From Issue 2 of the Newsletter September 2015
In their native country alpacas have evolved to survive on poor forage, grazing on relatively sparse grassland and coarse vegetation.
They would walk long distances to gain the nutrition that they need. All the vitamins and minerals that they need to achieve good health would be available in the soil.
In the UK our pastures have very lush grass which is readily available.
Alpacas in the UK are in fairly small paddocks and do not walk very far to obtain their nourishment, so do not burn up as much energy as they would in their native country.
Alpacas are more efficient at converting grass to energy than cattle or sheep.
Although our grass is very lush it does not provide all the vitamins and minerals that they need.
To achieve good health and to maintain good condition, alpacas need a supply of hay all year round to provide extra fibre. Essential vitamins and minerals that they cannot get from the soil in the UK can be found in camelid feeds.
Condition Score your alpacas on a regular basis to check whether they are losing weight or are overweight.
Too much feed can be detrimental to the health of alpacas.