What is a Suri Alpaca?
Suri alpacas are distinguished in the camelid family by their unique fiber characters. The fiber grows parallel to the body while hanging in long, separate, distinctive locks. Its artistic style enhances the graceful appearance of the animal compared to the soft, wooly look of huacaya alpacas.
Suri fiber locks, made up of high-luster fibers, drape down the sides of the body in a twisted or flat form of various size. Suri fiber has a slick hand and softness with an exquisite luster. Suri fiber is in demand and consistently brings a premium price in the fiber market. Suri alpacas emanate extraordinary vigor, intelligence, ease of breeding, and adaptability to hot and cold climates. These attributes rank high on the list of many reasons for treasuring Suri alpacas.
Alpacas are from the camelid family, closely related to llamas. They are known for their easygoing nature and valuable fleece. Coming in 16 natural colors, their fleece is sought after for clothing. It is softer, warmer, and stronger than wool.
Since ancient times, the South American Andes Mountains have been the ancestral home to the prized alpaca. Their fleece was cherished by members of the Incan civilization (referred to as "The Fiber of the Gods"), and their graceful herds of alpaca roamed the lush foothills and mountainous pastures. In the 17th century, Spanish conquistadors killed a large part of both the Incan and alpaca populations, forcing the retreating survivors to seek refuge in the high mountain plains known as the Altiplano. The high altitude and harsh landscape ensured only the hardiest of these creatures survived, and these ancestors of today's best bloodlines have provided a gene pool producing hardy, agile animals with dense, high quality fiber. In 1984, a small group of importers brought the first of a carefully selected herd of highest quality alpacas into the United States and Canada, and they immediately became a beloved part of the North American landscape.
Peru, Bolivia, and Chile are still home to the largest percentage of alpacas in the world, and alpaca breeders in the United States have learned much from their southern neighbors. Alpacas are a member of the camelid family, which also includes dromedary and Bactrian camels, llamas, vicunas, and guanacos. They are a modified ruminant and chew their cud similar to a cow, although they have three stomachs rather than the true ruminant, which has four. Alpacas selectively graze, eating pasture grasses and hay, a fact that makes feeding alpacas relatively inexpensive. A daily mineral supplement rounds out their diet.
They are shorn once a year to keep cool throughout the summer months, and to harvest their fleece. One alpaca can yield up to 10 pounds of fleece! Because they are induced ovulators, alpacas can be bred anytime of the year. It takes about 11 ½ months for the baby alpaca, called a cria, to be born.
Alpaca were domesticated by the Incan people of the Andes Mountains in Peru, thousands of years ago. They were first imported to the United States in 1984. They are earth-friendly, with soft, padded feet that are delicate on the terrain. Their three stomachs provide for efficient digestion- less to clean up!
Alpacas are safe, friendly animals. Children and adults of all ages can feel comfortable around alpacas. They do not bite and are small and easy to handle, and easily trained!
Alpaca Facts
Suri's do great in the winter months!
LIFESPAN 15-25 years
AVERAGE HEIGHT 36" at the withers
AVERAGE WEIGHT 100 to 175 pounds
AVERAGE GESTATION 335 days (11 ½ months)
BIRTH Birth weight is usually around 15 to 19 pounds. Babies can often stand and nurse within 30 minutes to one hour. They only have one cria a year, twins are rare.
BREEDING AGE Female alpacas are able to breed at 14-18 months of age. Males are able to breed around 2 years of age.
COLOR Alpacas usually come in many colors (16) with many variations and blends.
COMMUNICATION Alpacas are very social animals and communicate to each other with humming noises, body and head movements.
FACILITIES 5-10 Alpacas can graze 1 acre of grass. They require fencing and shelter (either a barn or 3 sided shelter).