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| Guard Llamas |
Disclaimer: Good Shepherd Farm Alpacas does not recommend or endorse any certain llama for guard. Good Shepherd Farm is not
responsible for any decision or loss Reader is to use own discretion.
responsible for any decision or loss Reader is to use own discretion.
Guard llamas may be the option to meet your livestock guardian needs. Llamas can be a great
alternative to guard dogs or donkeys for use as predator control with alpacas. One advantage is the
Llama basically has the same diet as an alpaca. Most guard llamas are geldings but females also
exhibit guarding skills. Most female llamas are generally used for breeding purposes. Not all llamas
have the correct characteristics to become good guard animals. More information on using guard
llamas is available on several of the Web sites. Google Listing of guard Llama websites. Be careful
when choosing a guard llama because not all llamas possess guarding skills.
Llamas make great guard animals and are an inexpensive way to protect your alpacas. Lamas
has the same diet as alpacas which will not cost much more in feed as dogs will. We purchased two
females that exhibited excellent guarding skills. Anything that entered our pastures that was not
supposed to be there was taken care of. We have found anything from snakes to rabbits lying dead
in our pastures.
Alpaca should be kept in a fenced area, but fences often do not keep dogs and coyotes out.
Livestock guardian dogs are great deterrents but can eventually become a problem, wanting to
leave a fenced area and roam around on their own, leaving your herd unprotected. We have, and
are still experiencing, this with our three Great Pyrenees. One advantage to the dogs escaping our
fence line is that we are shown the weak points in our fencing. We can then correct the fencing issue
and repeat the repairs until the total fence line is secure.
Sometimes, guard animal is the only line of defense and we suggest utilizing as many forms of defense and deterrents as economically
possible. Predators can climb or dig under almost any fence, even electric fencing. If a coyote is hungry enough, a fence alone, will not keep
a coyote or wild predator out. Multiple lines of defense are a necessity.
How does a llama guard? A llamas size in intimidating to smaller predators. By moving straight toward a perceived danger, the llama has
postered itself in an agressive defensive position. Guard llamas are curious and when it sees something unusual, he checks it out. He
approaches danger, staying between it and his herd, persuading the intruder to hunt elswhere. If the intruder enters his space, usually a
fence line, he attacks using his front feet to stomp. Some llamas actually herd their charges away from danger.
Llama guards are selected by age two when they are old enough to begin showing guarding
characteristics. Choosing a llama guard is to be taken seriously and we sugest that you take
someone with you that is familiar with guarding llamas. Look carefully at the prospects’
personality. He must be among the most alert and watchful, bond well within their herd, be in
excellent health, and have a desire to remain aloof. This is not the llama that you want as a
pet. There is such a thing as a "berserk llama," a hand-raised llama that has lost the defining
line between people and llamas. This animal is dangerous, and must not be used as a guard.
Otherwise, your guard llama will be fine with you and your grandchildren. Your pet dogs
should not be allowed in the pastures. Llamas will learn to differentiate between predators
and your working, herding, dogs. Careful introduction is the rule.
A guard or work animal, is the only time when a responsible breeder will sell a single llama.
It is probable that you should not have two llamas guarding the same herd, due to the risk of
their bonding and not guarding. This has been proved wrong on occasion, but is the general practice. Our females have done excellent
together guarding our female alpacas. We chose females to guard our females due to the fact that a gelding male may still make attempts to
breed and may injur or kill a female alpaca.
Caution must be taken by the breeder in selecting llamas to be sold as guards. Do not expect to purchase a guard llama at an auction! Buy
from a professional and reputable breeder. Guaranteed guard llamas sell for around $1,000, and will normally be effective for ten to 15
years, for a cost of under $100 per year. We have found some prices as low as $200 so we suggest that you do not purchase the first ones
you look at. This is significantly less than a guard dog, for example, which costs around $700 and is effective for three to four years. All
guards are inexpensive compared to predation loss. Do not buy a guard llama at an auction
any more than you would get a guard dog from a pound. You need a professional to back
your purchase, answer your questions, and if necessary, exchange the animal.
To aid in selecting a livestock guardian, the USDA has published the a pamphlet,
Livestock Guardians "Choosing a Guard Animal".
