[Jacob-list] Guard Llamas

[Heather Hettick]

Our llama, Taco, just got gelded and he is around 18 months old.  He has
always been very good with the sheep and gently sniffs all the newborn
lambs.  I did not need to separate him during lambing, but I kept a close
eye on him.  This spring he started looking at the ewes differently, making
a snorting sound with his head down while he chased them around.  They
usually get out of his way pretty quick and don't put up with his
misbehavior, but I decided it was time to get him fixed.  Since his neuter
operation, just a few weeks ago, he has not been chasing ewes like this.  He
still gets excited and plays chase with whole flock on a brisk day, which
he's always done, but lately he prefers to chase our two year old ram
around.  It's like he's trying to dominate the ram because he pushes his
neck over the rams back.  The ram is a little on the fat side and can use
the exercise and Taco has quit bothering the ewes and lambs as much so I'm
not too worried, but I'm never totally sure what he's up to.

We bought our llama more as pet, hoping he might be a guard as an extra
perk, and he's doing pretty well.  We had a dog attack 3 years ago and as
far as I know none since.  Taco has been with the flock a year in June,
although he is still young and was just a baby last year.  He is very bonded
with the sheep and last week I saw him get protective because a bicyclist
has stopped in front of our house to look at the sheep.  The sheep stayed in
a bunch in our front Pasture and Taco approached the fence looking all tough
until the bicyclist went away.  So far, I think he's okay, but I don't know
what he'd do with real danger.

One of the nice things about Taco is that the sheep consider him their
leader.  I can use him to get them into the barn or a stall and he kept the
ewes well exercised this winter because he takes them out every day, rain
shine or snow, to graze in the far pasture.

Heather Hettick
Moonstruck Jacob Sheep
Creston, OH
hettick.1 at osu.edu



[Heather Hettick]  -----Original Message-----
From: jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com
[mailto:jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com]On Behalf Of Jim Spahr
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 12:48 PM
To: Jacob List Members
Subject: [Jacob-list] Guard Llamas


  I received the exact opposite advice from Connie about guard llamas.  I
was told that if more than one llama was with the flock, that it would bond
with the other llama and not the flock, becoming useless as a guardian.  Now
I do not know what to believe.  Perhaps others can share their experiences.

                                                             Mary Spahr
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