Alpaca guide
Practical, New Zealand-specific knowledge from AANZ members — organised by what you need to know, not how the association is structured.
Everyday care
The routine tasks of alpaca ownership — shearing, toenails, handling, transport and records.
- 01ShearingAlpaca shearing is a vital part of an alpaca’s life. Alpaca have been domesticated for the last 6,000 years and do not exist in the wild, as such they rely on farmers to ensure…
- 02Toenail clippingIn their native habitat, alpaca wear down their constantly growing toenails on hard and stony ground. In New Zealand’s softer pastures, this does not happen and toenails must be…
- 03Transporting alpacasTransporting alpacas can be done in many ways: horse float, custom made trailer, van, in the back of the car (no joke!), in a crate on a trailer or ute. Custom made trailers and…
- 04Health and safety when handling alpacasThe new Health and Safety laws might sound scary, and the media have certainly got people focused on the potential fines or going to jail to force some action on farms.
- 05Behaviour and trainingA properly fitting and fitted halter will make the job of halter training easier for the owner and the animal. Under normal circumstances, camelids breath only through the nose! A…
- 06Record keepingRecord keeping is one of the most important things that you do that concerns keeping your alpaca. You should keep very detailed records on all aspects of your alpaca farming to…