British farms are home to a diverse collection of exotic animals from all corners of the world. Farmer and Countryfile presenter Adam Henson introduces the alpaca <\/p>
All over Britain, in the most unsuspecting places, you can stumble upon a little piece of the South American Andes. We may be a long way from the mountainous terrain of Peru<\/a>, Chile and Bolivia but that hasn\u2019t stopped the UK becoming home to tens of thousands of alpacas.<\/strong><\/p> Prized by the Inca civilisation for 5,000 years, these charming creatures \u2013 with their wide eyes and alert ears \u2013 have instant appeal, and they are much more intelligent than they look.<\/p> Alpacas are a camelid, closely related to their more famous cousin, the llama. The other three species of camelids are camels,<\/a><\/strong> guanacos<\/a> and vicunas.<\/p> Alpacas first came to Britain back in the 1990s when 3,000 were imported here. Today, there are around 35,000 alpacas on farms and smallholdings all over the UK and they\u2019ve really found a place in the hearts of the nation\u2019s animal-lovers.<\/p> Alpacas are the smallest camelid, standing about 91 cm at their shoulder<\/p> But just why are so many people farming alpacas in Britain? Well, there are several answers. The most common reason is for breeding, with the stud stock industry the primary profit-maker for owners. But the other main reason is alpaca wool. <\/p> Then there\u2019s the money that can be made off the back of alpacas \u2013 literally. They produce a luxurious fleece \u2013 it\u2019s softer and smoother than sheep<\/a>\u2019s wool, grows in more than 20 natural colours, and can be spun easily into yarn. <\/p> The qualities of the alpaca fleece were first discovered in Britain more than 180 years ago by Sir Titus Salt. The story goes that the Bradford-based mill-owner, textile merchant and industrialist stumbled across some bales of imported alpaca wool in a warehouse. <\/p> Taking a sample to experiment with, he returned soon after to buy the entire consignment. It\u2019s claimed that the discovery made him the richest man in Yorkshire and today he\u2019s known as the founder of the modern alpaca industry. There\u2019s a growing and very lucrative market in alpaca fibre, which many owners are taking full advantage of. I\u2019m sure old Titus would approve.<\/p> For the majority of us, our best chance to experience these curious animals is on a specialist alpaca walk in the countryside. Over the years they have become part of the leisure industry, from Norfolk<\/a> and Hampshire<\/a> to the Scottish borders<\/a> and the Welsh Valleys. Stuart Billinghurst and Emma Collison are an example of just how inventive alpaca farmers can be. <\/p> They started their business in 2011 when they moved from Plymouth to a 10.5-acre farm on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall<\/a>. The pair run alpaca walks, offering \u201coutstanding views at alpaca pace\u201d. It\u2019s a great way to learn about livestock handling, animal husbandry and feeding by hand.<\/p> Stuart and Emma are also introducing people to the delights of alpaca meat. I\u2019ve tasted it and it\u2019s wonderful \u2013 tender, lean, with a flavour like lamb or venison, and it\u2019s free-range, too. The farm\u2019s alpaca sausages have been winning awards all over the place. And they\u2019ve recently launched an alpaca knitwear brand for babies. No doubt the next generation will also love the appeal of the alpaca.<\/p> Did you know alpacas make good guards? Some sheep and chicken breeders use these timid yet territorial creatures to guard their flocks against predators such as foxes.<\/a><\/p>What are alpacas?<\/h2>
How big are alpacas?<\/h2>
Why are alpacas farmed?<\/h2>
Alpaca wool<\/h2>
Alpaca walking<\/h2>