Difference between Alpaca and Llama



Difference between Alpaca and Llama


Distinguish, differentiate, compare and explain what is the Difference between Alpaca and Llama. Comparison and Differences.

Llamas and alpacas are quiet, intelligent, easily trained animals that can provide fleece and potentially a variety of services to the owner. They are adaptable to different climates and terrains. Alpacas and llamas offer a comparatively low-impact livestock alternative. Their padded feet do not have the same effect on the ground as hooves. In addition, they have efficient digestive systems and tend to consolidate feces, helping to control parasites and ease manure collection.

The llama and alpaca have been domesticated in South America for many centuries. There the llama is used as a beast of burden, as a fiber source, and as a meat source. The alpaca is used primarily for fiber production but is also a meat source in South America.

Difference between Llama and Alpaca

1. Alpaca has soft fleece and they listens to human commands. Llama has a knife in its fur and they listens to Norwegian death metal.

2. Alpaca eats grass and is even-tempered. Llama eats old corn dogs and is constantly drunk.

3. Llamas have, what has been coined as, ?banana ears? meaning their ear shape resembles a banana while alpaca ears are small and straight.

4. Llamas can weigh up to 400 lbs, have faces that are longer, and are more independent. Alpacas can reach a maximum weight of 145 lbs, have faces that tend to be smaller and blunted, and are more herd-minded.

5. There is also a difference in their fiber. Alpacas have a single coat, which is finer, produce a greater amount of fiber, and come in 22 different colors. Alpacas have two different type classifications. Llamas, on the other hand, generally have a double coat, which is coarse on the outside and soft on the inside, and come in four different classification types.

6. On a final note, llamas make better pack animals than alpacas do due to their larger overall size that permits them to carry larger loads for longer.

Similarities between Llamas and Alpacas

Despite their differences, llamas and alpacas have many similarities. To begin with, they both have their roots in South America and are part of the camelid family. They are also both used for fiber and even have a common classification type, which is called ?Suri?. Llamas and alpacas are both known to spit when displeased, have very similar physiological parts, and have nails instead of hooves. When it comes to breeding, both are induced ovulators, have a gestation period of approximately 350 days, their young are called crias, and males in llamas and alpacas reach sexual maturity around three years old. Their diets are also the same since they are both herbivores.

History of Llamas

Llamas were first domesticated 4,000 to 5,000 years ago in the Andean Highlands. Many prominent people, including William Randolph Hearst, imported llamas to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Typical weight of adult llamas can range from about 250 to 450 pounds. Their height at the shoulder is 42 to 45 inches, and at the head from 5 1/2 to over 6 feet tall. Llamas can live 20 to 25 years. They come in a wide array of colors from white to black, with shades of grey, brown, and red in between. They range from one solid color to various patterns and spots. There are different types of llamas: the wooly llama, the classic llama, the suri llama, and the silky llama.

Llama prices vary regionally, with pet-quality animals costing as little as $500. Prices depend upon the age, sex of the animal (males usually cost less), quality of breeding or show stock, and bloodlines. The low end of the female price range is $2,000.

History of Alpacas

The alpaca was first imported to the United States in 1984. The majority of alpacas reside in South America, with growing herds in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. There are two types of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri.

Huacaya is the most common variety of alpaca. The fiber of huacaya alpacas grows perpendicular to the body. It forms a lock structure that surrounds the body with fiber, giving the animal a fluffy, spongy appearance.

Suri is a less-common variety of alpaca. The fiber of suri alpacas grows parallel to the body and hangs down the sides of the body in curly ringlets. Suri fiber doesn?t stand out from the body, but parts along the backbone and hangs along the sides, giving the animal a slender, sleek look.



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Difference between Llama vs Alpaca

Alpaca vs Llama

Differences between Llama vs Alpaca

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