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ALPACA—Have you
herd?
By: Gary A.
Lochrane, Hardee County Extension Director/Livestock,
Wauchula, Fl.
Many "urbanites" are moving to
Florida each day, with developers changing over 200,000
acres of farm land per year as our state's human population
growth explodes. In farm rich Southwest Florida, our county
extension offices are inundated with calls from folks
wanting to get away from the city life by buying or thinking
of buying "small acreage" properties ranging from a few
acres to a hundred or so acres. A question frequently asked
is if there is some profitable "small farm" business I can
enjoy on this amount of acreage? The answer is a resounding
"Yes!"
Among the successful small farm
alternatives cropping up in Florida is alpaca breeding.
Currently, there are more than 40 existing alpaca farms
throughout the state. This may seem like a small number,
however, when you consider that only a few years ago (2001)
there were only 4 alpaca farms you will get an idea of the
growth that is occurring in this industry. So, what exactly
is an alpaca?
Once cherished by the ancient
Inca royalty of the high South American mountains, alpacas
have been called "the huggable investment." Terms such as
"cute, soft, cuddly, friendly, warm, lovable and
"profitable" are what long term breeders say about these
fabulous animals. There are two different types of alpacas,
the suri, pronounced (sir-ee) and the huacaya, pronounced (wa-ki-ya).
Suri fiber grows quite long and forms silky, pencil-like
locks. Huacaya fiber is shorter, dense, and crimpy (wavy),
giving it a very woolly appearance. An average alpaca weighs
between 100 and 200 pounds and has a lifespan of around 20
years. Alpacas are gentle, easy to handle and can be
pastured at 5 to ten per acre. Female alpacas start breeding
at 18-24 months, typically produce one baby known as a cria
(cree-ah) per year and may breed for twelve-to-sixteen
years.
The average breeding female
("dam") sells for $25,000 to $35,000 or more with some
alpacas selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Herdsire "stud fees" range from $1,500 to as much as $10,000
a breeding. Recently, 1/2 interest in one of the countries
finest herdsire's sold for $750,000.
Alpaca fiber is among the
world's finest fibers. It is soft as cashmere, warmer,
lighter and stronger than wool, non-allergenic and comes in
22 natural colors. Each animal produces about ten pounds of
this extraordinarily soft fleece per year. This fleece is
usually "harvested" by shearing around the end of March (in
Florida herds), helping the animals stay cooler through our
hot summers. Once shorn, alpaca fiber can be processed into
a wide array of finished product ranging from socks to
high-end formal attire. With the current knitting and
weaving craze-taking place nationally, the high demand for
alpaca fiber is increasing.
There are significant tax
advantages to becoming an alpaca owner. "Uncle Sam" can help
alpaca owners and breeders by providing tremendous tax
benefits. If you decide to become an alpaca owner and
purchase animals by mid-September (allow at least 90 days
before the end of the year to qualify), it is possible to
have tax deductions exceeding $100,000. This is true for at
least 2006 and 2007, and has now been extended till 2009.
Many alpaca breeders are using these tax advantages to their
benefit by building their herds as fast as possible.
Currently, there are approximately 100,000 alpaca in the
United States. To meet the growing demand for this exquisite
natural fiber, the government estimates a need of a million
alpaca. If you take into consideration that all importation
of alpacas was stopped in 1998 and the length of gestation
is 11.5 months, you can see that the industry is destined to
be strong and profitable for many years to come.
So, how much land do I need to
start an alpaca farm or ranch? Are there support
organizations and groups that will help me get the ball
rolling? What are the financial requirements? Are alpaca
environmentally friendly? What about diseases and other
health concerns? Can I own and breed alpaca without leaving
the city? How do I know what to buy? Are alpaca's insurable?
To find out the answer to these
questions and more, please contact the Hardee County
Extension Service at (863) 773-2164 or Southeastern Alpaca
Brokerage Services at 1-863-635-0744.
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