I am sure as owners/breeders we all know the value of alpaca's as field guards, and I myself have witnessed my alpaca's gathering together and screech when someone unwelcome has entered their field. When the BG's arrived they screech on and off for a week!
I always know if there is someone unwelcome around as the girls heads will go up and usually someone will make the classical high pitch screech, I have even seen them gather together in a bunch and start marching towards whatever they find threatening. I know if someone is walking a dog along the lane, as again their heads will go up and they will stand staring until they have gone.
At the moment we seem to have quite a few foxes around, even in the daytime!! Just the other day I was at the top of the field feeding the boys and saw the girls charging up the field chasing what at first I thought was our cat (which I thought was very strange! as they are used to the cat and don't generally find the cat a threat) but as they got closer it turned out to be a fox and he was running for his life!! with the girls in hot pursuit, they only stopped when the fox jumped the fence into the next field. And even then some of the girl were still screeching and hanging around the fence where the fox had disappeared!
So I was interested in reading the following article. http://www.smallholder-agriculture.co.uk/articles/the-truth-behind-alpaca-guarding-abilities-73/
I also think its very interesting that they seem to know who is a threat and who is not, they get accustomed to family dogs and don't find them a threat.
I also remember reading a newspaper article about Prince Charles having four gelded alpacas guarding his lambs. I believe alpacas make excellent field guards and am happy to promote alpacas as field guards and It would be very interesting to hear about other peoples views and experience on this subject.
I always know if there is someone unwelcome around as the girls heads will go up and usually someone will make the classical high pitch screech, I have even seen them gather together in a bunch and start marching towards whatever they find threatening. I know if someone is walking a dog along the lane, as again their heads will go up and they will stand staring until they have gone.
At the moment we seem to have quite a few foxes around, even in the daytime!! Just the other day I was at the top of the field feeding the boys and saw the girls charging up the field chasing what at first I thought was our cat (which I thought was very strange! as they are used to the cat and don't generally find the cat a threat) but as they got closer it turned out to be a fox and he was running for his life!! with the girls in hot pursuit, they only stopped when the fox jumped the fence into the next field. And even then some of the girl were still screeching and hanging around the fence where the fox had disappeared!
So I was interested in reading the following article. http://www.smallholder-agriculture.co.uk/articles/the-truth-behind-alpaca-guarding-abilities-73/
I also think its very interesting that they seem to know who is a threat and who is not, they get accustomed to family dogs and don't find them a threat.
Here is Ewen and Cosmo with our dogs, Ewen loves our dogs, and always comes over to see them.
I also remember reading a newspaper article about Prince Charles having four gelded alpacas guarding his lambs. I believe alpacas make excellent field guards and am happy to promote alpacas as field guards and It would be very interesting to hear about other peoples views and experience on this subject.
3 comments:
Very interesting...I have heard Alpacas make great guards...(maybe it was you that told me! lol) I would sleep better at night if I had a couple in my garden to keep the fox away from my Chickens. I don't think Alpacas would like my tiny urban garden though. I have read somewhere Alpaca will protect chickens..... I love the photo of Ewen and Cosmo with the dogs :)
Sometimes our girls take their guarding responsibilities a little too seriously. When we introduced 2tiny kittens everytime the alpacas saw them, they screached! They did this for over a week, each time the kittens came into view It was bizzare but maybe being tabby, they looked like baby predators? They spot wandering dogs or other visitors long before we do, alerting us by their alarm stance and then screaching.
Two of our wethers go sheep guarding in the spring and they were seen by a couple out riding chasing and cornering a fox. One was rearing up and 'chest butting' it. The fox wriggled away under the hedge but it was a close thing!
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