Are Alpacas expensive to maintain?
Not at all. Alpacas eat surprisingly little. An adult Alpaca only requires about 2-1/2 pounds of hay or grass per day. Most bales of hay are 50-60 pounds each so you can see how long one will last, depending on the number of Alpacas eating from it. Some animals are also given a supplement. Ours eat about 3/4 -1 pound each day. Again, depending on the number of animals, a 50 pound bag can last for quite a while. The largest expense would be veterinary care. Fortunately, Alpacas are generally hardy and it is not often that a vet must be called in. After proper instruction, vaccines and wormers can be obtained and administered by yourself. Owners should be able to cover most, if not all, of these expenses through fiber sales.
