LET THE SPIT FLY!

Impressed ranchers thought they had found the perfect guard animal who, unlike dogs, needed no training. They also were low maintenance, needing no special food from what the herd ate and could work more years than a dog. However, as more of these perfect guard animals were employed, horror stories began to crop up. Many ranchers reported brutal slaughters of llamas by dog packs, wolf packs, cougars and bears. These prey animals were no match for a bigger challenge.

Very little research has been done on llamas as guard animals, but ranchers and experienced breeders usually agree that all guard llamas must be carefully selected and employed. Not all llamas will bond with a new herd. Not all llamas will act in a protective manner, and to assume that a llama will be able to defend itself against a dog pack or cougar is to send it, and perhaps the herd it is protecting, to a gruesome death. It is generally agreed that male llamas, over the age of 18 months, in pairs, and reinforced with trained dogs and adequate fencing are the most reliable for guard work.

Perhaps better uses for llamas are wool production or therapy work. Luxurious garments are woven from llama's fine wool and samples may be seen at http://www.stonefoxllamas.com . Many shut-ins are moved to have a llama visit them. To find out just how easy it is to fall in love with their cute faces, visit a therapy llama and star at http://www.charliethellama.com .

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic