Alpacas are intelligent, pleasant to be around and easy to train. Alpacas are adaptable to varied habitat and are being successfully raised from sea level to 15,000 feet and from Australia to Alaska. Alpacas and llamas were domesticated several thousand years ago in South America. They were the foundation of a prosperous civilization living in the Andes mountains. In 1984, the first Alpacas were imported into the Unites States.
Alpacas require no special fences or barns.
Fences need to be able to keep out dogs and coyotes. The alpaca prefers grazing in an open pasture and a three sided enclosure is adequate for shelter. Alpacas are ruminants and are exceptionally efficient in utulizing the nutrients in grass. Females can be bred at 15 to 18 months. Over the centuries, breeding practices have resulted in a consistent, uniform coat of fine, luxury fiber.