Llama Needs and Wants

HOUSING
Llamas require at least a three-sided shed for protection from winter winds and summer sun. More elaborate housing would depend on your plans and needs. A 12'x12' shed will house two compatible llamas. You will need a grain trough and a manger on each end. Always have one or two more grain troughs than you have llamas. A gate will be needed to keep them in the shed or doors to totally close in the shed. Eventually, a feed room could be added. Or you could make the building larger to house more llamas or include other animals. Add partitions and walls to a new barn gradually. Depending on how many llamas you have you might want a hospital stall, a stall for your breeding male, a grooming area, a place to store hay. Make sure you think about the future and possible expansion. Your choices are endless and your barn can be built to suit your tastes and your llamas' needs. Be sure the building is situated so the llamas are protected from cold winds in the winter and have plenty of shade and breeze in the summer. Llamas deal well with the cold, but when high humidity and high temperatures combine, they can have a difficult time dealing with the heat- especially if they are heavily woolled. Make sure they have plenty of water and shade. Shearing is a necessity to help them cope with the heat. Fans can be installed in your barn to combat the heat. If you are not at home during the day, consider thermostat-controlled fans. Pregnant females and breeding males deserve extra consideration in the heat. Watch them closely and go the extra mile to keep them comfortable.

FENCING
Llamas are not difficult to contain. However, care must be taken to insure no unwanted animals (such as a pack of dogs) get in through the fence. Llamas have an incredible curiosity. If a stray dog comes to the fence, the llamas will immediately arrive to see what is happening. Being stared at by the llamas always unnerves a stray dog, which quickly trots away. HOWEVER. If you have an experienced pack of dogs that has killed before, a llama will be hard pressed to defend itself. We use 8-wire high tensile fence, with electric on the 2nd and 4th wires from the bottom, for all perimeter fencing. Our cross fencing is 8 wire high tensile, with no electric. We have used high tensile fence since 1979 and highly recommend it. It is more economical than other fencing and almost maintenance free.

PASTURES
Three or four llamas can do quite well on an acre of pasture. Obviously, more llamas require more land. Llamas do not cut up and ruin pasture like horses and cows do. Their padded feet do minimal damage to the land. A varied terrain suits them well. They will enjoy a little hill to play "King of the Mountain". Trees will give them shade and browsing material. They will make their own dust baths. Water is also a plus, either natural ponds or streams or wading pools in the summer months. Keep the pasture mowed and the dung piles cleaned up. This will make the pasture both more productive and more attractive. A herd of llamas will benefit from multiple pastures (example-not one ten-acre pasture, but five two-acre pastures). This is something to be considered when a pasture is fenced. Multiple pastures permit rotational grazing which allows maximum forage production and helps control parasites.

NUTRITION
Llamas are very efficient utilizers of food. They do not require high amounts of protein. They do not require large amounts of feed. They are not market animals- do not feed them like one. Llamas do exceedingly well on good pasture. Alfalfa hay as a steady diet is not necessary, nor is it recommended. Grass hay is fine- second cut for nursing moms and babies and first cut for everyone else. Keep the grain to a minimum. Again, nursing moms get grain, also pregnant females in their last trimester. Feed grain sparingly to everyone else. We do not feed a ration that is 100% pellets because our llamas choke on it. We feed a grain mixture consisting of oats, corn and a pelleted supplement. In the winter when it is below freezing we add extra corn. The number one health problem in llamas today is fat! This can result in multiple medical problems. Don't be responsible for causing this problem in your llamas. Llamas also require free choice salt and mineral mix. Use the loose form; do not feed it in a block. Be sure to supplement with selenium if you are in a deficient area. And don't forget lots of fresh water. If you want to give your llama a treat try carrots, apples, animal crackers, cinnamon crisp graham crackers or peanuts (our llamas' favorite). Make sure you have more than enough feed troughs and mangers. The llama who is at the bottom of the pecking order needs a place to eat.

