AlpacaKeepAlpaca & Llama Gestation Calculator
Multi-species gestation calculator: due date, watch window, and a 12-step pregnancy milestone timeline. Free, no account.
Open calculatorGuides & tools for camelid breeders
Free tools and practical articles on breeding, gestation, paddock management, and farm operations. Written for working alpaca and llama farms - not academic textbooks.
All articles
AI-generated imageAlpacas in Hot Weather: Heat Stress Signs and How to Keep Them Cool
Alpaca heat stress is an emergency. Learn the signs, which animals are most at risk, how to keep your herd cool and what to do until the vet arrives.
14 min read
AI-generated imageHow Long Are Llamas Pregnant? Llama Gestation Explained
Llamas carry for about 345 to 350 days. Why births spread over weeks, how to confirm a pregnancy, and what to watch for before the cria arrives.
9 min read
AI-generated imageBuying an Alpaca: A Pre-Purchase Checklist
The pre-purchase checklist first-time alpaca buyers need: what to ask before the visit, what to inspect, and what the contract should cover.
9 min read
AI-generated imageBluetongue in Alpacas: What Keepers Need to Know
Bluetongue in alpacas: what it is, how camelids are actually affected, and who to call in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
13 min read
AI-generated imageWhat Do Alpacas Eat? An Everyday Feeding Guide
A plain-English feeding guide for alpaca keepers: hay, water, minerals, when to add concentrates, and the plants to keep out of the paddock.
13 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca vs Llama: How to Tell Them Apart and Which to Keep
Alpaca or llama? Size, ears, fleece and temperament compared, plus an honest look at which one actually fits your land and your plans.
7 min read
AI-generated imageKeeping Alpacas in Austria: Registration Rules and Duties
How to register alpacas in Austria, identify each animal and meet the official rules for space, shelter, records and group keeping.
9 min read
AI-generated imageKeeping Alpacas in Switzerland: Registration, Microchips and Rules
A practical guide to keeping alpacas in Switzerland: register your holding, identify animals correctly, keep the required records and meet welfare rules.
8 min read
AI-generated imageNewborn Cria Emergencies: Weak Crias, Hypothermia and Failure of Passive Transfer
Recognize the five newborn cria emergencies: hypothermia, weak suckle, meconium impaction, failure of passive transfer, and prematurity.
13 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Medication Records and Withdrawal Periods: The Clear-to-Sell Guide
How to log every alpaca treatment and work out the exact clear-to-sell date for meat, milk and fibre, plus what records to keep and for how long.
14 min read
AI-generated imageDo You Need to Register Your Alpacas? Records and the Law
A practical country-by-country guide to alpaca registration, identification, movement records and retention rules in Europe, the US and Australia.
14 min read
AI-generated imageHow to Keep Alpaca Records: The Complete Checklist
How to keep alpaca records that scale from 3 to 30 animals. What to log, paper vs spreadsheet vs app, and how long to keep it by country.
15 min read
AI-generated imageLlama and Camelid Record Keeping: What to Log and the Rules by Country
What to record for llamas and mixed camelid herds, where it differs from alpacas, and the medicine and registration rules by country. Free for up to 10 animals.
12 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Breeding: A Beginner-Friendly Complete Guide
Alpaca breeding made simple: how alpacas mate, gestation, birth, weaning, and avoiding lethal colour pairings. A clear overview for new and busy breeders.
6 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Care: The Complete Guide to a Healthy Herd
A beginner-friendly overview of alpaca care: herd basics, shelter, feeding, shearing, parasites, vaccines and routine husbandry, with links to deeper guides.
7 min read
AI-generated imageAre Alpacas Profitable? The Real Economics
An honest look at whether alpacas are profitable: the real revenue streams, the costs nobody mentions, and how long it takes to break even.
7 min read
AI-generated imageHow to Start an Alpaca Farm: A Beginner's Guide
Thinking of starting an alpaca farm? A practical beginner's guide to how many alpacas you need, land, shelter, fencing, real startup budget and daily care.
8 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Vaccination Schedule: CD&T, Crias, and Pregnant Dams
Your complete alpaca vaccination schedule: what CD&T protects against, exact timing for crias and pregnant dams, and the off-label dosing mistakes to avoid.
12 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Fiber Grades and Micron: How to Read Your Test Report
Alpaca fiber grades explained: under 20 microns is fine, 30 is the prickle line, AOA grades run 0 to 6. Read your test report and histogram line by line.
14 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Pedigree and Inbreeding: A Practical Breeder's Guide
Track alpaca pedigrees, read an inbreeding coefficient (COI), and avoid the silent matings that quietly cost you crias and fleece quality.
15 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Coat Genetics: The Pairings That Quietly Kill Pregnancies
A practical guide to classic grey, Blue-Eyed White, and the coat-colour crosses every alpaca and llama breeder should avoid - with DNA testing options.
15 min read
AI-generated imageWhat's the Best Alpaca Breed for Beginners? The Ultimate Guide
Looking to start an alpaca farm? Discover the best alpaca breed for beginners. Compare Huacaya vs. Suri, and learn the basics of caring for your first herd.
9 min read
AI-generated imageThe Most Expensive Alpacas Ever Sold: Inside the Elite Market
Discover the most expensive alpacas in history, from the $675,000 Snowmass Matrix to million-dollar syndications, and what drives their extreme valuation.
6 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Birthing: What's Normal, What's Not, When to Call the Vet
What does a normal alpaca birth look like, what doesn't, and when do you call the vet? Stage timing, dystocia signs, first-hour cria milestones.
9 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Weaning Age: When to Wean a Cria by Weight
Wean by weight and growth, not by the calendar alone. What cria weight at weaning to aim for, and how to reduce alpaca weaning stress.
6 min read
AI-generated imageAlpaca Body Condition Score: Fixing the Underweight Alpaca
Body condition is hard to judge by eye under fleece. Learn the hands-on BCS method and the feed adjustments needed to hit your target alpaca winter weight.
6 min read
AI-generated imageStop Guessing: The Data-Driven Alpaca Deworming Schedule
Routine whole-herd treatment can drive resistance. Use fecal testing, weight trends, efficacy checks, and veterinary guidance for targeted control.
6 min read
AI-generated imageThe 60-Day Cria Growth Curve: When to Intervene
Veterinary benchmarks for alpaca and llama cria growth: birth weight, daily gain, and the signs that mean it is time to call your vet.
6 min read
AI-generated imageWhen to Shear Alpacas: A Climate Calendar
How often to shear alpacas: once a year, in late spring after the last hard frost and before highs hold above about 27°C. Climate calendar and checklist.
16 min read
AI-generated imageHow Long Are Alpacas Pregnant? The Real Math of Cria Watch
How long are alpacas pregnant? 345 days on average, with a ±11 day variance that tells you when to start cria watch and when to call the vet.
5 min read