In addition to the base feedstock and water, llamas should be provided free choice granular (llamas don't really like blocks) plain salt and a vitamin & mineral supplement tailored to your area:

Nutritional Services Llama Supplement Plus

The soils of the Pacific Northwest are seriously deficient in certain minerals, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies in llamas.  Zinc and selenium deficiencies are common and are most noticeable.  Symptoms of zinc deficiency may include hair loss, itchy noses, and brittle hair.  Selenium deficiency increases the frequency of retained placenta and serious cria health problems, and is typically supplemented in combination with Vitamin E.  Copper levels are also generally low in northwest soils.  Chromium is virtually absent.  Copper deficiency and the resulting adverse health impact has been studied, whereas chromium deficiency in camelids has yet to be studied.  (In humans it's been found that chromium deficiency contributes to overeating and obesity.)  Elderly llamas tend to have declining vitamin C production, sometimes leading to borderline or clinical scurvy.  Rickets (vitamin D deficiency) is pronounced in wooly llamas (less so in "classic" llamas) in the cloudier coastal areas.  On the other hand, Pacific Northwest soils are rich in iron, resulting in very high iron levels in forage.  Supplementing with iron results in excessive serum iron levels (heavy metal poisoning), which aside from the direct adverse health effects also inhibits the absorption of other nutrients.  General purpose feed supplements are not tailored to the unique characteristics of the Pacific Northwest region, and most pelleted supplements are also high in calories.  One of the most prevalent health problems in North American llamas (not to mention people) is excessive weight (in fat), due to their confinement to a sedentary lifestyle.

Northwest Llama Supplement Plus is a regional mineral and vitamin formula developed by professional nutritionists. This quarter inch pelletized feed supplement is sold in 25 pound multi-wall plastic lined bags to ensure freshness and includes a measuring cup inside.  Only 1/2 cup per day is required for normal maintenance -- up to one cup per day for pregnant and lactating females -- which is less than with most other supplements.  This supplement is not an energy booster and hence will not significantly contribute to obesity.  This is strictly a vitamin and mineral supplement for Northwest llamas.

We had a particularly hefty llama that loved to eat.  Emmy just never seemed to get enough (or so she thought).  Her weight rose to an alarming level.  Restricting her regular high calorie feed supplement did not bring about a noticeable reduction (though it did make for a grumpy llama; feeling we were holding out on her).  Recommendations were to lock her in a pen with no grazing and strictly control her forage.  We knew that wouldn't make for a happy llama -- not to mention increase our workload.  Ultimately, we added the Llama Supplement Plus to her diet, and in a few days her aggressive attempts to wolf down all the food before the other girls could get it subsided.  After several months the weight is back to normal and she politely shares the rations; without restricting the free grazing.  Our guess is she was deficient in some nutrient, which prompted a craving she was trying to satisfy by eating more -- getting excessive calories in the process.  We now have a happy (and healthy) llama, free to roam with her herd mates.

Comparative Analysis

* In ingredient list, but no guaranteed quantity provided.
** In ingredient list, but no guaranteed quantity provided. Estimated 2ppm per relative ranking of ingredients.
? Not in ingredient list and no guaranteed quantity provided.

¹Manufactured in Hermiston, OR by Nutritional Services, Inc.
²Manufactured in Portland, OR by Albers Pacific Northwest Milling
³Manufactured in Sioux Falls, SD by Harvest States (Cenex).  Also sold as Payback from CHS Nutrition.
⁴Manufactured in Harrisburg, OR by Kropf Feed in association with CHS Nutrition. Also sold under the Blue Label, Payback and Equis labels.
⁵Manufactured by PMI Nutrition Intl. (Purina)
⁶Manufactured in Spokane, WA by Aslin-Finch Feed Co.
⁷Manufactured in Vancouver, WA by Lackamas Valley Milling Co.
⁸Manufactered in Hamilton, MT by Lakeland Feeds
⁹Manufactured in Minneapolis, MN by Nutrena Feeds
¹⁰Manufactured in Williams, CA by Bar Ale Feed Co.
¹¹Manufactured in Londonderry, NH by Blue Seal Feeds

Nutritional Services Llama Supplement Plus

$40 per 25 lb bag

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Last modified: 07 May 2015