Guard llama

pgj2015

Just reading there about guard llamas,llamas that protect your sheep from predators like foxes and dogs. has anyone ever used these and have you found them effective against dog and fox attacks on sheep. I have heard donkeys do a similar job.

Gravelly

pgj2015 wrote: »

Just reading there about guard llamas,llamas that protect your sheep from predators like foxes and dogs. has anyone ever used these and have you found them effective against dog and fox attacks on sheep. I have heard donkeys do a similar job.

A couple of farmers near me have them for this purpose. Haven't heard whether they work well or not, but I suspect if they didn't, they'd have been given the road by now.

pedigree 6

A llama or an alpaca?

Because they're different animals. Alpacas are a lot smaller and easier work with.

A llama is a brute of a thing. The size of a small horse with the temperament of Eric Cantona.

20silkcut

I think its alpacas are more commonly put with sheep not llamas.

I work part time in a place with alpacas and llamas and they allowed a fox attack on some poultry to happen right under their nose one night. Now whether they would be more proactive protecting sheep I don't know. But the fact dog attacks are still so common if alpacas were a silver bullet their promotion would be far more publicised and the problem would be receding. They are probably sort of ok in an inconclusive kind of way but at €500 + per head they are an expensive experiment.

Gravelly

Think yere right there and it's alpacas they have.

pgj2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU7t4HDcoJc

I think llamas are used as well as Alpacas. not sure why most farmers dont try this.

Buford T. Justice XIX

pgj2015 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU7t4HDcoJc

I think llamas are used as well as Alpacas. not sure why most farmers dont try this.

The whole 500 euro spend to protect a low margin enterprise would have a lot to do with that, I reckon.

pgj2015

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

The whole 500 euro spend to protect a low margin enterprise would have a lot to do with that, I reckon.

what if you had dogs kill 20+ of your lambs?

Genghis Cant

There's also certain breeds of dogs used in central Europe to guard livestock. Maremma sheepdog and Pyrenean Mountain dog for example. They live with the flock keep them safe.
I dunno was it ever tried in this country?

pedigree 6

Genghis Cant wrote: »

There's also certain breeds of dogs used in central Europe to guard livestock. Maremma sheepdog and Pyrenean Mountain dog for example. They live with the flock keep them safe.
I dunno was it ever tried in this country?

They're also pretty protective of the sheep from any strange humans that wander near the flock.
Not sure how that would work with the emerging litigious culture here of ramblers or dog walkers.