About the Rama Llama Ranch
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Contact: | Polly Bowley Rama Llama Ranch 3066 County Road 613 Farmersville, Texas 75442 |
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Telephone: Email: |
(972) 782-7117 (ranch) (214) 738-3027 (cell) pkb@ramallamaranch.com |
Initially, we purchased a solid white female with blue eyes and pink nails. At the time we did not know this was unusual. I named her Dali llama. My Dali is named after Salvador Dali, the artist. Next we acquired our first male, Strait-Black. He was solid black. Unfortunately, we did not listen to all of the initial advice and now we had a 6 month old female and a 9 month old male in the
We have acquired a number of other llamas over the years and had many wonderful experiences with the herd.
I strongly recommend anyone contemplating acquiring llamas or who has just purchased a llama to buy a book with basic veterinary care guidelines. Caring For Llamas A Health and Management Guide by Clare Hoffman, D.V.M. and Ingrid Asmus is an excellent starting reference book. Other excellent sources for information are the International Llama Registry located online at http://www.lamaregistry.com/ and a quarterly publication the International Camelid Quarterly. This magazine can be contacted online as well at http://www.llamas-alpacas.com/
In Texas the South Central Llama Association SCLA participates in many of the regional llama shows as well as providing a directory of member ranches. The SCLA can be found online at http://www.dovecreek.com/SCLA.html.
As a result of this incident, we became a firm believers in body shearing of
We built sand pits for the llamas by using landscaping logs and rebar. We laid out the logs as a frame holding them in place with 12 inch pieces of rebar driven through the logs into the ground. We then filled in the framed area with river bottom sand. We then hose down this sand once or twice daily and the llamas kush in these shaded areas during the worst heat of the day.
Minerals are available for the llamas free choice at all times. Every area has some type of deficiency in the minerals available to grazing animals. The minerals we leave out for my llamas are in powder form and provide the nutrients they are not able to get from grazing and grain. I purchase mine from Winners Edge in Tyler Texas and from Stillwater Minerals online. There are other excellent firms from which minerals can be purchased, the key is to ensure the llamas are getting them. The minerals are salty and will also encourage the animals to drink more water. We ensure minerals available year-round, not just in the heat of the summer.
We have tried three different brands of llama minerals and all worked well but, they each were significantly different in price depending on the volume purchased. Llama minerals are by far the most expensive single ongoing expense as the average llama needs roughly 1 ounce of minerals per day. For that reason it is important to offer these in a location sheltered from rain and wind. Some people sprinkle the minerals over the animal’s grain. Others like me, offer the minerals free choice in a protected feeder.
Finally, we offer a thorough soaking to any llama that wants one at least once a day, more often in the worst heat of the summer. Llamas are hosed down from the bottom up. This means we start with the legs and spray the water up under their chest and belly and tail areas. Do not spray water on their backs or head. This would just pack down their wool and make them hotter. Some llamas HATE to be sprayed with water. Do not chase them down and spray them. That just adds to their stress.
We do have some llamas that prefer a nice cool foot soaking instead of being sprayed. These ladies like a barrel of water in the shade that they can step into with their front feet. We have also begun keeping a sand hill (8-10 yards of mortar sand) in an area shaded from the afternoon heat. This gives the little ones some place to play 'king of the hill' while the moms' kush by the fans.
My hot weather morning routine looks like this:
The summers of 1997 through 2000 were some of the hottest in history for North Texas. Using all of the methods described above, We had no llamas in heat stress during those years. Unfortunately, the 'mild' stroke Rama had in 1995 damaged his liver and ultimately resulted in his death in February of 1997.
The year 2004 has been the mildest summer I personally can recall. The llamas have loved the cooler temperatures and the wonderful rains we got throughout the summer.
Herd Management:
We also have a dedicated pasture where the crias are weaned. This pasture allows the crias to see the rest of the herd but prevents them from nursing. We greatly prefer to keep the baby with the mother as long as possible. It has been our experience that the crias are calmer, easier to train and healthier long term if they are allowed to remain with the mother for at least six months.
