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Sweet Heart Suri Alpacas

the soft life
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Sweet Heart Mercedes

Double Good Stuff.
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Sweet Heart Crown Victoria & Rose

Welcome to the wonderful life style of alpacas! 
We hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.

Alpacas 

Alpacas are of the camelid family and are a cousin of the Llama.  They are gentle, friendly and easy to handle.

Alpacas were a cherished treasure of the ancient Incan civilization and played a central role in the Incan culture that was located on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America. Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984. Alpacas are now being successfully raised and enjoyed throughout North America and abroad. There are two types of alpacas - the Huacaya and the Suri. The lifespan of the alpaca is about 20 years and gestation is 11.5 months. Alpacas eat grasses and chew a cud. Adult alpacas are about 36" tall at the withers and generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. Clean-up is easy since alpacas deposit droppings in only a few places in the paddock. They require minimal fencing and can be pastured at 5 to 10 per acre.

Alpacas produce one of the world’s finest and most luxurious natural fibers. The hypo-allergenic is sheared from the animal without causing it injury. One animal produces 4 to 10 pounds of blank fleece per year.  Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, it comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal (approximately 22 basic colors with many variations and blends).This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.

 

This information and more can be found at www.AOBA.com & www.OABA.com.

What is a Suri Alpaca?
The rare suri alpacas are distinguished in the camelid family by their unique fiber characters. The fiber grows parallel to the body while hanging in long, separate, distinctive locks. Its artistic style enhances the graceful appearance of the animal compared to the soft, wooly look of huacaya alpacas.

Suri fiber locks, made up of high-luster fibers, drape down the sides of the body in a twisted or flat form of various size. Suri fiber has a slick hand and softness with an exquisite luster. Suri fiber is in demand and consistently brings a premium price in the fiber market. Suri alpacas emanate extraordinary vigor, intelligence, ease of breeding, and adaptability to hot and cold climates. These attributes rank high on the list of many reasons for treasuring Suri alpacas.

This information and more can be found at www.surinetwork.com.


Earth Friendly

Alpacas have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years. They are one of Mother Nature's favorite farm animals. They are sensitive to their environment in every respect. The following physical attributes allow alpacas to maintain their harmony with our Mother Earth.

*The alpaca's feet are padded and they leave even the most delicate terrain undamaged as it browses on native grasses.

*The alpaca is a modified ruminant with a three-compartment stomach. It converts grass and hay to energy very efficiently, eating less than other farm animals.

*Its camelid ancestry allows the alpaca to thrive without consuming very much water, although an abundant, fresh water supply is necessary.

*The alpaca does not usually eat or destroy trees, preferring tender grasses, which it does not pull up by the roots.

*South American Indians use alpaca dung for fuel and gardeners find the alpaca's rich fertilizer perfect for growing fruits and vegetables.

*A herd of alpacas consolidates its feces in one or two spots in the pasture, thereby controlling the spread of parasites, and making it easy to collect and compost for fertilizer.

*An alpaca produces enough fleece each year to create several soft, warm sweaters for its owners comfort. This is the alpaca's way of contributing to community energy conservation efforts.
 
 

Sweet Heart Rose
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JUDGES CHOICE OABA ALPACA FEST 2009
 

John & Diane Watson
4813 Church Street
Conneaut, Ohio 44030
Phone:  (440) 224-1868
Cell Phone:  (440) 813-2245