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I had heard about alpacas for many years before I actually purchased one. To me, they were just a cute, more expensive cousin of the llama, which I was interested in because I was looking for a guardian animal for my sheep. In the spring of 2004, my local newspaper ran an article on alpaca farming. It explained why alpaca prices are the way they are, but also why the industry will not go the way of the ostrich or the llama. Here are some of the why the alpaca market will continue to thrive and grow for years to come.
First and foremost - Alpaca owners enjoy a strong and active National Breed Association, the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, or AOBA. AOBA's purpose, as described on its web site alpacainfo.com is " (1) To promote public awareness and membership appreciation of the Alpaca's unique qualities; (2) To educate the membership on the care and breeding of the Alpaca; (3) To promote the growth of the Alpaca industry as a whole; and (4) To foster the establishment of the breed outside of its native land by encouraging husbandry and breeding practices based upon, but not limited to, herd health, overall soundness, and alpaca fiber production and products."
Many regional affiliates also exist. Some hold membership meetings with educational programs, most put on local shows, which allow breeders to compare the efforts of their breeding program against that of others, and also allows the public to meet and become familiar with these animals.
The Alpaca Fiber Co-operative of North America (AFCNA), as described on their web site, AFCNA.com "is an agricultural cooperative formed and owned by alpaca producers in North America for the purpose of collecting and processing alpaca fiber and distributing alpaca fiber and related products and the profit from them to its owners (members). Our goal is to maximize the long-term benefits to our members, the individual alpaca fiber producers, and to the alpaca breeding industry as a whole."
The second component in the continuing success of the North American alpaca industry is the Alpaca Registry (ARI). The Alpaca Registry was created for maintaining the value of its bloodstock. The registry was closed in 1998 - no more animals were imported from South America. Click here to read an article written for closure, but before it happened. It goes into detail describing the reasons for closure, and how, to this day, it has strengthen the industry. To me, it is one of the best arguments why the alpaca will not go the way of the ostrich or llama.
The fact that most alpacas are registered is also a strength of the industry. Alpacas without registration papers are difficult to sell, and usually sell for less than registered animals (except for fiber males, which aren't used for breeding). An animal can only be registered if both of its parents are registered. State-of-the-art and highly sophisticated system are used to verify an animals parentage. When a cria (baby alpaca) is born, a blood sample is sent to verify parentage by a DNA blood test. If both the sire and the dam match, a registration certificate is issued to the owner. This certificate documents the alpacas bloodlines, and serves as evidence of ownership for the animal.
There are several other reasons why alpaca makes a great business opportunity. Alpacas as a farming business has many tax benefits, and profit margins can be high. They are inexpensive to raise. Most farmers care for them themselves - no employees, and the associated expenses, are needed. They produce a renewable, valuable end product. Click here to read an article about the unique business opportunites alpacas can give. Although their numbers are increasing, they are still very rare. There are around 70, 000 in the US in 2006, compared to 9.2 million horses (in 2005), 6.23 million sheep and 47 million head of cattle. Alpacas are easier to raise, cheaper to maintain and are easier on the environment than all three, and will likely be a possible way for farmers and ranchers to diversity their herds.
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