How to Breed Alpacas

Many people breed alpacas for the sheer enjoyment of having a herd around. Be cautious, however, if you intend to breed these intelligent, sociable animals for profit; it often costs more to feed an alpaca than you will ever make from its fleece.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Choose breeding animals wisely. Alpacas that are to be companion animals should be bred for temperament. Choose animals bred for fiber mainly for the superiority of their fleece, but consider all aspects of the breed standards when choosing mama and papa alpacas.
2. Buy your breeding stock from a reputable breeder, but know a few things about alpacas, too, before making the transaction.
3. Decide if you want to own an intact male alpaca or use a stud service. You'll need to keep an intact male separate from young alpacas and pregnant females, so the decision to keep one may depend on your facilities.
4. Wait until the females are ready to breed. They are usually mature enough between 12 and 18 months old, but since they are "induced ovulators," they don't have estrus cycles, and it may be difficult to tell if a female is ready.
5. Plan for babies, or "crias" to be born in the early spring; baby will be happy because it's not too cold, and mama will be happy because she's not too pregnant and hot. Alpaca gestation is approximately 11 and ½ months.
6. Hand-breed, pen-breed or pasture breed your alpacas, depending on the availability of a male, your time commitment and your facilities.
7. Wean the babies at 5 to 6 months of age or 60 pounds if you need to for sale, or let the female wean the cria herself. Females can be re-mated 2 to 6 weeks after they give birth.

Tips & Warnings

• Most births will take place on the pasture without any human intervention. Keep a close eye on the herd, though, for signs of dystocia when the due dates are near.