Huggable investment
Evelyn and Rick Derksen bought a pair of alpacas for $30,000 in 1990.
They consider the purchase the best investment they’ve ever made.
“Our only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner,” says Evelyn, who now tends 12 alpacas on their 40 acres south of Saskatoon.
Alpacas, native to South America and domesticated from wild vicunas at least 5,000 years ago, were introduced to the United States in 1984.
They quickly spread into Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The latter two countries are now the international leaders in fibre export, and in research and education into the health and productivity of their herds.
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Alpacas have abundant, highly prized fibre, rivaling cashmere in lustre and softness. With the exception of mohair, alpacas produce the strongest animal fibre in the world and, because the animals traditionally have been raised in the harsh environment of Peru, the fibre has a high-thermal capacity. It contains microscopic air pockets, which create lightweight warm garments.
Because alpacas do not produce lanolin, the fibre doesn’t have to be processed before it’s spun, says Evelyn.
Alpaca fibre is available in 22 distinct colors in two textures. The Huacaya alpaca produce dense fibre that grows straight out from the body and has a crimp while the Suri alpaca has fine straight fibre.
The Derksens were looking for a form of livestock that Evelyn could manage on their small acreage. She also wanted animals that she didn’t have to slaughter.
Alpacas, which live 15 to 25 years, require a fence to keep predators out and a three-sided enclosure for shelter.
Because alpaca travel without stress, they are comfortable in a mini-van, station wagon or horse trailer.
A ruminant, the alpaca survives well on hay or pasture grass with a balanced mineral content. Five to 10 alpacas can be stocked on an acre, and need to be sheared once a year.
The Derksens are still buying and selling breeding stock, sometimes from as far away as Australia, but Evelyn hopes to keep their herd around its present size.
They sell fibre to local spinners and to Rocky Mountain Exotic Fibre in Alberta, a fibre mill approved by the national Alpaca Breeders Association.
Most of the fibre is spun and then knit into sweaters by Rick’s mother. They sell for $200 to $300.
Stewart Adam, a Saskatchewan Agriculture livestock development agrologist in Prince Albert, says alpaca are well suited to the Prairies because they thrive on native grasses and need no special facilities.
However, he urges would-be buyers to be cautious.
The alpaca industry is still expanding, so prices are high. As stock and fibre become more plentiful, prices will drop, something potential producers must build into their calculations.
Saskatchewan Agriculture
