The price of an alpaca and the costs for its management are determined by the expense of purchasing the animal and its maintenance. The prices for purchasing an alpaca typically range from $2,000 to $5,000, but there are specimens sold for as much as $20,000. The maintenance costs, however, are about $800-900 year.
Price o alpaca
The purchase price of an alpaca depends greatly on the animal’s genetic quality, sex, age, and role within the breeding operation.
The purchase price of a gelded male, useful for guarding the herd, is significantly different from the price of a high-genetic-value stallion used for breeding.
Here is an estimate of the cost of purchasing an alpaca, noting that many characteristics contribute to the price determination:
- $5,000 for a stallion;
- $2,000 – $2,500 for a young male;
- $3,000 – $5,000 for a female;
- $4,000 – $7,000 for a pregnant female.
Some alpacas of high genetic value and with fine fiber can cost even more than €20,000 and are used in shows and parades.
Requirements for raising alpacas
For managing alpacas, it is necessary to have tools and resources useful for their maintenance and care:
- Land for grazing the alpacas (approximately 1,000 square meters per pair is recommended);
- Stables to shelter the alpacas from inclement weather and at night;
- Suitable spaces for weaning cria and for separating males from females;
- Fresh water and always available drinking troughs;
- Feeders;
- Wolf-proof fencing or sheep netting, at least 1.50 meters high (how to make a paddock);
- Zones and tools useful for shearing alpacas (if not done by third parties);
- Special enclosures for capturing alpacas for veterinary visits.
Maintenance Costs
The maintenance costs for a pair of alpacas are as follows:
- Veterinary visits $400;
- Medical treatments $200;
- Feed and hay $400;
- Water $200;
- Alpaca shearing $400;
The maintenance costs listed above are purely indicative and require further exploration as they vary depending on the geographic area or the occurrence of unforeseen events such as diseases, which can increase them.
It’s also important to carefully evaluate the characteristics of the alpacas you want to purchase according to your capabilities and needs.