There are always exceptions though and if the mother is being severely pulled down, wasting away, from nursing or other health issues arise then this separate pasture allows us to move the cria so it can be weaned earlier but, still feel a part of the herd.
Our largest pasture is where the females, gelded males and nursing crias live. We provide several large shelters here, fans under the trees during the hot months and of course water and llama minerals at all times.
Over the years we have learned that it is very helpful to have a spot where llamas can be quickly isolated and haltered if needed. So, in the pasture immediately behind the ranch house we have several small stalls that are open to the herd that can be used as needed to isolate an animal for training, health management or preparation for transport.
Llama by products:
A healthy llama will produce these bean shaped pellets. Herd maintenance does require checking the 'potty piles' regularly to ensure no one is in stress. Droppings shaped like a cow pattie are serious cause for concern and can indicate a llama with intestinal parasites or heat stress.
Llamas, a member of the Camelid family, are tidy. They select certain areas in which to relieve themselves and tend to go back to that same spot repeatedly. This makes it far easier to check the llama droppings for signs of unhealthy animals and also makes it easy to remove the feces.
While we do not need to remove the piles from the open pastures, we do regularly clean out the barn stalls and this material added to the compost heap has served so well that we do not buy any additional form of fertilizer for my ranch. We turn the composted material into my garden every spring and fall. The droppings, when composted, are wonderful natural fertilizer. I have never found anything better for growing tomatoes or roses than composted llama droppings.
Polly Bowley
How the Ranch Began:
Caring for the Llamas:
Rama Llama Ranch began in 1994. We acquired 18 acres of wooded land north of Farmersville Texas with the intention of starting a llama herd. My Father, W.D. Knickerbocker, had spent some time in South America in the early 1970's and came home with tales and pictures of llamas. I had been fascinated by them ever since.
same pasture area. Needless to say, she got pregnant too young and we lost our first cria as it was born premature, could not stand and had other problems. This was a terribly painful experience and from there I learned to listen to the advice of other llama ranchers in my area and also acquired several veterinary books for my use and for the use of our local vet.
Llamas are truly low maintenance. They can survive on forage that would waste a horse or cattle. We do give the herd
semi-annual immunizations equivalent to what one would give to their horses, includingimmunization for rabies. We also worm the llamas every 3-4 months. However, we have found them to be remarkably healthy and have very few problems birthing or nursing.
Dealing with the Texas Heat:
Without a doubt, the Texas heat has been the worst enemy to raising healthy llamas. Our first stud, Strait-Black, whom was nicknamed Rama, had a mild heat stroke in August of 1995. The temperature was 105° Fahrenheit at the time and he was in the sun grazing. We saw him collapse. We got to him immediately and began shading him and soaking him with cool water. We also called the vet. It took 4 of us to get him back on his feet and into the barn in front of a fan. We gave him tons of electrolytes, first through a syringe into his mouth every hour and then finally he began drinking voluntarily out of a bucket. He appeared to make a complete recovery.
heavy-wooled llamas. We also began purchasing large (48 inch) fans for the llamas. Over the next two years we had electrical connections installed in shaded areas near the barns and large trees. The llamas are sheared in a barrel cut (trunk area) late in the spring. This allows for better cooling through the summer. Llamas perspire from glands on the trunk of their bodies near where the legs are connected to their torso. We also provide electrolytes for them daily anytime the temperature is expected to be 90° Fahrenheit or higher. Water soluble electrolytes can be purchased at any feed store. We provide a 5 gallon bucket of electrolytes for every fan or heavily shaded spot on the ranch. This works out to be about 1 barrel for the large herd and 2-3 buckets daily for the smaller pastures. We also insure the water barrels are located in shaded areas as llamas will not drink fresh water that is too warm.
In the Evening:
Every rancher has their own methods for managing their animals. We keep a separate pasture and shelter for our stud llama. He can see and woo the females but can breed only when we bring the females to him. This also allows us to ensure the stud is not pacing the fence line in the extreme heat. His stall is in the shade next to where the females kush for their afternoon naps and bed down for the night.
Llama feces look much like sheep or goat droppings, pellets. Some people have commented that their droppings look like coffee beans.
Rama Llama Ranch