Heritage
Llamas are members of the camel (camelid) family. In addition to the well known one-humped Dromedary camel of the Middle East and the two-humped Bactrian camel Asia, there are four native members of the camel family in the Americas today: the llama, a domesticated beast of burden regarded throughout the world as the premier symbol of South American animals; the alpaca, the free ranging guanaco; and the wild vicuna. The term lama (with one L) is used here to refer to all members of the camelid family, and the word llama is used to reference that particular species. The term cameloid or lamoid may sometimes be used to indicate this group. Llamas and their relatives are no strangers to our land. The camel family originated on the central plains of North America and spent their first 40 million years right here in our own backyard. Then, some 3 million years ago, camels migrated to Asia and Africa, while llama-like animals dispersed to South America. Just 10,000-12,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, the camelids became extinct in North America. Meanwhile, in the highlands of Peru, some 4,000-5,000 years ago, llamas were being domesticated, placing them among the oldest domestic animals in the world. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, private animal collectors and zoos reintroduced them to their original North American homeland. Today there are an estimated 6,000 llamas in Canada.

Buying and Value
If you are looking for an alternative livestock investment that has appealing beauty, llamas could be the answer. In today's market llamas have offered an excellent return on investment. You will generally find that registered breeding stock is more in demand, reflecting the market pricing of today's stock. The demand for these special animals often exceeds the supply, and breeders sometimes have customer waiting lists. Llamas are by far the easiest to care for of any domestic livestock and are an investment the entire family can enjoy. There is a llama for everyone's budget. Prices range from hundreds of dollars for non-breeding stock to several thousand depending on conformation, fibre, pedigree, breeding, temperament, and training. Good conformation consists of straight back and legs, density of bone, prim tail set, length and curvature of ears, overall balance and presence. Fibre quality and quantity is to be considered when purchasing a llama. Colour is a personal preference. When purchasing breeding stock, the pedigree of an animal should be registered with a qualified governing body. When purchasing a bred female ensure that the service sire is registered, blood typed and recorded with the same registry the female is registered with. Equally important as the previously mentioned purchasing considerations is the temperament of the llama. The llama should have a calm and gentle nature. A well-behaved, halter trained animal is a definite asset for the buyer. The buyer should have hands on experience. Base your final selection on the animal(s) that most appeal to your interest as an owner or breeder. Before you buy your llama, visit and talk to as many llama owners as possible. Educate yourself: the only stupid question is the unasked question.

Characteristics
While viewed in the pasture or at close contact all llamas have a striking beauty owing to their elegant wool and graceful posture. Llama wool ranges from white to black, with shades of grey, brown, red and roan in between. Markings can be in a variety of patterns from solid to spotted. Little variation is found in guanacos or vicunas, which are light brown with white undersides. Mature llamas weigh an average of 280-350 pounds, but range from 250-500 pounds. Full growth is reached by the fourth year, and while there are no obvious differences between the sexes, males tend to be slightly larger. They are long lived, with a normal life span to 20 years. Like cattle and sheep, Llamas are multi-stomached ruminants that can chew their cud. They have a hard upper gum (no upper teeth in front), grinding upper and lower molars in back, and an ingenious upper lip for grasping forage in unison with the lower incisors. Adult males develop large, sharp upper and lower canines ("wolf teeth" or "fangs") for fighting. These "fighting teeth" should not be removed from llamas intended for sheep guards, but should be removed to prevent injury to males pastured together or to females being bred. The llamas' unique specially adapted foot makes them remarkably surefooted on a variety of terrain, including sandy soils and snow. It is two-toed with a broad leathery pad on the bottom, and curved nails in the front. The small, oblong bare patches on the side of each rear leg are not essential toes ("chestnuts" as found on horses) but metatarsal scent glands, suspected to be associated with the production of alarm pheromones. An additional scent gland is located between the toes. How old is your llama? Age can be determined reliable in young animals by checking the larger, permanent incisors that erupt or replace the "milk" or deciduous front teeth. the middle pair of incisors comes in between 2 and 21/2 years of age, and the second incisor at around three years of age. Spitting is the llama's way of saying "BUG OFF!" Spitting is normally used only among llamas to divert annoying suitors, ward off a perceived threat or, most commonly, to establish a pecking order at mealtime. An occasional llama that has been forced to tolerate excessive human handling may have developed an intolerance for or fear of humans, will spit if it feels threatened by them.

