Interesting facts about alpacas?

We enjoy discussing all things alpacas. Here are some fascinating facts about these lovely creatures.

• There are no wild alpacas – the alpaca is the domesticated version of the vicuña.

• Alpacas live at high altitudes in the South American Andes.

• Like cows and sheep, alpacas are ruminants.

• Alpacas have soft pads on their feet, which do not churn up the ground like the hard hooves of cows or horses.

• Alpacas are related to llamas, which are domesticated versions of the guanaco.

• Llamas are commonly utilized as pack animals, while alpacas are primarily raised for their wool.

• Vicuñas are descended from camel-like animals that evolved in North America then moved south roughly 3 million years ago.

• Around 6,000 years ago, the Andean people started to domesticate alpacas.

• There are two kinds of alpaca: the Huacaya and the Suri.

• Suri has very long-fibered fleeces, and Huacaya has a shorter crimped fleece. 

• Alpacas are the smallest members of the camel family.

• Alpacas, native to the Andes, are happy living at altitudes up to 4,800 meters.

• Alpacas all over the world thrive on ordinary farmland.

• 99% of the world’s alpacas still live in South America.

• Alpacas are highly sociable, gentle, and curious creatures. 

• Alpacas make really wonderful pets and can be trained fairly easily. 

• Alpacas are herd animals and don’t like to be alone. When their own kind aren’t around, they like to live with llamas, goats, and sheep but always want/need the company of their own kind. 

• Llamas and alpacas can breed, and their babies are called huarizo.

• Alpaca wool (fleece) is incredibly soft and does not retain water. In fact, it’s the second strongest animal fibre after mohair.

• If an alpaca is feeling distressed or threatened, it may spit at its fellow animal. 

• Alpacas are generally gentle animals and do not spit at or bite humans unless they are provoked or mistreated.

• What is sour face?" When an alpaca spits, it results in a condition called "sour mouth". Sour mouth is identified by a loose lower lip and a wide open mouth. This occurs due to the stomach acids and unpleasant taste of the contents as they are expelled from the mouth. More importantly, it helps to settle disputes within the herd rather quickly. 

• Alpacas make a gentle mmmmmm humming noise when happy or when they are rearing their cria. 

• They emit a high-pitched sound when there is danger and stand on guard.

• The members of an alpaca herd will all use the same communal dung pile, rather than defecating randomly. This helps to prevent the spread of diseases.

• It's amusing to see female alpacas waiting in line for the communal dung pile as they prefer to defecate together.

• Sun worshippers. Alpacas enjoy sunbathing by lying down on their sides and stretching out in the sun. It can be alarming to see them this way if you don't know what they're doing, as they may appear to have dropped dead.

• When sun-worshipping, they are getting their natural Vitamin D intake.

• Alpacas breed once a year naturally and give birth to just one baby.

• The gestation period for alpacas is 11.5 months but may vary from 11 to 12 months.

• A baby alpaca is called a cria.

• Crias weigh about 6-9 kg when born.

• In the high desert regions of South America, temperatures can get very cold during the night. To ensure the safety and well-being of their babies, mothers tend to give birth in the morning. This allows the newborns to have the entire day to dry off, start moving around, and nurse from their mother before the temperatures start to drop again.

• Females can reproduce when they are fully grown, usually around 2 years old.

• Males mature a bit more slowly, ready to mate at around two to three years old.

• Alpacas can live as long as 20 years.

• Thankfully, alpacas are not an endangered species.

• Alpacas come in 22 colours, from a deep blue-black through browns and tans to white.

• Some Andean people eat alpaca meat (We don't!).

• In Peru, alpaca meat is a luxury food.

• Alpacas don’t have teeth in the top-front of their mouths, so they sometimes can look a bit goofy.

• Alpacas must be shorn once a year in spring before the hot summer weather begins.

• You would require a PIC number to purchase alpacas for your farmland or acreage in Australia.

