Excellent Rockchuck!
Limited experience with llamas, but they seem to be easier to care for than than other four-legged pack critters.
Grew up with lots of horses and a couple medium pack mules, but when we sold the cattle, and eventually the ranch, horses became an expense I decided I didn't want to deal with anymore.
They've proved to be very carefree. In 9 years and as many as 9 llamas at a time, I've only had 2 vet bills other than castrations. Both of those were minor. I give them an annual worming for liver flukes as it's prevalent here and deadly to them and that's about it. Most fences will hold them and shelter needs are minimal. Grass hay only. Alfalfa and grain only makes them fat. They do need a mineral salt block. They drink little water but they do need some of course.
If you want to breed them, they will breed year round so you can plan births for warm weather. 95% of them give birth between 10am and 2pm so there are seldom any late night births to worry about. That in itself is something else. A llama can't stick it's tongue out to lick the baby dry. By giving birth at midday, it will dry off before it gets cold at night. A cow or horse will pull the placenta off the baby. A llama will give birth standing up so the cria (baby) will fall free of the placenta as it drops. Birth happens fast and many small breeders have never seen one. I've only seen 1 and I almost missed that one.
Breeding them is a discussion all it's own. They're quite different from most other farm animals.
