Raising Llama's/ Alpacas

[Arabiansnob]

I have always wanted to get a couple Llamas or alpacas, So I think I may get some in the future. But I wanna know some things about them? Do both Llamas and Alpacas need to be sheared every year? If I were to own an Intacted male, to breed, is there any aggression problems/ are they hard to handle?

Are Are they any Major problems that they have or I would have to deal with? Besides Worming on a regular basis should they have shots every year? Now I read somewhere that they can Colic, Now does that mean like a horse colics? Thats another thing can horses and Llamas/Alpacas live together, or would there be a problem? Do Llamas tend to get Lice or Mites such as goats do? If there is anything that im missing please tell me more about these remarkable animals. I would love to know more!

 

[ksalvagno]

Yes, llamas and alpacas do need to be sheared annually. Some of the light wooled llamas you can get away with every other year but only the light wooled.

Intact males can be just fine or can get aggressive. It is usually around age 3 when the aggression would start. I think the hormones just really kick in. Doesn't mean they definitely will get aggressive but the possibility is there. They aren't any harder to handle than females unless they do become aggressive.

There aren't any real major problems that you have to worry about if you feed them correctly and keep them healthy. I just did CDT for an annual vaccine. Only worm as needed unless you are in deer area and then you would want to worm with Ivomec for meningeal worm. I just did September through December or January for m worm.

In the 14 years that I owned alpacas, I never had one colic. I'm sure it is possible but I would think that it is rare and I don't believe it is the same thing as horses.

As with any animals, living with multiple species really depends on the individual animals. Yes, they could live together if they get along.

Lice and mites are a real possibility with camelids so you would want to keep an eye on that.

 

[Goatherd]

I'll be happy to give you a novice's opinion on the matter of alpaca. I recently acquired two alpaca, a male and a female, earlier this year. I was supposed to get two females but plans changed. The male is intact and will remain so until they breed and then I will evaluate the situation and decide what works best for me and them.

They were 9 months old when they came here and had lived in a larger herd of alpaca and didn't have direct human touch and contact. This created a somewhat wild animal that I have come to understand. I started by ignoring them and just talking to them from a distance...their choice, not mine! As a side note, my personal mantra when it comes to raising animals is patience and understanding and allowing as much time as needed to get the animal to be comfortable with me and it's environment.

I didn't do any preventive maintenance so to speak for quite a few weeks. I eventually bit the bullet and closed the barn door when they went in to eat. They were nervous, to say the least, but I approached them gingerly and without much fanfare. That was the day they were wormed (no fecal at this point) as I know they weren't done at the other farm. I also trimmed their top knots on their heads as I left these too long and they didn't have clear vision because of the fiber hanging in their eyes. Karen is the one who suggested this and it proved to be immeasurable with their progress. Touching them is something that mine are not fond of and from what I understand, most alpaca do not embrace the thoughts of being petted although I'm sure there are exceptions.

At this point I didn't have the appropriate halters for them so I wasn't able to put one on them. When I did get them, I did the same thing as before...closed the barn door and had my first halter training session with them. Surprisingly they took to the halters very well even though they had never had one on before except for the day they were sheared.

To answer you question about shearing, I would have to say that they definitely need to be sheared yearly as their fiber, at least mine, is extremely dense and you can feel the heat on their body from the insulating property of the fiber. The day I picked them up was shearing day at the farm and I spent the day helping and learning with the other alpaca. I actually got to do the actual shearing of my own alpaca and I am most grateful to have had that experience. I have learned that this is a process that requires more than one person to do successfully. My summers reach into the 90's and I can't imagine what it would be like if they were not sheared. I would imagine they could suffer heat stroke or worse. Their nails were done at the same time and I can't imagine having to do this any other way if they were not restrained. Their legs are very powerful.

I understand that meningeal worm is an issue that alpaca, and I assume llamas, are subject to if you have white tail deer in the area and I definitely do. As far as parasites on their body, I haven't had to deal with any, but again, I guess it could happen.

It's coincidental that you posted this today as I just came in from doing my preventative maintenance on them this morning. They go into the barn readily and have become so much more tame and trusting than they were a few months ago. Their heads were trimmed, they were wormed and I spent some time petting and stroking them which they are not nearly as stressed, if at all. They accept their halters and understand to stand still when they are being put on. Walking them is another story!

Their diet is rather simple and they don't eat as much as you might think. My two do get grain, hay and pasture along with breed specific minerals. They share the pasture with the goats during the day and then the goats go to a different barn than the alpaca at night. They will lay with the goats and occasionally smell them face to face, but that's about it.

They have been vaccinated with the CDT vaccine but nothing else.

I've never regretted for one minute bringing these two home. I would recommend them if you want an animal that interesting and adds a little flash to your pasture.

 

[chickenzoo]

I have llama and alpacas...and a zoo of other animals. All my males have been very nice and the only problem I had was with one stallion llama and one male mini donkey that hated each other from first sight...lol but other than that they have all gotten along with my horses..mini horses...mini cattle...emu..and fainting goats. But each has their own personality so judge them how they react. And watch the males as once they hit
maturity the possibility for aggression may show... I don't baby my males too much..I don't want th afraid od me but do want them to respect me and my space.