by AOBA (Alpacas Owners Breeders Association) www.alpacaowners.com
Alpaca ranchers come from many walks of life. Increasingly, alpacas
are becoming an important source of income for many people. Entire
families are full-time alpaca breeders. Young couples with children
might own three or four alpacas and enjoy caring for them. Retired
couples, who have raised their kids, sold their business, and retired to
the country, are often owners. The family whose members include a
hand-spinner might own two or three animals for fiber production.
Several breeders are veterinarians who have found the ownership of
alpacas to be more rewarding than practicing veterinary medicine. Many
herds are owned by families where one spouse has a city job, and the
alpaca business is managed by the other on their acreage in the suburbs
or the country. A large number of breeders are working couples who tend
to their herd in the evening after work. There are even city dwellers
who have discovered the option of boarding (or "agisting") alpacas,
thereby giving them an operational alpaca operation while still
retaining an urban career. For all owners, alpacas offer a great way to
diversify their financial portfolio with a commodity that is both rare
and in demand worldwide.
There are few large ranches with over 500 alpacas, small ranches of only
two or three alpacas, and everything in between. The average alpaca
herd consists of about ten to twenty alpacas. Most herds start out small
and grow to the size that fits the breeder''s ranch and financial
goals.
Almost all breeders are in business for the long haul; they believe in
the future of the industry. With the relatively small number of alpacas
currently available, there will be an extended and steady demand for
breeding stock to continue meeting the needs of our growing industry for
many years.
It is important to recognize that alpaca ownership has inherent risks,
as do all livestock and financial assets. You should talk to breeders to
familiarize yourself with the risks as well as the rewards of alpaca
ownership.