Join our alpaca workshop for a unique introduction to alpaca management. Perfect for small farm owners, get a starter guide to help you determine if alpacas are a good fit for your farm.

Daniela Riccio, owner, Little Valley Farm.

Established in 2012 in the Hunter Valley.

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Tips for keeping your alpaca cool

Spring can get quite hot, and your alpacas may feel the heat too. But worry not, as there are ways to keep their water cool throughout the day and night.

Most importantly, make sure you have booked your shearer well in advance of hot Summer weather, but whilst you are waiting for your shearing day, do this….

Other options include sprinklers, hosing down their legs and having two or three extra water troughs that they can cool down or splash themselves besides ice cubes.

It is crucial to keep your alpacas cool during warm weather. The best way to do this is to shear them early in spring, depending on where you live. For us, spring is the best time. Therefore, it is essential to have your shearer's contact information at hand and book their services well in advance.

Follow Daniela from Little Valley Farm for some useful tips and tricks on alpaca farming in the Hunter Valley.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, or follow her for more updates, or even join Daniela on the farm for their monthly Sunday workshops.

PIC number - do you have one?

When buying any livestock, please ensure you have a PIC # for your property. What is a PIC #?

A Property Identification Code (PIC) is required for all farms, including hobby farms.

A PIC is an eight-character code allocated by the state department of agriculture (or an equivalent authority in each state or territory) to identify a livestock-producing property. The PIC forms the basis of Australia’s food safety and traceability programs and is used in cases of disease outbreaks, bushfires and animal emergencies.

Individuals must, under law, have a PIC if they own or keep one or more cows, sheep, goats, pigs,  deer, alpacas, llamas, horses, ponies, donkeys, or more than 100 poultry (i.e. domesticated fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons, quail or pheasants) or ten emus or ostriches.

In NSW, all livestock owners and occupiers of land carrying livestock must have a PIC, regardless of whether the livestock is moved. This is a requirement under the Biosecurity (NLIS) Regulation 2017 and Biosecurity Act 2015. 

When purchasing livestock, dealing with a reputable breeder who is transparent in their information is crucial. A top-notch breeder will ask for your PIC # before the livestock sale transaction and provide theirs. By engaging with a trustworthy breeder, you can avoid livestock scams and confidently make informed purchase decisions.

Contact your Local Land Service to obtain your PIC today.   Click here on how to apply.

Watch the Local Land Service video on PIC’s here.

When purchasing an alpaca from Little Valley Farm, please ensure your PIC code is ready and can be easily obtained from your Local Land Services. Refer to the link above to obtain yours. We will include your PIC number on our invoice for traceability.

The image above is courtesy of Cheryl Warning. Autumn 2017 at Little Valley Farm.

Poisonous Plants for Alpacas

Compared to other animals, alpacas have smaller livers, making them more susceptible to liver damage and poisoning if exposed to toxic plants for prolonged periods.

Alpacas seldom suffer from acute poisoning caused by the consumption of toxic plants. As grazers, they tend to steer clear of poisonous vegetation when alternative feed is available. However, it's crucial to control the growth of harmful weeds in paddocks. Additionally, many ornamental plants are toxic, so it's best to prevent alpacas from grazing in garden areas where these species may be present.

Various types of plants, including exotic trees, shrubs, and pasture species, can contain toxins. However, most of these plants have bitter alkaloids that make them less appealing to consume. Feeding mouldy hay or drinking water that supports algal blooms can also lead to poisoning.

The toxicity level of plants can change depending on the season and the stage of their growth.

• Wilting in dry conditions and rapid growth after rain can increase the toxicity of some plants.

• Applying fertiliser to promote lush growth may increase toxicity.

• Some plants may only be toxic when growing in particular soil types.

• Stressful growth conditions, such as drought or insect attack may cause toxins to concentrate in a

plant.

• Plant parts can vary in their relative toxicity.

