LAMAS ARE EASY KEEPERS Karen Oertley-Pihera, DVM, MS Cohutta Animal Clinic • Blue Ridge GA
Note: one “L” lama refers to both llamas and alpacas. (See “What Is A Lama Anyway?” on page 35 of this edition.
In 1992, after carrying my own backpack for half my life, I suggested to my husband that we get some llamas to start carrying our gear. Having been a small animal veterinarian for the previous ten years, I set about learning what I’d need to know to keep our llamas healthy. On a road trip to our first llama association meeting, I read “Llama Medicine”, the first “little green book” by Dr. LaRue Johnson published in 1989 - all 231 pages - and remember thinking “This will be a piece of cake!! These animals hardly have any health problems!” (I remember being especially impressed with a photo of a 3 legged llama with a prosthesis, thinking how wonderful for a large animal to be able to deal with such a handicap and not have to be euthanized). Seventeen years and much more education later, I realize I had a lot more to learn to call myself a camelid veterinarian. But I remain convinced that over all, llamas and alpacas are “easy keepers” with relatively few medical issues compared to other domestic animals. Lamas are “tough” compared to other livestock, resistant to problems and stoic when it comes to health issues. VETERINARY NEEDS: Before bringing your first animals home, establish a relationship with a camelid veterinarian in your area, or at least a veterinarian willing to learn. Both small and large animal veterinarians already have a lot of knowledge that can help with lama health issues, and there are plenty of resources available to teach them more. If your veterinarian is not ambulatory (not equipped for farm calls), you’ll need a trailer, van or even SUV to be able to transport sick animals to the hospital. A restraint chute on the farm can make many procedures easier. Another necessity is a catch pen or corral. Train your animals to come in to this area by feeding them there, so that you can round them up when it’s time for any veterinary or other procedures. Lamas are great at reading body language and it can be impossible to catch even a well-trained one out in an open pasture when it knows you’re up to something! MONITORING FOR PROBLEMS: It is ideal to monitor your animals’ body condition on a regular basis to catch any health problems early enough to make a difference. Walking your animals across a scale once a month is ideal, but us14 • Discover Llamas
ing a weight tape (“Dr. Z’s Llama Weight Tape”) is almost as accurate as a scale. You should at least handle your lamas frequently - feeling their backbones and ribs for amount of fat cover so you can assess weight gain or loss and intervene when needed. You also need to be aware of herd dynamics there are usually bullies and low guys on the totem pole in every group - male or female. Be aware of these social issues and be sure you have enough feeding and watering stations so no one is deprived of basic nutrients. SHELTER AND SHEARING: For information on basic housing and fencing needs, see the “Recommended Practices in Caring for Llamas & Alpacas” at the following web site: https://icinfo.org/sites/camelid-sta.osumc.edu/files/documents/Practices2005FINAL.pdf. In the southeast, shelter from cold weather is less of an issue than providing shade and ventilation in the heat. Since lamas evolved at high altitudes in the Andes mountains where it is cold and dry, they can have problems adjusting to hot and humid climates. In most of the southeast it is essential that lamas be sheared in warm weather- sometimes more than once a summer. The more fiber you take off, the better. If show animals have only a barrel cut, watch them more closely. Fans, shade, good ventilation and misters can all help lamas handle the heat without stress. DIET: Lamas have extremely efficient digestive tracts, requiring less nutrients than would similar sized sheep, goats or cows. They do well on a diet consisting mostly of forage- grass pasture or hay. Fescue should probably be avoided in late pregnant or nursing females as it might decrease milk production. Late pregnant or nursing females, growing young, older thin animals, and working (pack) llamas should have their diets supplemented with grain or lama chow. This supplement should not make up more than one third of their total diet, or a little over one pound of supplement a day for a 300 pound llama. Too much grain or chow can lead to stomach and metabolic problems. Most feed stores either carry or can order lama supplement formulated for your region. Fresh, clean water is also extremely important for your animals’ nutrition and health. Finally, your animals should have free choice (available at all times) lama mineral balanced for your geographic area. TOXIC PLANTS: Plant poisoning is not common in camelids but does occur. Llamas are browsers and love to eat a little of everything, with the result being that toxins from poisonous plants are often diluted out by everything else they’ve eaten.
