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Llamas/Alpacas |
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Our Herd
We have enjoyed the company of llamas for a few years now. The first llamas we acquired were more like the traditional llamas, with less fibre and smaller in size.
As the years passed we became more interested in fibre and as part of our search for llamas with lots of fibre we met Elisabeth Kaufmann from Williamsburg, ON. Our first meeting got us hooked on Elisabeth’s llamas. Elisabeth has been breeding llamas for quite a few years and we were very impressed with the quality of the animals of her herd as well as her knowledge of llamas.
We purchased ELR Starlet and a few months later, and then Camilla was born. We later purchased Hot Chocolate and Tiffany. Our intention is to have a small herd of quality fibre producing animals.
 Where do llamas come from?
Llamas are part of the camelid family. Alpacas and llamas exist only as domestic species, as the vicunas and the guanacos are wild species. The domestication of llamas and alpacas dates back to 4000-5000 B.C. They seem to have originated from the plains of North America over 40 million years ago. Therefore, they have been around for quite a while.
Why llamas? Llamas are inquisitive, intelligent and eager to please. They are fascinating animals to watch. Once you looked in those large brilliant eyes, you are hooked. What I like most about llamas is their ability to adapt to different surroundings, people and other animals. They love our goats and sheep and other animals on the farm. They can also be very protective of their own. They make excellent guard animals as they will chase anything that is considered an intruder such as strange dogs or other creatures. They will warn by emitting a strange sound that resembles the whinnying of a horse. Then, if challenged, they will chase the undesirables in order to protect their own.
Feed and care of the llama
Llamas are fairly easy to care for and do not require high protein grasses like other livestock. They eat approximately 2-4% their body weight daily which is less than what a goat requires. Overfeeding is more often seen and an obese llama is not a healthy llama. Make sure that they have access to fresh water and minerals. Minerals in pelletized form are suggested since llamas cannot lick. Llamas do better in cold weather providing they have adequate shelter. They tend to mind the heat and it is important to insure that a llama remains cool in hot and humid weather. This can be achieved by ensuring that they are well ventilated and have access to shade and cold water.
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