be done to be  sure the pregnancy is sustained.   Otherwise it is a long patient wait for everyone until the outcome of the breeding programme finally emerges.

 

 

Cria are said to be born only in the middle of the day, during fine weather - yeah right! Mostly this is true but not invariably.

The first indication of labour is the female isolating herself from the rest of the herd.   She may seem uncomfortable, rolling on the ground, straining at the dung heap.  After 2-4 hours the foetus will begin to appear and within half an hour the cria is delivered, usually from a standing position.  It is important to make sure there is no obstruction to delivery.   If labour continues unsuccessfully into the late afternoon the services of a vet may be necessary.
Within an hour, or certainly two, the new born cria is standing and suckling from its mother, no instructions necessary.
Within days the cria can run and pronk with the others, a favourite evening game.

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