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- Investment Potential
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Are they like emus?
How much are alpacas worth? Why do they cost so much? Do I need land to
invest in alpacas? What does it take to get started? Are there tax
advantages?
 | Emus are flightless birds. Alpacas are livestock. To harvest an emu,
the owner has to butcher it. To harvest alpaca fiber, the owner shears
it once a year. For the emu thing to work, consumers had to change their
eating habits. For alpaca demand to hold steady, people just have to
continue to enjoy soft, warm clothing and blankets. No, we don't think
there is any similarity between emus and alpacas. |
| Expect to pay $10,000-$20,000 for a bred female that is of solid breeding
quality.
Males are all over the place, as they are for many species. Top-quality herd sires have sold for well into six figures. Many owners, though, will sell
decent males for $2,500 to help move their males. |
| Alpacas reproduce very slowly. Gestation is about 11-1/2 months.
There are only about 60,000 alpacas in North America. If they were all
sheared at once, their fiber would keep a commercial mill busy for only a
couple
weeks. Because of this gap between supply and demand, the value of
alpacas is expected to hold constant for the foreseeable future. |
| No, you don't need land to invest in alpacas. Curly Eye will board
and care for your animals--with visiting rights, of course--at prices that
will still allow a good return on your investment. Ask about our Crias
for College investment program. |
| If you do decide to keep your alpacas yourself, you can keep 5-10 animals
on an acre of pasture, depending on local conditions. The Alpaca Owners
and Breeders Association estimates that you'll need about $55,000 to get
started with animals (one bred female and one maiden), a small barn, fencing,
veterinary expenses, feed and other supplies for the first year. |
| Like any other investment, alpacas carry risks. But most other
investments are not insurable for 100% of their value as alpacas are. |
| Many of the expenses involved in keeping and raising alpacas can offer tax
advantages. See your tax advisor about this. |
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