Suddenly, everyone wants llamas

I am guessing that because we have had such a long hard winter here in Canada,  as soon as the temperature is a few degrees above freezing and the sun comes out, people start to think spring. When they think spring, they also think of animals- lambs frisking in the fields, and the llamas that are needed to look after them and protect them from coyotes,wolves and stray dogs.

In the last week or two, we have had about seven serious inquiries about our llamas for sale. The one in the photo above is going to Nova Scotia and another one left yesterday for the Hamilton region. Another two year old female is going up to Bancroft and we have to deliver two more to Brockville, Ontario in the near future. Seven have either left or are about to leave. It is sad to part with them, but I was asked by my doctor about two years ago; "How long do you think you can keep on doing this?"
I thought this was quite funny at the time as I was in pretty good health, but I understand that llamas are fairly big, although not as heavy as a horse or cow, but they can still knock you over accidentally. As nearly all my elderly relatives broke hips and legs in their later years, I realised that I should take the doctor seriously and at least cut down the numbers to half a dozen or so. The sheep can stay for a while-they are a lot smaller and tend not to knock you down unless you stand in the way of a stampeding herd - which I have done in the past. I was standing in front of the sheep trying to get a good photo and our Border Collie was driving them from behind. They all ran right over the top of me, but I survived a little flatter but with no broken bones!

For more information about our llamas and care and feeding of them, see: www.sabinsfarm.com

Lambs and llamas

We have already had orders for our spring ewe Katahdin lambs for potential breeding stock, but we still have five yearling llamas for sale. We are busy training them to halter and lead. One way we do this is by staking them out on the lawn in front of the house, where we can keep and eye on them in case they get tangled up. When they are used to the short rope, we give them a longer one-about five meters long. This is tied to a sturdy fence post, but as low to the ground as possible. Most of the young llamas soon get used to it and learn how to step over the rope if it gets over their legs. It takes three or four sessions to train the llamas to lead quietly.
Loading them in a horse trailer and taking them to a llama show is another great way to make a llama easier to handle. This also involves washing and grooming which helps to desensitize the animal so that it doesn't object to being touched.
Our llamas are raised with the sheep right from birth, so are ideally suited to being sheep guardians. They keep coyotes away and reduce livestock losses from predators.

Baby llamas

Four new baby llamas were born last week. Two males and two females-all fit and healthy and growing well. One was from a first time mother, but she did not have any problems wtih birthing or feeding. Young llamas are called "crias".

Pictures coming as soon as I get round to taking some!
One is all black, two are black with white socks and "tuxedo" fronts and one is a red brown with a white star.