How Much Does an Alpaca Eat Per Day?

Alpacas are grazers, and efficient ones: they get more out of poor forage than sheep do. So feeding them is mostly a question of grass and hay, with a small daily supplement on top, and the amount scales with bodyweight.

About 2% of bodyweight a day

The British Alpaca Society says alpacas eat approximately 2% of their bodyweight in feed a day, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension gives 1.8–2% in dry matter. Adult alpacas weigh 55–90kg according to GOV.UK, so a typical 70kg (154 lb) alpaca eats about 1.4kg (3.1 lb) of dry matter a day.

Grass, hay and supplements

• Grass: alpacas prefer shorter pasture and do best on good-quality grazing (British Alpaca Society).
• Hay: the British Alpaca Society says alpacas need grazing and/or hay all year round, and that wet or mouldy hay must be removed straight away. On a dry lot, Rutgers says camelids may eat 3–5 lb of hay a day.
• Supplements: usually a daily vitamin and mineral supplement, with extra for females in milk and weanlings, and vitamins A, D and E in winter (British Alpaca Society). Rutgers notes alpacas find loose salt and minerals easier than blocks, and BAS adds that some won't lick blocks at all.
• Changes: introduce new feeds gradually, so the gut microbes can adjust (British Alpaca Society).

Hay for winter

Hay is about 90% dry matter, so a 70kg alpaca on hay alone needs about 1.6kg (3.4 lb) of hay a day. Over a six-month, 182-day winter that's roughly 280kg (620 lb) per alpaca, or about 850kg (1,870 lb) for a herd of three, before allowing for waste. The hay calculator does this for your herd and winter length.

Water

Rutgers gives normal daily water intake as about 4 litres per 100 lb of bodyweight, about 6 litres (1.6 US gallons) for a 70kg alpaca. That's a baseline, not a ration: keep clean water available all the time. The water calculator scales it to your herd.

Feed cost

The feed cost calculator turns the 2% figure into a weekly and monthly cost at the price you pay.

Sources: British Alpaca Society, Fact Sheet 5: Alpaca Nutrition and Feeding; Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Llama and Alpaca Production; GOV.UK, South American camelids. Sources checked: October 2026. General information, not a ration plan from a vet.

Common questions

How much does an alpaca eat a day?

About 2% of its bodyweight, according to the British Alpaca Society; Rutgers Cooperative Extension gives 1.8–2% in dry matter. For a 70kg (154 lb) alpaca that's about 1.4kg (3.1 lb) a day, mostly grass or hay.

How much hay does an alpaca need for winter?

If hay is the whole diet, about 1.6kg (3.4 lb) of hay a day for a 70kg alpaca, because hay is about 90% dry matter. Over a 182-day winter that's roughly 280kg (620 lb) per alpaca before waste.

How much water does an alpaca drink?

Rutgers Cooperative Extension gives about 4 litres per 100 lb of bodyweight a day, so roughly 6 litres (1.6 US gallons) for a 70kg alpaca. Water should always be available.

Do alpacas need supplements?

The British Alpaca Society says alpacas are usually given supplements every day for vitamins and minerals, and usually need extra vitamins A, D and E in winter in the UK.