Alpaca Facts

Let's get this out of the way ... alpacas are camelids, cousins to camels and llamas, and yes, they do spit! But, mostly at each other and rarely at people. They have to be really annoyed to spit at a person, and usually they give a lot of warning. They have a soft palate and no top front teeth, so a person really has to work hard at it to get bitten. Further, they are lovers not fighters and, like a deer, will run from threats.

There are two types of alpaca... Huacaya (wha-ki-a) and Suri. The Huacaya is "fuzzy" and often looks like a teddy bear. The Suri has long, elegant locks like Bob Marley. A male alpaca is called a "macho." A female is an "hembra" and a baby is a "cria." People also just call them males, females or babies.

An average alpaca weighs about 150# and stands about 3 feet tall at the shoulder. They live to be about 20 years old. Their gestation period is about 11.5 months.

Alpacas originated in the Altiplano of Peru, Chile and Bolivia.The first alpacas were imported to this country in 1984 from Chile. Alpacas from Peru and Bolivia followed several years later. At the last census, in 2003, there were only 49,047 registered alpacas in the United States. Of these, 40,368 were Huacayas and 8,679 were Suri. In 1984 there were only 38 breeders in attendance at the first meeting of what was to become the Alpacas Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA). There are now over 5,000 AOBA member farms. The vigorous growth of this industry is rivaled by few.

Alpaca fiber is one of the softest and most versatile in the world. Depending upon the quality, it can be used for everything from the most luxurious of clothing to floor coverings. There are 22 recognized fleece colors and myriad shades in between. Alpaca fiber is hypoallergenic and has wicking properties. It pulls moisture away from the skin. Firefighters, hikers and other folks who live in their footwear for long hours appreciate alpaca socks. Take a look at some the alpaca fiber products being produced today by going to:

• The Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA)
• New England Alpaca Fiber Pool Inc. (NEAFP)

The market for alpacas has never been better. As people are retiring and/or just looking for a way to simplify their lives, they are leaving highly paid, stressful, careers and joining like-minded breeders. The majority of breeders own fewer than 10 animals, and maintain them on small acreages. The price of average-quality animals has remained stable over the years, while prices for top-quality animals has soared. As with any investment, the return does not come free, but it can be highly rewarding from the very first. We began reaping the benefits of alpaca ownership in our first year due to the legitimate tax breaks we were able to access. Although we cannot offer you tax advice, and strongly recommend a consultation with a qualified tax advisor, we will be happy to share our personal experiences with you. In the meantime, visit the IRS web site to see the Farmer's Tax Guide and for more information about investing in alpacas visit another interesting AOBA site.