MEDICAL NEEDS
Llamas are naturally healthy, hardy animals. Raise them with lots of green grass, sunshine, clean water and room to roam, and they will thrive. Annual vaccinations are required- overeating (clostridium perfringens) and tetanus. A regular worming schedule must be maintained. Your schedule will depend on your density of animals and your pasture rotation. Discuss this with your veterinarian. There is a controversy regarding the rotation of wormers vs. using the same wormer until it proves ineffective. Discuss this with your veterinarian. (Nurture your relationship with your veterinarian- good vets are hard to find.) We use injectable ivermectin regularly (did you know you can give injectable ivermectin by mouth?) as well as valbazen and panacur. We use tramisol/levamasole on our young animals (this boosts the immune system). We also vaccinate against rabies. Meningeal worm is a problem in areas with a high population of white tail deer. Regular worming (monthly during warm weather) with ivermectin or panacur will help prevent problems with meningeal worm. Again, follow your veterinarian's recommendations for health care tailored to your farm and your geographical location.

GROOMING
All animals benefit from grooming and llamas are no exception. Regular grooming helps you develop a relationship with your llama and teaches your llama discipline. It also keeps their fiber clean and therefore more useable. The more wool a llama has the more grooming it will require. The finer the fleece (and the fewer the guard hairs) the more it will felt or mat. Using a silicone based grooming spray will help keep your llama clean. Shearing is necessary for wooly llamas. It makes grooming easier and keeps the animal cooler and healthier. Don't forget to trim feet on a regular basis.

TRAINING
Llamas are a joy to train. They are a quick study and require minimum repetitions to learn anything. Remember to be firm but gentle, and always consistent. Be sure your llama understands what you are asking him to do. When training your llama, never physically move him by pulling him forward. This can create an unwilling animal. If you force him to do something, he's not learning. Take your time and teach in small steps. If the llama becomes resistant or confused, back up a few steps and repeat. Basic things to teach your llama: leading, change of pace, change of direction, stopping and standing quietly, coming when called, loading, picking up his feet, standing when tied, standing while being groomed. Obstacle courses are great fun and your llama will enjoy himself. They become bored very easily so keep training sessions short and fun. Learn about training llamas. Attend a John Mallon Clinic. Learn about John's method of imprinting newborns…it works! "Clicker training" is also great fun and easy to do with llamas, but it must be done properly. Learn more about this method (read "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor) and attend a Logan clinic.

OTHER ANIMALS
Llamas get along very well with other animals. But be careful when mixing llamas with cows or horses, because the llamas could be seriously injured. Cows or horses (and even sheep) can keep a llama from needed food or shelter. Llamas can usually be pastured with other livestock but be sure they have separate facilities for food and shelter. Always supervise your dogs when they are with your llamas. Better to be safe then sorry.

TRANSPORTATION
Llamas are wonderful to transport. They can ride in a van, in the back of a truck, in a trailer. And if they are small, in a hatch back. Do not tie them, but let them ride loose. They ride in a "kushed" position. They are excellent travelers and attract incredible attention at rest stops!

LLAMA FIBER
Clean, healthy llama fiber is sought after by handspinners and fiber artists. Llama fiber can be spun or felted. It comes in a beautiful array of natural colors. It can be used in knitting, crocheting or weaving. If you would like to use your llama's wool be sure to keep it clean. This means your llama will need groomed on a regular basis. The cleaner the wool the more desirable and marketable it is. Wool can be harvested by brushing or shearing, depending on the individual fleece. We use a silicone based groomer on our llamas to help keep the wool cleaner. It makes fiber slippery so debris falls out.

BUYING LLAMAS
If you are considering becoming a llama owner, educate yourself. Read everything you can find about llamas, visit lots of llama farms and talk to llama owners. Learn everything you can. Don't forget…you can't keep just one llama by itself. They require the company of another llama. Never buy a llama that was weaned from its mother before it was six months old. They need to grow up with a mother's influence to develop normally. And NEVER buy a male that was taken from his mother and bottle raised. These llamas can develop abnormal behaviors, becoming aggressive and dangerous. Buy from an established breeder who has given their llamas the care and training they need and who will give you the support you will need. It is not advisable to buy at a livestock auction.

Want to know more?
Contact us, we'll be glad to answer your questions.