Guardian Llama Placement Program

GUARDIAN LLAMA PLACEMENT PROGRAM National Headquarters & Research Center Brian Carten 305 Getz Road Williamstown, VT 05679 USA Phone: (802) 433-1410 WANTED: Due to the national success of this Program, The Guardian Llama Placement Program is seeking ambitious llama/sheep producers to operate Chapters of this Program in their state.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE: To assist those livestock producers who have suffered financial losses due to predators and to assist these livestock producers in their predator management. To set a precedent and insure the guardian quality and superior performance of all llamas placed through the Program. To abolish the indiscriminate selling and use of unsuitable llamas being marketed as "guardians," and to monitor and screen all llamas used as potential guardians To develop a working relationship between the llama breeder and other livestock producers. To eliminate the controversy over the actual effectiveness of llamas as livestock guardians and to substantiate same with research records. To assist the llama industry in general to locate suitable, working homes for otherwise unwanted llamas. To eliminate the loss/injury of llamas and livestock to predators because of improper placement of inadequate or young llamas. To further explore the versatility of the llama in additional agricultural environments. To educate both the llama industry and alternate livestock industries as to the criteria for properly screened and placed guardian llamas. HISTORY: From the Program's farm and screening facility in Williamstown, Vermont, incoming potential guardian llamas are monitored closely for a period of thirty (30) days while they are housed with alternate livestock isolated from other llamas. When properly screened and placed, some llamas will make excellent guards. Among some of the problems that have been addressed are use of intact male llamas, overly aggressive behavior, inability of some llamas to work with shepherd and/or guardian dogs, mental attitude toward alternate livestock species and other reported problems. Unfortunately, most llama breeders are not educated enough as to the type of llama that meets guard llama criteria when they market their culled animals as guards. From the Program's 55 acre farm and screening facility in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, incoming potential guardian llamas are monitored closely for a period of thirty (30) days while they are housed with alternate livestock isolated from other llamas. It is only at the end of this monitoring and screening period those llamas demonstrating the most desired characteristics are placed as working and experienced guardians. Not all producers require the same amount of predator protection, nor do all producers have the same management needs. The Program evaluates each producer's specific needs and selects the most appropriate guardian llama best suited for those needs. Every producer is guaranteed an experienced guardian llama ready to start work immediately. The Program has received national acclaim from livestock producer groups and has expanded into nationally state-based chapters to better assist livestock producers on a more regional level. This Program is the only one of its kind in the United States and works with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Animal Damage Control and various universities and extension systems around the country to assist and contribute to their studies on predator management. To date, dozens of screened llamas have been successfully placed through the Program since its inception in 1995. Franchised state Chapters are operating successfully across the United States. Please visit the Program's pages on the American Sheep Industry's web site.

Date created: 4/20/97
Date modified: 1/3/99