Background basics
Many people are choosing to raise llamas for livestock and herd investments. Llamas' elegant wool is desired by spinners, youth choose llamas for 4-H projects and adults enjoy participating in the abundant llama shows. Sturdy and reliable packers, their disposition and surefootedness is greatly preferred over traditional pack animals. Llamas can be trained to pull a cart and are frequently seen in parades throughout the country. Sheep and goat ranchers choose llamas as herd guardians. The investment in llamas for pasture maintenance is proven because their soft padded feet do not destroy land. Llamas do not challenge fences, nor do they lean, eat or destroy fencing.
Personality
Llamas are extremely intelligent and docile. They are lovable and friendly and can easily be trained for a variety of tasks. Extremely good with children, they make fine pets and companions. These highly social animals prefer the companionship of their species, but will easily co-exist with other animals. Their calm nature and common sense make them easy for anyone, even children, to handle.
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Life Span
20 to 30 years is considered normal.
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Average Height
40 to 45 inches at the shoulder and 5 1/2 to 6 feet at the head is average.
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Weight
Llamas average 20 to 30 pounds at birth. Mature llamas average 250 to 400 pounds. Males tend to be slightly larger than females.
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Health
Because llamas and their ancestors are specially suited for the harsh environment of their Andean homeland, North American owners will find them remarkably hardy, healthy, easy to care for and virtually disease-free.
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Wool
Warmer, softer and lighter than sheep's wool, it is used for sweaters, clothing and blankets. It sells for $2.00 to $8.00 per ounce. A llama yields three to four pounds a year, enough for three garments.
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Feet
Unlike horses and sheep, llamas' two-toed padded feet are soft to ensure surefootedness and agility in rough terrain. Because of their padded feet, llamas are excellent stock in pastures and will not harm trails when used for packing.
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Banana Ears
Ears are in the upright-forward position resembling the shape of a banana. This allows for superior hearing and indicates friendliness.
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Color
Wool ranges from white to black, with shades of gray, beige, brown, red and roan in between. It may be solid, spotted or marked in any array of patterns.
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Feeding
Llamas are highly adaptable to feeders, being both grazers and browsers (shrubs and trees). They eat approximately 3% of their body weight in dry matter each day. One bale of hay will last an adult llama about ten days.
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Housing
A simple three-sided shelter is adequate, but llamas will usually prefer the open pasture.
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Cleanliness
Llamas are extremely clean animals. They only deposit excretions in a single area of their compounds.
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Reproduction
Llamas do not have a heat cycle but are induced ovulators (ovulation occurs 24-36 hours after breeding). Thus they can be bred at any time of the year. Summer birth in Texas is generally avoided.
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Breeding
Females are bred for the first time at 14 to 20 months old. We breed our llamas at 18 months and 200 pounds. Gestation is approximately 350 days. Almost all births occur during daylight hours. Single births are normal. Llamas usually deliver their babies standing up and the cria (baby llama) will begin walking and nursing 30 to 90 minutes after birth.
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Boarding
Three to four llamas can easily be supported on one acre of land requiring minimal fencing, buildings and water.
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Training
Llamas can be trained for packing, pulling a cart or as a flock or herd guardian at approximately five months of age.
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Endurance
Males are usually used for packing. Depending on maturity and condition, a llama can tote up to 120 pounds and average 10 to 15 miles a day.
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Do they spit?
Spitting is a llama's way of saying 'Get Away!' Spitting is normally used between llamas to divert annoying suitors, ward off a perceived threat, or most commonly, to establish pecking order at mealtime.
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Are they intelligent?
Llamas are intelligent and easy to train. In just 1 to 5 repetitions, they will pick up and retain many skills such as accepting a halter, being led, loading in and out of a trailer, pulling a cart or carrying a pack.
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