- Alfalfa
- Apples – remember to cut the apple up into bite-sized pieces!
- Bananas
- Beet shreds – this is a favorite for pregnant or nursing alpacas.
- Broccoli stalks (but NOT the broccoli)
- Carrots – shredded is best.
- Chicory
- Clover – not all sources agree that this is 100% safe, depending on what else is growing in with the clover. ...
- Dandelions
- Grains – this is a favorite for all alpacas, but especially nursing and pregnant females. Just be careful with the quantities and types of grain. ...
- Green Beans (fresh is best – alpacas will likely turn their noses up at thawed, previously-frozen green beans)
- Lettuce (iceberg and romaine)
- Mint
- Plaintain
- Pumpkin
- Radish greens
- Raisins
- Strawberries
- Tree leaves or needles Mulberry Pecan Pine Spruce Sweetgum Weeping willow
- Thyme
What can I give my alpaca to eat?
Bite-Sized Treats You Can Safely Feed Alpacas While Alpacas are primarily herbivores, they also love treats. Some of the best treats you can feed them includes raisins, pumpkins, iceberg lettuce, carrots bananas, watermelons, strawberries, and apples. Don’t worry – that’s not the complete list.
How long are alpacas pregnant?
Alpacas are pregnant nearly a year, so we calculated approximate due dates, and realized we would be having babies in the winter. Not an ideal time! The closer it got, the more I watched, and each day I was sure I saw another baby move inside a pregnant belly, or so I thought.
How to take care of a baby alpaca?
Weigh each alpaca periodically. The use a livestock scale is recommended, but you can also “body score” your alpaca by placing your hand on its back. This is a quick and easy method to determine your alpaca’s body mass. You will need to give worming medications every 30 days.
What should I feed my alpacas?
Hay. Forages such as grass or grass hay should make up the majority of the diet for llamas and alpacas. Additionally a small amount of alfalfa hay can be fed to growing, pregnant and lactating camelids. Alfalfa hay should only be fed sparingly to non-pregnant females and males.
What fruit and veg can alpacas eat?
Alpaca concentrate, treats and supplementary foods Alpacas respond well to treats. They particularly love carrots, apples, broccoli stalks and turnips. But you need to cut the fruit and vegetables into small pieces to stop the animals from choking.
How do you fatten up an alpaca?
There are quite a few options for feeding up alpacas, it's lucky that they're not too fussy. Lucerne hay or chaff is a hay that alpacas love. It is quite easy to get and costs between $5 to $15 a small bale although quality can vary. Lucerne chaff can also be bought at stock feed stores at around $20 for a 25 kilo bag.
How much grain should I feed my alpaca?
They eat between 2-4% of their body weight per day in food. Using the 2% figure means that each alpaca will need about 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of forage per day. So over the course of a year (365 days), an average 150-pound alpaca will eat 1,095 pounds of forage (just shy of 500 kg).
What is poisonous to alpacas?
The standard poisonous plants databases don't normally list alpacas in the animals that are considered, but there is a specific database, Plants that are Poisonous to Alpacas, that lists Juglans nigra (black walnut) and Acer rubrum (red maple) as toxic.
What are alpacas favorite treats?
Alpacas love bite-sized treats of apples, berries, broccoli stalks, carrots, pumpkin, raisins, turnips, and other safe-to-eat fruits, vegetables, and plants. Treats must be cut up or shredded to prevent choking in this herbivorous animal, as they only have lower teeth for tearing, not chewing.
Can you feed alpacas oats?
Animals requiring more than maintenance requirements (growth, lactation) but unable to obtain them from pasture can be supplemented with concentrates eg oats/lupins/vitamins/minerals. A 70 kg adult alpaca can be just maintained on 1.2 kg oaten hay with 8-10 % crude protein.
Is beet pulp good for alpacas?
All our alpacas will happily eat soaked beet pulp. It is particularly important to keep a watch on the older animals whose fleece will have a shorter staple length and offer less protection from the cold. They may need to be coated. Another vital consideration in the winter is an unfrozen source of water.
Do alpacas like oats?
Although alpacas may hesitate to eat oats at first, they will be downing them with gusto within a day. IMPORTANT: Never switch from pellets to any of the supplements listed here “cold turkey.” Always gradually introduce the new feed. For example, feed 75 percent pellets with 25 percent oats for several days.
Do alpacas need salt licks?
