COLORADO ALPACA RANCH​
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Welcome to Shekinah's Alpacas. Our alpaca farm is located in southwest Colorado.
Shekinah's Alpacas began in 1997 with the selection of two maiden huacaya alpacas. The angelic name "Shekinah" was given to the first alpaca acquired and represents the "sweet connection to the divine." We started with breeding stock from well established bloodlines including Accoyo. Our breeding program was focused on huacaya alpacas with the intent on producing their natural coloring, fleece fineness, density and excellent conformation. At this time, we are no longer breeding alpacas, but we have a few foundation animals remaining that we harvest fleece from annually. |
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About Us
The project ranch began with a property purchase in 2001, located in southwest Colorado, as the planned future home of Shekinah's Alpacas. The house needed a little TLC, most of which has been completed. The barn was completed in spring, 2003, tree clearing, pasture reclamation and fencing began in 2004. Additional shelters and more fencing was added after we finally landed here in 2018.
About Alpacas
What is an Alpaca? Alpacas originally came from the Andes Mountains in areas of Bolivia, Peru and Chile in South America. They are members of the American Camelid family, including the related species of llamas, vicunas and guanacos, all found in South America. American Camelids are also related to the camels found in the Mid East and Central Asian areas. Alpacas have been cultivated by people for over 5000 years as a source of rich fiber and other products. For centuries the ancestors of the Inca measured their wealth by the number of alpacas they owned and enjoyed wonderful garments woven from the fleece of their large herds.
Physically, a mature alpaca will weigh between 110 and 170 pounds and stand 34 to 38 inches measured from the top of the front shoulders or withers. Lifespan is expected to be between 15 to 25 years, with exceptional cases of 30 years. More importantly the reproductive lifespan of a female is approximately 15 years, starting with sexual maturity at 18 months to 2 years of age. The reproductive life of males (herdsires) starts with reaching sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years of age and continuing as an active breeder for many years. In older males, the desirable traits found in the fleece are not has evident as in younger animals but the ability to produce quality offspring continues to exist. Gestation requires approximately 11 months with some variation depending on the animal’s age and the environment. A female will produce one offspring (cria) per year, normally with a birth weight of 10 to 20 pounds. Multiple births are very rare.
There are two types of alpacas: huacaya alpacas and suri alpacas. The major distinction between the two groups is the structure of the fleece. There are far more huacayas in the world than suris. Huacayas have fleece resembling teddy bears--a very dense, compact fiber that emanates outward from all over their bodies. Suri alpacas (or suris) also have density, with the fiber collecting in curly long bundles or locks which hang from the animal like a rich fabric curtain.
The first alpacas arrived in the United States in 1984. The first importation from Peru and the five subsequent imports in succeeding years and in 1998, were the true genesis of the United States herds today due to the closing of the Alpaca registry in 1998. By closing the registry, the import of alpacas was effectively eliminated. In September 2006, the Alpaca Registry Institute (ARI) registered the 100,000th alpaca in North America. While this number is very small compared to herds in South America, we are breeding and growing quality animals.
Physically, a mature alpaca will weigh between 110 and 170 pounds and stand 34 to 38 inches measured from the top of the front shoulders or withers. Lifespan is expected to be between 15 to 25 years, with exceptional cases of 30 years. More importantly the reproductive lifespan of a female is approximately 15 years, starting with sexual maturity at 18 months to 2 years of age. The reproductive life of males (herdsires) starts with reaching sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years of age and continuing as an active breeder for many years. In older males, the desirable traits found in the fleece are not has evident as in younger animals but the ability to produce quality offspring continues to exist. Gestation requires approximately 11 months with some variation depending on the animal’s age and the environment. A female will produce one offspring (cria) per year, normally with a birth weight of 10 to 20 pounds. Multiple births are very rare.
There are two types of alpacas: huacaya alpacas and suri alpacas. The major distinction between the two groups is the structure of the fleece. There are far more huacayas in the world than suris. Huacayas have fleece resembling teddy bears--a very dense, compact fiber that emanates outward from all over their bodies. Suri alpacas (or suris) also have density, with the fiber collecting in curly long bundles or locks which hang from the animal like a rich fabric curtain.
The first alpacas arrived in the United States in 1984. The first importation from Peru and the five subsequent imports in succeeding years and in 1998, were the true genesis of the United States herds today due to the closing of the Alpaca registry in 1998. By closing the registry, the import of alpacas was effectively eliminated. In September 2006, the Alpaca Registry Institute (ARI) registered the 100,000th alpaca in North America. While this number is very small compared to herds in South America, we are breeding and growing quality animals.
