Alpaca & Llama: The Right Kit for Your Animals Every Day

Alpaca & Llama: Fully Equipped from Barn to Pasture

Alpacas and llamas are not small sheep. They eat differently, they lead differently and they need their own equipment. In this section you will find everything for daily care: fibre rich feed, hay racks and drinkers, halters and lead ropes, care products and electric fencing that keeps these calm animals safely on the paddock.

Feeding and husbandry

The basis of the ration is structured hay, topped up with a concentrate mixed for alpacas and llamas. Mineral feed for other species rarely fits, because the supply of copper and other trace elements is different. In the barn, slow feeders and hay racks prove their worth, because they keep the hay clean and stretch feeding time. Alpacas use shared dung piles, which keeps mucking out manageable as long as a fork and a shovel hang within reach. A dry, draught free shelter with shade also belongs to the basic setup.

Handling, care and pasture

When leading, the fit of the halter decides everything. It has to sit high on the bridge of the nose, because the nasal cartilage is short and a halter that slips down restricts breathing. A soft lead rope with a good grip goes with it, and a quick check of the fit costs you only a moment. Shearing is due once a year, the nails are trimmed regularly, and in summer insect protection helps against horseflies and flies. On pasture, calm animals usually manage with moderate pulses, so what really counts is a fence tensioned cleanly all the way round.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep alpacas and llamas together?
Yes, the two species usually get along well. Still plan enough space, several feeding places and a group of at least three animals.

How often do alpacas need shearing?
Once a year in spring is usual in our climate. That way the animals cope well with the summer and the fleece stays clean.

Which accessories do I need to start?
A hay rack, a drinker, a halter and lead rope per animal, material for hoof care and a secure pasture fence cover the basics.