Who buys alpacas? Alpaca breeders come from many walks of life. Increasingly, alpacas are becoming an important source of income for many people. Entire families are full-time alpaca breeders. Young couples with children might own three or four alpacas and enjoy caring for them. Retired couples, who have raised their kids, sold their business, and retired to the country, are often owners. The family whose members include a hand-spinner might own two or three animals for fiber production. Several breeders are veterinarians who have found the ownership of alpacas to be more rewarding than practicing veterinary medicine. Many herds are owned by families where one spouse has a city job, and the alpaca business is managed by the other on their acreage in the suburbs or the country. A large number of breeders are working couples who tend to their herd in the evening after work. There are even city dwellers who have discovered the option of boarding (or "agisting") alpacas, thereby giving them an operational alpaca operation while still retaining an urban career. For all owners, alpacas offer a great way to diversify their financial portfolio with a commodity that is both rare and in demand worldwide. There are few large ranches with over 500 alpacas, small ranches of only two or three alpacas, and everything in between. The average alpaca herd consists of about ten to twenty alpacas. Most herds start out small and grow to the size that fits the breeder's ranch and financial goals. Almost all breeders are in business for the long haul; they believe in the future of the industry. With the relatively small number of alpacas currently available, there will be an extended and steady demand for breeding stock to continue meeting the needs of our growing industry for many years. It is important to recognize that alpaca ownership has inherent risks, as do all livestock and financial assets. You should talk to breeders to familiarize yourself with the risks as well as the rewards of alpaca ownership. Creating a Herd First, determine your goals for alpaca ownership. Would you like to own an inexpensive pair of gelding males for fiber production or as pets for you and your family? Are you going to be a full-time or part-time breeder? Will you invest in alpacas for current financial returns or are you going to build a herd toward the goal of being a full-time breeder? Once you've decided on your goal, the path to alpaca ownership will be more easily defined. If you're interested in acquiring a producing alpaca herd with immediate sales, you may want to consider a larger initial outlay. You would probably buy a number of pregnant females who would deliver a cash crop of crias immediately. This larger expenditure might also encourage you to become more involved in the industry and spend more time marketing your herd. Some breeders with larger herds have full-time ranch managers or hire additional labor to assist them with the day-to-day chores. However you choose to be involved, there is an "Alpaca Approach" suitable for you. The industry is young and innovative strategies abound. Very few assets have the potential to reproduce themselves every year as an alpaca does. Today's smaller breeder can choose to be almost any size in the future. An owner who likes the return alpacas offer, or the lifestyle they provide, can choose any level of ownership. Finacial Observations
· The major tax advantages of alpaca ownership include the employment of depreciation, capital gains treatment, and if you are an active hands-on owner, the benefit of off-setting your ordinary income from other sources with expenses from your ranching business (See Tax Consequences of Owning Alpacas.) · The financial return using the agisted approach, should you elect to board your animals, is also very good. There are breeders who would be happy to discuss agisting alpacas on behalf of prospective owners. · Quality, color, gender of offspring, and strength of the overall industry could influence results positively or negatively. · It is important that you make a purchase decision using assumptions that reflect your personal tax and financial situation, as well as your own assessment of the alpaca industry. · Financing terms are available from some breeders and range from a few months to two years or more. It is always wise to consider both the upside and the downside of any potential purchase, It is important to feel comfortable with a range of possible financial returns if your actual experiences differ from your assumptions. |
The Alpaca Lifestyle 
