Gelding

Lynd and Jeanne Blatchford
Greenbriar Llama Karma Farm

This Article is excerpted from Volume 98-2 of our Quarterly Newsletter

There are several reasons for gelding a male llama that will not be used for breeding. Primary amongst them is that it eliminates the possibility of accidental breeding. While it will reduce the aggressiveness of the llama towards intact males when there are open females nearby, there will not be large differences in personality as you might find with other species. Male llamas that are to be used as guard animals for sheep must be gelded and they should not have been used for breeding prior to having been gelded.

Gelded llamas are frequently the first choice for new llama owners because they are reportedly the easiest to manage.

Normally gelding should not take place until the llama is at least 18 months of age, and preferably not until the llama is two or three years old, because skeletal development may be affected by earlier gelding. The absolute earliest we will consider gelding a llama is at age two.

Return to Acquiring Your First Llama - Part 2

 

Lynd & Jeanne Blatchford

Greenbriar Llama Karma Farm

759 Turkey Street, North Berwick, ME 03906

e-mail: Click here to send us e-mail