Alpaca & Llama Facts
- There are 2 breeds of alpacas and llamas
- Huacaya (wah-KI-ah) have fleece that is fluffy, crimpy and teddy bear-like. 90%-94% of the worldwide alpaca population are Huacaya.
- Suri (SOO-ree) have fleece that is straight, silky, and lustrous with pencil-locks. Only 6%-10% of the alpaca population are Suri.
- Alpacas and llamas are members of the camelid family and originated in South America.
- Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984. The first llamas were imported into the United States in the 1920s, but the national herd started to grow in the 1970s.
- Alpacas were domesticated for use of its wonderfully soft fleece. Llamas were domesticated for their ability to carry goods for long distances over the rugged terrain of South America, where the wheel was never invented and would not have been very useful in the rugged terrain.
- Alpacas and llamas live to be 15-25 years old. The oldest alpaca lived to be 27 years old. Several llamas have survived 30 years or more.
- Alpacas weigh between 100-200 pounds and are about 36” high at the withers (where the neck and the spin come together). Llamas weigh between 200-400 pounds and are about 5’6 to 5’9 in height.
- Baby alpacas and llamas are called “cria” (CREE-ah), moms are called “dams” and dad’s are “sires”.
- Alpaca and llama dams have a 11 ½ month gestation period (can be pregnant for 342-368 days) and 99% of the time they deliver just one cria a year.
- Each alpaca and llama produces roughly 5-10 pounds of fleece per year when sheared annually. Llamas can also just get a barrel cut (shaving the belly and back), allowing the neck and legs to grow longer.
- Alpaca fleece is highly praised for being as soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and more durable than wool. Alpaca fiber is hypoallergenic and lanolin-free and considered a luxury fiber. Both alpaca and llama fleece is very soft and can be made into yarn. Courser fibers can be used to make rugs. Llama fiber is 90% lanolin-free.
- Alpaca fleece comes in 16 natural shades, which can be dyed in bright colors.
- By chewing cud and having the three compartmentalized stomach, alpacas and llamas get as many nutrients out of the low forage grass as they can. They don't eat that much food compared to other animals; they only need to eat roughly 2% of their body weight to stay healthy. Alpacas and llamas eat about 2 pounds of grass and hay per day.
- Alpacas and llamas are safe and pleasant to be around. They do not bite or butt and they do not have sharp teeth, horns, hooves, or claws. They like to get to know you by smelling your breath. They do spit occasionally but usually toward one another when competing for food.
- Alpacas and llamas are very quiet. They make a humming sound to communicate with each other or an occasional shrill sound to send an alarm if there is danger.
- Llamas make excellent livestock guardians. Our llama, Gabe, is an exceptional protector of our female alpacas. He will only show aggression when a predator advances toward his herd. Gabe then positions himself between the predator and the herd and will show aggression by chasing, biting, kicking or stomping. He also will herd the alpacas into a ring behind him, with babies in the middle, mommas on the outside and as a team, they will rush the fence to scare predators away.
- Alpacas and llamas are smart animals and are fairly easy to train. They can learn to compete in obstacle courses and jump small hurdles.
- Llamas can be trained as pack animals. When using a (back)pack, they can carry about 25-30% of their weight for up to 12 miles per day.
- Alpacas and llamas produce a high-nitrogen, naturally rich manure that can be applied directly and immediately to gardens plants without danger of burning. It’s often referred to as “black gold”.