Alpaca Research Paper

Words: 779
Pages: 4

Alpacas “There really is joy in keeping alpacas as they are an easy care livestock” (All about alpacas- alpaca food, care, health guide, videos). Alpacas can get a few diseases, but most of them are easy to cure. Alpacas live about twenty years, and get about three to four feet tall. Alpacas are mainly used as pets and for their fleece also known as fiber. Alpacas can inherit many diseases, live longer than a lot of animals and are easy to care for. The types of diseases alpacas can get can vary. Alpacas can get congenital and inherited anomalies. They can get a disease called a wry face. Some bacterial diseases are respiratory infections and C perfringens. “C perfringens type A is a very important pathogen under stressful circumstances, …show more content…
It also includes cryptococcosis, candidiasis, and mucormycosis (LARUE). Alpacas can also get gastrainial diseases. “Only the distill fifth of C-3 is analogous to the acid- secreting monogastric stomach” (LARUE). This exemplifies how gastrainial diseases can make the alpaca’s stomach's acid to strong. Alpacas can get many diseases. Ulcers is an example of a disease alpacas can get. An ulcer is erosions of the acid secreting distill portion of stomach compartment C-3 (LAURE). Alpacas can get what is called hepatic disease. Hepatic disease includes a lot of features. The author states that when skin disease occurs “laceration occurs where there are loose folds of skin” (LARUE). This is an example of what skin disease looks like in many alpacas. In addition, alpacas can get many very deadly diseases. They can get a disease called immersion foot. Immersion foot is a type of ulcerative pododermatitis (LARUE). The author states “Treatment with penicillin is always indicated unless unique bacterial isolates are involved”(LARUE). This is a suggestion on how to treat for immersion foot. Immersion foot requires a long time to heal …show more content…
Their fiber is as soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter, and stronger than wool. They produce about five pounds of fiber. The owner has to cut off their alpaca’s fleece each year. The author claims “their fleece sells for about three to five dollars per ounce” (All about keeping alpacas- alpaca food, care, health guide, videos). A lot of people buy alpacas just for their fleece because after a few years they pay for themselves by the person selling their fleece.
Also, an alpaca is an easily cared for animal. They need a lot of water, pasture, and hay. They need shade and water at all times. Alpacas do not need much maintenance. The owner has to shear their alpaca while it is hot to reduce heat stress (All about keeping alpacas- alpaca food, care, health guide, videos). “Care for the animal by putting it in a shaded area and hosing it down (All about keeping alpacas-alpaca food, care, health guide, videos). This is an easy way to care for an alpaca with heat stress. Alpacas can get many different diseases. Alpacas are exotic animals. Alpacas live a very long life. They are mainly used for their unique fiber. Alpacas are easily cared for. Many people say alpacas are unique animals to