Important Considerations to Improve the Success Rate of Camelid Youth Programs
by Marty McGee Bennett
I have had a number of discussions in the past year with youth leaders who have difficulties with some or all of their alpaca/llama recruits. I have also had a number of active (or former) youth program camelids show up at clinics with behavioral problems. Many young llamas and alpacas were withdrawn from the program due to their seemingly "non-malleable" behavior such as cushing and refusing to get up for any reason, or because the animal became intractable-either spitting, kicking, or charging their young handlers. While there are to be sure many camelids that graduate from youth programs well-trained and well-adjusted, there are others that fail miserably.
A few modifications in the way that camelids are selected and used might help raise the success rate and help those few non-conforming camelids cooperate and graduate with their classmates. The animals that are a bit difficult may be the perfect vehicle for teaching many of the intangible lessons which are often are a large part of a youth livestock program. These lessons are attained provided the camelid and youth are appropriately paired and the training is properly guided. It would be commendable to honor the animal participant's unique personality just as we do the with the human participant.
Selecting The Best Camelid Candidates
It appears common for many youth leaders to use very young animals for their programs by collecting weanlings from a pool of breeders. The program then offers training in return for the use of the llamas or alpacas. Often breeders donate the animals with the sale of the trained llamas and alpacas going to help support the program. In either case, it is important for the longevity of the program to turn out a saleable and desirable animal in the end.
Youth programs are also a wonderful opportunity to introduce the joys of owning and handling llamas and alpacas to children and-by extension-their parents. Working with these animals offers a young person the opportunity to learn about camelids specifically and animal care in general. Yet the chance to learn responsibility, patience and sportsmanship is also a marvelous side effect. One would hope that compassion, empathy, understanding and a reverence for other life would be also be on the agenda. I have taught workshops on occasion for youth groups but have never supervised a youth program and am also not a mother. So the following suggestions are based on my knowledge of llamas and alpaca and along with my intuition about children and camelids together.
Llamas Estrella and Fiona relax with Anna Calhoun and Taylor Germain at Appleseed farm.
The Weaning Factor
In my experience, camelids are best weaned no earlier than six months and more preferably even later at seven to eight months of age. With young males it depends in part on their sexual precociousness. In my opinion, the last few weeks with mom and the herd are very important, not necessarily from a nutritional standpoint but rather from an adjustment point of view. I think as youngsters get older and begin to push the limits of appropriate behavior with their mother and other senior herd mates, they learn valuable lessons. I believe it is in this time they learn about their place in the herd (world) and learn to have respect for authority.
It is particularly useful when weaning young males to put them in with an older assertive gelding who will keep the young boys in line. This often prevents the emergence of a dominant young male who may become hyper-aggressive as he gets older (another valid use for keeping a few geldings around on your farm even if you run a breeding operation).
Weaning young males at 4-5 months and starting them immediately as a youth project is a lot to ask all at once. Even if you wean at six months or later, it would be wise, in my opinion, to allow a month or so for the youngsters to get over the shock of weaning. A change of location and herd mates for the weanling prior to beginning formal training with the children will very likely be worth the extra time and effort.
Training Tips
If you are using my training (now called CAMELIDynamics™), methods early lessons with the catch rope can begin almost immediately without overwhelming young weanlings. Actual halter training, leading and obstacles may be too much for the first few post-weaning weeks. Using my haltering techniques and paying attention to halter fit will help keep your young llama or alpaca from becoming overwhelmed.
In the early stages of training it helps to work with two or more young animals in the training pen together or in adjoining training pens. When working with more than one animal in the catch pen as such, keep in mind that it is better to have one youth in the training pen at a time. The other kids can watch, learn and offer input from outside the pen. Having more than one child in the pen at the same time is confusing for both the camelids and the children.
Dance Partners ... Finding the Good Match
The youth leaders I have spoken with almost universally pair up the youngest and therefore smallest animals with the youngest handlers. This would seem to be an ideal arrangement; young camelids are smaller and seem less intimidating for younger children. If you think more about this arrangement, however, there are many potential problems. Young llamas or alpacas are often the most frightened, the least experienced and have the shortest attention span... the same things are true of young handlers! This is rather like the blind leading the blind.
I would suggest that using experienced well-behaved, tolerant, older geldings is a much better way to begin with young children. Children in general and especially young children are impatient and are often abrupt in their handling methods. A larger older gelding is much better able to handle the stress of dealing with a youngster and will set the child up for success.
To borrow from the horse world ... it would not be appropriate for very young children to work with foals or breaking and training young green horses. Young inexperienced horse enthusiasts learn about horse handling by working with older horses who have the maturity and patience to be kind in the face of mistakes. Most young horses are not in a position to do that- they are inexperienced and immature themselves and are much more dependent on their instincts. Even though camelids are much smaller and therefore not as dangerous as horses, the same consideration for the animals mental well-being is appropriate.
Youth & Camelid Harmony
Most of the problems I see with youth camelids are the result of enrolling the llama or alpaca too soon and/or the inappropriate pairing of very young animals with very young children. The young animal doesn't understand what is being asked or is frightened. This can result in withdrawal or belligerence merely as a way for the camelid to protect himself from the uncertain encounters. It seems much easier in my experience to progress slowly and prevent problems than it is to correct the problems once they appear.
Short lessons with lots of breaks and food rewards are also advisable for youth animals. Hand-feeding is not necessary, yet taking frequent breaks and allowing the llama or alpaca to graze or munch on succulent hay is. A food break for the animal while the child is holding the lead rope can help create a more pleasant expectation about training and training sessions.
There is little doubt that kids and camelids are a winning combination. CAMELIDynamics, the training methods I teach, offer a non-forceful safe and fun way of handling that can make the experience more meaningful for both the camelids and the children.
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