Border Llamas - Our Llamas

We have been breeding, rearing and training llamas for just over 9 years now and could not imagine our lives without them. Llamas are very inquisitive animals and will often follow us around the fields to check what we are doing. If the dogs are walking with us, the llamas will ensure that the dogs do not stray to close to the young cria in the fields. They communicate by humming gently to each other and should something warrant attention they will sound an alarm call to alert the whole herd.

At Border Llamas we have a very simple, quite logical and time proven approach to our llama breeding program. We have always used top quality stud males to consistently produce high quality classic style llamas with short to medium coats that have the right temperament and qualities for trekking and packing. We do not alter our breeding program to follow any fads or current fashion trends, we do not practice in-breeding or cross breeding, we are good at what we do and we stick with it because it works and has stood the test of time and the satisfaction of our customers is a testament that this approach works best for us and our llamas.

Many breeders will tell you that their breeding program and method is the best and produces the best llamas. What they should really be saying is that their particular method works best for them and delivers the best type of llama they want to produce for their chosen market.

At Border Llamas we do not try and impress with technical jargon and neither do we claim to have the very best llamas in the whole world. We let our llamas do our talking for us when visitors come and meet and interact with them.

All our llamas have all been individually selected for their good conformation and sound temperament. Their bloodlines originate from Wales, France and Belgium. At Border Llamas, we do not practice or condone the use of in-breeding or line-breeding in order to achieve specific style of llama.

All our llamas birth easily and extremely rarely is any assistance and intervention necessary, although Mike has had to assist a llama that was having a small problem when giving birth to her first cria and a vet was not available. At the time it was a little nerve racking but the experience was good and both mother and baby were just fine at the end of it all. We always keep a watchful eye on the new born until they are up on their feet and suckling which normally occurs within 20 minutes to 1 hour of the cria being born.

We also get a an enormous amount of pleasure from just sitting and watching the llamas go about their daily routines. It is lovely to watch when the cria are a couple of days old and suddenly realise they can run and so every now and again the simply run all over the fields at full pelt just for the fun of it, or when the slightly older cria decide they want to play with the adults and so jump up at them as they are grazing and tease them mercilessly until they play with them which can result in the whole herd simply running round the fields enjoying themselves. Or, when the sun starts to go down over the horizon and the young cria all cush (sit) down next to their mums and all hum softly to each other to provide reassurance that all is ok with their world.

Apart from being an enjoyable and relaxing pastime, spending a lot of time watching the llamas also provides us with a wealth of invaluable information as to the state of the herd as a whole, any changes in behavioural patterns of any individuals, the status of individual males and females within the herd, and very importantly it also allows us to spot any potential health issues and injuries very quickly.

Like all animals, individual llamas will differ slightly in conformation and behavioural characteristics. We watch our llamas very carefully and note the development of their individual characteristics which may make them more suited to a particular task such as trekking or guarding etc.

All our llamas are of the Ccara and Curaca type (commonly know as Classic llamas) and have short or medium length coats. Whilst many people see long and/or heavily fibred coats of the Tampada and Lanuda type as desirable, long and heavily fibred coats can take an enormous amount of time to maintain and keep in good condition and in most cases unless shorn this means that the llama can be more prone to overheating in the hot summer months and particularly if being used for trekking with a pack (due to the pack and restraining straps compacting the fibre against the llamas body and not allowing the loose fibres and air to create a natural barrier against the heat), so do be careful if you are considering purchasing a very heavily fibred llamas for trekking unless you intend to shear them.

A lot of people ask us how we cope emotionally with watching an individual llama being born, care for it daily, watch it grow, spend many months training it and then see it go to a new home. Seeing any of our llamas leave us is never easy and whenever any of our llamas leaves us for a new home, there are always some tears shed and emotional distress, but this is softened by the fact that we vet new owners quite closely and check the conditions that the llamas will be kept in at their new homes. So we know that they will be well cared for and loved. We also know that the new owners will be able to enjoy all of the experiences of interacting with and getting to know their new llamas, watching the births, watching them play and hopefully training them themselves. This all helps to soften the blow of watching a llama, that we have come to love and who has come to trust us implicitly, leave us and move on to new pastures.

Although llama breeding and training is a professional business for us, we will never just sell a llama to anyone. It is extremely important to us to ensure that the llamas we sell go to the right people and homes. Because of our philosophy and beliefs, we do check that new owners will provide adequate care, love and attention to the llamas once they have them in their care.

CHLOE (British Llama Society Registration No: 53720) Dam: Rebecca - Sire: Ruben

Tallulah pictured at 12 days old. A truly Stunning female cria with lovely conformation. In 2nd photo she is pictured with Tanis.

EMILE (British Llama Society Registration No: 53721) Dam: Fenella - Sire: Ruben

LATITIA (British Llama Society Registration No: 53722) Dam: Margeaux - Sire: Ruben (Pregnant)

LALIQUE (British Llama Society Registration No: 53719) Dam: Morgane - Sire: Fabian

MARINE (British Llama Society Registration No: 53718) Dam: Amandine - Sire: Fabian

Tanis pictured at 21 days old. Tanis is very large for her age and should grow into a massive classic llama, so typical of the crias sired by Yoda.

YODISHTIRA (YODA) (STUD MALE) (British Llama Society Registration No: L51112) Dam: Hannah - Sire: Tristram

Yoda originates from Wales (Great Britain) is an extremely powerful and well built Stud Male with a gentle but protective (of his females and cria) temperament. He has perfect conformation, his coat is fine pure white fibre and he has a lovely flowing mane. Born in Wales, Yoda is a highly successful stud male llama and has sired over 50 healthy cria for us and various customers over the years.

Casper is a proven stud male. His females have given birth to healthy cria with good conformation and nice multi coloured coats. Casper is has excellent conformation, is very tall and very powerful, his coat is tricolour (black, white and multi-coloured brown) with very fine fibre.

Phillipe is castrated, has had his fighting teeth removed and is being trek and pack Trained.

FELIX (Gelding) (British Llama Society Registration No: 53319) Dam: Fatma - Sire: Yodishtira

Phillipe is castrated, has had his fighting teeth removed and is being trek and pack Trained. - currently being used as a Guard Llama for sheep.

TOSCA Dam: Genevieve - Sire: Dennis - Les Fragnes Lamas (previous name and owners: Orpheron - Roseland Llamas)

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Last modified: 28-Mai-2010 .