Queso Cabeza Farm, of Olivet, MI has publiched a very nice and informative pamphlet called
"Guard Llamas, Using Llamas to Safeguard other Species"
Wikipedia's listing for Guard Llamas
Good News Llamas is an excellent place to start your search or begin talks with an
experienced llama breeder. Please visit their website.
alternative to guard dogs or donkeys for use as predator control with alpacas. One advantage is the
Llama basically has the same diet as an alpaca. Most guard llamas are geldings but females also
exhibit guarding skills. Most female llamas are generally used for breeding purposes. Not all llamas
have the correct characteristics to become good guard animals. More information on using guard
llamas is available on several of the Web sites. Google Listing of guard Llama websites. Be careful
when choosing a guard llama because not all llamas possess guarding skills.
Llamas make great guard animals and are an inexpensive way to protect your alpacas. Lamas
has the same diet as alpacas which will not cost much more in feed as dogs will. We purchased two
females that exhibited excellent guarding skills. Anything that entered our pastures that was not
supposed to be there was taken care of. We have found anything from snakes to rabbits lying dead
in our pastures.
Alpaca should be kept in a fenced area, but fences often do not keep dogs and coyotes out.
Livestock guardian dogs are great deterrents but can eventually become a problem, wanting to
leave a fenced area and roam around on their own, leaving your herd unprotected. We have, and
are still experiencing, this with our three Great Pyrenees. One advantage to the dogs escaping our
fence line is that we are shown the weak points in our fencing. We can then correct the fencing issue
and repeat the repairs until the total fence line is secure.
Sometimes, guard animal is the only line of defense and we suggest utilizing as many forms of defense and deterrents as economically
possible. Predators can climb or dig under almost any fence, even electric fencing. If a coyote is hungry enough, a fence alone, will not keep
a coyote or wild predator out. Multiple lines of defense are a necessity.
How does a llama guard? A llamas size in intimidating to smaller predators. By moving straight toward a perceived danger, the llama has
postered itself in an agressive defensive position. Guard llamas are curious and when it sees something unusual, he checks it out. He
approaches danger, staying between it and his herd, persuading the intruder to hunt elswhere. If the intruder enters his space, usually a
fence line, he attacks using his front feet to stomp. Some llamas actually herd their charges away from danger.
Llama guards are selected by age two when they are old enough to begin showing guarding
characteristics. Choosing a llama guard is to be taken seriously and we sugest that you take
someone with you that is familiar with guarding llamas. Look carefully at the prospects’
personality. He must be among the most alert and watchful, bond well within their herd, be in
excellent health, and have a desire to remain aloof. This is not the llama that you want as a
pet. There is such a thing as a "berserk llama," a hand-raised llama that has lost the defining
line between people and llamas. This animal is dangerous, and must not be used as a guard.
Otherwise, your guard llama will be fine with you and your grandchildren. Your pet dogs
should not be allowed in the pastures. Llamas will learn to differentiate between predators
and your working, herding, dogs. Careful introduction is the rule.
A guard or work animal, is the only time when a responsible breeder will sell a single llama.
It is probable that you should not have two llamas guarding the same herd, due to the risk of
their bonding and not guarding. This has been proved wrong on occasion, but is the general practice. Our females have done excellent
together guarding our female alpacas. We chose females to guard our females due to the fact that a gelding male may still make attempts to
breed and may injur or kill a female alpaca.
Caution must be taken by the breeder in selecting llamas to be sold as guards. Do not expect to purchase a guard llama at an auction! Buy
from a professional and reputable breeder. Guaranteed guard llamas sell for around $1,000, and will normally be effective for ten to 15
years, for a cost of under $100 per year. We have found some prices as low as $200 so we suggest that you do not purchase the first ones
you look at. This is significantly less than a guard dog, for example, which costs around $700 and is effective for three to four years. All
guards are inexpensive compared to predation loss. Do not buy a guard llama at an auction
any more than you would get a guard dog from a pound. You need a professional to back
your purchase, answer your questions, and if necessary, exchange the animal.
To aid in selecting a livestock guardian, the USDA has published the a pamphlet,
Livestock Guardians "Choosing a Guard Animal".
Queso Cabeza Farm, of Olivet, MI has publiched a very nice and informative pamphlet called
"Guard Llamas, Using Llamas to Safeguard other Species"
Wikipedia's listing for Guard Llamas
Good News Llamas is an excellent place to start your search or begin talks with an
experienced llama breeder. Please visit their website.
| Here is a great video showing a coyote attempting to make a meal from sheep. The guard llama and a couple of donkeys block the coyote. It was found on Youtube. Coyote - Ultimate Survivor?: Controlling the Population |