• Herbicide treatments can increase the palatability of plants.

• When livestock are hungry, they may gorge themselves on things they would not normally

eat. Therefore, do not introduce hungry livestock to areas where toxic plants are known to be growing.

• Livestock grazing in an area for extended periods may become accustomed to eating small amounts of toxic plant material. New mobs introduced to the same area will not have the same tolerance.

Poisonous plants can vary in toxicity according to parts of the plant and stages of plant growth. Typical indicators of plant poisoning can include:

• loss of appetite

• abdominal pain (alpacas will sit on one hip with a leg extended and roll). They may not be able to stand.

• restlessness

• diarrhoea

If you think your alpaca has been poisoned, it's important to bring samples of the plants they may have ingested to the veterinarian for identification. This will help in getting the appropriate treatment for your alpaca. 

Other Things to Do 

• Besides calling your vet.

• Move your alpaca to a secure small pen with a companion. Have drinking water and hay available.

• Take the temperature of your alpaca and record it and the time. Just use a standard chemist rectum thermometer. Check and record several times throughout the day or night.

• Pick and bag suspected plants as well as faecal sample of the animal.

• Check eyelids and gums to see if they are pink or turning white. Record and or take a photo as it will help record the time.

• Take a video of your alpaca, which can be handy when explaining to your breeder or vet. 

  Plants that are toxic/poisonous to alpacas.

  As a general guideline, it's essential to be aware that certain flowers, flower buds, seeds, and berries may be toxic. We take great care to maintain our paddocks and regularly inspect and remove any fireweed. Although plants like bracken fern and Privett are located on the other side of the fence in the bush, they may encroach on the paddock if left unchecked. As responsible animal caretakers, we make it a point to mow our paddocks to keep them well-maintained regularly. Our alpaca herd undergoes a weekly paddock rotation as well. Additionally, we incorporate cross-grazing with our donkeys, which also benefits. We also leave a large bucket of hay and or chaff so alpacas can help themself, especially during the Wintertime when the grass is not so great.

If you're interested in learning more about alpacas and are new to the subject, we invite you to attend our upcoming weekend workshop. Daniela

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Alpaca Workshops in the Hunter Valley

We would like to invite you to the upcoming alpaca workshop at Little Valley Farm. The spots for this event are limited, so be sure to book your reservation online before June 18th, 2023 to secure your place. During the workshop, we will introduce you to the majestic creatures from Laguna, and the event will begin promptly at 10:30am. This is an experience that you won't want to miss!

Meet Summertime Opal by Suki and Sire Richmond, Huacaya Alpaca

“Feeling intimidated by farm life? No need to worry! This starter guide gives you the courage and foundation needed for a successful farming adventure. Get ready - your journey begins here!”

— Daniela

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Learn about the different alpaca breeds.

The Suri breed, which is rarer of the two breeds, has long dreadlocked fleece that hangs from their body like tassels. Their fleece is vibrant in lustre and has a silky soft feel. This fleece is primarily used to make fine and luxurious cloth for high-end fashion garments.

Huacaya is the most common of the two breeds making up 90% of the world's population; the fleece is similar to that of Marino sheep and grows out from the body with crimp; it is bright and shiny but has no lanolin. The fleece is used in the production of knitted garments like jumpers and scarves and in the manufacture of luxury carpets, and seat covers through to duvets, doonas and pillows.

Llamas

We do not keep llamas. However, it is worth noting the difference between llamas and alpacas. The primary difference is their size. Alpacas are smaller, measuring around 90 cm at the shoulder and weighing between 55 and 65 kg. On the other hand, llamas are larger, standing at about 120 cm at the shoulder and weighing approximately 113 kg or more.

What do we do with all our alpaca fleece?

At Little Valley Farm, we hand-spin wool into yarn balls and send some of it to the fibre mill for skein processing. We also use the fleece to make our own cushions, and some of our clients use it for their soft toy making. We also make our own duvets, which you can find online. See them online here.

