Alpaca Breeders

Alpaca

The Alpaca is a domesticated member of the Camel family and is a cousin of the Llama. An amazingly resilient animal, alpacas are hardy and adaptable to all climates and regions of the U.S. Alpacas come in dozens and dozens of natural colors, more than any other livestock. In Peru, 52 different natural colors are classified for Alpaca; currently, 16 natural colors are recognized in the U.S. There are two types of alpacas: Suri and Huacaya. A young female can breed at around 15 months or 110 pounds. A female alpaca bears only one offspring a year after an 11- to 12-month gestation period. The offspring are called cria; a newborn cria weighs around 18 pounds and starts walking within one hour of its birth. A cria receives milk from its mother for 6 to 8 months. Alpaca were raised for the fiber of their coats. Lighter than most wools, it is used for all sorts of warm clothing and accessories. The natural color availability makes Alpaca fiber particularly desirable as there is no need for chemical dyes.
Photo Courtesy of Delphi Alpacas