Alpaca Breeding and Fiber | Alpaca Nation

We Thought You Would Like To Know

At Via Verde Farm our focus is excellent breeding stock with an emphasis on superior gray fleece. We can help you establish your foundation herd and get you started on your dream of living the alpaca lifestyle. Visit our farm and see for yourself the wonderful attributes of alpacas!

What are alpacas?

Alpacas are camelids-cousins to camels, llamas, guanacos, and vicunas. They are smaller than llamas and guanacos, but larger than vicunas. Alpacas are about half the size of llamas and have proportionally smaller ears than their llama cousins. There are two different kinds of alpacas. The suri alpaca is the very rare alpaca and has very long, fine, dreadlock-type fiber. The huacaya alpaca is the second type of alpaca and is the more common of the two. The huacaya alpaca has thick, dense, crimpy fiber and resembles a teddy bear when in full coat.

Facts:

Lifespan 15 to 25 years average
Average Height 36 inches at the withers
Average Weight 100 to 175 pounds or about one-half to one-third the size of a llama.
Average Gestation 335 days
Reproduction Cycle Alpacas can become pregnant without waiting for a cycle.
Birth Birth weight is normally around 15 to 17 pounds. Babies (crias) can often stand and nurse within 30 to 60 minutes following birth.
Color The alpaca comes in eight basic colors-natural white, natural light fawn, natural fawn, natural light grey, natural grey, natural rose grey, natural dark brown, and black. There are approximately 22 recognized colors with many variations and blends. Alpacas most often come in 5 solid colors.