Oct 07 2008
Alpacas for Fun and Profit
If you’ve seen the commercials on television you have probably heard of this small farm opportunity. However, make no mistake, it will be a high-end investment if you intend to try your hand at raising alpacas. The following checklist will help you determine if raising these cute and cuddly animals will be a financial boon or an expensive hobby.
*Understand the cost of raising a herd of alpacas. Know the start up costs- which can be as high as $5,000 per animal.
*Know the breeding costs of alpacas. Variety in bloodlines will keep your herd healthy, but there are fewer males to choose from since Peru no longer allows the export of these animals. This means you may have to travel with your female alpacas to breed them.
*Know the market for selling alpaca wool. If there is no real market, you can’t make a profit.
*Raising alpacas requires special fencing and housing, especially if you live in coyote or wolf country.
*Know where to get financing, which may be difficult in the current market. A small herd of alpacas may cost $20,000 or more.
*Be open to ownership options. Perhaps sharing ownership, especially of the males, may be one way to share ownership and the associated costs of raising alpacas.
If you’d like to learn more about raising alpacas, consider the following sources:
One of the best ways to learn about alpaca farming is to visit one near you. Find a list of alpaca breeders in your area by visiting I Love Alpacas.com