Habits and Behaviour
Llamas have a dignified aristocratic manner about them. Because of their curiosity they have a delightful habit of coming close to sniff strangers. But despite your natural temptation to hug and cuddle them they prefer not to be petted except on their necks and wooly backs. Llamas and children are a natural combination: they are gentle and don't spook easily, rarely biting or kicking unless provoked. They are highly social animals and need the companionship of another llama. Llamas communicate their moods with a series of tail, body and ear postures, and vocalizations. Learning this llama language is one of the joys of ownership. Humming is a common manner of communicating between llamas, and indicates a variety of moods from contentedness to concern. Another interesting llama expression is the shrill rhythmic alarm call, emitted at the sight of a strange animal (especially coyotes and dogs) or a frightening situation. Seldom directed at people, spitting is usually related to food disputed and to establish a pecking order between llamas. If a llama has been mishandled, mistreated or become imprinted on by people (through bottle feeding as a baby), the llama may have a tendency to spit at humans.

As with bottle fed stallions, bulls and rams, bottle fed male llamas who have not been gelded at an early age can be potentially dangerous as adults because they lack a normal fear of people and regard them as competitors. Therefore, males not intended for breeding and males that were bottle-fed must be gelded as early as possible to avoid undesirable behaviour. Llamas are remarkably clean, and even huge herds are quite odourless. Dung piling behaviour is an important means of special orientation and territorial marking for these historically open habitat animals...a convenience when you clean their pens. By taking advantage of this habit you can encourage your animals to establish dung piles in a new pen by probating four to five sites per acre with a shovel full of llama dung. Similar to horses you may frequently see your llama rolling in the dirt, taking a dust bath to help maintain a healthy fluffy coat of wool.

Llamas and Kids
Llamas bring a sensation of tranquility and peace to children, physically and mentally handicapped youth and adults, overstressed workers, the old and infirm, and the terminally ill. Llamas excel as public relations ambassadors to nursing homes and hospitals, and bring a sense of wonder that an animal can actually make a difference in the outlook and well-being of the patients. Patients look forward to the days that the llamas come to visit.

There is something about the gentle inquisitiveness of a llama that clams, refreshes and reassures us when we are feeling "stressed out" or not feeling well. The llama is one of the few animals that can display a caring and loving attitude to humans they meet. Llamas take their cues from their handlers. As long as the handler is relaxed, the llama will be calm and relaxed in many different situations. The right llama, clam and caring, can make their human friends face light up with a smile of joy by bestowing one small and gentle "llama kiss."

Driving & Carting
Llama enthusiasts who have taken time to train their llamas to drive a cart or buggy are receiving many benefits. Driving is probably the most difficult of the skills asked of the llama, but also one of the most rewarding and fun when it has been accomplished. The harness and buggy or cart should be especially designed for llamas, as the llamas stride is significantly longer than that of the pony. There are several harness designs available, several of which have been designed similar to a horse or pony harness. Presently most people are driving a cart or buggy with one, two, or three llamas. Driving has many uses: the show ring, for personal recreation and for work related activities, ie.: hauling wood, cleaning barns, etc. The teamwork and communication shown between the llama and the driver is a wonder to behold.

