Baby alpacas aplenty with stud owners overjoyed by perfect conditions for breeding
ABC Rural By Hamish Cole Posted Thu 4 May 2023
After one of their most successful breeding seasons on record, Erin Marsden's property near Orange in the New South Wales central west is filled with baby alpacas, known as crias.
It comes as Australia's alpaca herd size reaches 400,000, making it the second largest in the world after Peru in South America.
The industry was on the rise until 2019, when the drought and a ban on alpaca exports to New Zealand crippled the growth of the population.
Four years later, things are beginning to look up for the growing sector.
"It is just fantastic that the size of the industry is growing; Australian breeders are now able to export overseas, even back to places like Peru who are trying to improve their herds," Ms Marsden said.
"Alpacas came into Australia 25 years ago and the improvement from those original animals from South America is amazing."
The growth in the country's herd size has increased the genetic diversity of the alpacas available, a crucial aspect of improving quality in fleeces and carcases.
"I am really impressed with the cria that we have had this year, the fleeces have been really curly and you can feel the soft rolling skin, which is a really great sign for density in the wool," Ms Marsden said.
"The genetics are improving in the population as a whole in Australia; everything is just going up and up."
The president of the Australian Alpaca Association, Brett Fallon, said the quality of the herd had increased overseas demand.
"Australian alpacas are ever improving and they are some of the best in the world; the stud breeding herd just keeps getting better," Mr Fallon said.
"We are at a real precipice of being a strong contributor towards the more broad fibre industries.
"We have this unique quality of alpaca that remains sought after throughout the world."
Ideal conditions for growth
According to a report by AgriFutures, the number of alpacas in Australia was expected to reach 1 million by 2023, however, the drought in 2019 slowed the population growth considerably.
"The growth rate just stopped, we were going backwards in the number of cria born and matings being done," Mr Fallon said.
Alpaca producer Jenny Menzies says the recent breeding season is one of the best on record.(ABC Rural: Hamish Cole)
Ms Marsden said many breeders were forced to sell stock overseas.
"A lot of people were having to sell animals just to cover things. It was very hard, as it is for many in the livestock industry, when you have a drought."
Bathurst producer Jenny Menzies had 25 crias born this season, with the recent rainfall creating the ideal conditions for winter.
"It has been a good season for growth in the animals. If we hadn't had the rain in March we wouldn't have the pasture we have now, which would have impacted our stock levels," Ms Menzies said.
"The animals have got the feed, so the fleeces will grow very well."
Welcome to Little Valley Farm, a breeding farm for alpacas located in the Lower Hunter Valley, established in 2012. We organize monthly workshops for prospective and new owners of lifestyle farms and acreage. Additionally, we offer adult-only accommodation for four people who wish to spend quality time with alpacas on their weekend getaway with us. Don't hesitate to contact Daniela for more information on alpaca herd sales and other inquiries.