The South West of England is one of the major centres of alpaca breeding. There is a government funded training centre at Langaton Alpacas near South Molton, UK Alpaca, a company that buys fleece from UK breeders and manufactures hand knit and commercial yarns is based near Tiverton as is Alpaca World magazine.

Today there are at least 15,000 alpacas resident in the UK and the industry is growing fairly rapidly - as an alpaca has just one baby a year it can never be very rapid! Their fleece has been prized in South America for thousands of years and the rearing of alpacas and llamas played a crucial part in the structure of the Inca empire for clothing, food, transport and religious ceremonies. Cloth was the foundation of the stability of the empire and clothes were used to quell army mutinies, pacify defeated provinces, burnt as sacrifices to the gods and given to the general population as gifts.

The animals themselves, unlike sheep, have no urge to escape, are calm and biddable and very good 'doers' living on grass and hay and staying out all winter. The British climate's attempt at 'cold' must seem pretty puny to the alpaca as they have adapted to live thousands of metres up on the Peruvian and Chilean altiplano. Their fleece is exceptionally warm and light, second only to silk in strength and can be compared to cashmere. Alpacas come in four main colours, a pure black, white, fawn and brown so there is no need to dye the natural yarns.

Alpacas are calm intelligent animals that are easily halter trained and now play a major part in agricultural shows up and down Britain. Their value remains high, pregnant females fetching anything between £3,000 and £10,000 depending on their quality, pedigree and the covering male. New breeders are setting up all the time with breed society membership rising from 400 a couple of years ago to 700 plus today.

Frequently asked alpaca questions Are alpacas related to llamas?

Alpacas, llamas, guanacos and vicunas are all members of the South American camelid family.

Are alpacas dangerous?

Not at all, alpacas have a gentle and endearing disposition and are docile by nature. They are easily trained and are safe with children. Having no horns, upper teeth or sharp claws they can do no serious injury.

Are alpacas intelligent?

They are amazingly alert and inquisitive animals that will quickly learn to lead on a halter. They have a strong herd instinct and communicate by means of body posture and a variety of soft humming noises.

What do alpacas eat?

They graze on pasture grass and having evolved in the harsh conditions of the high Andes utilise their food more efficiently than other domesticated livestock.

How big do alpacas grow?

Adult alpacas stand at around one metre to the wither and weigh about 65kg. This is roughly half that of a llama.

How many babies do alpacas have?

A female alpaca will produce one baby or cria per year following an 11 month gestation. An adult will spend most of her life pregnant and produce some fourteen cria.

Are alpacas easy to care for?

Alpacas are hardy and free of many of the problems of other livestock. Their small size and gentle nature makes for easy handling and management. Routine worming, vaccination, toe nail trimming and annual shearing form the basis of husbandry care.

How many alpacas can be run per acre?

On average pasture about 4 to 5 animals.

How do you transport alpacas?

They are a fairly stress resistant animal travelling calmly in a stock trailer or small van and sitting down for the journey.

Do alpacas need special fencing?

No. Alpacas do not challenge fences and simple four feet high sheep fences are adequate.

For further info contact Karen Oglesby on 01489 878663