A Local Farmer Finds An Unusual Way To Protect His Sheep

You might be a bit surprised to see alpacas next time you wander through the countryside near Chichester. A farmer from the area has just added two of the wooly animals to his flock of sheep to protect them better. And our reporter Nicole Ris went to meet him, as well as "Tom" and "Jerry".

[@StarShine-Ranch]

Llamas are larger and better sheep guards than alpacas. But you should only have ONE, as multiples will form their own herd and ignore the sheep. I think these may actually be alpacas though, as their ears are straight, whereas llama ears are curved ("banana ears"). Alpacas weigh 150-200 lbs, llamas 250-400 lbs.

[@Demidar]

yea but you should never get only one pack animal of its kind. Especially llamas and alpacas, highly social.

[@StarShine-Ranch]

@@Demidar - Are you even paying attention? We are talking SHEEP GUARDS here, not pack animals. If you have NO sheep or goats to guard, then yes, you should have more than one llama or alpaca.

[@Demidar]

@@StarShine-Ranch oh so they go for their social needs? Didnt realize that

[@StarShine-Ranch]

@@Demidar - Yes, the single llama will "adopt" the sheep as its own "herd," and therefore protect the sheep from predators like foxes and dogs in England. The USA is more dangerous, with larger predators like coyotes, wolves, bobcats, cougars, and packs of dogs. Even a llama can't win a fight with some of those. And you need the RIGHT llama: not all of them have the aggressively protective temperament needed. Intact males (capable of breeding) are usually best.

[@blorac9869]

Yup Llamas! How is it that these people do not know the difference?

[@1XX1]

Confucius say: Man who runs through airport turnstile sideways going to Bangkok.

[@geanitsucuneli4791]

Those are LLama no Alpaca.

[@echohoneybee4793]

Correct!

[@paulbenz8710]

🤓

[@jessicasoutherland7463]

Those are llamas. You can tell by their ear shape and size; they are a lot larger than alpacas. Llamas are used as a guard animal for sheep. Alpacas are herd animals (very similar to sheep) and would not be effective in guarding sheep.

[@freedomfirst5557]

Donkeys, Alpacas and Llamas.......

[@echohoneybee4793]

That's a Llama not an Alpaca.An Alpaca will not be able to fight Coyote.So!! you don't even know what you have in your back yard.

[@Georgevinemontchristianchurch]

People use llamas to protect alpacas , alpacas are not much better than sheep at protecting themselves. These two seem to be some of the few that has the temperament to guard

[@KPlyf]

They aren't Alpacas

[@dely6823]

Creo que deberían comprar burros, para que cuiden a las ovejitas.

[@milk5002]

Anybody here from that one capybara tweet

[@BookieLukie21]

This are llamas, not alpacas.

[@midasremin6088]

I don't know why everyone is saying that those are llamas. Those definitely look like stocky alpacas.

[@RapiersSting]

thats a llama not an alpaca.. gods ppl get the damned species correct.. read more books do better research