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What to look for when purchasing alpacas

Updated: Jan 6


Introduction


We hope our previous blog on ‘How many alpacas should I have?’ helped you decide on the quantity and gender of alpacas you intend to keep, as well as providing you with different budget options. So, let’s discuss next steps…


Ideally, the alpacas you purchase should be registered with the British Alpaca Society and the owner should be able to provide you with a copy of their health records, including details of any recent vaccinations and treatments. We highly recommend you visit your potential alpacas in person before purchasing to assess their health, conformation and temperament.


If you're looking for alpacas for sale in Wales (or close to the Herefordshire and Shropshire borders) we may be able to help you.





Logistics


Keep Male and Female Alpacas Separate

Same sex groups of 3 or more is recommended for alpacas. Male and female alpacas should NOT be housed together. This is for very real safety reasons... 


Males will fight to compete for potential mates using their fighting teeth, which are used in attempts to castrate rivals! Even after trimming, they can still inflict serious injury including partial or total castration. The act of mating is an incredibly invasive process (the penis penetrates through the cervix and into each uterine horn and lasts for an average of 20 minutes), so if allowed to happen regularly by males having full time access to females, it can lead to damage of the vulva and cervix, leading to infection and can cause undue stress and abortion. And castration does not always remove the urge to mate, so this can still be an issue with geldings too! If you wish to breed alpacas, pen mating is typically the recommended method. 


Alpacas are incredibly social animals and become distressed and ill when kept alone, so alpacas should ALWAYS be kept in groups of 3 or more - but males and females should also be separate. So, if you want to keep a stud, he cannot be housed with females, nor can he be housed alone, so he will need at least 2 alpaca companions (either other working studs or fully grown males). This can be tricky logistically, so plan ahead how you will provide ample grazing for both groups, away from each other. Young males should be separated from females by 10 months old to avoid accidental pregnancies. Young males should not be put with fully grown entire males as the males can bully and injure them, so they should be weaned in same sex and similar age groups. 





Selecting Your Alpacas


Characteristics

When selecting alpacas, it is important to choose animals that have good general health for longevity and meet your desired traits to optimise breeding potential in your herd and goals.


Key areas to consider:

  1. Conformation (the shape and structure of the alpaca)

  2. Fleece qualities and traits

  3. Lineage

  4. Temperament

  5. Genetic compatibility between pairs (and avoiding inbreeding)



Conformation

Conformation (the shape and structure of the alpaca) should be at the top of your list to look at when choosing an alpaca, as this will indicative of the alpaca's general health, longevity and breeding potential. Below is a brief summary of a 'good' alpaca in terms of conformation:


  • Head shape - wedge shaped

  • Teeth - lower teeth meet upper pad

  • Neck - no dip, smoothly curves into back

  • Back - flat and straight

  • Legs - straight from front view and appropriately spaced

  • Feet - sound

  • Skin - healthy & supple


The alpaca should be in good proportions, which you can check by imagining a square grid over the alpaca, as below. The alpaca should neatly fit inside of the grid.





Fleece

The alpaca’s fleece keeps the weather out, keeping it warm and dry so it is important for an alpaca to have a good fleece. If you wish to produce product from the fleece, you will need certain characteristics and if you wish to show your alpacas, there are certain benchmarks to aim for. This blog does not focus on fleece (as there’s so much other information to get through!) so If you would like to improve your understanding of fleece, the British Alpaca Society offer several courses, which can be viewed here.


Below is a brief summary of what to look for in the fleece:

  • Colour - The natural colour of the alpaca’s fleece. Consistent, even colour is preferred for both showing and fibre production.

  • Fineness - How thin or fine each fibre is. Finer fibres feel softer and are more comfortable when worn next to the skin.

  • Density - How many fibres are growing per unit of skin. Higher density generally means a heavier, more productive fleece and better insulation.

  • Crimp - The natural wavy pattern of the fibre. Crimp contributes to the fleece’s loft, elasticity, and overall density.

  • Staple length - How long the fibres grow between shearings. Longer, evenly grown staples are easier to process and are preferred for commercial fibre use.

  • Uniformity - How consistent the fleece is across the entire body in all the key traits above. More uniform fleeces perform better both in processing and in the show ring.





Selecting Breeding Alpacas


For more information on what to look for when considering a breeding herd of alpacas, check out our blog on Breeding in Alpacas: Part 1 (Selecting your breeding herd).




A note on blue-eyed whites


A special mention should be given to blue-eyed white alpacas. The vast majority of blue-eyed white alpacas (around 80%) are deaf and are typically considered as carrying a fault. If you are seeking a friendly male alpaca that you do not intend to breed, you do not need to worry about blue-eyed white alpacas, as they can happily live their lives as part of a herd. However, if you do intend to breed your alpacas, we recommend that you avoid purchasing blue-eyed white male alpacas (responsible breeders would not recommend this anyhow) as they could disperse this gene to a large number of progeny. Female blue-eyed whites on the other hand can be bred as they are less likely to pass this gene down, which can be lessened again by covering her with a dark brown or black male at mating time.




When can a baby alpaca leave it's Mum?


Baby alpacas, known as cria, should be at least 5 months old before they leave their Mum, known as the dam, so bear this in mind when looking for your alpacas. If having a baby alpaca is a must for you, you will need to consider taking on a dam with her female cria at foot, along with at least one other companion female.



Disclaimer: Fostings Alpacas are not a veterinarian body. Always consult your vet before administering any medication to your herd.



Image by Kristin O Karlsen
Alpaca Husbandry Courses

If you're embarking into alpaca keeping, whether as a recent newcomer to the field or as a prospective owner, having a sounds understanding of alpaca husbandry goes a long way to making sure your alpacas will be happy and healthy. The foundation provided in our Alpaca Husbandry Courses ensure you begin your alpaca journey on the right foot...

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