Alpacas are members of the camelid family, which includes camels & llamas. While those two are used primarily as pack animals, and llamas can be used for livestock protection, alpacas are almost exclusively raised for their fleece. Alpaca fleece is different than wool as it doesn’t contain lanolin, which is a greasy substance that many people are allergic to. Alpaca fleece is also lighter and significantly warmer than wool. It does not have the same elasticity and memory, however, which means it must be blended with other fibers for stretchy items such as socks and hats.

Alpacas must be shorn once a year, and it is something that needs to be done by a professional. A good shearer can shear an alpaca in only a few minutes. The prime fleece, which is used for spinning yarn, is called the blanket. This is the area on the back and slightly down the sides of the animal. The “seconds” are less quality, but it still can be carded and used to make other things such as dryer balls and felting.

Alpacas are pseudo-ruminants, which means their digestion is very similar to true ruminants such as cows and goats. They chew their cud like cows, but they only have three stomachs instead of four. The alpaca’s digestive system is very efficient and since their manure is broken down so well, it isn’t “hot” and could be put straight on a garden without burning it like cow manure. They usually poop in one area in the barn and in the pasture. This is known as the “communal poop pile.” Their manure is round and pellet-sized, much like a rabbits. This makes it much easier to clean out their stall than a horse or a cow!

An alpaca’s foot has two toes and are padded. Their nails need to be trimmed 3-4 times a year. Since their feet are padded, they don’t tear up a pasture the same way a hooved animal such as a cow or horse would. Although our alpacas don’t like us to do it, we trim the nails ourselves without too much of a problem.

One of the distinct features found in all camelids is their ability to spit. Some, such as guanacos, can spit up to 6 feet! Not all camelids spit with the same amount of frequency, however, and alpacas generally do not spit as often as camels or llamas. It is very rare that our boys spit at a human, unless that human is trying to trim their nails! Most often, the way we get spit on is if we are caught in the cross-fire. Their spit has a very unpleasant taste to them, which is no surprise since it smells so awful. Alpacas will give several warnings, including sneezes and snorts, before they actually spit. And you can always tell if an alpaca has recently spit because they will keep their mouth open for quite a while after and usually they will not eat any hay or grain until the taste goes away.

Our alpacas have their own distinct personalities. Bernie, the oldest, is by far the grumpiest and least social of the three. His fleece is a gorgeous brown, and it is thick with a very nice crimp. He will voice his displeasure with a low moan, which we hear often! All alpacas have a “zone of intolerance,” one in which they do not like other alpacas (or humans) to cross. Bernie’s zone is rather large and Oliver, who is the herd brat, will cross it on a regular basis just to annoy him. It is literally the alpaca version of a little brother playing the “I’m not touching you” game!

Lonnie is the middle child, and he is the only one who will eat out of your hand. He is also the fist to spit, usually at his brothers but also at the poor farmer who is trying to trim his nails! His fleece is a light brown/fawn color with just a little crimp. He tends to not get into too much trouble, although he gives us the most trouble when we need to handle him. He will usually “cush,” which means he lays on all four legs while keeping his head straight up.

As mentioned before, Oliver is the biggest trouble-maker in the group. His role within the herd seems to be to annoy his brothers. He will let you pet him for a moment, but won’t tolerate it too long. He is very curious, and loved the baby goats we had on the farm a few years back. He is also the kickiest of the three, and we give him a wide birth while walking behind him. He tried to side-kick Lonnie once, but couldn’t quite figure out the way to pull it off! Oliver’s fleece is very high quality (and award-winning) with a great amount of crimp.

Besides giving us amazing manure for our fields, our alpacas also provide us with soft, wonderful fleece that we spin into yarn. There are a lot of steps between harvesting the fleece and wearing the finished product. It is very labor-intensive, but it is worth it to be a part of a tradition that goes back thousands of years! Since we raise (and spoil) the animals ourselves, our customers know that the fleece is humanely sourced. And since everything is hand-spun and hand-knitted, you can be sure that it was done with the utmost care and craftmanship right here in Ohio. Supporting Ohio small farms, such as ours, is a great way of ensuring that what you buy for yourself and as gifts for friends and family is sustainably-sourced and environmentally friendly.

If you have any questions about our farm or caring for alpacas, feel free to email us. If you are interested in any of our hand-spun alpaca products, visit our products page. To see the steps it takes from animal to scarf, click on the button below. We are happy and blessed to be able to share our passion for these animals and the wonderful products they provide!