Walkapaca Farm Alpacas

We now have packages available for purchase with your choice of the young male you desire. Please go to AlpacaStreet.com or AlpacaNation to see what’s available. Our prices have dropped substantionally. Also, our herd sire D. Accoyo Degas is offered for sale or 1/2 interest.

Clare — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:58:39 +0000

Small Guardian Dog Hardly Working

Clare — Wed, 25 May 2011 21:58:43 +0000

Suri and Akbar aren’t the only dogs with jobs on Walkapaca Farm. There is one who works on CUTENESS round the clock!

Emily on Patrol

Emily Modelling her new French Bulldog Snuggler

It's Not Easy Being the Cutest French Bulldog in the World

2011 Crias (baby alpacas)

Clare — Wed, 25 May 2011 18:30:59 +0000

Rambo

Christina, Luigi, and Gina

Cute Factor!

Lucia

Dogs

Clare — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:35:25 +0000

Akbar is a livestock guardian machine!

Dog Working

Defending the Fence Line

Feeding Your Alpacas

Clare — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:12:58 +0000

Alpacas need to eat 1-2% of body weight per day, so about two 60 lb (27 kg) bales of grass hay per month per animal. When formulating a proper diet for alpacas, water and hay analysis should be performed to determine the proper vitamin and mineral supplementation program. Two options are to provide free choice salt/mineral powder, or feed a specially formulated ration. Indigenous to the highest regions of the Andes, this harsh environment has created an extremely hardy animal, so only minimal housing and predatory fencing are needed.

The alpaca’s three-chambered stomachs allow for extremely efficient digestion. There are no viable seeds in the manure, because alpacas prefer to only eat tender plant leaves, and will not consume thick plant stems; therefore, alpaca manure does not need composting to enrich pastures or ornamental landscaping.

Nail and teeth trimming is needed every 6–12 months, along with annual shearing. Similar to ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, alpacas have only lower teeth at the front of their mouths; therefore, they do not pull grass up by the roots. Rotating pastures is still important, though, as alpacas have a tendency to regraze an area repeatedly.

Alpacas are fiber-producing animals; they do not need to be slaughtered to reap their product, and their fiber is a renewable resource that grows yearly.

Alpacas – A brief history

Clare — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:35:35 +0000

Alpacas were a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a central role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America. Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984. Alpacas are now being successfully raised and enjoyed throughout North America and abroad. There are two types of alpacas – the Huacaya and the Suri. The lifespan of the alpaca is about 20 years and gestation is 11.5 months. Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36″ tall at the withers and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. They are gentle and easy to handle. Alpacas don’t have incisors, horns, hooves or claws. Clean-up is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock. They require minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre.

Alpacas produce one of the world’s finest and most luxurious natural fibers. It is clipped from the animal without causing it injury. Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends).This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.