Alpaca investing

Investment - Why and How

Why invest in Alpacas? Alpaca ownership can lead to ...

• Significant taxation benefits derived from certain deductible expenses.
• Exciting lifestyle opportunities gained from participation in rural activities.
• Participation in a dynamic and growing industry.
• Significant earnings opportunities through the sale of crias.

Taxation Treatment

When Alpaca ownership (either outright or lease) is approach as; and considered by the Taxation Commissioner to be a business, the costs associated with ownership can be deducted against assessable income. Deductible items include, but are not limited to interest on capital employed in the business, service fees, agistment and veterinary fees. These deductions may be used to offset earnings from other sources.

Rural Lifestyle

Whether a city dweller or already living in rural Australia, ownership of alpacas can add a new dimension to the lifestyle of you and your family. Alpacas are people-friendly livestock, easy to handle and suitable to have around children.

As an owner or lessee, alpacas provide a very real reason to leave the city behind you on weekends. Agistment arrangements are readily available in a variety of areas, thus reducing your hands-on time required, while still providing you with the benefits and joys of ownership.

Your first step towards a semi-permanent or even a permanent rural lifestyle can be taken when you become involved in Alpaca ownership. A herd can be built-up over time while you continue to pursue existing business and career activities. A permanent move to a rural lifestyle can be taken when the herd is established.

Dynamic Industry

Since introduction into Australia in 1988, Alpacas have become increasingly important part of our Primary Production sector. Experts acknowledge that the alpaca fleece is already considered one of the worlds' "noble fibres" and this is at a very early stage of Alpaca fleece development. Breeding techniques are continually producing significant advances in fibre quality. The industry is advancing at a rapid pace; providing a great amount of excitement for all participants.

Earnings Opportunities

When approached as a business and in a serious manner, the potential earnings from Alpacas are significant. Advanced breeding techniques are now producing crias that break existing sales records. The establishment costs of a herd can be recovered within several years from commencement if quality crias are produced and sold into strong market demand.

How to Farm Your Alpacas

A typical farmer will run Alpacas as an alternative or complementary to his present farm production. Because Alpacas are viable on small acreages they can be additional income without taking up large tracts of land. They require no extra fencing or other costly infrastructure, but need clean water and shelter, as do all livestock.

• Alpacas need pastures that would be suitable for the equivalent in sheep numbers and generally do not require supplementary feeding.

• Alpacas thrive in most conditions as evidenced by the spread of the stock from cold Northern Canada to the hot Negev Desert in Israel.

• Alpacas are usually sold with a Certificate of Registration which traces the bloodline of the animal.

• Alpacas are all tagged for identification soon after birth and registered through the Australian Alpaca Association's Breed Registry in Armidale, NSW.
  

How to Invest in Alpacas Without Farming

You may not yet be in a position to run your own Alpacas or you may wish to simply invest in the industry at this stage and build your herd for your own farm at a later date or for re-sale. In this case, Coolawarra can take care of all the day-to-day farming of your Alpaca. Agistment is not just daily care and maintenance however, it includes annual shearing, a drenching and inoculation schedule and a meticulous, well-researched breeding programme which includes comprehensive fibre testing and analysis by our breeding consultant, Dr Jim Watts, formally of the CSIRO.

Your females have access to a carefully planned pool of world-class genetics, with sires exhibiting strong advanced breeding characteristics, carefully selected from leading bloodlines worldwide. Our stud sires are sourced from Peru (Accoyo and Rural Allianza), USA (Hemingway bloodlines) and well-known Purrumbete bloodlines, including HIghlander, Eldorado, Snowman and Inti.

An agister at Coolawarra knows that their animals are maintained by a highly professional and dedicated staff who have worked with Alpacas since their arrival in Australia and who share over 100 years of combined farming and animal husbandry experience.

Your investment is further secured by Coolawarra's restricted entry policy which has effectively protected it against the introduction of stock diseases into Coolawarra herd.

Advantages of Agisting Your Animals at Coolawarra

Your breeding programme becomes part of the most advanced breeding research in the world. Your Alpaca's fleece is tested visually and under advanced laboratory conditions before any joining takes place. This ensures optimum performance of your herd by joining your female to a specific male to maximise her strengths and minimise her weaknesses.

Contact Coolawarra for information about our extensive services including agistment, classing, quarantine and embryo transfer programmes. Information of Alpaca Sales.