Alpacas 101

History 

HISTORY: 

Suri alpacas were first brought to the United States in 1991. Importations have brought Suri alpacas from Bolivia, Chile and Peru, giving U.S. breeders access to genetic material from all three Suri alpaca producing countries in South America.    

Today, North American Suri breeders enjoy carefully selected bloodlines from South America, providing an excellent livelihood and lifestyle with the beautiful and rare Suri alpaca. 
 

SURI ALPACAS, AS A RARE BREED, ARE: 

• Less than 10% of the total World Population.
• Less than 18% of the U.S. alpaca population. 
• Approximately 25,000 Suris in the U.S. and 950 owners. 
• Second ONLY to Vicuna as the rarest kind of processed Camelid fiber. 
• An incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs. 

WHAT IS A SURI ALPACA?:

Suri fiber locks, made up of high luster fibers, drape down the sides of the body in a twisted or flat form of various size. Suri fiber has a slick hand and softness with an exquisite luster. Suri fiber is in demand and consistently brings a premium price in the fiber market. Suri alpacas emanate extraordinary vigor, intelligence, ease of breeding and adaptability to both hot and cold climates. These attributes rank high on the list of many reasons for treasuring the Suri alpaca. 

SURI ALPACAS ARE EARTH FRIENDLY and NATRUALLY "GREEN" LIVESTOCK: 

Alpacas are modified ruminants with a three compartment stomach. They convert grass, grains and hay to energy extremely efficiently, eating less than other farm animals per body weight. 

Though a constant supply of clean fresh water is necessary, they consume small amounts of water due to their Camelid ancestry. 

Alpacas usually do not eat or destroy trees, preferring tender grasses, which are not pulled up by the roots further protecting grazing lands. 

South American Indians use alpaca manure for fuel and fertilizer.  Now, American gardeners find the alpaca's rich fertilizer perfect for growing fruits, vegetables and many other kinds of plants. 

A herd of alpacas will use one or two communal dung spots in a pasture, effectively controlling the spread of parasites and making collection and composting manure easy. 

A single alpaca produces enough fleece per year to create several soft, warm articles of clothing for its owner. 

The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) is a strong and active National Breed Association with a growing number of Regional Affiliates. They are responsible for developing the wool co-op, Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA) and committees addressing every aspect of the alpaca industry. 

Since the alpaca industry is new to the U.S., early alpaca breeders had the foresight to create a basic condition for maintaining the value of their bloodstock, namely a breed registry. The Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI) is a state of the art system, created to accurately document bloodlines and provide pedigree information to alpaca breeders. 

Virtually all alpacas in the United States are registered with ARI. Each animal is DNA tested to verify parentage prior to registration. Alpacas cannot be registered with ARI unless both sire and dam are ARI registered animals. 

From the first Suri importation in 1991 until the last importation in 1998, Suri alpacas have been carefully and thoroughly screened by ARI breed experts before being allowed into the country and into the registry.  In 1998, the general membership of ARI voted to close the registry to importations.  By closing ARI to further importations, the future market of alpaca breeding is protected from premature market saturation.  At such time the general membership decides that more genetic diversity is necessary, they may vote to re-open the registry to select groups of alpaca importations.