Alpacas are part of the camel family and closely related to llamas. There are two types of alpacas Huacaya (wa-Ki'-ah) and Suri. Huacaya are soft and fluffy while the Suri has long silky fiber that form pencil locks. Both have luxurious fiber that resembles cashmere.

They are shorn once a year and produce enough raw material from each animal for several sweaters. The fiber comes in 22 beautiful colors and contains no lanolin and is naturally hypoallergenic. Most people who are sensitive to wool can wear alpaca without irritation. Alpaca fiber is warmer than wool with 1/3 less weight.

Alpacas are alert, intelligent and curious animals. They are social animals that seek companionship and communicate by softly humming.

The average height is 33-35" at the withers and the average weight is 150-200 lbs.

Their lifespan is 20-25 years, with females reaching maturity at around 18 months and males at 2-3 years of age.

Females produce one baby (cria) a year with a gestation period of 11 1/2 months.

Crias are almost always born during the daylight hours with 95% of births being trouble free. They usually average between 12 and 20 lbs. at birth.

Alpacas are generally disease free and hardy in most climates. Basic care includes vaccinations, deworming and toenail trimming.

Eighty percent of the diet consists of hay or grass. Supplementation in the form of grains, mineral mixes are added to the diet.