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Little Valley Farm is a unique alpaca farm located in the Hunter Valley. We take great pride in providing hands-on training to our friendly and adorable alpacas, and their care is our top priority. Our daily routine involves spending quality time with them, hand-feeding them, and frequently relocating them to new paddocks to ensure they have access to the freshest grass possible, which is essential for their overall health.

We want to invite you to join us at our next monthly alpaca workshop, where we will cover all aspects of alpaca health and welfare. You will learn how to enjoy and get the most out of living with these wonderful animals. We look forward to seeing you there! Any questions, drop me an email via the contact page. Thank you, Daniela

Thinking of Getting Alpacas? Attend our Unique Alpaca Workshop!

Alpacas are unique, intriguing animals that require special management. If you're considering adding alpacas to your farm, join us for our one-of-a-kind workshop. You'll gain valuable insights into whether or not alpacas are the right fit for your farm. Our workshop is perfect for people living on small farms or acreages.

What to Expect at the Workshop

At our workshop, you'll learn about alpacas and what it takes to care for them. We'll cover topics such as shelter, nutrition, breeding, fibre production, and more. You'll also get to meet some of our alpacas and see how they interact with us. Not only is this a great introduction to alpacas, but it's also a lot of fun!

Workshop Pricing Information

Adults: $159 includes our alpaca manual for you to take home.

Children $39 includes a special alpaca gift pack.

The price includes refreshments.

Dates available

Sunday 16th October and Sunday 13th November 2022 at 10:30 am.

Register early to reserve your spot as we are the longest-running workshop with attendees from all over NSW.

So, if you're considering getting alpacas, we encourage you to attend our workshop. It's a great way to learn about these amazing animals and find out if they're the right fit for your farm.

We hope to see you there!

Euan and Daniela

Photo of our adorable Oberon at last months workshop. Sweet as a button and gentle like a butterfly. I am sure she will come up to you at the next workshop.

Slow Fashion : Alpaca Fashion

At Little Valley Farm we are very excited about the changes to the Australian Alpaca Industry. 

The Italian fleece buyers have been around for many years buying Australian fleece, now China is on a growth path as they are starting to appreciate the quality of our Australian fleece and genetics.  We can thank the Australian Alpaca Association for helping with this growth.

Over the years, there has been an increase in family run mills across Australia.  We have used a small mill to clean our fleece and make our own alpaca yarn knitting balls. We also work with a local artisan in the Wollombi Valley to hand spin our yarn.  You can see our products for sale online here.

We have made pillows, cushions, bed throws, a scarf, a beanie and a super warm and heavy winter quilt for us to use. Its heavenly! 

We will send our next batch to the clever people at Adagio Mills who are based in Orange.  Our shearing day is booked for 13th October 2018.  

We recently purchased two top fleece girls and one super stud to change our genetic and fleece structure at Little Valley Farm. With the new fleece, we will start to produce 'slow-fashion' which is 'sustainable fashion' made by family owned businesses in Australia. 

This kickstarter campaign from Adagio Mills will help take this industry to the next stage. We are in! Are you?  If you would you to help kickstart Adagio Mills then click here. 

Nadine Hulme is raising funds for Adagio made - sustainable slow fashion - knitted clothing on Kickstarter! Natural, sustainable, timeless and luxurious knitted clothing. Fibre to garments, all in one place. Welcome to Slow Fashion.

Spinning 2018 fleece collection

At Little Valley farm we are getting ready for Alpaca shearing day so looking at what colours we should spin together. Should I keep our yarn knitting balls one colour or add colours to our fawn yarn ball. Here is a sample we spun which is 100% Alpaca fleece in fawn with black. Do you like? Hmmm should I do both or stick to one colour?

