Share the magic of llamas

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4: Welcome'to

the fascinating wor.ld of Ilamasl -

Whereyer there are gatherings of .niany people, Pill'The community of llama 'owners is a great big circle ties, parades and 'fairs, we find l~amas driving pony of friends. Many people find llamas present them with a carts; joining a driving team to pull'lirge wagons, and whole new Iifestylesa'[ifestyle where the pace-isslower, dressed in holiday and party attire. Llamas are ambassathe joys are more ffeq'uent, and where the love, you give' dors of good wil( and stimulate thee~citement ~of your animals comes right back to you 100 times over.

Llamas find their way into the lives of many different. , crowds evel)',!"here. people, mainly because of their docile temperamen~, cleanliness, and graceful appearance. From schools to nursing homes, hospitals to parades, mountainsides to golf courses/llamas are everywhere and alwaysbringing joy to those they 'meet.

F9r no other reason, other than just owning them, individuals have found ,llamas to be companions for quiet walks. Their docile and gentle nature make the llamas J' , non-threatening and safe even around small children.

Llamas are easily trained and seem!o enjoy going different places. They can climb into a van or pickup truck and visit schools and nursing homes. Their intelligence, curiosity and even 'temperament make them ideal to sharewith~lder1y persons, hari"'dicapped'children and the {)lind. The presence ofa llama,tlie touch of their so:l1 wool, and the sound of their soft hum bring smiles and . ~ joy to all.' .~ ,*

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Llamas and their relatives are no strangers to' our, land. Llamas are members of the camel (camelid) family which originated on the central plains of North . . America and spent their first 40 million years right here in our own backyard. Then, some three million years ago, camels migrated to Asia and Africa, while llamalike animals dispersed to South America. Just 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last jce age, the camelids became extinct in North'Am~rica, Meanwhile, ~; in thehighlands of Peru some 4,000to'\,OOO fears 'ago" llamas were domesticated, placing them 1lmong the ald. est dome;tic'animals in the world. In the late 1800's and early 1900s, private animal collectors and zoos reintroduced them to their original North American homeland. Today there are an estimated seven million llamas and alpacas.in South America (in approximately' equal numbers) anq some 100,000 llamas in the tlnitedSta'tes and Canada .. /

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I.':.:'"Charii~t";ristics~Hahits and Behavior Llamas have a dlgnined,' aristocratic manner about them. Because of-their curiosity, they have a delightful habit of corning close to sniff strangers. But despite your natural temptation to hug and cuddle them, they prefer not to be petted except their necks and woolly backs. , They are highly social animals and need the cDmpini'- ionshlp of another-llama.or other grazing livestock. "~ J~illn).a:sc'o~uni~ate their moods with a series of tail, oody and 'ear postures, and vocalizations. Learning this llama. language is one of the joys 'ownership. Humming is' a common maimer of communication between llamas, and indic"l;ltesa variety of moods horn contentedness to 'aggression:,Another interesting llama expression is the shrill, th9tilinic alarm call emitted at the sight f'

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of a strange animal (especially dogs) or a frightening situation.

Whether viewed in a pasture or glimpsed in the wild, 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 a variety of patterns from solid to spotted.

Mature llamas weigh, an average bf 280 to 350 pounds, but can' range from 250 to SOO'pounds. Full body size is reached by the fourth ye~, and while there 'are obvious differences between thesexes, males tend to be slightly larger. Llamas are long-lived, with a normal lifespan of 15 to 20 years.

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•••••••••••••••• Llamas are an extremelyefficient utilizer of food and , .are easy to care.for, Their typical diet consists of grassy hay .along with a grain and mineral supplement that is ~ widely available and serves to provide added-nfitrfepts not available in their1!~y. Fresh, clean water should aI-ways be available as well , Veterinarian care is minimal, yet having an -,experienced vet on call is i~portant..Generally very hardy animals, llamas require{:outine,worrmng and animal vacci" n"a~ionsfor their protection: Hari~liri:gyour llamas and watching their daily routine is your best aid to determining if your llama is feeling ill or uncomfortable.

Insurance is available for full mortality and theft, for ments will vary based on location, and' should be denamed perils, or for special events. . signed to keep, llamas in and keep predators out. A simLlamas are very adaptive to climates, usually needing ple five-foot, woven wire fence can accomplish this ecovery simple, shelters to protect them from the hot sun in nomically and with minimal effort and e~pense. summer and the2~id winds in winter. Fencing requiree ,

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One of the most prized byproducts of llamas is their .',. ~fiber, Hand spinners; knitters, weavers and crafters all -:appreciate the softnhs and warmth of llama fiber. The .;.;,;~i::.,~:niety of 'naturaltolors 'and the absence of lanolin are ~.: uiher qualifies foundin llama hair. '\J Llamas can be sh~rn annually or bi-annually, depend, ,

ing upon the growth rate 'of the llama's fiber and preferences of the owner. ' .

Commercial processors are iocat~(,}in vaqous parts of . the United St~tes and Canada; they ~le~, card; pick, ... spin and ply die fiber, turning raw fiber~nto rovings, ' yarn, and felt .'-.,.. .

