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antipodi
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Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:53 pm
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Keeping Llamas
Now you've decided to buy that Llama here's a few ideas on looking after them...
Llama requirements and basic care
Feed
* The llama diet consists mainly of grass and hay. Cereals can be given in small quantitites as treats and as a daily supplement in the winter months. Llamas are ruminants.
* Fresh clean water should be freely available.
* A mineral block or powdered minerals should be available.
Paddock
* The average stocking rate is 2 llamas/acre.
* A three sided shelter is required, providing somewhere dry for them to lay, shelter from the rain and shade from the sun.
* Fencing should be adequate, bearing in mind that llamas can easily jump a 5ft gate. Generally speaking a llama would not jump an average height fence, this would usually only happen with a male trying to reach a female.
* Llamas will browse on trees and hedges so any young trees should be protected if necessary.
Care/Disease Prevention
* Toenails will need trimming from time to time, this can be done using foot shears such as used for goats and sheep. Their feet have soft pads underneath, covered by two toenails.
* Brushing the fibre with a plastic curry comb should be carried out reasonably frequently to prevent the hair from matting. If the fibre becomes too matted, the llama will require shearing as thick matted fibre prevents heat loss during the summer months causing the llama to suffer from hyperthermia.
* They should be wormed at least twice a year as for other livestock. Injectable wormer can be used or granules can be added to the cereal mix.
* They should have a yearly booster for clostridial diseases.
Breeding
* Female llamas are considered mature between 18 months and 2 years old but should be separated from males before they reach 7 months old as it is possible for them to become pregnant from this age.
* Male llamas mature between 2 and 3 years, although some males may be capable of breeding prior to this.
* The gestation period is approximately 11.5 months.
* A single calf (cria) is born - it is very unusual for twins to occur.It is common for llamas to give birth early in the morning (allowing the cria to dry off in the sun all day). This of course is essential for existance in the Peruvian Andes.
Care of the cria
* Young llamas are usually weaned at about 6 - 7 months of age.
* Crias should not be bottle fed unless absolutely essential. Great care should be taken if bottle feeding MUST be carried out, as wrong imprinting could occur and the llama may grow up having no respect for humans and become difficult to handle as an adult. If a male llama has been bottle fed, he should be gelded at six months of age.
* Young llamas under 6 months old should not be overhandled and petted otherwise they may become difficult to handle as an adult. Basic halter training can commence at 6 months of age.
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