The Alpaca is a partly domesticated mammal and a member of the camel family. Although this animal is sometimes bred for food the most usual reason for breeding baby Alpaca like those in Syracuse, New York, is for the long, lustrous wool of its coat which varies in color from black through different shades of brown to white.
The majority of Alpacas can be found in the highlands of Peru, Bolivia and Chile where they feed on the grass that grows close to the snow line. In order to remain healthy Alpacas require a constant supply of clean fresh water.
The wool of the Alpaca has long been a favorite and its first recorded use was by the Incas prior to the Spanish Conquest. Over time the Alpaca and Llama were hybridized and this served to lead to a loss of quality in the wool that they produced. Alpaca wool has been exported to Europe for well over a hundred years since the discovery of manufacturing Alpaca cloth.
Nowadays there is a growing number of breeders of Alpaca in the United States; for example the rearing of Baby Alpaca in Syracuse, New York. The wool is used extensively by yarn producers in the States. There is also a growing tendency among New York State farmers to breed baby Alpaca for showing as well as for the quality wool that is replenished at shearing time. It is worth taking a trip out to Syracuse and seeing some of these beautiful animals.
