In the US an average breeding female alpaca sells for $10,000, this price has been stable for 20 years. That female will have one baby a year, the odds say that 50% of the time that baby will be another female, also worth an average of $10,000. So, plain and simple, the average breeding alpaca will double your equity every 2 years!
Now, just like the stock market, if you time it right, and throw in a little luck, you can do better than the average. For instance, if you buy a female that is 11 months pregnant, and she has a female, you just doubled your investment in less than a month!
I know it sounds like just another get-rich-quick scam, so before we go any further I must tell you "the catch." You need to remember that we are talking about equity here. You will still need to turn that equity into cash, which is where the marketing end of the alpaca business kicks in. If you are business savvy then that's the part that's fun. If not, then you can always find someone who will market your alpacas for you.
Check our Marketing Program page for more information. |
If you plan it right, and go about it like a business, you can easily use alpacas to set yourself up for an early "semi-retirement." I say "semi" because, if you have an alpaca ranch that is self-sustaining, you will always find work to do. Whether it's adding new fencing, or updating your web site, there's really no such thing as "retirement" on an Alpaca Ranch. But if you think about it, many experts say that full retirement is the fast lane to the cemetery. People who continue working after retirement age live far longer than those who end up playing shuffleboard in Boca!
Here at Dutch Valley Ranch we had a simple 10-year business plan starting in 2001. For the first 5 years we would invest and grow our herd, without selling any animals. Then the second 5 years we would start selling our alpacas and grow our business, with the ranch able to fully support itself by 2011. Well, the key to any business plan is that it must be flexible. We sold our first alpaca after 3 years, for $25,000, and our ranch is now self-sufficient, 3 years early!
Check our Ranch Progression page for more information. |
