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Yes, they spit. However, spitting is a tool used to re-assert their position in the herd
hierarchy, and is rarely used as weapon against people.

In their native South America, alpacas are a substantial meat industry. However, here in the
United States, they are too expensive to eat, unless you don't mind paying a few thousand
dollars for a steak!

Mostly we raise them as farm animals, much like sheep. We breed them for their fleece, which
is a prized and rare fiber in the world market.

They are expensive because they are rare and because they provide a desired fiber. In the
U.S. there are currently approximately 80,000 registered alpacas. Considering that 50% of
that number are males, and a certain percentage are either not yet of breeding age or beyond
breeding age, AND that their gestation period is roughly 11 months, you can see that the
national herd will grow slowly.

Surprisingly, very little compared to other livestock. They require food and water daily. Their
daily diet consists of grassy hay and about a cup of grain per animal. They should be wormed
monthly, and their toenails should be trimmed at least on a quarterly basis. They all poop in
the same spot, so clean up is fairly simple. Unlike horses, we do not groom alpacas; their
fleece is never washed or brushed.

The main diet for alpacas is grassy hay. Current prices are at approximately $3.50 per bale in
Michigan. One bale will feed 12-15 alpacas for one day. Current grain prices in Michigan run
from $10 - $17 per 50 lb. bag. Each alpaca eats approximately one cup per day.

Breeders are limited only by their imagination. Since alpaca fleece is second in fineness only
to cashmere (in natural fibers), it is sought after by hand-spinners and weavers. There are
also many artisans that use it for a wide variety of household items, from rugs and clothing to
insulation. Small mills will process your fleece into rovings or yarn which you can sell or make
into finished products yourself. There is also a national fiber co-op that will convert the
co=ops fleece contributions into finished goods such as socks, mittens, gloves, scarves, etc.
which members can then sell from their farm stores.

That will depend on the age and quality of the animal, gender comes into play as well as
color and lineage. Generally, pet-quality animals will sell from $500 to $1500, while breeding
females will run from $5000 - $30,000. Breeding males will run as low as $8,000 up to several
hundred thousand.

There is a certain amount of pleasure that can be gained from breeding and caring for such
gentle creatures. But on the more practical side, there is a significant potential for income in
this industry. The alpaca industry is growing in leaps and bounds, and the number of
registered breeders doubled last year. There are also tax advantages to owning livestock,
including write offs associated with a farm, write offs associated with a business, and very
favorable depreciation laws currently in place.

Many alpaca farms will board animals for other owners for a moderate fee. This is called
"agisting", and is very similar to boarding horses at a stable or horse farm. Agisting is a
service offered at Powder Puff Pacas.