,,.Many individual; ~imply~njoy the emotional satisf~cing' of these 'stoic allimals;i1as ~reated diversification tion of hay.iHg~ H~as" in their backyan;is, sharing them other farm niise€:i'<miimils. ' with childr~N and el~ei:'ly persons; '}~~we:v~r,-all the~e' *" AS'}Vithotherliv~~tock industries, many satellite busi- ' emotions and even ~ore can be gained.as.;a bu.sines~., 'ness\?s thai cater toJlama folks have sprun~ up with ~~e.:: , Individuals are realizing. rewards from their inve·st-,~._ .industry. ' ?~. ments and are ~lso re~eiviiIg. many 'talC;benefiJ~. B~;.·· ~.~:Qpef1ingth~-door to new owners, educating.th~¥J;.tO:~I.;if cause of the high percentage of easy b~eding, bir1:hiHg beconlt?J;onsd:eriti6us.inherd management, .' " .. '<c and neonatal.care, llamas have become a natural busi~ them ~ff to a: good start are te\4ards realiz r ness oPPoffiniity,f.or ~Y~ntbQ~e,wh01laa no experience and large'breeding-operations across the in animal husbandry. TIle breeding" raising and market- " c: c

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The joy and pride of owriing these beautiful animals have created a .desire . . to, show them to the rest of the world. Just as with horses, dogs and other domesticated livestock, there's ane~citement level that brings young. and old together in friendly competition to be rewarded for the thought-out breeding, and the training and handling of these intelligent animals. Small and large groups gather together to have their llamas judged for conformation' balance, structure and performance. There are children who have worked with their 4-H programs, children with special needs, individuals who have never had hands on other large animals, retired farmers, dentists, lawyers, homemakers, school teachers; they all share in the fun and excitement of llama shows. ALSA Halter and Performance shows are held all across Amer-

ica. Attending one of the many shows is an excellent way to begin your llama experience. To join the Alpaca & Llama Show Association, or for a show",~chedule, go to www.llama.org/alsa or call 913-557-9489.

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A. Llamas are "Effective Guards Using llamas as guard anim.a1s in North America beg"hh in the early 1980s, and some sheep and other livest~ck producers have used llamas 'successfully for that entire time. The use of guard llamas has greatly increased since a magazine article in 1990, when,nat[o~al attention was drawn to the potential use of llamas for

guarding sheep:' Llamas have ,proven to be very effective against ca~ nines, especially dogs and coyotes. Over half of the lla- mas gUarding sheep are 100% effective, completely eliminating losses. Many of these producers previously suffered losses of over a hundred lambs per year.

----------------~:-----.-----~---------------------------A..Yes!)'I want/to order the Llama,'INFO-PAI( .. ~ ~

INFO-PAK contains the New Llama Owner's Resource Guide, list of ALSA Llama Shows, Llama Bumper Sticker and "Alive With Llamas" a full motion videotape covering a true cross section of what llama owners do with their llamas. This covers llama events from hiking, fiber, auctions, shows, 4-H, and sheep guarding. The video is well balanced in its coverage of the many uses of the llama : $10.95

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I also. want to order the ''What Do You Do with A Llama Video" by Susan Ley and Sherrill Black. Susie Ley's photos have appeared on the cover of all the llama publications. She has been able to capture the spirit and joy of llama ownership from the perspective of llama activities. The slides are set to Sherrill Black's composed song "What Do You Do with A Llama?" This video is a joy to watch al).~can be shared with others to explain what llama owners already know : : : ~ $10.95 Total '_~ _ /

To place your order:

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• Call toll-free

877-4·ALlama (877-425·5262) • Mail •.. to P. O. Box 487, Louisburg, KS 66053

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• On the Internet at www.llama.org • FAX this form to 913·294·2210

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Address ,_--'-=-;--_~---'----~-----'-'-if.,y--:;:-_ Expiration Date . City Stfte._._"_ Zip Signature_--:--

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Make checks payable to'[.;£MA, credit card charge will appear as Alpaca & Llama Show Association. /'

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•. 'Llamas for Packfng .

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Many people usetheir llamas forpacking. ~ecause of the llama's easy-going nature, and its ,kindness to the environment, "young and old are enjoying wilderness ' treks that they would not encounter with other pack ani- ' , mals. Backpacking with' tents mid gear proves' to be morework than enjoyment. Now with llamas carrying extra wine, cheeses and all the coinforts of home, more peQpleare hitting tl1e trails. They receive comfort knowing thatiie Inquisitive stare of a llama will soon fluster a predator; They enjoy the one-on-one relationship they develop with their pack companiopythey appreciate the opportunity to explore and find the: hidden beauties of our -land, the opportunity escape with friends from hectic working hours, find quiet moments to share the v: more valuable thingsin life. Like their South American ancestors, we find that there are certain llamas that are bred and built with an incredible ability and instinct to pack, to forage throughareas jhat may otherwise never be erij~yeq by man. ' '

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Maturity occurs at different ~ges for different llamas. ~ an evolutionary attribute developed in South America to A male typically is ready between two protect the-offspring from predators during their first . , to begin breeding . critical hours of life. Most births occur without human and thr~e~years of age, a female between 18 and. 20 . months .. 'Because the,' llama IS ~an 'induced ovulator, intervention arid are simply a joy to behold, as the mama and her new-bapy get acquainted and are comforted by breeding can occur almost any time, as opposed to mon. the others in their herd. itoring a heat cycle. The llamas' gestation is approximately 50 weeks and most llama~ -birth during the day,

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Llama Lifestyle Marketing Association Sharing The Magic of Llamas ... The Llama Lifestyle Marketing Association. LLMA was created by llama owners, breeders, and associations in North America to make sure people like you; who have an interest in llain;s can get complete intbTIna1:ron.LLMA is administeredbythe.Alpaeaand Llama Show Association. ,;

,877·4·A;Lhinia'

www.llama.org K