What do alpacas eat?
A. They are ruminants, which means they chew cud like a cow or deer. They survive well on different kinds of low protein hay or pasture grass, providing it has a balanced mineral content. Because alpacas evolved in harsh conditions, they utilize their food more efficiently than other ruminants. They cost about as much per month to feed as a dog. Although they can survive very harsh conditions, alpacas do best on good quality pasture and benefit from having access to plant material with long fibers such as hay. There are a number of commercial alpaca mixes available, but these are best thought of as supplying vitamins and minerals rather than the bulk feed which is obtained through grazing. One important rule to remember is to introduce any changes to the diet gradually over a period of a couple of weeks. This way the microbes in the gut have time to adjust to any feed changes.
They are ruminants, which means they chew cud like a cow or deer. They survive well on different kinds of low protein hay or pasture grass, providing it has a balanced mineral content. Because alpacas evolved in harsh conditions, they utilize their food more efficiently than other ruminants. They cost about as much per month to feed as a dog.
They are ruminants, which means the chew cud like a cow or deer. They survive well on different kinds of low protein hay or pasture grass, providing it has a balanced mineral content. Because Alpacas evolved in harsh conditions, they utilize their food more efficiently then other ruminants. They cost about as much per month to feed as a dog.
The ancestors of the alpacas in the USA came from the ancient lands of Peru, Chile and Bolivia. They get their nutrition from the bounty of the South American soil. When they were imported to the USA, they still keep their old diet but other kinds of food are needed to be added because the USA soil don’t lack some minerals and nutrients that are abundant in South America. Americans who breed alpacas give alpacas hays aside from the ready supply of pasture grass. One alpaca is given an average of 3 pounds of hay everyday. The most used hay type is the ones that are used for horses because it has a good amount of protein In addition to the staple food of grass and hay, alpacas are also given food supplements because they can’t get all their nutrients from the hay. Certain minerals are lacking in the American soil and so alpacas are given supplements in the form of mineral blocks. These are the same mineral blocks that are given to goats. Since alpacas are used to eating grass alone, they
