Alpacas need vitamins A, D and E, and vitamin D is the one most often short in the US, especially in winter and in northern or cloudy areas. Because too much of these fat-soluble vitamins is toxic, do not guess at a dose. Ask your vet what your herd needs, based on your hay, your region and the season.
Why alpacas need these vitamins
- Vitamin A supports vision, skin, the lining of the gut and the immune system. Green, leafy forage is the natural source.
- Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus for bones and teeth. Alpacas make it when sunlight hits their skin.
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects muscle and supports the immune and reproductive systems. Fresh pasture is a good source; stored hay loses it over time.
Vitamin D is the big one
Alpacas evolved in the high Andes, where sunlight is intense. In much of North America, and in the UK and northern Europe, there is less sun in fall and winter, and a thick fleece blocks light from reaching the skin. Young animals that do not get enough vitamin D can develop rickets, with soft, bowed legs, slow growth and trouble standing. Adults can lose bone strength.
Cria born in fall and winter and animals kept in barns or in cloudy climates are at the highest risk. Many alpaca owners in these areas supplement vitamin D during the dark months, usually through an injection or an oral product that a vet recommends.
Signs of a deficiency
- Slow growth in young animals
- Bowed legs, swollen joints, or reluctance to stand or walk
- Poor fleece quality
- Poor appetite or weight loss
- Weak or sick cria
- Eye problems or night blindness (vitamin A)
These signs also fit other illnesses, so a vet should examine the animal rather than guess. A blood test for vitamin D can confirm a problem.
How to provide the vitamins safely
- Start with good feed. A quality grass hay and a pellet made for alpacas usually contain added vitamins. See alpaca pellets and what alpacas can and cannot eat.
- Read the label. Check the vitamin A, D and E levels in your pellet and mineral mix before adding any supplement, so you do not double up.
- Ask your vet about seasonal support. Your vet can tell you whether your herd needs vitamin D in winter and how to give it. Vitamin injections are covered in alpaca vitamin injections.
- Do not over-supplement. Vitamins A and D can build up in the body and cause poisoning, with kidney damage and soft-tissue problems. More is not better.
- Let them out. Give alpacas safe access to sunshine and shade when weather allows.
Common myths
You may read that alpacas never need vitamin D because they live at high altitude. That is true in the Andes but not in many parts of the US and Europe, so each herd should be judged on local conditions. Another myth is that human vitamins are a cheap substitute. Do not use them; the doses and forms are wrong for alpacas.
Bottom Line
Alpacas do need vitamins A, D and E, and vitamin D is most likely to run short in winter. Feed good hay and an alpaca pellet, and let your vet set any extra dose. Never give vitamin supplements or injections without veterinary guidance.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. Call your vet about your alpaca’s health and supplements.