Conditioned, well-built driving llamas can trot for miles, and if properly worked by cantering for about 50% of their outing, can usually use up the available roadway and your time before tiring. Even a less-well-endowed llama with good equipment, proper conditioning, and proper work practices can take you for a pleasurable drive of several kilometers. Like all things, driving is not for everyone or every llama. There's equipment to transport-simple enough to do alone if well-designed attachments for the cart can be put on your vehicle, but nigh impossible otherwise. Some locations just don't have a decent area to drive in within a reasonable distance. some llamas simply don't like the effort involved, are to herd-bound for use as a pleasure-driving animal, or are too violent and/or unpredictable to be safe in a harness. Some llamas are physically unsuitable and can incur serious damage from driving. Before embarking on a "driving adventure" we recommend spending a day or two with an experienced driving handler and team. With proper training for both you and your llama, driving and carting can be a wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Camping, Hiking, & Packing
No matter where we gather, a crowd quickly forms. People are very curious about llamas, and enjoy the opportunity to get close to them. Often we will have general public join us on a hike, or stop us to get pictures taken. We use the camping trip to demonstrate the level of trust that can be created between a llama and handler. The sight of llamas swimming in the water beside their handlers is certainly one that can't be forgotten easily! Public education is crucial to sustaining a viable market. Camping is just one of the benefits. Consider joining your local llama producers on a camping trip. If you have any questions about llamas, this is one of the best venues to truly discovering how wonderful they are. Many people use their llamas for packing. Because of the llama's easygoing nature, and their low impact to the environment, old and young are enjoying wilderness treks they would not encounter with other pack animals. Backpacking with tents and gear proves to be more work than enjoyment. Now, with llamas carrying all the comforts of home, more people are hitting the trails. They receive comfort knowing that the inquisitive state of a llama will soon fluster a predator. Many people enjoy the one-on-one relationship they develop with their llama.

They appreciate the opportunity this animal gives them to explore and find the hidden beauties of our land, the opportunity to escape with friends from hectic working hours, to find quiet moments to share the more valuable things in life. The most notable advantage of using llamas as packers is their low environmental impact. Their soft padded feet may actually damage the trail less than the average hiker. They are much smaller than most equine pack stock with the average pack llama weighing between 250 and 350 pounds. Most llamas require much less to drink than most pack stock. They are members of the camel family and obtain much of their water needs from what they eat. Llamas are natural browsers, meaning that as they graze they are taking a bit here and there and leave little trace of their passing.

Fibre
Llama wool production is a multi-million dollar industry in South America and makes llamas appealing to spinners and weavers here. Llamas have soft fine wool for protection against cold and insulation from heat. The llama wool can be harvested yearly by clipping or shearing and made into beautiful garments and blankets. The yearly wool harvest per llama will produce a grease free fleece weighing three to eight pounds with a fibre length of four to seven inches. Traditionally the llama is considered to have a two-coated fleece although many breeders these days are breeding for single coated fleeces and these compare favourably with the finest alpaca fleeces. The two-coated llama has a guard hair with a fine undercoat that acts as protection from cold and heat. This undercoat sheds from time to time and may be brushed from the animal. The undercoat has a low micron count whilst the guard hair (outer coat) is much coarser. The guard hair allows moisture and debris to be shed. The fibre comes in various natural colours, and most fibre can be dyed, giving it bright vibrant hues.

Often referred to as fibre, as is not wool, it is technically hair and has a hollow (or medullated) core. The finest llama and alpaca fibre has an interrupted medulation or none at all. This structure creates warmth, and gives insulation and strength to the fibre. The domesticated llama and alpaca fibre comes in an amazing array of natural colours with twenty-two internationally recognized shades and seven grades. Fibre is sorted into three classes: fine, medium, and coarse. Llamas have their prime quality fleece on the blanket. The blanket is removed first and then the neck, apron, belly and britch. The fibre is then sorted into one of three classes. Fibre classified as fine has a very soft handle (meaning how it feels between your fingers). Crias (baby llamas) have the finest fibre, and their fibre is the most sought after. The fibre is hand processed and spun into yarn to be used to make articles of clothing that can be worn next to the skin. It can also be made into fine felt for articles like headbands, hats, or vests. Fibre classified as medium does not have as soft a handle as fine. It is also hand processed and spun into yarn with the added process of blending with silk or cashmere. It then becomes just as soft as the fine class. It can also be blended with nylon and spun into yarn to make socks. Either way, blending can make the fibre class go up a handle level. This blend could then be spun and made into articles that can also be worn next to the skin. Fibre classified as coarse is harsher in handle. When all the guard hair is removed and placed up against your neck, if feels prickly. This class of fibre is best used as stuffing for duvets and quilts. It also makes a very good felt for articles such as insoles for winter boots. Fibre characteristics change as llamas age. It does become coarser as they age due to a number of factors: hormone changes in females in their breeding years, illness, nutrition or climate. Most fibre harvested has had the vegetation and guard hair removed by hand picking it. It's very time consuming but worth the effort when you see the end result.