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THE LLAMA was domesticated by the Incas over 4,500 years ago. They were used primarily as beasts of burden and as a source of wool and meat. The wild ancestor of the llama was probably the guanaco. Other wild ancestors of the camel family besides the llama who migrated to South America over 3 million years ago are the vicuna and the alpaca. The camel migrated from North America to Asia and Africa.
The llama is still important to the people of South America living in the high Andes and is not only used for transporting, but also as a source of meat, wool for clothing and leather for shoes. Very little of the llama goes unused by these people.
Llamas generally have a lifespan of l8-25 years and weigh between 250 and 450 pounds. They have a very efficient 3-chambered stomach which allows them to exist on all types of forage and also allows them to exist in the higher altitudes where forage is often sparse. Female llamas almost always give birth to one offspring after a gestation period of 11 and 1/2 months. The offspring, called "cria" are almost always born during daylight hours, which in the wild was essential to ensure that the cria was up and running before the predators would arrive in the evening.
In the United States llamas serve different purposes. Many people acquire llamas just to enjoy them as they graze on their farm or ranch. Others use them as a source of wool since llama wool makes a strong, warm yarn favored by spinners and weavers. There are others who enjoy them as pack animals since they are very agile on the trails, can carry up to 80 pounds of weight on a pack, and cause very little impact to the trail because of their padded feet. Llamas can also be easily trained to pull a cart. Llamas are shown throughout the United States in many classes and are exhibited at fairs by 4-H clubs and other youth organizations. Many of the breeders in the United States raise llamas as a source of additional income since llamas are still considered relatively rare in this country and command good prices at auction and private treaty sales. There is now a growing acceptance of llamas as guard animals for sheep and other small livestock from coyotes and other predators.
Because llamas are a gentle, curious animal that are easily trained and easy to manage, care for and handle, they appeal to a very wide range of individuals who have a property where they can be kept. Small llama herds are easy to manage and the cost of housing, upkeep and medical care is minimal.
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