#littlevalleyfarm #alpaca #alpacas #australianalpacas #instaalpaca #knitting #alpacafleece #lagunaNSW #visitwollombi #touristdrive33 #myopenkitchen #myopenkitchenstories

Shearing day is 13th October, 2018 at Little Valley Farm, we will be shearing 14 alpaca's in white, fawn and one chocolate brown alpaca. We can't wait.  If you would like to help out and get some hands-on alpaca experience please contact us. 

We also have the train and shepherd's hut accommodation available for that week. 

Alpaca cuddle anyone?

Say hello to Majestic and Suki Oberon. They are the sweetest alpacas you will meet and they will come up to you to eat out of your hand. Their fleece is outstanding with lovely crimp and we look forward to shearing them in October and then spinning their fleece.  Its glorious!  

Both girls are pregnant and due early 2019 so we will have three different blood lines at Little Valley Farm. 

Book your farm stay with us at Little Valley Farm.  Couple farm stay for 4 adults so book online before Spring 2018 books out. Alpaca cuddles are free.  

www.littlevalleyfarm.com.au

Photo taken by Daniela 31st July 2018. You can see how dry the grass is here. We are so looking forward to some rain.  We have only received 2 mls for July. 

Drought2018

Its just on six months since we did the ABC Newcastle drought interview.  It was a stinking-hot summer and I looked like I had enough.  I had never felt so un-glamourous in my life! 

But now looking back to February 2018 after my interview, we luckily did receive some rain but definitely not enough and definitely not constant rain.  We are lucky, as we are a small farm but we all have livestock and produce to grow so it all affects us - whether you live on a farm or in the city, the produce quality will decline and our grocery costs will slowly increase, I won't even mentioned the hay costs for us! 

So I think its time to do another interview as after our ABC interview it rained two weeks later and we received some good rain with 104mls for that month but sadly not enough. March onwards it reduced down to 69mls and April was 26mls, May 15mls, June 72mls and July only 3mls.  So maybe if I do another un-glam interview I will make it rain! 

We finally managed to sell our mini-cattle only two weeks ago and buying hay was getting harder and also feeding the 15+ alpaca's who are all pregnant so that will expand quickly up to 25+ alpacas, which means a lot of lucern hay for my babies next season. 

Hope you have all seen the images of the Upper Hunter drought and how worse it is across NSW and QLD.  The good team at Buy a Hay Bale have been working non-stop delivering goods to large farmers who need help.  You can make a small donation to them here. 

Photo taken June 2018 its all very crunchy under foot. The alpaca having brekkie on lucern hay and they love it. 

Click here to read the February 2018 ABC Interview. 

Bernie versus Beanie

Jack Frost is back and my 100% handmade Alpaca beanie now back on my head. It’s cold here but now my noggin Is toasty and warm. Bernie the sheep is wondering why I am wearing Alpaca..... Bernie mate, it’s a lot warmer than sheep and does not smell of lanolin like you, Matie!

This fleece was shorn from Allessandro back in 2016. Allessandro is light fawn alpaca with a chocolate kiss on his neck. He is a sweet little thing and our first born.  We love working with the alpaca fleece as its so clean, warm and easy to use without that lanolin smell and oily feel that sheep's wool has. 

You can always purchase fleece from Little Valley Farm either raw, spun or milled. Click on our website for online sales or simply send us an email. 

Alpaca Health Winter 2018

Most farms would have enjoyed an extended period, where drenching has been unnecessary, due to dry conditions.

It would be advisable to faecal test, following rain or for those that primarily drench when they consider it necessary, to consider drenching now that the ground is moist.

Most areas have enjoyed some rain lately, drenching for Barbers Pole after a few wet days following an extended dry period may save a stressful and urgent situation, that comes with Barbers Pole burden.

Fluke is hard to diagnose and requires a specific drench, if animals are in very wet paddocks or paddocks that may be affected by swollen creeks or flowing water, then you need to keep this parasite on the radar.

