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Pets
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 29/05/2007, 8:56
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Patmobile
 
Joined on 23/08/2004
62 & 80
Posts 435
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Well, I haven't said I'll definitely get some yet! And if I posted photos you might see that far from driving fat cat BMW 4x4s, we have a pair of Smart cars in the drive.
Yes, I can see that there would be a cost involved in keeping them, and that the fleeces might not fetch a lot in return, but there is also a significant cost in mowing the grass and chopping down undergrowth with a débroussailleuse. What's more, a lot of the mowing cost is the government's rip-off tax on petrol. Why should I pay tax to keep my grass neat?
Then there's the mower's carbon footprint to consider (ha! what a load of unscientific b*ll*ocks!) and, far more to the point, the fact that I detest gardening.
Taking all that into consideration, alpacas begin to look like an attractive alternative. Nice looking and friendly, too, so I'm told. I would like to know a bit more about the costs and work involved, though, before I become, for the first time in my life, a keeper of livestock.
Patrick
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29/05/2007, 9:18
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cooperlola
Joined on 05/05/2006
72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans
Posts 6,408
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I know nothing about Alpacas. However, I have kept or looked after lots of different animals including goats, sheep, horses, cattle and chickens. I've yet to come across one that didn't need more work than you would imagine. Most need worming, regular injections of some sort - at the very least rabies and tetanus -, some need shearing, most need some sort of foot care. They all seem to be abe to escape, and always want to be wherever you would rather they didn't go! They also sometimes get injured or sick and they all die eventually. If you're taking on livestock for the first time then you are indeed being very sensible in doing good research first. Animals of any species are rarely as straightforward to manage as you might think! Why not try an Amazon search for a good book on them before you do anything more? A sensible place to start I would have thought. I'll try googling and see if I can come up with anything helpful.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/llamaalpaca.html
Healthcare Issues Site
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29/05/2007, 9:47
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Nicos
Joined on 21/01/2007
61 and Cheshire
Posts 362
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I did most of my research on google and then phoned many of the owners for a chat. Having spent about a week doing research, I wouldn't hesitate in having a few. There are day and weekend courses in the UK you can go on to learn about their care. There are also several breeders in France. There are two main types with different coats. Offhand - one copes better in the hotter summers. Go for it!!!! ( and enjoy your research!) Let us know how you get on![Big Smile [:D]](/cs/images/emotions/biggrin.gif)
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29/05/2007, 16:02
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Patmobile
Joined on 23/08/2004
62 & 80
Posts 435
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I've just remembered I kept hens when I was a lad of about 8 or 9. My dad wanted me to do something useful about the place and this was it. I remember making a shedload of pocket money from eggs and the occasional bird for the pot. I could never bring myself to kill them though - someone else had to do that.
I even started breeding, and so began to learn the facts of life. It all ended in tears when the fox got in and killed most of them - and then I was sent away to boarding school.
I have done some googling on the subject of alpacas, too. I read somewhere that they aren't keen on escaping. A simple low fence suffices, because they don't like jumping. And they will see off a fox, too, apparently, although foxes are very scarce in this part of France - shot on sight as pests, I suspect.
Are they noisy? I haven't found the answer to that anywhere.
Patrick
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30/05/2007, 4:12
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Nicos
Joined on 21/01/2007
61 and Cheshire
Posts 362
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No idea!! Can't be as bad as a cockrel ![Woot! [:-))]](/cs/images/emotions/w00t.gif)
Give an owner a ring...they will know.![Smile [:)]](/cs/images/emotions/smile.gif)
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21/07/2007, 9:18
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Eco Ferme
Joined on 21/07/2007
33 gironde st antoine sur l isle
Posts 6
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Re: Alpaca
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No alpacas don't make a noise, The most they will do is a humming noise, this noise its self is quite a nice sound. Don't know about alpacas but llamas will make a loud noise when they see danger, like a fox or dog, Which gives you time to get out of the house and check it out.
I have 8 llamas soon alpacas
They do have use's apart from cleaning land,
- Wool - I spin wool, why don't you take up spinning its a great hobby. Alpaca wool can be made into the most warmist and softist garments you can think of.
- Dung, alpacas and llamas will make a few WCs in the field and mess only in there pile, which makes cleaning easy and also the best dung in the world for gardens. You can put fresh dung on your garden with no risk of burning the plants. Its great stuff, and cheaper & better for the plants/land then cemicals fertillizers. I have raised beds & use llama dung , everything just thrives including earth worms.
- Packing, you can train a alpaca like a llama to carry a pack for going to picnics or moving pine cones/fruit picking.
- Cart driving, again like llamas you can train them to pull a cart, for a trip to the local shop.
- Anti-stress, alpaca and llamas are know it be anti stress animals, its true there- aloof, quite, calm nature can calm a stress person down, by just sitting down and watching at them. Also there are not pushy like goats and horses, they will come and check out what your up to but will keep a personnel space distance between you. They are not fence / escape artistes.
- They are one of the most hardy, of all livestock, taking very little in the way of upkeep.
- You can eat them, i know people who have, tastes like beef/lamb. ( although they a bit expensive per kilo to be doing that but for somone who has a big herd with to many males.
I have goats, cows, horses,pigs, sheeps, birds ect..ect.. but llamas are my fravoite.If you have a look at www.ecoferme.com theres more info on looking after them and such.
If you do dicide you want some, I can find you some ( I know of two males for sale a the minute one dark brown one and a brown& white for 1000euro each)
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21/07/2007, 12:59
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woolybanana (ex tag)
Joined on 10/06/2007
vendée
Posts 526
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Alpacas, brilliant idea. Do it, do it. Leave others to their doubts.
Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig
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21/07/2007, 19:58
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Eco Ferme
Joined on 21/07/2007
33 gironde st antoine sur l isle
Posts 6
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France Forum » Living » Pets » Re: Alpaca
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