Using guardian lamas over guardian dogs

[alligande]

Yesterday I finally got to go and visit this amazing place http://svffoundation.org" they only have one open day a year and this is the first weekend that I have been able to go... The irony is I drive by it 2/3 times a week to take my dogs for a walk. I have seen a few gentlemans farm before, but this was amazing and has been repurposed so well. (it was also restored with the type of money that built it originally so it is the most immaculate farm I ever seen. )

 

Now I gushed about the farm to the question, we do have a huge coyote problem on the island and the foundation have chosen to use lamas as guardians rather than dogs and I was wondering why you would use one rather than the other?

 

My uneducated guess was the location of the farm which is in the middle of Newport, RI, part of the farm borders an urban state park (old navy base) and that Lamas stay behind fences while LGDs might not. During the summer there are tourists always stopping to check out the animals.

[Liz P]

I had the pleasure of spending a day there to handle the anesthesia for embryo flushing from sheep. It is a lovely place. (BTW, if you buy Campbell soup, you are supporting this farm.)

 

I suspect their choice of llamas has to do with liability issues. Guard dogs tend to roam over large areas. You can't have aggressive dogs in a neighborhood like that.

[juliepoudrier]

Your supposition may be correct. I know people who have used llamas successfully, but most people will tell you that any prey species used to protect livestock isn't going to be as good at it as a predator species (LGD). But dogs can be a liability, not to mention that they require care and feeding that is different from that required for livestock. That is, the llamas can eat what the sheep eat, don't need HW preventive, vaccines, etc. So in that regard LGDs are higher maintenance than another herbivore-as-guardian.

 

I would imagine if the predator pressure were high, the llamas would be less successful than an LGD would be.

 

J.

[gcv-border]

I agree with Liz and Julie. Also, I read their website about a year ago, and do I remember a mention of a Border Collie as the ONLY dog on the farm? (Sorry, too busy too look it up again right now.)

 

Jovi

[workindogs]

I keep a llama and he is a good deterrent....will raise alarm, round up and move sheep to safety and do his best to intimidate and threaten off a curious or interested predator. However, at the end of the day, his tools are limited to bluff and attitude and a few well aimed strikes....and pitted against a serious predator or pack of coyotes determined to make a meal he is not much protection.

 

I keep a llama for the reasons that have been suggested: small property, close neighbors, liability (bicyclists riding by) and , so far, coyotes that more more opportunistic than determined. The llama has been fairly effective but I do take extra precautions when I have lambs, including e-net at night or night pens.

 

Guard dogs are far more effective if the threat is serious and the territory is large.

[alligande]

Thanks for the opinions about the lamas. I have been curious about them for awhile.

 

The farm does say it only has the one dog, there was a write up in the paper when he first arrived, the story was the livestock manager wanted a dog and the only way she could have one was if it worked... He was watching over the sheep shearing on Saturday.

 

Liz, Cambells has been good to Newport in numerous ways! I had no idea how extensive the work was, I lived here when she bought the estate, but had no idea how extensive the restoration was.