All About Raising Alpacas

Currently, the money in the alpaca business comes from selling breeding stock. The North American alpaca business began in the mid-1980s. As with other exotic livestock (remember potbellied pigs and emus?), the first imported individuals were expensive, and their offspring sold at astronomical prices. People invested in alpacas partially based on these inflated prices. Whether this is considered a ‘speculative bubble’ or pyramid scheme, the fact remains that the number of North American alpacas is growing, and the price of breeding stock is dropping. It is unknown when or if the market will become saturated and prices will plummet.

In Uncle Sam Will Help Buy You an Alpaca, John Stossel states, the “Alpaca Breeders Association asked its members, on a scale of 1 to 10, what motivated them to get into alpaca breeding. More than half rated tax benefits a 10.” Websites of alpaca associations describe how to reap tax benefits from raising alpacas — something not commonly found on other livestock websites.

Alpaca resources

EnchantedMeadows Alpacas and Goats
9357 County Road O
Wausau, WI 54401
715-675-0584

Irishtown Alpacas
1820 Elmwood Drive
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, E1H 2H6

Snowmass Alpacas
270 Rapid Lightning Road
Sandpoint, ID 83864
208-263-3300

A Lit’le Bit of Heaven Farm
25610 Salem Road
Arcadia, IN 46030
317-420-9360

Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America
P.O. Box 349
Decatur, TN 37322
877-859-0172

Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association
5000 Linbar Drive, Suite 297
Nashville, TN 37211
615-834-4195