|
In order to make the most of an alpaca investment, proper breeding is essential and in order to breed properly, an alpaca breeder must be knowledgeable about the alpaca herdsire. The alpaca herdsire is the male alpaca that is used in breeding. It is this animal that will determine the quality of the herd that is being bred and will ultimately be very influential in determining your return on your investment.
Find an Alpaca Herdsire
Take Your Pick of Alpaca Studs
It is not necessary for you to own the male alpaca that you will use for breeding with your female alpacas. While that is an option, it is often also possible to pay a fee to the owner of an alpaca herdsire for use of that herdsire for breeding purposes. The benefit to picking your own herdsire without owning him is that you can choose from many that have different characteristics. Therefore, you can breed for a particular color or attribute such as size, bone structure or luster.
Questions to Ask the Owner of an Alpaca Herdsire
Generally, you want to know everything that you can about the alpaca. It is important to inquire about breed type, age, pedigree, color, parentage and status. Further, you want specific information about his attributes such as the quality of his fiber, his health and his bone structure. The owner should be willing and in fact eager to tell you the animal’s offspring. You can ask detailed questions about the offspring such as about their fiber, their health and any awards that they may have won. Finally, it is important to ask how many breedings the animal has had and how many more the owner intends on allowing. This is particularly important with a prized herdsire whose offspring may be very valuable, especially if they are limited in number. All of the factors described above will determine the price at which the owner is willing to let another alpaca owner use the herdsire for breeding purposes.
Alpaca Breeding
There is no season for alpaca breeding. Anytime a female is receptive to an alpaca stud, breeding can occur. Generally, females are ready to breed between 15 and 18 months of age and when they weigh around 130 pounds. Males can be ready anywhere from ages 2-3 for breeding purposes. The gestation period is typically between 11 and 12 months and females are ready for breeding again between two and 6 weeks after giving birth.
Alpacas are valuable animals and owners are motivated to make sure that the animals that they own are as valuable as possible. Therefore, many owners take the time to look around and find the alpaca herdsire that has the greatest likelihood of producing excellent offspring with the female alpaca in the herd.
|
