 Being a naturally hardy animal llamas can actually be kept with only a minimal investment in barns, etc. A three sided shelter positioned to keep them out of the prevailing winds will serve nicely in all but the coldest climates. While we house our animals in barns that have doors that can be closed, we seldom find it necessary to totally close the barn. Provided your animals are healthy they can tolerate cold as long as they have protection from the wind. Also, in cold weather, it helps them conserve body heat if the barn floor (which is preferably sand) has been strawed in the areas were they generally rest.Your animals will require a source of fresh, clean water which is always available to them. Free choice mineral salts which are specifically formulated for llamas are also important. During summer llamas will graze provided you have good quality grass. Generally, here in Wisconsin, the preferred grasses are timothy, orchard grass and brome. Keeping the pasture mowed is important in early summer as tall grass, while it may look lush, offers little in the way of nutrition. The nutrients are down near the ground. In a year with sufficient rainfall you can successfully pasture four animals per acre. During the winter months they require second cutting grass hay (also called horse hay). Except in bitterly cold weather, when we feed oftener to help them generate body heat, a bale of hay will feed one llama for a week. We also supplement with a product made by Land-O-Lakes specifically for llamas called, Lama-E. Each animal gets 8 oz. per day with nursing moms and those in the last three months of gestation getting 2 to 3 times that depending on body weight. During the fall and winter months we augment our supplement with diatomaceous earth and a powdered probiotic. Both products are quite inexpensive and we find the cost to be well worth it in terms of over-all health. Llamas can be kept on small acreages. It is nice, however, to be able to pasture them on expanses large enough to give them room to run and pronk. They seem to enjoy doing this just because and watching them is a highlight of the day. Llamas are naturally very healthy animals and are stoic about indicating illness. Watching your animals so you know what is normal for them will help you to determine whether or not you need to consult the vet. Generally the need for medication will depend on the part of the country in which you live. Here in Wisconsin, with the prevalence of whitetail deer, it is necessary to do worming for the prevention of meningeal worm. We begin worming in April using Dectomaxx. At that time we also give the entire herd CD&T. We then worm every two months until late November. During Dec.-March we run fecals to check for parasites but due to the cold we generally do not find it necessary to worm during that time frame. The exceptions to this schedule are: pregnant females who receive no meds during the last 3 months of gestation. We also follow a separate schedule of CD&T shots for crias. They receive these at 5 weeks, 9 weeks and 13 weeks. This program has been very successful for us and is the program advised by our veterinarian. Llamas do not require regular grooming however you may find that both you and your animals enjoy some grooming. It provides a nice chance to touch and many animals really appear to like the feel of the slicker brush. Choose your brushes with care as animals will not enjoy being brushed if the brush pulls and tears their fiber. There are several companies that provide products specifically made for llamas and alpacas. Companies that we have found to be reliable are as follows: Useful Lama Items, www.usefullamaitems.com, Rocky Mountain Llamas--www.rockymtllamas.com, and Quality Llama Products & Alternate Livestock Supply, 800-638-4689.
Stevens Llama Tique www.stevenstique.com Most states also have a state association which is inexpensive to join and a wonderful source of ideas and helpful people. |
What Do You Need To Own Llamas?