A First Look at Alpacas!

I happened to come across an advertisement in the local newspaper that the Southwest Regional Alpaca Show was coming to Norco, Calif., just 10 minutes away.  I've only seen pictures of these lovely creatures on Facebook.  Wouldn't it be great to see them in person?  What better way to learn about an animal I've only seen online than go to a show where there are hundreds, as well as people who are passionate about them.  I made plans and marked my calendar for what would surely be a fun and educational time.

 Norco, California calls itself "Horsetown USA" and for good reason.  There are more horses than people in this city of 27,000.  Being right smack dab in the middle of So. California suburbia, the town prides itself in mandating that all home lots must be large enough for animal keeping, with a 'minimum' of 1/2 acre.  There are even folks in Norco who raise camels and it is not an unusual sight to see them being led on the side of main street or in parades.  Don't even think about moving here if you are bothered by animal smells or sounds.  All commercial buildings must have a Western themed front and receive a thumbs up from an architectural committee before being built.  All streets have horse trails instead of sidewalks.  They even outlawed planting oleander bushes (a common plant) because it is toxic to horses.  They really look out for their horses here.

The event was held at the new George Ingalls Equestrian Events Center, a state of the art facility for horse and other animal shows.  Lots of bleacher space to sit and watch the judging in the ring.  It was very comfortable inside, even with 80 degree heat outside.  (I was told alpacas don't pant when heat stressed)  Lots of fun vendors and alpaca fiber items to ooh and aah over.  I took advantage of this and purchased fingerless gloves while I was there  (now I can type when my hands are cold...yay!).

Judging was ongoing throughout the day and I loved that the judge used a microphone to evaluate each animal and explain why she placed them 1st, 2nd, 3rd.   I took a few hours to talk with breeders (there were dozens, coming from as far away as Arizona, Utah, and Oregon)  I have never seen or felt an alpaca and I had the opportunity to do both, as well as handle sheared fleece.  So soft and not itchy like wool, which I can't wear!  I found most breeders were more than happy to share about alpacas, and their animals in particular.  I had so many questions - what do they eat?  what vaccinations do they need?  what are health and care concerns?   how long are they pregnant?  how often do you shear?  I heard over and over that these beautiful animals are easy to keep.

There were hundreds of alpacas at this show in an array of colors.  I think the most beautiful were the greys, especially one girl who was a rose grey.  This is a silver grey showing off his blue ribbon.

I am completely new to alpacas and I learned some interesting things about them.  They are members of the Camelid family (think camels in Asia and Africa) and are native to South America, where they are used for their fleece and as pack animals.  They are very intelligent, gentle, well-mannered and clean animals.  They come in two breed types:  huacaya (wah-KI-ya) and suri (surrey).  Huacaya fleece has crimp (waviness) and makes a wonderfully soft yarn.  Huacaya look like big teddy bears.  Suris have no crimp and the fiber forms what looks like mini dreadlocks.  Suri fleece somewhat resembles human hair and is sold to doll makers.  The fleece is sheared once a year. 

Alpacas make a cute humming sound and the cuteness factor is off the chart!  The females are induced ovulators like rabbits - the act of mating brings on ovulation (no heat!).  They are pregnant for around 11 months and usually have just one baby called a cria that weighs around 15-20 pounds when born.  They live for around 18-20 years.  Alpacas are herd animals and do not do well alone.

Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas...around 125-200 lbs compared to around 400 lbs for llamas.  Enclosures and fencing must be well thought out as they are defenseless against predators.  Alpacas have two toes on their feet and are easy on the land because the foot is padded.  The droppings are pellet-like and they will pick one location where they all go to the bathroom. (what a bonus!)  The droppings are low in odor and nitrates and make a great compost for the garden.  Alpacas sound like a wonderful "green" livestock to have on a farm.

I think I was most surprised to find that alpacas only have two front teeth on the bottom and no front teeth on the top - just a hard palate.  They snip off the hay and grind it with their back teeth.  The intact males will grow fighting teeth!  They also rarely spit at people and mostly do it as a means of defense when provoked.  I also learned what a berserk male is...an intact male that is too friendly and doesn't respect space.  They will try to knock you down and breed you.  (alpacas breed lying down)  No intact males for me!

And the fleece!  It comes in around 22 natural colors and is soft and luxurious!  I felt no 'prickling' like I do with sheep wool.  It has no lanolin in it that needs to be washed out.  Several breeders proudly parted the fleece with their fingers to show me the depth (4" or more) and how it crimps.  Reminded me of my hair in the 80's <grin>.  I really enjoyed watching a group of gals doing a spinning demo,  magically transforming the fleece into yarn.  I was told that as males age, hormones affect the quality of their fleece.  Gelded males will keep the youthful quality of the fleece and make a good herd kept just for that purpose.

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning at the Alpaca show and received invitations to tour farms near me.  Going to an animal show is a great way to be introduced to a new livestock breed and make connections for further investigation.  You can see the animals and talk to breeders about how to raise them, as well as the benefits of having them on your farm.  I am enamored with alpacas and look forward to learning more about them, as well as possibly having some for my farm.

Backyard Farming Connection Raising Alpacas and Llamas Link Up

Homestead Barn Hop