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Llamas at Work

Llamas are outstanding work animals, doing their jobs with the same endearing attitude of quiet curiosity that they adapt toward most of life. Llamas are well suited to perform many tasks, but the following are the most widely recognized:

Llamas are superb pack animals.
A healthy full-grown llama in excellent condition can carry up to a third of its total weight for as long as eight hours - and that makes a llama as strong as, if not stronger than, a horse! Most trekkers load their llamas with 60 to 80 pounds for a five to ten mile hike. In addition, llamas are extremely agile and can easily navigate very steep and twisting trails. Many of the finest trekking organizations in the nation rely solely on llamas as pack animals, citing their even dispositions and outstanding endurance.

Llamas are also the best choice for trekking in fragile environmental areas, since their padded feet do far less damage than hooves. Because they're very efficient foragers, they actually do less damage to plant life than native deer. Their natural steady, even pace is great for hikers who accompany them, and llamas' innate neatness about their droppings (which are nearly odorless pellets, most often deposited in a communal dung pile) reduces fly and parasite problems for everyone on the trek and makes cleaning up after an encampment much faster and easier.

Llamas are great for pulling carts.
Though we rarely think of llamas as draft animals, they are in reality exceptionally adept at pulling carts. Llamas can be trained to pull carts alone, or in a team.

If a harness specially designed for camelids is used, an ordinary pony cart can be pulled by llamas. However, special carts designed to be pulled by llamas are now available. Llamas may be trained to pull carts for pleasure driving or even to compete in obstacle course driving. 

Llamas make terrific guard animals.
If you think the concept of a camelid guarding the flocks is silly, think again! Recent studies show that llamas make excellent guard animals, effectively protecting sheep, goats, miniature horses, and other small livestock from predators.