Is Raising Alpacas Profitable?

Much has changed and it is relatively affordable to obtain quality fiber animals. The identification as fiber animals is notable since many show animals are still going to cost you a very pretty penny. As more alpacas were bred by first-time owners, many mistakes were made and the quality of the animal gene pool was affected. This creates the next challenge. If you don’t want to go broke trying, I suggest that you buy the best and healthiest alpacas that you can afford and avoid the money pit by learning to care for your herd yourself. I personally know breeders who spend fortunes on vet bills. Most care can and should be provided by us, the shepherds. ( yes, we are shepherds even if we have no sheep).

I am a fiber artist and make the most money by producing quality products from the fleeces that we harvest from our herd. I have sold alpacas that were bred on our farm, but I do that only when my numbers need to be adjusted or when we want to introduce new genes or colors.

The trick is to find something that you love to do. For some it is knitting, but I found that too labor-intensive to consider ever getting a return on my efforts. Instead, I keep knitting as a personal hobby and count myself fortunate to have a large supply of yarn to play with.

Spinning can be profitable if you are fast and can produce quality yarn. Art yarns can fetch a rather outstanding price and you can create a niche that is your signature. I spin at a moderate pace and find that my yarns are best used in woven projects. The weaving is easy and enjoyable for me and it increases the value of the yarn as a finished product. Instead of selling 3 skeins of yarn for $45, I can sell a shawl for double that with no more cost to me, except the time.

I used to wash and card and process my fleece for spinning but found it was well worth the investment to have a mill process it to roving. The time it saves is well worth the cost.

Fiber can be sold raw, but that is the least effective way to make money, in fact, I know people who have years worth of bags filling up stables and garages because they are waiting to sell their stash. It doesn’t move very well, in my opinion.

If you have knack for teaching, you can have a traveling pair that go to schools and nursing homes for a fee. People who wouldn’t normally have access to alpacas are eager to have you bring a pair to visit. The same is true for birthday parties, scouts, and of course, weddings. Be prepared to work with the alpacas to get them to follow simple commands and be led safely on a halter. Care should be taken that this doesn’t upset the set. I had a pair of PR animals that loved farm days at our shop. They were happy to get in the trailer and were very sociable and gentle.

Those are just a handful of ways to make money with alpacas, but you must calculate the cost of keeping them. Shelter and food, immunizations, and shearing are just some of the expected costs. Injuries and illnesses are some unexpected costs that you should be prepared for.

Is raising alpacas profitable? I will let you come to your own conclusion. I count the joy they bring as a valuable asset and they must pay for themselves. The reality is you will be the greatest factor in your money-making venture. If you are creative and determined, you can find a very nice work/life with a herd.

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Ellie