Top Five Tips For Successful Alpaca Farming

Alpaca farming is both a lucrative and rewarding lifestyle. These incredible little animals not only provide excellent companionship to the families who own them; but are also an excellent source of income as their long, soft wool is highly prized in the textile industry. In this article we've brought you the top five tips for successful alpaca farming which will help you to make the most of your farm.

Keep Your Alpacas Social - One of the most important things about alpaca farming that you need to know is that alpacas are extremely social animals. When you initially begin purchasing alpacas for your farm, you need to make certain that you buy them no less than two at a time. In their natural environment, alpacas tend to live in family groups, with an alpha male and female leading the herd; so if you only purchase a single animal at a time, you run the risk of your first alpaca becoming aggressive when others are introduced.

Never Leave Alpacas Haltered Or Tied - As alpacas are never used as pack animals due to their size, there's rarely a need for them to be haltered or tied. If you should need to halter your animal, or tie them for routine care, be sure that you remove the restraints as soon as you are finished. Many people do not realise that alpaca farming actually creates a more dangerous situation for these gentle beasts, as if they are tied or haltered they can become caught on a protruding tree branch, resulting in a broken neck. Also, if you fail to remove your alpaca's halter, you run the risk of your alpaca's skin growing over the straps and causing deformities.

Deworm Your Alpacas Regularly - Another thing that is important to remember when you begin alpaca farming is that alpacas are extraordinarily susceptible to internal parasites and worms. Because of this, it is important that you regularly deworm your alpacas to help ensure their health stays at its peak.

Provide A Cool Place For Your Alpacas - Did you know that the areas where alpacas naturally live are cool and humidity free? An alpaca's wool is so thick that they don't handle the heat and humidity very well at all, and many animals will become aggressive during heat stress, and can even die from the exposure. Providing a place for your animals that is air conditioned so your alpacas can get in from the heat is an important part of alpaca farming.

Keep Pastures Free From Debris And Equipment - Last but not least, one of the most important things about alpaca farming you need to understand is that alpacas are extraordinarily curious animals. Because of this, they will naturally want to explore any equipment and other debris left in your pasture areas. Make sure that all alpaca farming equipment is removed from pens and other areas where your animals will frequent, in order to prevent them from chewing on sharp edges and hurting themselves, or getting tangled