Using Llamas as Guard Animals to Protect Small Livestock from Predators

Ag-note: Use of Guard Llamas in an Integrated Predator Control System

The rise of Llamas as guard animals for small livestock

Llamas as guard animals

The use of llamas as guard animals for small livestock is a trend that has been on the rise in recent years. These South American camel cousins are typically friendly with humans but possess an innate dislike for dogs and can be fiercely protective of smaller animals, making them excellent guardians. Some llamas are used for herding, but their guarding instincts make them a good option for protecting livestock from predators.

Mark Vargas, a wildlife biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, says that while some people believe llamas are aggressive and can shoo away small predators, others believe that predators stay away from llamas because of their strange appearance. Vargas has investigated cases where llamas were in the pasture with other livestock that were killed by predators. He doesn’t know the mindset of the llama in the pasture, but he suggests that since llamas are herd animals, they would probably prefer being around their own kind. Brian Kiesse, operations manager for Sanctuary One, says that llamas like to be around their own kind and that they have been used as guard animals in other countries. At Sanctuary One, the llamas tend to stick close to the goats and are fiercely protective of smaller animals and their babies. Llamas have also been known to kill predators like coyotes.

The International Llama Association notes that a solo llama is more effective as a guard than a group of llamas, which may bond with each other and ignore sheep, goats, and other animals. Llamas have an innate dislike for canines and are most effective against dogs and coyotes. Guard llamas often seek out an elevated area from which to watch over flocks and herds and may even shepherd their charges around to feed, water, and shelter.

Predator attacks on sheep are a serious issue for sheep farmers. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, predators killed 1,700 sheep worth an estimated $213,000 in Pennsylvania in 2009. Nationwide, predators took 247,000 sheep valued at $20 million that year. Coyotes are responsible for the majority of predatory sheep deaths across the country, and domestic dogs are responsible for almost all of the rest of the kills in the Eastern states.

Tracey Gaul of Mountain Jam Llamas in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, notes that keeping predators at bay is a serious issue for sheep farmers. Guard llamas live in the pasture with the sheep and watch out for trouble. Besides their intolerance for dogs, llamas are well-suited to guarding because they are instinctively protective of smaller livestock. When llamas see new animals in their pastures, they stand erect, posture threateningly, and approach the intruder. An advancing mature llama is often enough to scare away a coyote or dog. Llamas can grow up to six feet tall, and if the predator is undeterred, llamas are willing to attack.

Guard Llama Protecting Week-Old Calf

Early research suggested that only one llama should be used with a flock to prevent them from spending too much time socializing with each other and not enough time looking out for the sheep. However, this thinking has changed. Gaul notes that several llamas can more effectively protect a large pasture than a single animal, and a lone llama will be no match for a pack of dogs. Llamas form a group with their young in the middle, and they include the sheep in that safe zone. They “circle the wagons” to protect their herd.

While some people may be hesitant to use llamas as guard animals because of their lack of familiarity with them, they are intelligent animals that can form strong bonds with humans. Gaul’s llamas have even come to coexist with the family dog, learning to accept what belongs in the pasture. They may show the dog who’s boss if he gets it.

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