# Alpacas and goats



## Heart of the Matter Farm (Dec 7, 2017)

I have been thinking of adding a couple alpacas in with my goats. I heard they can help keep predators away. What are your thoughts? I dont want to get a dog.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Llamas will help. Not alpacas. Llamas have enough weight to stomp something to death.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

I have heard alpacas can easily get many kinds of worms?


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

My donkey has already killed a few coyotes and i have had her for a few months


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## Heart of the Matter Farm (Dec 7, 2017)

We have fox problem. Some people say they have seen coyote around here. But I have not seen or heard them.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

About the donkey, you have to introduce kids around it slowly, and a certain way, or the donkey will kill the kids


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Trollmor said:


> I have heard alpacas can easily get many kinds of worms?


Yes. They can.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> About the donkey, you have to introduce kids around it slowly, and a certain way, or the donkey will kill the kids


Human kids or goat kids?


ksalvagno said:


> Yes. They can.


So, what can be the tips for someone who ponders about adding alpacas to a goat herd?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The big thing is that llamas and alpacas are like sheep in that they can't have a lot of copper. All alpacas aren't highly susceptible to worms. Really no different than other animals.


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> My donkey has already killed a few coyotes and i have had her for a few months


Hey @healthyishappy Maybe i should get a Donkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:heehee::heehee:


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Trollmor said:


> Human kids or goat kids?


Goat kids. They will trample anything that they think is an intruder


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> Goat kids. They will trample anything that they think is an intruder


Cool! They seem very protective!


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> Human kids or goat kids?So, what can be the tips for someone who ponders about adding alpacas to a goat herd?


 I never trusted my donkey with the goat kids. They are new and all new animals are suspect. Same with an LGD, although they usually know to accept the kids. My LGD loved to help clean them. But you still had to introduce any other new animals to her.

I'd like to know about having alpacas with goats too, not for guard, just for wool. What are some of the pros and cons of keeping them together?


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## healthyishappy (Mar 6, 2019)

Spades said:


> Hey @healthyishappy Maybe i should get a Donkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:heehee::heehee:


Sure! Wish I could get a donkey! Do you have coyotes? 
We do and they come on our yard!!!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Morning Star Farm said:


> I never trusted my donkey with the goat kids. They are new and all new animals are suspect. Same with an LGD, although they usually know to accept the kids. My LGD loved to help clean them. But you still had to introduce any other new animals to her.
> 
> I'd like to know about having alpacas with goats too, not for guard, just for wool. What are some of the pros and cons of keeping them together?


Except for the unfixed male I had that would bite and try and breed anything that moved my alpacas got along great with the goats. I just have one and I tired to get her a femal buddy, the buddy got along good with them but Tina, the one I still have, thinks she is a goat and was not putting up with the buddy being near her goats. She her self is kinda a odd ball. But she loves her goats and she lives for those babies. She sticks with the does when they kid and if I stall one up and she can't get to her she will cry until I open it up so she can keep a eye on things. 
Sometimes the goats try to push her around but she just spits on them till they leave her alone at the feeder. The only thing I do not like about having her in with the goats is she loves water. She will put her feet in the water troughs, not the little pools I bought just for her, and get crud in the troughs. 
There is a lot of people who say you can't keep them together because of parasites, but I have had Tina for 4 or 5 years now (maybe longer! I'll have to figure that out) and have never had to worm her.


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

Jessica84 said:


> Except for the unfixed male I had that would bite and try and breed anything that moved my alpacas got along great with the goats. I just have one and I tired to get her a femal buddy, the buddy got along good with them but Tina, the one I still have, thinks she is a goat and was not putting up with the buddy being near her goats. She her self is kinda a odd ball. But she loves her goats and she lives for those babies. She sticks with the does when they kid and if I stall one up and she can't get to her she will cry until I open it up so she can keep a eye on things.
> Sometimes the goats try to push her around but she just spits on them till they leave her alone at the feeder. The only thing I do not like about having her in with the goats is she loves water. She will put her feet in the water troughs, not the little pools I bought just for her, and get crud in the troughs.
> There is a lot of people who say you can't keep them together because of parasites, but I have had Tina for 4 or 5 years now (maybe longer! I'll have to figure that out) and have never had to worm her.


That is the exact answer I was looking for! Thank you! Tina sounds wonderful! I've read that if you get two llamas or alpacas, they'll stay together and not really bond with the goats. I'm pretty sure the same goes for donkeys too. I can imagine the male would be a problem though. I don't think I want to breed, just mainly want some wool and I'd rather not have sheep. I've always loved alpacas, there's something really fun about them!

A note on donkeys, Jennies and geldings make great guardians, but jacks do not get along well with the goats. Also, jennies will go crazy if you put them in with bucks. I tried that several times and it never went well. Other than that, they are great!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I had 2 llamas to guard my alpacas. They didn't stick together. They took up different positions to guard the herd. While that can certainly happen, like all other animals it depends on the individual. If you want specific traits, you have to look for an alpaca with those traits. Alpacas can certainly do fine with goats, you just have to watch the copper.


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> I had 2 llamas to guard my alpacas. They didn't stick together. They took up different positions to guard the herd. While that can certainly happen, like all other animals it depends on the individual. If you want specific traits, you have to look for an alpaca with those traits. Alpacas can certainly do fine with goats, you just have to watch the copper.


So alpacas need to be guarded themselves? I have LGD's so it doesn't matter, but I never could see how they would make a good guard animal. I love their wool though! Are they high maintenance animals?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They are too small. Not enough weight to stomp and kill a threat in the field. They really aren't hard to care for. Must be sheared every year. Clip toenails as needed. Worm as needed. I trim up topknots if it starts covering their eyes. They are more squirrelly if they can't see well.


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> They are too small. Not enough weight to stomp and kill a threat in the field. They really aren't hard to care for. Must be sheared every year. Clip toenails as needed. Worm as needed. I trim up topknots if it starts covering their eyes. They are more squirrelly if they can't see well.


That's about what I figured. I didn't see how they were big enough. I know their bite can be painful, but that's not enough to deter a wolf or something of that size. They do sound easy to maintain, much easier than sheep! I'll have to start doing some research on them and look into getting some!


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

I want a donkey lol


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

I


MadCatX said:


> I want a donkey lol


f you are good, maybe Santa will bring you one.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Is it that an alpaca must be raised with the goats to feel like one of that flock?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

No. Same as any other animal, depends on the individual.


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

hahah maybe maybe


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