One of my news buddies lives on a 40 acre farm in a town of about 1500 folks. He and his wife have had about three or four goats and sheep killed in the past year from dogs roaming the neighborhood.

He was charged for shooting and killing one of the dogs but that was thrown out of court because the judge cited the Alabama law that says someone can kill an animal attacking their livestock. BUT he has to work and he can't be on duty all day every day with his gun!

He was wondering about a "guard" llama. I have read where they are good, especially geldings, to guard sheep. But my friend has sheep and horses in the same pasture. Would that be a problem? Would the llama interact well with the sheep and horses? or would that cause problems? I think there are cows in the pasture too.

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001

Answers

LLamas, sheep, horses AND cows? *G* I dunno, Suzy.

I think you might have to talk to Dr. Doolittle about that one.

(:raig

-- Craig Miller (cmiller@ssd.com), March 23, 2001.

Llamas make excellent guard animals. They are used most common with sheep. Make sure you buy from a breeder that sells them for the purpose of guard animals. Do not just go out and buy any Llama. Ones raised as guard animals are raised differently, I'm told. I would ask the breeder about horses, I have not heard of Llamas and horses together, but I also do not know of a problem with it.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), March 23, 2001.

Where I live, pastures are large and it is not unusual to have many species together. I love the place near me that has zebras and cattle!

David is right; it doesn't matter whether you use guard dogs, donkeys or llamas. There are breeders who raise these critters 'specially for guarding. I'm told that dogs still have to be trained after they're acquired. There are donkeys raised specifically for guarding ~ they are put in with the stock (poultry, sheep, cattle, goats, etc.) when they are weaned. They can't see/smell other donkeys. They grow up with the stock. Putting any ol' donk in with your stock could get them maimed/killed. I would assume it's best to get a llama raised the same, for the same reasons. The other choice would be an adult that has been a guard for the same species the fella has.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

My neighbor has a llama in with a horse and pony. The llama is for fiber, not guarding. The first day it way in the pasture, the horse chased it around a bit, but now they seem fine. They aren't friendly with each other, in fact they seem to ignore each other, but no more chases either. hope that helps your friend

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), March 23, 2001.

He should "borrow" a llama and see how it goes, first. Had a stranger ride her horse down our driveway one day, and the horse went into a full blown panic when he saw the llama. Threw her and got himself all tangled up in a barb wire fence. It was an awful mess. Our llama wasn't raised as a guard llama, but as a 4-H project. He can pull a cart, be ridden and does "obstacle courses". He plays with our dogs, but when he sees one he doesn't know, he attacks viciously, kicking, stomping and spitting. I assume he would do the same for coyotes, but haven't seen any since we've had him, so it must work. Of course, like DH says, we haven't seen any elephants since we've had him, either. He doesn't seem to mind raccoons, either, and just let's them come through, so all the birds as locked up tight at night. Hope this helps. Kathie

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@worldnet.att.net), March 24, 2001.

YOu need to get a trained llama for guarding. Just tossing any llama into the mix is not good. Sheep and goats work well. The llamas treat them like one of there own. Horses however dont seem to like llamas. Llamas dont care either way. Llamas often times will really spook a horse. I assume Suzy in Bama means alabama and not Bama north (or it south Dakota). You might check with the international llama assn to see if they have any local farms you could visit and get more info. http://www.internationalllama.org/ The Southern states contact for ILA is Southern States Llama Association

[SSLA WEB SITE]

President Dr. Wayne Coussens 2167 Hwy. 341 South Perry, GA 31069 (912) 988-4999 Alohallama@aol.com Representative Lance Bell 1315 Bell's Hollow Blairsville, GA 30512 (706)745-4433 (706)745-3808 dianebellama@juno.com

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), March 26, 2001.

Geese might be cheaper... I've seen three geese gang up, attack and severely hurt (maimed for life type hurt) a dog.... Been bitten, too.... if its not a PACK of dogs, this might work... one on one, I'd have to go with the dogs, though....

I've also heard of using donkeys. I would think, though, that for a single animal, a trained llama would be great - just so long as he knows its the dogs and not the people he has to protect them from!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 26, 2001.

We have sold many llamas to guard sheep and goats. One llama we sold as a pet was put in a pasture with goats, sheep, cows and horses. One of the cows recently had just delivered her baby when a strange dog attacked the baby. Puppy, the llama, chased off the dog saving the calf.

We have been told many other success stories by the people who have bought llamas from us to guard including Sundance staying with a down ewe until help arrived when all the sheep went back to the barn. One llama watched his flock get trapped in the first snowfall. The next time it snowed he herded the llamas back to the barn when snow began to fall.

Our llamas have never seen any other animal but dogs, cats and birds. You do not have to have a trained guard llama. It comes naturally, but they do need to be an adult. A weanling llama is too small and immature to be effective. And some llamas are braver than others. Not all llamas are good guards. But most are.

Whoever you buy your llama from should give you some kind of quarantee that the llama will be effective. So far no one has asked us to take a guard llama back. But we would if they did not work out.

-- Laurie Mollin (mollin@shangrilallamas.com), May 24, 2001.

I have a llama for guarding my sheep and goats. Ya want him come get him. He is great for guarding. I have trouble when I want to do anything with my sheep or goats as he guards toooo good. I wouldn't want a strange dog or coyote to get in there as he would take care of it in a hurry. I love him but the guys in the family don't I don't know how a llama would react with a horse but once he got used yo it I think it would just be part of his flock. They are great for guarding if they have that temperment Get ya one and try it. Cindy

-- Cindy (hollo@bitwisesystems.com), October 08, 2001.