Farming & Ranching Alpacas: What You Need to Know

[DaveC426913]

Ranching alpacas

Anyone know anything about it?

 

[lisab]

Wouldn't you ranch alpacas, not farm them?

Also, is ranch a verb?

 

[DaveC426913]

Wouldn't you ranch alpacas, not farm them?

OK.[10 char]

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ranching is a form of farming.

Alpacas were popular around here for a time. The only comment that I recall hearing about it is that the market is highly volatile. I know that perhaps ten years ago, some people lost their shirts by buying at the peak of the market. I don't know what has happened since then, but I have seen a few alpacas again lately.

 

[Topher925]

I know they smell really bad and like to spit. Thats all I know.

 

[lisab]

I know they smell really bad and like to spit. Thats all I know.

I thought that was lamas...alpacas are supposed to be sweet-tempered. Also, alpacas don't have lanolin, so they don't smell as bad as lamas.

 

[Evo]

They make nice sweaters.

 

[dlgoff]

I've heard they cost around $10k per pair. Not for me.

 

[FlexGunship]

Anyone know anything about it?

Actually, there are a few alpaca farms in my area. Apparently they handle cold really well. They eat relatively little (low cost upkeep), and aren't vulnerable to as many infections as sheep.

http://www.sfalpacas.com/

Oh, and for some reason, they don't smell from about 10 feet away, but once you close that gap... yikes!

 

[Proton Soup]

Ranching is a form of farming.

Alpacas were popular around here for a time. The only comment that I recall hearing about it is that the market is highly volatile. I know that perhaps ten years ago, some people lost their shirts by buying at the peak of the market. I don't know what has happened since then, but I have seen a few alpacas again lately.

the trick is to get in early

[PLAIN]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/uc/20101119/largeimagecl101119.gif

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

There are a few farms by me. I have a friend who helps on one farm and she once told me the owner had sold an alpaca for 20k! A prize alpaca can go for 80k!

 

[lisab]

[PLAIN]http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/funny-puns-your-doom-shall-be-warm-and-soft.jpeg?w=500&h=399

Lol, the URL of that pic has this in it: "your-doom-shall-be-warm-and-soft"

 

[jtbell]

I thought that was lamas...

Tip from Ogden Nash:

The one-l lama, he's a priest.
The two-l llama, he's a beast.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Tip from Ogden Nash:

The one-l lama, he's a priest.
The two-l llama, he's a beast.

Except in the case of the Fernando.

You look marvelous!