Creating A Herd

Before attempting to create an alpaca herd you will need to determine what goals you want to achieve with alpaca ownership. Questions such as the following may help to influence your decision.

• Would you like to own an inexpensive group of gelded males for fibre production or as pets for you and your family?
• Do you want to be a full-time or part-time breeder?
• Are you hoping to invest in alpacas for current financial returns or are you going to build a herd towards the goal of becoming a full-time breeder?
• Alpacas have been called “the world’s finest livestock investment”. It is difficult to compare alpacas with other investments as pure investments. Besides giving you a healthy return on your investment if you breed them, they also give you and everyone who comes into contact with them immense pleasure. Does the stock market do that for you?

If you’re interested in acquiring a producing alpaca herd with immediate sales you may want to consider a larger initial outlay. You would probably buy a number of pregnant females who very soon would deliver a cash crop of cria. The industry is young and innovative. Very few assets have the potential to reproduce themselves every year as an alpaca does.

Today’s smaller breeder can choose to be almost any size in the future. An owner, who likes the return alpacas offer, or the lifestyle they can provide, can choose any level of ownership. Whether you want to make a major investment in alpacas or just want a few pets to brighten up your paddock, we have an alpaca solution for you.

Factors that influence individual alpaca prices include colour, conformation, fleece quality and quantity, age and gender. Females sell for more money on average than males, but herd sire quality males have historically commanded the highest individual prices. Breeders often prefer one alpaca colour to another; however the parents’ colour does not necessarily guarantee a cria of the same colour.

Meanwhile, demand for alpacas has increased dramatically every year since their introduction outside of South America (1984). Not only are there more breeders entering the alpaca market each year, but there are more countries worldwide also actively establishing alpaca herds. This growth is sure to continue as the alpaca gains international recognition. The market pays a premium for its’ finest examples. Alpacas offer an outstanding choice for livestock ownership. They have long been known as the aristocrat of all farm animals. Most of all, alpacas have a charismatic manner, they do very well on small acreage, and they produce a luxury product which is high in demand.

When you have decided on your aims and the amount of your initial financial outlay you may wish to contact us here at Collabear Alpacas for an informal discussion of your requirements.