Protection continues to be provided by Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina and export of Vicuna products is still banned. In contrast, Alpaca, a relation of the vicuna, has been domesticated for over 2000 years and continues to be farmed for its wool. Once thought to have been bred from the wild guanaco, the alpaca is now thought to have been derived from a cross between the domesticated llama and the vicuna. It is still a vital subsistence animal to the native Andean Indians of Peru, Chile and Argentina. But, with the growing demand for alpaca wool, large herds are now being built up throughout South America and the United States.
Alpacas are very efficient at utilizing fodder.
The natural vegetation of the Andean plains is tussock grass but some farmers have begun to improve the pasture with rye-grass, alfalfa and white clover to raise productivity. In winter, some additional fodder, such as grass or alfalfa hay may be provided. Today alpacas are raised worldwide and they have proven exceptionally healthy and disease resistant in a range of climates. Scarcity of alpacas and demand for their luxury fibre has kept alpaca breeding and sales strong around the world. This interest makes these easily managed animals a great prospect, even on small acreages, and it is claimed that few animals are more suited to run alongside existing cattle or dairy farms than the alpaca.