Devonviolet Acres

[Devonviolet]

I think @luvmypets has Kunekune. IIRC they are pretty expensive probably due to breeders limiting them specifically to keep the prices up. Or not, I tend to forget stuff.

You may well be right, Bruce. I found one Califorian site, that says hey charge a deposit, of $250, for unborn piglets, and $375 deposit on shipping. Any fees due in the state of delivery, and state required vaccines, are the responsibility of the buyer.

On a Q&A site, they said many Kunekunes are $500. I'm not saying I would pay that much. But if one were to pay for a breeding pair - $1000, they might be able to recoup their costs by selling some and eating others.

 

[Bruce]

Naw Bruce, hers are not Kune Kune...they are Mangalistas...or something like that....

Well that is my memory for you!

You may well be right, Bruce. I found one Califorian site, that says hey charge a deposit, of $250, for unborn piglets, and $375 deposit on shipping. Any fees due in the state of delivery, and state required vaccines, are the responsibility of the buyer.

On a Q&A site, they said many Kunekunes are $500. I'm not saying I would pay that much. But if one were to pay for a breeding pair - $1000, they might be able to recoup their costs by selling some and eating others.

Don't get into the old alpaca scheme. I'm sure it worked for the early adopters but the whole idea of paying many thousands for your breeding animals so you could sell the cria for a ton and make a bundle falls flat when you run out of people who want to be "next" to get rich

Of course pigs do have offspring more often (alpaca gestation is 3x) and many more of them each time. So I guess one could charge a REASONABLE price for the babies and still recover the cost of the breeders in a reasonable time. Of course you would incur the wrath of the "keep them 'valuable' by keeping prices high" breeders. Unless all those breeders are more interested in increasing the population of this "nearly went extinct" breed. But if that were the case they wouldn't be charging $500/animal. Especially given their description suggests they are cheap keepers being grazing animals.

 

[Devonviolet]

I thought the same thing, Bruce. Since they were close to extinction, one would think that, since the breeders talk about the need to build up the numbers, they wouldn't male it so hard for the small guy (which most of their customers are) to afford them.

You are right about the alpacas, too. I looked at that, as an option, several years ago. But gave up on that idea, when I learned that the breeding animals cost $1500-2000 EACH! Now you don't hear much about people raising them.

MAN! The wind is just whipping here! We lost the tarp on the milk hut, on Tuesday, due to 35-40 mph winds. It just shredded the tarp, so we replaced it I'm guessing gusts are 40-50mph. The tarp is whipping. But, seems like it will hold. Its brand new, So I sure hope it survives these winds. Ultimately, the plan is to screw roofing tin to the goat panels.

 

[babsbag]

FYI...The best tarps are found at Costco.

 

[CntryBoy777]

We have a few limbs down from the wind last nite and has been sprinkles and showers since about 8:30am here today, it is 58° on the porch right now...heading to a low of 34° tonite. The ducks are having a Blast, but everything else is under shelter....

 

[Bruce]

when I learned that the breeding animals cost $1500-2000 EACH!

You were looking at the CHEAP alpacas! I saw some listed for 10X that maybe 5 or 6 years ago!! And I was thinking "you people are effing NUTS!" And guess what, the bottom fell out. Which is too bad because there was an effort (*) to have a co-op like thing where people could send their fleece so that buyers anywhere in the world could get as much of whatever color(s) they want. Talking bigger buyers, not just someone looking for a skein or two. Barring that, it is "use your own" or find a buyer.

Alpacas are pretty easy keepers and their fiber is worth more than that of sheep but with sheep you can easily sell the lambs (especially the males) for food. You CAN eat alpaca but I think most people would figure that was like eating a cat or a dog.

* may still exist, I stopped paying attention.

 

[Devonviolet]

FYI...The best tarps are found at Costco.

Really? Are they expensive? UV resistant? Last longer?

We usually go to Costco when we go to Dallas.

 

[Bruce]

I've not seen them so @babsbag will have to respond as to UV resistance, etc (though you might be able to find that info on their site). The 'problem" with Costco is if you want something specific, like x' by x', it may not be in the store.

 

[Devonviolet]

You were looking at the CHEAP alpacas! I saw some listed for 10X that maybe 5 or 6 years ago!!

Well, it was a long time ago. Now that you mention it, Maybe the ones I saw were $15,000 for a breeding pair. What's a zero or two??? Its still out of our price range.

The co-op sounds like a good idea. The people we got the dogs from, have alpacas. She spins & dyes the wool, and then knits it into sweaters & blankets.

 

[Bruce]

Pair? What pair? Those prices were for a single animal! Must be the best of the best of the best but still like I said "effing nuts". That "business model" relied on finding people willing to pay thousands for a cria from "those" animals.

I expect (without facts) that one might get MAYBE 10 cria from a female during her life. If you paid $15K (and that doesn't include the costs to maintain her) for her it doesn't take much "ciphering" to figure out you can't sell the cria for a couple hundred. Then add in the cost of the male. Of course he can produce many more cria in his life than the female but all his costs would have to be spread over them. What about AI? Sure, at least you know how much to add to the cria to cover that cost.