Ranching alpacas

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DaveC426913
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Ranching alpacas

Anyone know anything about it?
 
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Wouldn't you ranch alpacas, not farm them?

Also, is ranch a verb?
 


lisab said:
Wouldn't you ranch alpacas, not farm them?
OK.[10 char]
 
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.
 
I know they smell really bad and like to spit. Thats all I know.
 
Topher925 said:
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.
 
They make nice sweaters.
 
I've heard they cost around $10k per pair. Not for me.
 


DaveC426913 said:
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!
 
Ivan Seeking said:
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
 
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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!
 
[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"
 
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lisab said:
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.

:wink:
 
jtbell said:
Tip from Ogden Nash:

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

:wink:

Except in the case of the Fernando.

You look marvelous!
 
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