Like a lot of people, we’ve wanted to escape the city and bringing our kids up on a tiny farm in the countryside. But what kind of livestock could we build our lives around? We considered horses, and even thought about cows. However, when we first met the alpaca’s magical qualities and their incredible fleece, we realized they were the ideal family animal.
Alpacas are peaceful, beautiful and intelligent creatures. They communicate using a soothing sound and their fleeces is just as luxurious as cashmere.
Why are Alpacas the perfect livestock for families when compared to livestock that is conventional?
They are child-safe (and safe for adults too).
As with other livestock, alpacas possess foot pads (like dogs do) which means their kicks aren’t so destructive as horses. They are also smaller lighter, less bulky, and more easy to manage. Since they’re prey species, the alpacas tend to be more than docile and generally don’t engage in aggressive behavior. If they’re unhappy they’ll run the other direction. They also have just lower teeth, and no upper one, which means the possibility of injury through bites is much less. Little children can lead an alpaca that has been halter-trained without worrying.
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They are referred to as the perfect small-acreage livestock.
Alpacas require a smaller amount of land than other farm animals. As one of their most effective eaters, they do not need any forage. The majority of recommendations recommend 5-10 alpacas per acres.
They are easy to maintain.
Alpacas don’t overeat and don’t require an enormous amount of attention. Since the area of origin is a secluded area with limited food sources They are one of the most efficient users of food available. This means that feeding an alpaca costs approximately the same as feeding dogs. With plenty of fresh water and a high-quality grass, they can endure with minimal intervention.
Less pasture maintenance
Like other animals the alpaca has padded feet which aren’t as damaging to grasses. Because they have only the bottom teeth, they do not eat grasses that are in the pasture right down to the roots as cows or horses do. This means that they don’t require as much necessary maintenance for the pasture to keep grass growing.
Cleaner pastures
Alpacas have a common heap of dung, and it appears that once one is gone, they will all gather behind the others to get their turn in the pile of beans. Cleaning up after your alpaca can be simple, thanks to their digestion capacity, their dung looks similar to huge rabbit pellets or black beans. They are mostly composed of indigestible fiber. In contrast to other animals, they are odorless and their dung is a great fertilizer.
Their poop isn’t a mess.
It’s true that it’s a matter of opinion, but since alpacas are such effective digesters, their poop pellets contain less organic matter than other livestock, and don’t contain the unpleasant smell. Indeed, some have compared the smell to sweet scent that’s pleasantly rural.
As opposed to llamas and llamas in general, alpacas do not spit.
Alpacas generally just spit at other alpacas and occasionally, when fights over their food.
They are fun and interactive.
With alpacas, you are able to make as many and as less as you like. If you’re interested, you could cut your alpacas at least once a year, and turn the fiber into socks as well as hats, scarves, and socks. There are some groups that use the fiber to spin it into yarn while other groups take yarn and knit products that are finished. There are groups of 4-H and others that have their alpacas trained for competitions on obstacle courses. There’s no end to the possibilities of learning and activities that can be accomplished using alpacas.
It could be a thrilling and competitive experience
There are regional, local and national alpaca events where you can get to know others who own alpacas and participate in friendly contests. It’s an excellent way to meet people as well as inform children about the many applications of their livestock.
Your kids can play on across the entire farm.
With all the information mentioned it is possible to teach your children how to run the farm with no concern about their safety. It’s an excellent method to teach them discipline and the importance of hard work to positive results.