2025/2026 Alpaca Owners Guide

Q: What do alpacas eat? A: Alpacas mainly eat grass or hay. They consume approximately two pounds per 125 pounds of body weight. That is approximately 1.5% of the animal’s body weight daily in hay or fresh pasture. Grass hay is recommended. Alfalfa can be fed sparingly. Many owners feed higher rates of alfalfa to alpacas that are skinny or live in very cold temperatures. Alpacas are pseudo-ruminants, with a single stomach divided into three compartments. They produce rumen, chew cud, and process modest amounts of food efficiently. Many alpacas (especially pregnant and lactating females) will benefit from nutritional and mineral supplements, depending on local conditions. Commercial alpaca and llama feeds are available, but consult your veterinarian for the right diet in your area. Fresh water must always be provided. Alpacas have two sets of teeth for processing food. They have molars in the back of the jaw for chewing cud. In the front, alpacas have teeth on the bottom only and a hard gum (known as a dental pad) on the top for crushing grain, grass, or hay. Unlike goats and sheep, which have long tongues that can rip plants out of the ground, alpacas have short tongues and nibble only the tops of grasses and other plants. This causes less damage to pastures. They may also browse shrubs or trees, so owners must prevent them from eating harmful plants. Q: What do I need by way of shelter and fencing? A: Shelter needs vary depending on weather and local predators. As a rule, alpacas require at least a three-sided shelter to escape summer heat and winter wind or snow. They prefer good ventilation, and many owners find that large overhangs are used more often than enclosed barns. Fencing design depends on predator threats. Openings must be the correct size to prevent alpacas from catching their necks or legs. Q: Can alpacas thrive in locations with very hot or very cold climates? A: Generally, yes. Alpacas are resilient animals and adapt well to both extremes. In hot, humid climates, owners must take extra precautions to prevent heat stress. These

include shearing fleeces early in the year, providing fans and ventilation in barns, and offering cool, fresh water for drinking.

Q: Are alpacas clean animals? A: Yes. They are much cleaner than most

livestock. Alpacas have little odor and attract fewer flies in summer than other animals. They often defecate in communal dung piles—usually three or four in a pasture. This makes cleanup easier, lowers the chance of parasites, and improves overall herd hygiene. Q: Do alpacas make noise? A: Alpacas are very quiet, docile animals that make a minimal amount of sound. They do make a humming sound as a means of communication or to express concern or stress. Most communication between alpacas is nonverbal. Occasionally you will hear a shrill “alarm call,” which usually means they have spotted something

Photo courtesy of Cedar & Sage Alpacas

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