To be consumed, salt blocks need to be licked. In contrast, loose granular salt can be licked or chewed (bites of salt). Two authors well versed in camelid nutrition stated that llamas and alpacas do not show licking feeding behaviors, unlike that of cows, and therefore do not adequately consume salt in a block form.
How often should alpacas be fed?
Feed and water Alpacas will eat about 2% of their body weight in feed per day. Alpacas should be pasture fed at all times. They do well on native pastures, however alpacas can be supplemented with good quality hay and/or various grains.
Can alpacas overeat?
Are alpacas easy to care for? They are small and easy to maintain, rarely overeat and require no extraordinary care. They should have basic shelter for protection against heat and foul weather.
Can alpacas eat bread?
Pasture grass is one of the healthiest food sources to offer your alpaca and they love it. Domestic alpaca can easily grow fond of human foods such as bread, corn, and cookies and they might favor these foods over natural green grass. It is however not good to feed your animals on human foods.
Do alpacas need salt licks?
To be consumed, salt blocks need to be licked. In contrast, loose granular salt can be licked or chewed (bites of salt). Two authors well versed in camelid nutrition stated that llamas and alpacas do not show licking feeding behaviors, unlike that of cows, and therefore do not adequately consume salt in a block form.
Can alpacas eat oranges?
“Alpacas mainly eat grass and hay, but they also like to eat carrots and oranges,” he said.
Can alpacas eat oats?
Although alpacas may hesitate to eat oats at first, they will be downing them with gusto within a day. IMPORTANT: Never switch from pellets to any of the supplements listed here “cold turkey.” Always gradually introduce the new feed. For example, feed 75 percent pellets with 25 percent oats for several days.
What is the best feed for an alpaca?
Because alpacas can be prone to choke, feed that is 3mm or less is recommended as it greatly reduces the risk. Using a chaff base such as alfalfa to increase the chewing time, or adding some water to the feed, can help make the passage of the food bolus easier as it travels down the oesophagus. Camelibra and Hembra & Cria have both been formulated as 3mm micropellets to make swallowing and digestion easy and worry free for you and your animals.
What do alpacas eat?
Whether you are an experienced alpaca farmer or you are looking at welcoming a pet alpaca to your family, the key to feeding your alpaca well is fairly simple – essentially an alpaca’s diet should include mostly grazing, with additional forage where needed and a small amount of concentrated feeds or minerals. And of course, easy access to clean, fresh drinking water. The basic rule of thumb is that although they have a similar digestive system to sheep (Ruminants) they are often classed as ‘pseudo-ruminants’, and so they actually need a diet akin to that of the horse (Hindgut Fermenters). This means their diet should be predominately forage based, with the use of concentrates kept to a minimum. The alpaca is also particularly susceptible to choke so it’s important to always keep this in mind when it comes to your feeding regime and the feeds you choose.
What is camelibra feed?
Camelibrahas been specifically formulated from the ground up to provide a very concentrated feed to meet the unique nutritional requirements of alpacas and other camelids, without impacting on their forage intake. Unlike mixes and cubes, Camelibraonly utilises around 5% of the daily intake, meaning up to 95% of their diet can be forage, which is better for your alpaca's digestive health. In situations where there is a known deficiency, a higher level of Camelibracan be fed to help provide the additional nutrients needed (1.25 – 1.5x the normal feeding rate). Alternatively, a target supplement like a drench or bucket lick can also help.
How much water do alpacas drink?
Access to Drinking Water. Alpacas drink on average between 5% and 8% of their body weight in water every day, and as much as 18% in hotter weather or when lactating. Make sure there is a constant supply of fresh drinking water and that it is kept at the right temperature – between 7⁰ and 18⁰ C is a good guide.
What plants are toxic to alpacas?
Look out for plants that are poisonous to alpacas, including rhododendron, laburnum and buttercups, and make sure they are removed from paddocks. Some poisonous plants may even become palatable once dead/dried. Make sure you look out for anything that’s likely to be toxic and pull or dig it out before undertaking paddock maintenance, such as topping, or cutting for hay.
Can you give an alpaca vitamin D?
Because the UV sunlight levels in Britain are not enough to give your alpaca the vitamin D it needs you will also need to supplement with vitamin D especially during the winter months (and particularly when it comes to growing crias). Vitamin D injections or pastes are an option, but if you are already feeding your alpaca Camelibrayou can simply increase the feeding rate to provide the additional vitamin D. We usually recommend 1.25gm/kg in the winter, but this can be increased up to 2gm/kg for those who need a higher intake of vitamin D.