Tape worm can also be an issue following extended dry conditions, in drought there is an increase in wildlife sharing our paddocks looking for food and water, they are renown for bring tape worm with them, please keep this in mind. Keeping a check on dung piles, for tape segments, is the undisputed evidence of tape presence, please check drenches are adequate to treat the parasite you are targeting..

Thank you to Deb Trostian, Animal Health and Welfare.  AAA NSW Region of the Australian Alpaca Association.   Click here to find out more about the AAA. 

Photo courtesy by Cheryl Warning. Autumn 2017 at Little Valley Farm

Meet Neve-Maria - a very special little alpaca

Meet our one year old, Neve now called Neve-Maria for a really good reason.  Her mother is feisty Bianca and the crankiest one of the lot but she is my favourite as she keeps everyone in-check!  Bianca is my second eldest alpaca and has given us the most wonderful and full-of-personality alpacas over the years.

Usually we have several cria's born at the same time but our mating schedule did not go accordingly to plan so Neve was solely brought up by her serious and stern mother.  We do find it so much better to have several cria's born around the same time, so they can buddy-up and get up to mischief together. 

The interesting thing about Neve is that she is a very shy, quite and non-pushy alpaca - nothing like her mother!  She has never pushed in or spat at feeding time and always kept to herself - a gentle little soul. 

On the saddest day of my life, when we received news a family member has passed, I was down at the feed shed and visibly upset. This little alpaca, Neve, walked straight up to me and put her face in my face.  She then allowed me to hug her. Alpacas are generally not affectionate creatures but are definitely inquisitive creatures and Neve was one never to be touched, so this was really quite out of character for Neve. 

Anyways, after this day, whenever she see's me, she comes up to me and kisses me, sometimes she will cush (sit down) in the paddock and hang out with us mere mortals. 

Here is one of my fav photos taken by guests, @arlie4cake of @mellybic hanging out with Neve.  Looks like it should be a famous alpaca sweater commercial.  

So if you have the chance to stay at the farm, you may also be able to take a photo or three of Neve-Maria my little angel. 

This post is lovingly dedicated to Maria-Adele, Naples, Italy, 2018. Bacci!

Photo by @arlie4cake featuring @Mellybic and Neve-Maria, the alpaca. 

Small Business Rebate 2018

Last year we applied for the Small Business Rebate for our alpaca farm.  It helped us set up some safety guide lines and have on-stock some PPE (Protective personal equipment), which we should have had from day one. 

Anyways, the rebate had us thinking about the alpaca pens set-up especially at shearing time when there are over 20+ alpacas lined up to be sheared, can be slightly chaotic especially for the couple of alpacas that are slightly nervous and flighty and the 5-6 people that are on-deck helping us out. 

We created five pens to sort and shuffle the alpacas in and out of the shearing bay. The rebate, had us thinking about the safety elements including gates and pens. 

I know its only a $500 rebate but it certainly helped out in the cost of the pens and gates.  

If you have an ABN you can apply for the $500 rebate back to small business owners who buy and install eligible safety items to address a safety problem in their workplace.

You can find out more on how to what to do to apply for Safe work NSW. Click here. 

A day on the alpaca farm

Well, we welcomed Sir Richmond in our earlier blog post, (view here). And here he is in action! 

The other alpaca's are in a seperate paddock whilst one wether intriguingly watches over and one cria thought it would be fun to join in.  Luckily for us, our gentle stud, does not mind the interference.  He is way to focused "singing" to this maiden. 

As alpacas are induced ovulators they are stimulated to ovulate by the act of mating. The male sings (orgles) to the female during the act of mating and it is believed that this also encourages ovulation. A female ready to accept a male will “cush” (sit down) and allows the male to mount her. One who is pregnant will run from him and spit at him. This is called “spitting off” and is a useful tool in determining whether a female has previously ovulated, or is pregnant.  Otherwise stick to the tried and tested method of ultra sound and/or blood test to determine pregnancy.  And very importantly, record all mating dates as 11.5 months later, you wont be able to recall anything! 

