Llamas the 'ultimate' guardians say farmers
The woolly South American creatures are described as the ultimate bodyguards, watching over the animals in their charge day and night.
Breeders in Britain say guard llamas could become a common sight in the British countryside and are urging more sheep farmers to use them.
Farmer Sue Booth bought four-year-old Spot, a male llama, for her West Sussex farm last November.
Before he arrived she says they regularly lost around 20 lambs when her ewes gave birth. But since he has patrolled the fields not one has been killed.
‘‘He often stands on a mound surveying the distance looking for predators,’’ she said. ‘‘If he sees, for instance, a fox he will rush over and lift up his hind legs and try stamping on it.’’
Mrs Booth, who has a 120-strong flock on the organic farm near Henfield she runs with husband Peter, said: ‘‘I’m very pleased we got him. We used to have to do the lambing indoors, which has its own difficulties, but now it can be done in the fields.
‘‘In many ways Spot is environmentally perfect. He’s a natural form of protection that’s unlikely to harm the fox, he just scares them off.’’
Mary Pryse, who breeds sheep near Towcester, Northants, and also runs a llama trekking business, estimated ‘‘dozens’’ of farmers were now using guard llamas.
There was, she said, a certain criteria for a guard llama that potential owners should be aware. The llama must be castrated between 18 and 24 months of age, never be used for stud work and should be placed with his flock by the time he is three years old and without other llamas.
‘‘A male guard llama can cost about £500 to £600 but live for around 15 years,’’ she said. ‘‘Balance that against the emotional and financial cost of losing animals to predators and you can see how good they are.’’
Llamas were first brought to Britain around 100 years ago as unusual pets.
