Guard Llamas or Guard Donkeys

[RichZ]

Does anyone have any experience with guard llamas or guard donkeys? Our goat herd is rapidly expanding, and we'll soon have to house some of them in pastures that are further from our house, and my wife and I feel they would be safer with a guard animal. It would be tough for us to have a guard dog, as the dog would have to live with the herd, and we get so attached to our dogs that something like that would be hard for us. So we are thinking of a guard llama or guard donkey.

Thanks for any comments.

[bigjohn]

RichZ - This is my first visit to this website BUT - I do have experience with Guard Donkeys. We run them with Cattle for Coyotes and they work very good! Jennys work better than jacks and you need to have two to do a good job I think. Our old Jenny has just died and I am in the market for 1 or two if there are any out there?

[LazyJ_Arabians]

Guard MULE, snopes still has the status of these pics as "undetermined" but I like to believe the story is true. I get a kick out of the cheerleader dogs in the 3rd pic.

WARNING - Rated PG (Graphic Violence)

Mule and Mountain Lion

[bigjohn]

Those pictures of the Mule and Cougar have been around for quite a while now.. the mules name is Henry and his action took place after the lion had been shot at least once. This occurred in the mountains of New Mexico.

[jam]

We have two llamas in with our stock and think they are great. They love the goats and will lay down with the kids. They have cleaned out all the 'varmints' and even went so far as to try to stomp a new pup I had gotten until they learned that she belonged here. We have horses, goats, scottish highland cattle, rabbits, chickens and ducks. I have even seen the llamas tackle a full grown S.H. cow when she was harassing a young bull. They have never spit at us, although I have seen them spit at a cow or horse. when they are REALLY aggrivated. The other animal bak=cks down real fast.

[mysticokra]

Our good friends said they learned the hard way that you can't leave guard donkeys in with goats. They stomp the newsborns.

[RichZ]

We've definitely decided to go with guard llamas. A friend of a friend of ours turns out to be a llama breeder, and my wife and I are just getting to know him and respect him. He suggests getting a pair of llamas instead of one, because although they won't bond quite as well with our goats, they'll probably be even more protective of them, and their territory. And no, he's not trying to get us to buy a pair from him. He raises 'show llamas" and he gets pretty good money for them, and he knows it's more than we want to spend. But he's trying to find us a pair of show "culls"from some other breeder, ones with less than perfect conformation. We don't care about their conformation, just their guarding abilities.

[brownmule]

i have donks and mules, they sure dont like strange dogs..ive seen one of my jennys mop the ground with a stray dog that was sneaking aorund the field.. fliped me out at first when i ran out, she let go of him..he got away but he take the long away around now.. i have loaned my jack to a friend a few years ago that cyottee proublems. she feel in love with him now she got donkey fever too! has one of her own.. i would love to have a lamma they are so neat. but i got my hands full with the long ears..just had a baby arabin mule.. gonna keep me busy for a while with her.. if your looking for a jenny. ck out the mulesonly @yahoogroup. lots of good mule there from all over a few in Texas i belive someone maybe able to hook u up... Rose

[ALBALD1]

Just curious, do llamas attack anything strange in the pasture? I have chickens & I'm considering goats next. The only predators that would be a problem here are foxes, coons, & opossums. I've wondered if these guard llamas would be worried enough about a possum to even fool with running it down. I lock up the chickens every night & let them out in the morning, but it would be nice to just leave it open & let the guard take care of probs. My norwegian elkhound would love to take care of them, but he likes the taste of chicken too.

[rockinmywaypa]

richZ how'd things work out will your llama? reason I'am asking is because 3 weeks ago I had 4 lambs killed in separate occasions and decided to get a llama to try and stop more repeat ocurrances. Well, I still can't figure out what it is that makes them effective other than the sheer goofiness when they're running toward something with hair billowing up and down and body slopping around the likes as I can't really describe accurately but I'll give him credit, there hasn't been another stike since he was put in with the flock. I am well satisfied and am happy with him and the job he's doing for me.