Turn on your sound to hear the famous male alpaca “orgles” love song.

Find out more about Little Valley Farm alpaca's here and when we have them available for sale as pets. 

Welcome Sir Richmond

Well, I wanted to introduce Sir Richmond to you all but Richmond had other things on his mind. So in all his glory.....  Welcome Sir Richmond, our working stud!   He was brought onto the farm and did not disappoint.  Straight to the job and no mucking around with this fella. 

Maiden Merribelle was the first female to greet him and sit down for him very quickly. Too quickly, I thought, but our maiden lady, had been waiting way to long. 

I was once told by a breeder many years ago, that alpaca's like to be pregnant.  Gosh, I thought, that's weird right? Well after nearly five years of breeding alpaca's at Little Valley Farm, I can see, they do like to be pregnant.  The girls temperament changes once they are pregnant and I usually notice the change a couple of months in.  

The breeding girls are usually serious and too busy raising their cria or working out how to steal as much hay as possible from each other.  Well, the herd of wethers we have, are just too entertaining. The wethers are usually rolling about the grass, leg wresting each other or just trying to get involved in the courtship process! (That's another video for later!).   Wethers are fun and entertaining so we usually have a small herd of them, one for protecting our girls and two, because they are just great farm-tv. 

Keep an eye on our page for when we have wethers, cria's and pregnant girls coming up for sale. Our herd is growing ever so quickly and our fleece and genetic's are improving every year. 

They are lovely natured alpaca's and some love a cuddle but mostly they love the bucket of feed.

Click here to see our current Little Valley Farm livestock sales. 

Why we have an alpaca farm? →

We think the video says it all!  Daniela hanging out with Neve-Maria. We breed friendly, healthy and gorgeous huacaya alpaca's.  

We are the only huacaya alpaca breeder in Wollombi Valley.  Contact us for alpaca's as pets and we also have milled and raw fleece available for sale.  

Little Valley Farm : Alpaca Farm : Wollombi Valley

Alpaca Grooming Day

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the next Grooming Day. You will be taught how to handle, hold and cut alpacas toe nails. We do this every three months and if it has rained, its even better as their toenails are lovely and soft to cut, making the whole process nice and swift. It’s also the day to check their fleece, teeth, eyes and give them a cuddle or two. 

Daniela with Bianca, Sophia and Zoey taking a casual walk around the paddocks. 

Fun fact: Alpacas come in two types: Suri and the huacaya . The huacaya has a wooly, dense, crimped fleece — like a teddy bear, giving it a very wooly appearance.  The suri's are long, shiny and dreadlocked looking.  At Little Valley Farm, we specialise in the huacaya.  (Pronounced wah-KI-ya).

Photo courtesy of Jim Merchant

Meet Sophia and Loren

Our beautiful girl, Sophia arrived at Little Valley Farm about over four years ago.  She was so pretty with her glamorous fluffy ears and long skinny legs. She was glam but over the years, she become goofy and oh so playful. She went from Sophia Loren to Lucille Ball! 

She was soo goofy in fact, we wondered what she would be like as a mother.  Well, our girl did not disappointed.  She produced a lovely little fella named Loren and then a second male, one year later. She is now feeding and caring for her new cria and loves being a mum. I do have to say, these animals are wonderful with their young and all day and night long you hear mum calling for her bub when they wonder to far. Its just simply lovely having little cria about. I think Sophia, would agree with me. 

Here is Sophia and her bub. 

Lilly and her bub born around the same time. So we have double trouble pronking about the farm. 

Contact Little Valley Farm for alpaca sales from wethers, females with cria-at-foot and pregnant females.  Training days on how to care and maintain alpaca's can be arranged. Simply email us your requiremnets and we will send you a quote.