Alpacas are unique in appearance and have several traits shared only with their camelid cousins,  There are relatively small, long lived, and easy to care for and manage.

Life span...15 - 25 years
Height... 32 - 39" at the shoulder
Weight...125 to 200 lbs.
Gestation...about 340 days (average)
Birth... A single baby, called "cria" is normally delivered without assistance during the daylight hours. Twins are rare, occurring once in about every 2,000 births.
Babies... Crias weigh 15 to 20 lbs. at birth and can usually stand to nurse within the hour. They are weaned at 5 - 6 months after which they are called "tuis" until they reach breeding age.
Reproduction... Female alpacas are first bred from 14 - 18 months at which time they are called "hembras". Female alpacas are induced ovulators. They do not have a heat cycle so they can be bred anytime. They are capable of producing one offspring a year for as many as 20 years. The new alpaca mothers are often rebred 2-3 weeks after giving birth. Male alpacas reach breeding age at about 3 years, at which time they are called "machos".
Fiber...Alpaca fiber is softer than merino and has a higher tensile strength than sheep’s wool, creating a far more durable garment. There is a lucrative niche market for this luxurious, resilient fiber both at the local level and on the international export scene.
Color... Alpacas come in a myriad of natural colors: pure white, the most delicate fawns through to grey tones, from the lightest silver to a warm rose grey, and a true jet black. There are 22 recognized alpaca colors and the fleece also has the additional advantage of being readily dyed.

Huacaya alpacas are the more common of the two fleece types.  Their fiber is dense and stands perpendicular to their body, much like would be seen in sheep.

Huacaya (pronounced "wuh-kai-uh") alpacas are by far the most common type, constituting 90% of the world's population

DAD'S ALPACA BOYS

Our Boys range in age from new born to 5 years of age.  With a rainbow of colours from true black to cream. 

These are the main stay of our fiber production as all they need to do is work at producing their fine fleece and nothing more.

DAD'S ALPACA GIRLS

The ladies of the farm also range in age from new born to 10!  Also covering many of the 20 some colours that you will find in many alpaca herds. 

Our ladies are selected not only for thier fleece but their ability to be good mom's and produce the next generations of MDD Exotic Alpacas.

THE SURI ALPACA'S

Suri Alpacas are distinguished by their long flowing locks of fleece, similar to the fleece of an Angora goat.  There is still a good deal of debate as to whether Suri alpacas constitute a distinct breed of alpacas, or if they are simply a different fleece type. The Suri fleece type makes up less than 10% of the global alpaca population.  Suri fiber is known for it luster and drape, and is most often seen in woven fabrics