Alpaca Manure Tips

We have put together ten tips about alpaca manure that other alpaca owners may not reveal to you.

Our…hmmm…how should I say this?

Our excrement adventures range from "what did you expect, your shoveling crap?" to "That’s gross!"

In six years of dealing with alpacas, we have scooped a lot of poop. So we thought we would share some of our most profound insights.

Alpaca manure rolls downhill! Always scoop uphill or you will be chasing…well, you know what you'll be chasing.

When alpaca manure dries out, it gains speed rolling downhill because it is lighter.

Pick it up daily.

Do not leave it for any length of time before scooping or you will have to chase it faster.

Alpacas are helpful. As soon as you start cleaning up their piles, they'll line up to leave more so that you can pick it up while you are still there.

Alpaca poop IS a gourmet treat to your dog.

It will be a race to see who can get it cleaned up first, you or your dog. (Maybe that’s just our weird dog.)

If you use a shovel and a wheelbarrow to scoop poop, do not push a fully loaded wheelbarrow on the side of a hill. It will tip over spilling all the contents someplace you do not want it to be.

‘Course you just gave your spouse, kids, neighbors, and anyone else privy to the incident the best laugh they've had in years.

Oh, Yes! They will not let you forget it.

Your teenage girls WILL NOT pick-up alpaca manure no matter how much money you offer them.

It ain't gonna happen, so just get yourself out there and start scooping.

Alpacas leave their poop in nice piles. DO NOT throw anything for your dog to chase because he will plow right through those neat piles scattering alpaca manure everywhere.

Your dog will someday bring a "fresh one" for you to throw.

Yell "No!" to get him to drop it.

He will reluctantly comply, then come over and attempt to lick your hand.

Be prepared for this grossness to happen again.

Inevitably, you will accidentally drop your shovel and the handle will fall directly onto the fresh manure.

Wear gloves at all times.

Doesn’t matter how hot it is outside. You don't want to touch THAT handle with your bare hands!

Do not allow small children into the field until after you have scooped poop. If they are allowed out there before scooping, they will attempt to help you pick-up poop, but they will use their little hands to examine and mush it first.

Now that is more than you ever wanted to know about alpaca manure, we are sure. But someone had to tell you.

We did plant a garden this year and used lots of alpaca manure. We have never been able to get corn to grow here. This year we got lots of corn and it was very sweet. We believe the alpaca poop was the key. Give it a try.

For more interesting articles check out the Informed Farmers website.