Choosing an Alpaca

Choosing an Alpaca to buy should be an informed decision. It is important to know what to look for when making your purchase.

There are two basic types of Alpacas in the United States. The "teddy bear" or fluffy Alpaca is called a Huacaya. It is pronounced "wa-ki-ya". The Alpaca typically seen with long "dread locks" or twists of hair is referred to as a Suri.

Choosing an Alpaca type will depend on what part of the country you live in. Your ability to provide protection for your animals and personal preference will also influence your choice.

In North Central Montana we have extremes in weather. This is why we chose the Huacaya. The Suri has a part down the middle of its back that seperates the long locks on each side of its body. This would expose the animals skin directly to our harsh weather. We were concerned how this would affect the health of our animals.

You will need to decide if you want to raise your Alpacas strictly for pets and/or fleece or whether you will become a breeder.

Choosing an Alpaca may be a color decision. Multi colored animals are fun if you are interested in having a pet only. If you are selling raw fleece or spinning your own, a solid color across the back and body of the animal is a must. A mixed color requires a lot of sorting in the production stage of the fleece. Therefore, it is not as valuable as fleece with a solid color.

A pure white fleece is highly desired as it can be dyed any color. Many hand spinners desire natural solid colors without dye. The next best selling natural color is black. Various shades of brown from light tan to dark mahogany can bring good income. Gray or silver is also popular.

Geldings

An Alpaca is usually gelded by the breeder because the animal has a trait that is not desireable in their breeding program. The herd owner may sell you an ungelded male on an agreement that you have the animal gelded as part of the purchase contract.

The choice to geld a male may be a conformity problem that is not a health risk. Conformity is a term used that describes the way an ideal or perfect Alpaca should look. For more information on the ideal Alpaca or problems with conformity check out the cria link on this website.

An overbite may be the reason why the Alpaca was gelded. This is where the teeth of the animal stick out of the mouth cavity. In the wild this can be deadly for the animal as it makes grazing difficult. An animal with an overbite can do well in a fenced paddock but it is not a desired trait to breed.

The fleece of the animal may also be of poor quality and/or coverage. Be sure if you are purchasing an Alpaca for fleece as well as a pet that this is not the reason the Alpaca is being sold as gelding quality. See the fleece link on this website for more specific information.

When choosing and Alpaca ask the owner why this animal is not being sold as a breeding male. The honest herd owner should be willing to give you this information. A gelding quality male will usually run you anywhere from $500 to $5,000. Be wary of an animal that is too cheap. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Breeding Animals

A breeding female can run anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000. Younger females are sold in the lower price range. A female cannot be bred until she is 2 to 3 years old. These young females will be sold at a lesser price because you will have to invest considerable time with them before a cria is born.

More expensive females are usually sold already bred to an eligible stud. You should be provided with a positive ultrasound report from a Veterinarian when you purchase her. With or without an ultrasound report be sure to ask for a guarantee of live birth to protect your investment.

Your female Alpaca may also come with a "breed-back" included in the price. This means that the breeder you purchased your female Alpaca from will breed her for you one additional time as part of the sales contract. You will need to be sure that you can return your female to the breeder for this service.

Choosing an Alpaca such as a good breeding male may be the most expensive purchase you make. A good male will cost you anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000 or higher. The genetics of your herd are dependent on your stud male.

Choosing an Alpaca such as a young male can be difficult. A young male Alpaca is not ready to breed for 3 years. This means that your lower price males will be young. This is your best value if you have time to wait. It is also risky as there is no guarantee as to what his cria will be like.

As a young Alpaca male becomes an adult and starts to breed you will need to keep close track of the cria he produces. An Alpaca, male or female, that has been successful at producing a healthy cria with good conformity is termed "proven". A proven Alpaca is more expensive than an unproven animal.

Some Alpacas are taken to shows where they compete for ribbons which increase their value. However, these shows are only easily accessible to farms/ranches in coastal states or large cities. An Alpaca does not need to be a blue ribbon animal to be a champion.

Many farms offer stud services for breeding and this may be a better option for you if you are on a budget. Ask for references and pictures of the cria the rancher has before you make your decision for your female. If the stud service is too cheap there may be a reason.

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