Alpacas are one of the oldest domesticated breeds of animals. Members of the Camelid family, and tended for their luxurious fiber, they played a central role in the Inca civilization of South America. For several thousand years, the Andean people domesticated and selectively bred Alpacas to produce a surprisingly large array of colors and very fine, dense fiber. During this time, alpaca fiber was virtually a secret from the rest of the world. Garments made from alpaca fiber were reserved for royalty. Nearly driven to extinction by the Spanish conquerors, small herds survived in the high Andes mountains, one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Today, alpacas are found on almost every continent. They still produce an incomparably soft fleece which is used in clothing designed in high end fashion houses around the world. There are two different breed-types: The huacaya and suri. Although both types of alpacas are physiologically nearly identical, one main physical difference is clearly identifiable: the fleece. Huacaya fleece has a degree of “waviness,” or “crimp,” thus giving huacayas a fluffy, “Teddy Bear-like” appearance. Suris, on the other hand, have no crimp in their fleece, so their fiber clings to itself, forming beautiful “pencil locks” that hang down from the body in gentle, silky cascades. Alpacas live to be between 15-25 years old. They are smaller than llamas, standing about 3 feet tall at the withers. They typically weigh 100-175 pounds and, after a gestation period of 11 to 12 months, give birth to one baby, called a cria. Crias can usually stand and nurse within the first hour after birth and often frolic around the mother's side that soon. Alpacas are environmentally-friendly livestock that walk lightly on the earth, and you don't have to kill them for their income producing product. They are considered to be one-sixth of an "animal unit" under USDA guidelines.

Some facts about alpacas:
Their feet are padded and do no damage to the soil.
They are low maintenance livestock.
They eat less than other livestock.
They drink less than other livestock.
They require less room than other livestock. (You can graze 5 to 10 alpacas per acre)
They nibble gently at native grasses and do no harm.
They are clean, and cleanup is easy because they make communal "poop piles," choosing favorite locations which they all use.
They produce a sustainable luxury product: fiber!
They even produce a useful by-product: alpacas produce pellet-sized manure that can be immediately used as fertilizer.
They are intelligent, curious, trainable and funny.
They have a gentle nature, a quiet hum and a permanent little smile.

The United States is home to a growing herd of alpacas tended by people that have fallen in love with their gentle nature, and that have the vision to foresee a sustainable agricultural industryjntbcnv based on their fleece. Supported by an effective national breed organization, a state of the art registry, and a national alpaca fiber cooperative, alpacas are a golden opportunity for anyone seeking a more relaxed life that is closer to the earth.