Supplemental Nutrition for Llamas:
Essential Vitamins and Minerals
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Some llamas do require supplemental feed. Growing animals, pregnant and lactating females, studs during breeding season, llamas performing hard physical work, and some elderly llamas all frequently need a nutritional boost. Rescued llamas almost always require nutritional support tailored to correct previous dietary deficiencies. Supplementation is best accomplished with pelleted formulas or grain mixes.
Pelleted feeds have the advantages of being highly digestible (good for geriatric llamas with few or no teeth), very consistent composition (any added fortification doesn't end up at the top or bottom of the bag), and a longer storage life than grains. The disadvantages of pelleted feeds are that they all swell with the addition of water (llamas may choke if pellets are eaten too rapidly, or they may bloat if a large quantity of pellets are consumed followed by a lot of water) and that the heated processes commonly used to manufacture pellets do destroy some of the natural nutrients of the foodstuffs used. Pelleted feed supplements should never be the sole form of food for a llama -- these pellets do not contain enough roughage for the digestive tract to operate properly, nor are they a properly balanced diet. However, some pellets, such as those formulated as the exclusive feed source for senior horses (complete feeds), do contain adequate roughage and a proper nutrient balance.
Grain mixes come in many forms; the most common mix is called COB (which stands for corn-oats-barley). Rolled, crimped, or steamed grains break down more easily both in the llama's gut and in storage. Whole grains store better, but may pass right through those llamas with dental problems. Llamas with problem teeth and/or bad gums also find grains are more difficult or painful to chew. Grain mixes tend to have significantly lower protein and fewer nutrients than pelleted formulas. "Wet" COB has molasses added, which is not nutritionally necessary, but some llamas find it much more desirable.
Some grain mixes have their nutritional content boosted with pelleted or loose additives. Pellets are preferable as a vehicle for fortification because the loose matter in grain mixes tends to sift to the bottom of the bag, and also to be left in the bottom of the feed bowl. Llamas' digestive systems did not evolve the ability to handle large quantities of grain or pellets, so even the most nutritionally needy should not receive grain as more than 25% of their daily ration.
Purina Athlete, a high-fat extruded feed, is a useful energy source for hard-working llamas. A very small amount will do (1/2 cup twice a day) -- too much quickly becomes obvious through increased urine and fecal odor and also "hot" behavior.
Purina Equine Senior and Nutreena/Life Design Senior are two pelleted feeds formulated especially for the needs of older horses. Both have been used for older llamas with good results and no long-term detriment; Nutreena Senior is easier to chew. Locally-formulated and milled senior horse feeds (Kropf's Blue Ribbon Senior Horse in the southern Willamette Valley, for example) may be better if they are formulated to compensate for local nutritional deficiencies and surpluses.
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Greedy eaters will choke on supplements (and even hay). Because all types of pellets swell with moisture, they can cause a particularly life-threatening bottleneck in the event of a choke episode. Even choking on grain and hay can cause esophageal scarring, increasing the likelihood of a lethal choke.
Handfeed supplement to eager eaters so you can require them to chew and swallow after taking in a reasonable amount. Yes, it's time-consuming. So is an emergency vet visit and carcass disposal. When handfed, most "pellet-vacuum" llamas gain the confidence that their food supply is not in danger and will grow out of their dangerous behavior.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa and high-protein feeds are not a good choice in hot weather, or for those llamas who are at risk for kidney problems. A primarily-alfalfa diet does not have the proper balance of major minerals, and many problems can result. However, there is a place for a small amount of alfalfa in some llamas' diets.
The addition of a small amount of alfalfa may be warranted for certain llamas, particularly if additional protein is required (ie, pregnant, lactating,and growing llamas -- none of which are "beginner llamas" for many reasons). If you are stuck with a poorer-quality grass hay some winter, a small amount of alfalfa per llama ups the total protein adequately (in the case of poor-quality grass hay, other missing and deficient nutrients should be supplied through supplemental feeding, above).
We have found that some llamas (primarily those who have an easy time maintaining a healthy, trim weight as young adults) require a bit of extra protein to compensate for their less-efficient (though better-suited to domestic life in North America) metabolism. Again, small amount of alfalfa is all that's required.
