# How Much Land Do You Need?



## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 20, 2012)

I already have one llama in with my dairy goats. He's fabulous with them, and is an all around wonderful animal. I was interested in adding a second llama when someone approached me about wanting to sell his alpacas. My question is, how much pasture land is needed for multiple alpacas? If they don't have access to grass, is extra hay fine? Still waiting to hear back on the number of animals available and the price, so I wanted to make sure I could handle it before I even thought about it.


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## ksalvagno (Feb 20, 2012)

Hay is fine if you don't have pasture. I knew someone who lived in basically woods and their alpacas pretty much just ate hay. They aren't the browsers that goats are but they do eat some leaves and stuff. Generally they say about 5-7 alpacas per acre.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 20, 2012)

Hmmm...that is what my land is...about 50/50.

I've been approached by someone with the following:

2 intact males
1 gelded male
1 proven female
1 "free" rescue gelded llama (which I already have)
1 "free" Suri alpaca, forgot to ask the sex.

All of that for $1000. The two free ones are rescues that he said must go with the other 4 because they're so bonded.

Price wise, I KNOW I could never find anything cheaper. I'm not sure that I want that many, though. I was just looking for one more llama and this guy emailed me with his deal. 

Could all of these animals (7 plus my few dairy goats) run together? I don't want any camelid arguments on my hands....

And could you explain the alpaca tax deduction to me? I know there is one, but I'm not sure of the requirements.


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## ksalvagno (Feb 20, 2012)

The intact males can't run with the others. They will try to breed everything.

The "alpaca tax deduction" is no different than any other livestock deduction. You have to be a business and show you are a business to get the deductions. If you are just a hobby farm, then there are no deductions. You have to have breeding animals. The geldings would not be deductible unless you can prove that they are for business, probably if you are using the fiber, you could prove they are part of the business and deduct them.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Feb 20, 2012)

They'd even try to breed the goats? Yikes...yeah, that won't work! lol


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## ksalvagno (Feb 20, 2012)

Yea, even the goats.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Mar 26, 2013)

well nuts.... i have an amazing chance to get some alpacas for next to nothing. but all i have for them right now is 5 acre pasture and barn with my 2 dairy goats or a small run-in area with small pasture (like 30 by 50 ft? not sure, havent measured it). i have tons of hay available so thats not a problem but i didnt wanna possibly squish the 4 intact male alpacas in that smaller pasture :/ too small or would that be ok until i can get the smaller area expanded? i have 2 rolls of fence i could add on to it but its at my mothers house so i'd need to go there and take it down then put it up here.

-sorry for thread stealing


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## ksalvagno (Mar 27, 2013)

Are you planning on gelding them? 30x50 would be very small for any extended period of time. If you were going to bring them home and then geld them right away, that would be fine to put them there for that time period.

If you are getting these boys for fiber, I would strongly suggest gelding them. Hormones will help make their fiber course over time. Gelding them helps to keep their fiber softer. Plus you don't have to worry about dealing with all the hormone issues that can come up. Especially if they can smell a female in the area and I suspect they would be able to smell the goats in heat.


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 21, 2013)

would a half acre work for 2 Alpacas if they were also fed hay? My DD is researching the idea of adding to our critters


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