Do alpacas need concentrated feed?
Although concentrated feeds should not form the major part of your alpaca’s diet, alpacas do have high mineral needs and so these additional feeds are important for ensuring your animals are getting the nutrients they need, particularly during the winter months and for pregnant and lactating hembra.
What do llamas eat?
Hay. Forages such as grass or grass hay should make up the majority of the diet for llamas and alpacas. Additionally a small amount of alfalfa hay can be fed to growing, pregnant and lactating camelids. Alfalfa hay should only be fed sparingly to non-pregnant females and males.
What kind of salt do llamas like?
When feeding a pelleted feed formulated for llamas and alpacas, provide access to a plain white salt block or plain loose salt without minerals. Many llamas and alpacas prefer loose salt instead of blocks.
Do llamas need water?
All llamas and alpacas should have access to fresh, clean water at all times.
Can camelids eat sweet food?
Sweet feed should not be fed to camelids, as the high amounts of sugar and starch can cause digestive upsets such as bloat and ruminal acidosis. If grains are fed, they should be fed as a commercial pelleted feed designed for llamas and alpacas.
How to feed an alpaca?
How to Feed Alpacas (Treats or Food) Treats can be fed to an alpaca like they would be given to a horse: put the treat on a flat, extended palm with the fingers and thumbs tucked in close . Offer the treat to the alpaca and let them nibble it up off of your hand.
What do alpacas eat?
Alpacas love bite-sized treats of apples, berries, broccoli stalks, carrots, pumpkin, raisins, turnips, and other safe-to-eat fruits, vegetables, and plants. Treats must be cut up or shredded to prevent choking in this herbivorous animal, as they only have lower teeth for tearing, not chewing.
What are some good treats for an alpaca?
Here is the complete, alphabetical list of alpaca treats. Just remember to make sure they’re safe and bite-sized for your alpacas. Oh, and to feed your alpacas their treats in moderation. Alfalfa. Apples – remember to cut the apple up into bite-sized pieces! Bananas.
Why do alpacas need to be shredded?
Alpacas need their treats sliced or shredded because of their biology. Mostly their teeth, actually.
Where do alpacas get their food?
The bulk of their food should come from plants and roughage found grazing, so getting their food should be pretty easy if you’ve got sufficient pasture for them. However, if your alpacas don’t have enough pasture space, then you’ll need to provide them with hay or commercial feed, too.
Can you feed an alpaca a treat?
We’ve talked about what treats you can feed alpacas already, so now let’s talk about what they need on a regular basis. Because if all you do is give alpacas a treat, they’re going to end up with a tummy ache or worse.
Can you give an alpaca a vitamin?
You do need to make sure that they aren’t a treat that’s really a vitamin, though. Horse vitamins are great for horses – but alpacas have different micronutrient needs than horses do. If you’re not sure if a horse treat is safe for an alpaca, be sure to ask your veterinarian for their advice.
What Should Alpacas Eat?
Alpacas weigh between 45kg-80kg and can consume between 1.8%-2% dry matter of their bodyweight daily. For an alpaca that weighs 63kg this would equate to between 1.13kg-1.26kg dry matter daily. Alpacas have evolved to eat a fibre-based diet and their digestive system is most efficient and healthy when their ration is based on fibre.
What is the number to feed an alpaca?
For help and advice on feeding Alpacas please call 01621 841188.
Why are alpacas so popular?
Alpacas are popular as pets on small-holdings, as pack animals or even as large commercial herds for cria and fibre production. Alpacas are commonly praised for their kind nature and padded feet that do little damage to pasture. Originally of the Andean civilisation, alpacas gained popularity amongst the Incas where their fibre was used ...
How much does an alpaca weigh?
For an alpaca that weighs 63kg this would equate to between 1.13kg-1.26kg dry matter daily. Alpacas have evolved to eat a fibre-based diet and their digestive system is most efficient and healthy when their ration is based on fibre.
What is the digestive system of an alpaca?
The Digestive System of the Alpaca. There are similarities between the digestive system of the alpaca and the ruminant including the ability to eructate and chew the cud. However, the alpaca stomach only has three compartments compared to four in ruminants, which means that alpacas are often classed as pseudo-ruminants.
What is the best energy for an alpaca?