We bet you are muttering, "So what's a small amount?" Grab as much alfalfa as you can possibly fit in your closed fist. Shake it so all the "kling-ons" fall off the edges. What's left is a one-day serving for one adult llama. (And now you know how much to grab in the first place.) Safety check: If you are continually finding leftover alfalfa stems, you are feeding 'way too much (unless the llama in question is the only one with access to the alfalfa -- first check his or her molars to see if the llama has more tender gum than tough grinding surface left).
Vitamins and minerals
Llamas require supplemental vitamins and minerals to maintain optimum health. Don't be fooled into believing that llamas need special llama minerals and/or vitamins. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are regional, not species-specific, so your first step should be to contact your county extension agent or your veterinarian to find out what deficiencies exist in your area.
Selenium deficiencies exist in much of the country. Some areas, however, have locally toxic selenium levels. Some people recommend injectable selenium, but injectable supplementation -- although it is more quickly absorbed -- typically only gives higher selenium levels for a week or two. Injectable selenium should be reserved for treatment of individual llamas who actually have a selenium deficiency, and only used until the deficiency has been corrected.
Copper is also deficient in some areas; however, a local deficiency of molybdenum can cause copper toxicity. Copper-to-molybdenum ratios should be between 6:1 and 10:1. Most non-regional "llama" formulas do not contain enough copper.
Some individual llamas are prone to a zinc deficiency that causes skin problems; others live in areas that are zinc deficient. Except for those llamas, heavy zinc supplementation is not generally necessary. Unfortunately, many non-regional "llama" formulas overdo the zinc.
A few llamas have difficulty absorbing iron. These llamas don't respond well to iron supplementation because the problem is not their diet, but in their own metabolism. Normal llamas usually receive adequate iron in their diet. A llama who has been diagnosed with anemia or a heavy internal parasite load may benefit from short-term oral iron supplementation with a blood-building product such as Lixotinic®.
It is important to understand that both zinc and iron supplementation in excess decreases copper absorption, and thus may lead to copper deficiency in some regions.
Additional calcium and phosphorous are often required, particularly for growing, pregnant, and lactating llamas, and must be present in a specific ratio to each other. (Vitamin D is also necessary for calcium and phosphorus utilization -- see below). Crooked and weak bones are a common result of calcium/phosphorous deficiencies and imbalances. An optimum ratio is presumed to be 2:1 as in other species, with a permissible range of 1:1 to 6:1. Remember that alfalfa is very high in calcium and will alter the total dietary balance. High dietary calcium levels can interfere with zinc absorption.
Salt will be necessary in all areas and should be available free-choice.
Regionally-formulated mineral mixes and mineral blocks are usually available and are highly recommended. If you use a mineral mix or block, do not provide additional salt -- it is already present in the minerals, and an additional salt source may result in one or more of the llamas "filling up" on salt at the salt lick and then not consuming enough minerals. Loose minerals can be spilled, become caked from atmospheric moisture, or be contaminated by droppings (llama or rodent). Soft mineral blocks avoid these drawbacks and have the added benefit of providing enjoyable diversion for the llamas. Unlike hard "trace-mineralized" salt blocks, soft mineral blocks provide a complete source of all major minerals, and are easily consumed by llamas. Sweetlix® is a brand that is nationally available and has several formulations.
Vitamin supplementation can be boosted easily by purchasing a well-balanced powdered or granulated vitamin-mineral supplement for horses and adding an appropriate amount of it (determined by your llama's weight) to a small amount (1/2 to 1 cup) of grain. (This is in addition to the free-choice minerals -- not a substitute!) If you find yourself rescuing a growing, pregnant, or lactating llama, calcium and phosphorous can be added to the diet in the same manner -- dicalcium phosphate is a good source for both.
To get the expensive goodies to stick to the tasty goodies, mix the two with a small amount of A, D & E fortified wheat germ oil. The additional vitamin D is particularly important for young llamas in climates with seasonally restricted sunlight, such as the Pacific Northwest. Vitamin D supplementation may also be appropriate for older llamas, as it is for older humans.
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