• Great Links
• Frequently Asked Questions                                                                                                                                         

 www.alpacashearingservice.com  Shearing service for California, Arzonia, Oregon, Nevada

www.aobala.com  Alpaca Owner & Breeder Associates Los Angeles

www.aoba.org    Alpaca Owner & Breeder Association      This is the breed association.

www.ymccoll.com   Testing source for fiber quality. Good web site to read about alpaca fiber and what makes it great.

www.stillwaterminerals.com  Mineral supplement source

www.alpacaregistry.net    Alpaca Registry   This is the U.S. alpaca registry where you can research blood lines and learn more about alpacas

www.arlynscales.com    Scales for weighing alpaca source

www.useful-items.com    Source for alpaca products

www.avma.org     American Veterinarian Medical Assoc.

www.interweave.com    Source for Fiber art products   Find out about spinning wheels, spinning and weaving

www.weaverscottage.com    Store carrying yarns, weaving and spinning supplies

www.americanlivestockmagazine.com    American Livestock Magazine

Animal Poison Control Hotline (24 hour crisis) 1-888-426-4435

www.morrisanimalfoundation.org     Morris Animal Foundation

www.internationalcamelidinstitute.org    Camelid study institute

www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu    U.C. Davis Veterinary College

www.neafp.com    New England Alpaca Fiber Pool      Alpaca products available made in the USA

www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/index.html    Cornell info on plants  Great web site to learn about toxic and deadly plants

www.http:together.net    Spinning and weaving site for sales of used equipment

www.weavespindye.org    Handweaver's Guild

www.schachtspindle.com    Source for spinning wheels and looms

www.alpacanation.com     Alpaca Nation web site  www.alpacanation.com/motherlode.asp

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT ALPACAS? By now you have, we know you are new and have many questions about how to best get involved in the alpaca industry.  We can help answer your questions, help you plan for a productive future and plan how best to utilize you ranch now and in the future. Help you decide how best to develop you herd. This is a free service to our clients.  Learn how to feed, how to trim toenails, how to ensure your herd is healthy and safe.  We will provide a alpaca primer and all the information you need to get started.  Best of all we will be there for you 24/7.

Key Benefits

• Gives you the confidence you need to succeed.
• Gives you help getting started.
• Gives you all the mentoring you need.

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ALPACAS.....You are on a quest, you are looking for answers, knowledge and you need to glean all you can.  Where do you start?  Who do you ask?  DO NOT get discouraged! As with all things learning must be done step by step, inch by inch.  You have heard it said that "knowledge is power" well, power is behind all confidence to succeed.

Obviously we all have a degree of knowledge and the fool is the one who thinks he or she knows it all.

Wisdom dictates that the wise man or women will continually endeavor to attain all the knowledge he or she can and never ever think they have it all down.  The best advise as a breeder and human being I can give you here is to read, read, read; ask, ask, ask; study, study, study and observe. observe. observe. Life in a continual learning process.

In this section it is my pleasure to share with you the answers to the most commonly asked question we receive on our ranch visit and a list of wonderful books and sources to get you going on the most fantastic adventure of your life.  Alpacas are truly great for the soul and so much fun to be around.

1. What did you do to begin your search into alpacas?

    We first searched the internet and then visited ranches of alpaca breeders. We not only wanted to see alpacas but wanted to see them in different settings.  We wanted to talk to others and ask them why and if they had any regrets. No one did, and all seemed to love to share their herd and knowledge. We were impressed!

2. Do you belong to any alpaca organizations?

    The first first organization we joined was the national breed association.  We were provided with information from AOBA (Alpaca Owner & Breeder Association) and also received the Alpaca Magazine. We also joined our local state affiliates.

3. Can you insure an alpaca?

Alpacas can be insured for mortality and we advise our clients to definitely insure their herd. Because of the value of the animals it is only wisdom to protect your investment

4. Are alpacas gentle and do they spit?

Alpacas are the most gentle, peaceful livestock around. They are so much fun to hang around, there is nothing more stress releasing than to go out and just sit with your herd.  This is where you really bond with them and see them for the unique creatures  they are.  And yes, they can spit, but to my experience it is at each other and only if one of them is pretty upset, usually it is over a piece of grass, just like a little kid they each think what the other has it better than what they have!  It is a hoot!

5. Are they a good financial investment?

Alpacas ranching is considered an agricultural business, you must file the proper forms with the IRS each year. doing so enables you to depreciate your herd as well as deduct the cost of their daily care. you will be using the capital gains treatment. in other words you can offset the expenses with income.  For more information you should obtain the IRS publication #225.  It is indeed a very profitable venture if handled as a business. (see our investment page)

6. How important is it to have a business plan?

No matter how in love you are with these creatures, they are a large investment.  It is therefore to your best interest to plan for your future growth and plan your goals.  If you do not know about marketing, now it the time to learn because before you know it your herd will have obtain the size you desire and you will need to begin to sell your animals.  Start now....do not wait until you want to place a for sale ad. (See our business plan page)

7. What do I do with the yearly harvest of their fiber ?

For every month that passes there are more options as to what to do with the yearly harvest (alpacas are shorn once a year) there are several mills that are developing in the United States, you can send your entire harvest and have felt, yarns, roving or products made. the New England Alpaca Fiber Pool (NEAFP.com) makes use of the mills in New England, you may send certain amounts and types of fiber there along with paying a manufacturing fee and receive back  sweaters, blankets, hats, scarves,

8. Do you have any regrets about getting into the alpaca business?

No, not a single one ! They have brought us a great lifestyle and a profitable investment as well.