Alpacas don’t need fences to keep them in; they need fences to keep predators out. This will make the fencing needs a little different for ranches that live where wild animals abound and ranches that don’t.

First, we should urge you to have your property surveyed to know exactly where your property line is. We made the mistake of assuming that since the property was fenced when we moved in that putting a new fence up just within that line would be fine. After finding one property marker at the back of the property we also assumed running a perpendicular line to the road would also be ok. After having our fence installed, and having the neighbor who owns the field next to us mark off his property, we found out we were wrong on both counts! We now know exactly where our lines are and that they do not run perpendicular to the road! We also have the expense of moving our fence. Lessons learned the hard way are the lessons that stick with us, though. Right?

After visiting different ranches we really like the wooden posts, and that is based on looks more than practicality. Recommended fencing is five feet tall. We used treated four-inch wooden posts; the corner posts are nine foot (with three feet driven into the ground) and the rest are seven foot (with two foot driven into the ground). The treated wood and the extra depth are needed for the wet weather we have here in the valley. For the wire we used four-foot no-climb woven fence with 2 strands of wire at the top to make the fence five foot high. If we find the need, the top wire is set up to be a hot wire. Around the perimeter of the fence at the bottom we ran barbed wire to prevent predators from digging under the fence. We also had the wire put on the outside of the fence post to make it a little harder for unwanted guest from pushing on the fence trying to get in the pasture. Alpacas do not normally challenge the fence. Like we said, alpacas don’t need fences to keep them in; they need fences to keep predators out!

Find a reputable fence company to do the work if you do not or cannot do it yourself. I feel this could be one of the most important things you can do for your alpaca’s safety. 

While we are on the subject of fencing we should talk about gates. You can never have too many gates. Draw your pasture layout on paper then walk the pasture and use your imagination opening and closing gates. Try and imagine you are doing this by yourself, as you might not always have help. If possible have gates serve two functions. We created a lane down the east side of our pasture to get the alpacas from the pasture to the barn. The lane is 16 feet wide. Our gates are also 16 feet wide. When the gates are opened into the lane it creates nice little catch pens, or “road blocks” if we just want to transfer the alpaca’s from one pen to another. We left the pasture paddocks doublewide and set up for easy installation of a cross fence to break them up in to two smaller paddocks when needed. The gates are in place and ready when the need arises…but even with all the planning and walking we are still finding places we would like more gates. You never can have too many, you know!