Feeding and care
Alpacas are pasture animals. They originate from regions with meagre food supply; their digestion and their metabolism are arranged so that they prosper well with food that is low in nutrients, but rich in roughage. When feeding South American Camelids you have to consider that the nutrient on offer tends to be too rich (particularly in proteins).
Alpacas have to be provided with hay that is rich in roughage, but low in nutrients during the rich vegetation period (spring, summer, autumn). They need hay throughout the year; this is the main food alongside that found while grazing. They can be fed small amounts of nutrient-rich roughage during the cold winter period. In special cases – such as convalescent or weak animals, females in the later stages of pregnancy or lactating females – you can supply supplementary feed such as concentrate or Lucerne chaff.
Alpacas should always have access to fresh, clean water. In addition, they should have sufficient mineral salt in the form of a licking stone or powder at their disposal for the health maintenance of their bodily functions.
Alpacas should be checked daily, particularly for their behaviour regarding their eating and their integration within the flock. Any irregular occurrences are often of essential importance and a first sign of a change of their state of health. Otherwise the care of these robust and tough animals is relatively simple.
Alpacas must be dewormed regularly. This is best conducted directly after stool analysis with the appropriate deworming pharmaceutical (available at the veterinarian). The deworming should be conducted, depending on the circumstances, 2-4 times a year. The easiest way is to use sheep hoof trimmers. And they should be vaccinated once a year with a combined serum against diverse infections (such as tetanus, blackleg, and enterotoxaemia).
Alpacas should be sheared once a year before the beginning of the hot season to allow good heat regulation in summer. Directly after the shearing you have to pay special regard to extreme atmospheric conditions such as excessive sun, cold snaps, and continuous rain.
If you have grounds that are poor in selenium (selenium deficiency in pastures is common in this part of Europe),selenium has to be enhanced in the mineral salts. If alpacas are suffering from extreme selenium deficiency, they can be given selenium with vitamin E directly, either through injection or in paste form. Newborn foals are usually given a dose of selenium with vitamin E.
The application of vitamins A, D, and E are recommended to preserve good health during those seasons when light and green fodder is lacking. The young animals should also be given these vitamins when being weaned off their mothers at the latest.
All in all, keeping alpacas is very easy due to the intelligent, calm, sweet-tempered and notedly tough nature of the alpacas. They need little feed, don’t need special fencing or barns to live in, and aren’t affected by many sheep maladies (such as claw decay, myiase, or louse infestation).