Some Alpaca Facts
• The raising and breeding of alpacas is a multi-million dollar industry in the State of Washington. Kama’aina Alpacas supports the industry.
• Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of South America. They were first imported into the United States in 1984. Their importation is now closed in order to control and maintain fiber quality. Virtually every alpaca in the U.S. is registered.
• The goal is to increase the herd size to support a viable alpaca fiber industry inside our own country. It is an industry with room to grow.
• Alpacas enjoy a strong national registry and command premium prices. A quality pregnant female alpaca will sell for $15,000 or more. A premium male herd sire can sell well into the six figures.
• Alpacas are the ideal small-farm animals. You can put up to 10 alpacas on the same amount of pasture required to graze a single horse. It costs less to feed an alpaca than the average family dog.
• Alpacas have pads instead of hooves and are gentle ruminants. This makes alpacas very kind to pastures. Alpacas are “environmentally friendly.”
• Alpaca fiber is prized for its cashmere-like softness, warmth, and luster. It has an extremely low “prickle factor” and a much higher insulation value than wool.
• Alpacas are handsome, gentle, intelligent, earth-friendly creatures that respond well to human interaction. Kids love 'em!
• Alpacas live between 15 and 20 years, average between 100 and 180 pounds; females give birth to a single 15-pound baby (called a cria) after an 11-month gestation period.
