Alpaca PricesSo, you have decided to buy alpacas! Good for you! But, how do you know what is a fair price? The price of an alpaca is determined by various factors. A good understanding of these factors is essential in recognizing good prices. The alpaca sex is the most significant consideration. Females are generally worth more than males. However, a first-rate herd sire can command exceptional prices. A proven female or male is also more valuable. Proven means that they have a cria on the ground and that they have proven that they are productive. Unproven means that they do not have live progeny yet. The male may have impregnated a female and a female may be pregnant, but they are still considered to be unproven.
The age of the alpaca is also a vital attribute. A six month old weanling is not as valuable as a 2 or 3 year old alpaca which is just starting their breeding career. Similarly, a 15 year old alpaca is less valuable than a 5 year old alpaca since the former has less breeding years available. Thus, you will see prices increase as the alpaca near breeding age. The prices jump when bred, and then jump again when proven. Then, the prices will plateau for most of the adult life. During the latter half of the life cycle, prices will usually start to decrease. The quality of the alpaca will also affect its price. An ideal alpaca will have outstanding fleece characteristics and exceptional conformation. Lower quality alpacas will not be used in breeding programs and will be associated with lower prices. Some
alpaca colors
are more fashionable than other colors, too. Right now, rose gray alpacas and silver gray alpacas command significantly elevated prices than other colors with all other factors being equal. Darker colors are highly desired by the cottage industry for their variety of naturally-colored fibers. However, white alpacas are worth more in South America in their alpaca fiber industry due to consistency and dyeing potential. Alpaca genetics also provides a general indication about the quality of an alpaca. For example, an alpaca with a lineage consisting of several well-known ancestors may indicate that the alpaca has similar characteristics. But, since genetics is all about probability than certainty, always check out the given alpaca for yourself. If the alpaca is high quality, its lineage may result in a higher price due to marketability from name recognition and due to the potential to pass along valuable genes.
The general alpaca market will also influence alpaca prices. For over two decades, prices in the United States have been rather stable mostly due to the low supply of alpacas in the country. Since our borders have been closed to alpaca importation and since alpacas only produce one cria per year, low alpaca supply has been maintained. As supply increases in the future, prices will most likely decrease. Periodic downturns in the national economy will also decrease alpaca prices for brief durations until the economy picks up again. These economic cycles are common in any business. The best time to purchase alpacas is during these economic downturns when prices are lower and when it is a buyers’ market. An alpaca owner must consider all of these factors together when deciding how to price their alpacas. Ideally, they should get comparative prices (“comps”) from other alpaca breeders to justify their pricing and to avoid barn blindness. Barn blindness is a medical condition (not really!) where you think that your alpacas are especially superlative and deserve unusually lofty prices. Similarly, you as an alpaca buyer should also obtain comps so that you understand the relative values of various alpacas. The alpaca visit is an excellent way to obtain this information. I should also mention that alpaca prices are usually negotiable. So, if you find an alpaca that fits your alpaca business plan , see if you can work out a mutually beneficial price. Good luck shopping for your alpacas! Return to Top of Alpaca Prices Page
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