TalkingLlamas

I read in TalkingLlamas that llama fleece can sell for Ł10 per pound and that if it is under 28 microns it is counted as alpaca. But on the International Alpaca Association site (www.aia.org.pe) it gives the current world market price for adult alpaca as $5 per kilo! How can Ł10 per lb be sustained and how can fibre be a viable reason for investing in alpacas or llamas?	I personally do not think that one should expect selling fibre to do any more than help defray costs. Owning your own llamas, shearing them and producing your own textiles from the fibre, however, could offer substantial added-value. Remember that the prices quoted by the International Alpaca Association per kilo are based on tonnage at the mill - you cannot buy a few ounces at those prices! For small quantities, home grown, it will inevitably cost -and be worth- significantly more! So far as "investing" is concerned, buying livestock of any sort to generate income should be considered with caution - anyone proposing you buy their livestock as an "investment" might well be breaking the law unless they comply with very strict rules. I seem to remember that a few years ago some Ostrich breeders were fined heavily for using the term investment! Back to top

We have a few sheep, two goats, and some ducks, geese and rheas, not to mention an overlarge "miniature" pot-bellied pig and a tortoise! We are particularly worried if hunting stops in this area that the foxes will get out of control and our efforts to protect our stock which are all pets will be in vain. Would a llama really help? D.L	Forgive the frivolity but your menagerie and initials immediately brought Dr Doolittle to mind: no doubt it was his Pushmi-Pullyu that kept all the other occupants of his residence safe... Yes, providing you have sufficient grazing an appropriately selected (one-headed) llama would be a wise precaution in addition to other more traditional methods (as well as a delightful and fun companion) , although I cannot vouch for how strongly his bonding instincts will transfer to the tortoise. Further info is on our Livestock Guardian page and an answer to an earlier TalkingLlamas question -see TL1 Back to top


I am keenly interested in the training of llamas, spending an hour a day with one of my geldings, and I wonder if anyoneto a verbal command?( It was easy teaching two of my four has ever been able to train one to kush in response to lift their feet up on command.) Or is there any known physical contact, eg rubbing the backs of their forelegs, which is likely to result in my llama sitting down? I cant find anything about this in my training books.T.C	Llamas kush, or sit down, for much of the time that they are not grazing. Generally of course they do this at will, in their own good time. But from the point of view of training them to kush when you signal, it is relevant to note that they already do kush naturally on command! When a stud llama jumps on the back of an "empty" (non-pregnant) female llama, she will sit down. The same applies to dominant males on submissive males, playful youngsters on each other, and occasionally adult females on adult females. Experienced females will often sit down as soon as the male approaches... The lesson here is not that you should try jumping on to the back of the llama that you wish to kush - in fact "please don't try that at home..." What you can do however, is adapt this knowledge... Firstly do not try this with your stud males or pregnant females who will "naturally" resist any lessons, or with llamas much under 18 months of age. Secondly enlist the help of someone tall and strong! Then, having attached a sufficiently long but not too long, strong lead rope to a well fitting halter, lead a young or gelded llama that is already well lead-trained, calm and biddable, to a strong post-and-rail fence or equivalent, with a low bottom rail. Pass the lead under the bottom rail to your helper who is on the other side of the fence. The helper then pulls up on the lead rope so that the lead is effectively in a V formation (the top of one side of the V is under the llama's head in the halter ring, the bottom of the V is under the fence rail and the top of the other side of the V is being pulled high by the helper). As the lead rope is pulled upward, the llama's front is being brought downward with his front legs coming to a kneeling position. Whilst this is happening, firmly press both hands down on the llama's back, toward the tail, exerting as much pressure as is needed. Although this may sound very physical, do not allow the lesson to become a fight or stressful for the llama or you. Whilst physical strength is required for the upward pull on the lead and the downward pressure on the llama's rear end, it should be used more to firmly encourage and guide than to physically overcome. If it becomes very physical then perhaps the llama is not ready for this sort of "advanced" lesson. If it does not work the first time, try again at intervals (the length depending on the reaction of the llama). As with many new lessons, they sometimes object the first time or two and then suddenly co-operate obligingly the next time. As the llama begins to respond, issue the command "Kush" loudly and firmly. Depending on the llama, you should find that after a number of lessons, the llama will respond to the verbal command whilst giving no more than a simultaneous firm pull downwards of the lead. ... And don't forget a small treat as a reward for effort! Paul.. I am totally amazed! Less than 24 hours after we began your instructions to the letter, I have a llama that I can, single-handedly, with a minimum of downward pressure at both ends, and standing not now by a fence but in the middle of a field, require to fold right down. I thought it would take weeks, if at all. Yes I was heavy with the single, repeated, verbal command ...and the verbal and material rewards on each of the twenty or so drops. I think I am on the way to getting it by voice alone. THANK YOU! T.C Back to top

What is the best time of year to shear a llama and is there a minimum age for doing this? My nine month old cria is getting a very long coat and will be awfully hot in the summer.T.C	Generally if we shear at all we do it in early Spring, but have sheared right up until September on the odd occasion. If shearing just a few llamas it can be done quite quickly with hand clippers- rather than electric - and this makes it easier to leave on a thicker blanket. You could shear your nine month old cria, (and younger down to just a few months for super fine fibre) but remember that the coat protects from heat as well as from cold and close shearing, especially on white llamas, can lead to sunburn in intense sun. Llamas can take pretty hot weather and are affected more by high humidity - albeit something we do not get too much of in the U.K... Back to top

I have two fifteen month old female llamas (unrelated) and had thought to bring them down to you for stud service when they are ready for breeding. But recently I have been offered the chance to buy a beautiful 5 year old stud who I understand comes from your CrackerJack line. Would it be all right to put him to the girls now or are they still too young? F.G	I would want to wait at least another five months and possibly longer - depending on how well grown on the females are. If you do not want to lose the opportunity to buy the stud, then keep him in a separate paddock until then. (I am assuming you have facilities which offer the opportunity to separate your stock as you will need to be able to do this in the future, when the offspring begin to mature...) When it is time for mating, and even if you buy CrackerJack's grandson, you might still consider mating one of the girls to another male so that the offspring are unrelated... (see also "The mating game" - TL5) Back to top

We bought three boys from you a while ago and are now thinking about gelding just two of them and keeping one entire to breed from. Is this a sensible plan? R.L.R I have a group of male llamas and plan to geld all except one who I might choose to breed from in a couple of years time. Will it be too late to geld him then if I change my mind? P.G	Those that you plan to geld could be done any time from now but I would leave it until April when they will be about 20 months or so, and if they are all getting on well perhaps leave it a couple of months longer (or until just before you introduce the females if that is sooner). As perhaps you are aware, however, once you introduce females to the entire male it may not be possible to put him back with the geldings. The older the male llama, the longer it will take for him to lose his stud "characteristics" and if used as a stud for several years might always adopt the attitude of an entire male. However the timescale you mention should not pose any problems. Remember too, that entire male llamas are not like stallion horses or bulls and (assuming they were of good temperament in the first place) owners often choose not to geld them at all - even if not being bred from. Back to top