considering a few alpacas

[redfarmhousegal]

We have a small farm with horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. We are focusing on Jacob Sheep but our son would LOVE an alpaca. There is a lady that has to sell her herd so we are considering a few along with a pair of angora goats. Son & I have started hand spinning and would love the fiber.

What I would like to know:
Could we do just one alpaca if it is pastured with the sheep?
I've heard they will guard and bond with the sheep if only one but if in a pair they will not. Any thoughts?
Would they have to be wethered? Getting only males.
Is it a problem to wether them after age 2?
What color is most popular? She has all colors ~ white (best fiber), true black, fawn, red, gray

Thanks for any advice!

red farmhouse dot blogspot dot com

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I have no idea about Alpacas but...... Welcome to BYH

 

[SheepGirl]

Alpacas don't guard...in fact, many alpacas need guardians. Llamas are livestock guardians.

 

[redfarmhousegal]

Do you think they could be pastured with sheep?

 

[Goatherd]

I recently added two alpaca to my herd of goats. They get along famously with the goats and they were not raised with goats, just other alpaca.
Mine are a male/female pair. If you were to get two intact males, you would have problems as they mature, even without another female in the mix. You can have an older alpaca gelded, but I would definitely have a veterinarian do it. I had an 18 month old goat buck wethered and he was done in the office and didn't have any post surgery complications.

As SheepGirl already mentioned, alpaca are NOT guardian material. They, themselves, would benefit from a guardian.

As far as how many to get, I would at least get two, even though they will share pasture with sheep. Species benefit from companions of their own type. I think one alpaca would be very lonely without another alpaca, especially if you would see the interaction between the two. Mine are inseparable and they were not a pair before I got them.

As far as picking a color, my suggestion would be to go with what you find most appealing. While I am not experienced with alpaca fiber spinning, etc., I would think that for your personal use, almost any would do. If your intention was to show and breed, then by all means buy the best you can afford. The two I purchased, I was told, didn't have the best quality fiber in comparison to other alpaca and were being sold as "pet quality," which was fine by me as that is all I wanted.

I think you will enjoy having alpaca and wish you the very best with them.

 

[Ownedby3alpacas]

What I would like to know:
Could we do just one alpaca if it is pastured with the sheep?

Even pastured with sheep, an alpaca would be happiest with at least one other alpaca. They like to neck wrestle and a sheep won't be able to play like that.

I've heard they will guard and bond with the sheep if only one but if in a pair they will not. Any thoughts?

to repeat what the other have said, alpacas do not guard (although mine will chase cats and small dogs, they are threatened by anything larger...even my sister's dwarf goats!)

Would they have to be wethered? Getting only males.

I have 2 intact males and a gelding and, so far, haven't had any problems. It's probably best to get them gelded but i don't think it's necessary as long as there aren't any females around.

Is it a problem to wether them after age 2?

shouldn't be a problem, but i haven't had to do that yet. I think i read you need to wait until they are at least 18 months so i'm sure later than that isn't an issue either.

What color is most popular? She has all colors ~ white (best fiber), true black, fawn, red, gray

white is the most popular fiber because it's easily dyed other colors.

 

[ksalvagno]

I would not put intact males in with sheep or goats. Boys hit 3 years old and their hormones go crazy. They will breed anything. I would either get geldings or make sure they are gelded before age 3 and preferably closer to age 2.

 

[redfarmhousegal]

If we brought them home and had them wethered immediatly, how long would you keep them seperated from the sheep?

 

[ksalvagno]

I would keep them separated for 6 weeks.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I would not put intact males in with sheep or goats. Boys hit 3 years old and their hormones go crazy. They will breed anything. I would either get geldings or make sure they are gelded before age 3 and preferably closer to age 2.

I have heard the same thing. I know almost NOTHING about Alpacas and I have no idea how closely related they are to Llamas, but I know that Llamas can and will suffocate goats and sheep by trying to breed them. Their hormones go crazy and they want to breed anything, in which sometimes the goats pay the price. That's why most castrate their Llamas. Again, I don't know about Alpacas.