Generally, the Hi-Fi range with its lower energy values, are ideal for alpacas that maintain their weight with ease. For alpacas with increased energy requirements such as those that are kept for breeding, Alfa-A Original or Alfa-A Lite may be more appropriate. Alfalfa Pellets are also suitable for alpacas and are particularly convenient for feeding outside.
How long does it take for an alpaca to breed?
Breeding Alpacas. The gestation period for alpacas is around 350 days and is divided into three trimesters. During the first two trimesters the female alpaca can be fed on maintenance rations and no additional energy should be required. However, she is likely to need a balanced diet of essential vitamins and minerals.
What to feed alpacas in winter?
What To Feed Alpacas In The Winter When Grazing Is Limited. In the wintertime when grazing is limited, you’ll need to increase the amount of hay you are feeding. Sometimes hay can be in short supply too. This is when soaked beet pulp is especially valuable as a source of fiber.
What do alpacas eat?
The typical alpaca weighs about 125 pounds and eats about three pounds of grass, hay, vegetation and feed daily.
Why Do Alpacas Need So Little Feed?
Like full ruminants, they do chew a cud and produce rumen. This allows them to process small amounts of food very efficiently to get the most nourishment from every bite.
What plants do alpacas not graze?
High lead content in the environment can come from some plants such as dandelions and clover, so be sure that these plants do not make up a large part of your alpaca’s grazing. It’s also a good idea to have your soil tested to make sure that it does not have high lead content.
What is on the top of an alpaca's teeth?
On the top is a dental pad or hard gum. The lower front teeth grow continuously and need to be worn down through grazing. Alpacas use these lower front teeth and the gum pad to shear off food and then swallow it whole.
Can you feed an alpaca sweet food?
Never feed an alpaca sweet feed. In addition to toxic foods, be aware that you must make certain that there are no little bits and bobs such as staples, screws, nails and other loose odds and ends lying around for your alpaca to nibble on and swallow.
Can alpacas eat mineral salts?
Mineral salts, mineral blocks and high mineral mixes provide too much copper for alpacas. This is why it’s important to only use feed mixes that are especially prepared for alpacas and llamas. Always check with your veterinarian before adding any mineral supplement to an alpaca diet.
How to care for an alpaca?
Daily nutritional care includes: 1 Fresh water in all buckets 2X daily 2 On extremely hot and cold days, electrolytes are added as an option. Fresh water is always available. 3 1-2 cups of crumble to all 2X daily 4 Late term pregnant girls get 20% cracked corn or crimped oats plus a bit more crumble mixture. 5 Hay should be tested to determine its nutrients. Remember, an alpaca’s health is influenced by it environment and nutrition. 6 Good forage promotes good health. Check your pastures regularly. Your local Extension Office can help you in this area.
What grasses are good for alpacas?
It is a palatable grass for alpacas and nicely balanced in nutrients. Other grasses such as Brome, Bermuda Bluegrass, and Alfalfa work well with alpacas however, quantities must be observed and monitored! Always, always have your hay and pastures tested. Protein levels will vary with in the seasons.
How many crias do alpacas have?
The female alpaca has only one cria per year. Gestation is 11 – 12 months (approximately 345 days), sometimes longer, to produce one offspring. The alpaca neonate is called a cria. Dams deliver their crias usually in a standing position during early daylight hours. Alpacas are “induced ovulators.” This means that owners can breed at anytime of the year and do not have to wait for an animal to go into “season” or monitor the estrus cycle to successfully breed. If you expose a mature female to a male and she is not already pregnant, she will usually ovulate within days. If she is already pregnant, she will refuse to breed with the male and “spit him off.”
How much insurance do alpacas need?
Average insurance rates are 3.25% of the value of the animal, or $325 for every $10,000 of insurance.
How do alpacas communicate?
They communicate by expressive humming, a tonal language quickly understood by their owners. Body language, such as neck posturing, ear and tail positioning, and head tilt also have meaning.
How to measure alpaca body mass?
Weigh each alpaca periodically. The use a livestock scale is recommended, but you can also “body score” your alpaca by placing your hand on its back. This is a quick and easy method to determine your alpaca’s body mass.
What is a forage n alpaca?
Forage and Grain#N#Alpacas are modified ruminants with three-chambered stomachs. This allows them to very efficiently convert food into energy and so they require much less food than most livestock. They need only 1 ½ % to 2% of their body weight in good quality hay daily and a constant availability to fresh cool water. Supplemental feeds, vitamins, and minerals are also provided to maintain good health. Even with these additions, alpacas cost far less to feed than most traditional domestic animals.
