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I'm no longer breeding and selling llamas. I still have a large part of my herd for fiber supply and enjoyment. Here are a few, some are still on the farm. If you come for lessons, you're sure to meet some of them.
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| From the beginning, my interest in having llamas was for their fiber. My goal was to have five males of different colors. I visited many ranches as I looked for just the right boys.
Every time I went to a new ranch I would look longingly at the
females and their adorable babies. I finally just had to have some of my own.
When it was possible I purchased a bred female. In time, she
presented me with a beautiful baby girl. A few more females were added
to my growing family and today there are 21 classy ladies living with
me. I love having new crias as much now as I did in the very beginning. The little gal to the left is Toti Dal Monte (Okachobe x Aurielle) as a cria. She is now a wonderful adult. This photo is Tasmin Stevenson taking a rest break on Toti as she shears her. Toti is as sweet and mannerly as she is soft. |
Music has always been part of my life. I started playing the piano at age 5, and as an adult I taught for many years. Classical music and opera has
resounded through my home forever. So it was only natural that I named all of my crias after opera singers from yesterday and today.
My focus over the years in breeding and raising llamas has been to develop a feeding program, along with management practices, that would allow my animals to grow to their full potential and also produce quality fiber. I began with domestic bloodlines and continue to upgrade this style of llama - large in size with solid conformation, medium wool, females with good mothering instincts, no birthing problems, good milkers, and with excellent dispositions. My offspring are big, all purpose llamas suitable for many uses: breeding,
showing, packing, guard 'watch' llamas, fiber producers and pets.
Most of the llamas I own are double coated animals with guard hair and undercoat. I choose to breed this style of llama for many reasons. They are minimal care and produce wonderful fiber. They require grooming in the Spring and Fall when they
shed their undercoat. It is a simple matter to blow them to remove the
bit of vegetable matter that has attached itself to their coat. The
blowing process also loosens the undercoat. I use a light spray of
mink oil so the slicker brush will not pull, and I harvest clean, quality
fiber that has been protected by the guard hair. My clean fiber is
immediately ready for processing for spinning. It takes about one hour
to complete this task. I discard the neck wool and also the belly and leg wool since it has been subjected to abuse from the animals movements. Only the very best fiber, from the
body of the animal should be retained in order to ultimately produce
quality yarn. Occasionally during the rest of the year I will blow and
brush about every two months to keep the llama looking well groomed. It
takes about 15 minutes of my time per animal.
I mow and vacuum my pastures during the growing season to minimize nasty weeds
that can attach to their coat and cause problems. In the periodic
grooming process during the year, I check to see that nothing has
imbedded itself into their skin. Then it is a simple matter to just
observe each animal when I feed and note any problems since all else is
visible.
Shearing of some type is necessary to reduce heat stress for most llamas in our California heat. My llamas with very heavy body fiber are given a barrel cut for comfort. With animals whose coats are not as heavy, I often just shear a strip about 3 inches wide from the base of the neck down to the tail and that solves their problem.
Llamas can be easy keepers with minimal care and also produce wonderful
fiber that is soft and lofty and a pleasure to spin. If you are a busy
person this might be the style of llama for you. Feed quality hay,
fresh water daily, and salt with minerals. Then regular worming, toenail care, annual shots and periodic grooming is all that is required to produce wonderful fiber.
Since llamas are so special you will derive great satisfaction in
spending time and interacting with these gentle and sweet animals. They
love to go for walks, visit new places and generally enjoy hanging out
with their owners. A llama that knows it is loved is a happy and
healthy llama and a pleasure to own.
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Okachobe
Sire: Oko Castizo
Dam: Nicolette
Okachobe has real presence, very correct conformation, and a single coat of fine fiber. He is ½ Bolivian, has a gentle demeanor, and throws excellent crias. Bred to my classic females he generates quality wool coverage on his progeny. Five of his daughters who live on the ranch are
referred to as the "Clydesdales of the Llama World". You can see his daughter, Toti Dal Monte above. If you like big, elegant, sweet llamas in your breeding program, breed one of your special females to him. I also have some of his daughters for sale. |
| Okachobe Daughters For Sale
Toti Dal Monte (3-22-97) is featured at the top of this page. This beautiful appy is a Bolivian/Chilean/North American
cross, with a single fiber coat. She's gentle, 41" at the withers, and 298 lbs. at 22 months. Her fiber is luscious! Her dam is Aurielle.
Kallen Esperian (9-25-97) is 40 ½" and 235 lbs. at 15 months old. She is all white except for a bit of black on her nose, and has blue eyes. She is very correct with fine, soft fiber. She has the same sweet disposition as her dam, Bidu Sayao.
Frederica Von Stade (2-23-98) is only 20 minutes old in this photo. Her dam, Nellie Melba, is one of my foundation females and an excellent mother. Here is Frederica at about 3 months, and now. Frederica is a tall, well conformed, gentle llama with presence, an outgoing personality, and a cover of super body wool suitable for a spinner. She is also a 'talker'. I'm sure she will be a super mom just
like her mother. Update: Frederica attended the ALSA show sponsored by CAL-ILA May 26 - 28th, 2000 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, California. It was her first show and she placed 2nd in the Light/Medium Wool 2 Year Old Class, out of 12 entries. I was thrilled and she was obviously proud of herself! She is a very well-built gal. Another bit of information that is interesting... Frederica has one blue eye on the left side. The judge has only seen a blue eye on the right side in all the years of judging llamas. I'm sure everyone went home to check out their one
blue eyed llamas. He had absolutely no problem with a blue eyed llama placing - it was of no consequence in his opinion.
Cynthia Lawrence (10-27-97) is tall, elegant, straight, and everything else a classic llama should be. She is very athletic and should produce excellent packers. Her fiber is lovely! Cynthia at about 6 months, with her dam, Teppi.
Kirsten
Flagstad (4-10-98) is a dear, sweet, gentle gal at 10 months, 185 lbs. and 40" at her withers. She's 4th generation from my farm and putting on heavier bone as she grows. Kirsten is curious and friendly and also a great
communicator. Her dam is Amelita Galli-Curci. Lotte's Maria Callas is growing into a large, sweet, correct, and very classic llama just like her mom, Lotte Lehmann. Lotte is the largest female on my ranch. Maria has a full sister, Sarah Brightman, who will be added to my sales list sometime early next year.
Lauritz Melchoir is a sturdy, big gentle correct llama. His beautiful fiber would make any spinner happy. At 16 months, in this photo, 42 ½" withers and 262 lbs. He now lives with Rick Williams who is training him to be a companion on the trail and a pack llama.
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| Bolivian Black Hawk
Sire: Mr. V. Bolivar
Dam: Hyder Llamas Melanie
Both of Hawk's parents are appaloosas, and he is also ½ Bolivian. Hawk consistently contributes his
huge bone and exceptional disposition to his crias. I breed
him to my big classic females and that is a perfect combination, as I get large, correct, easy to handle crias. Many of Hawk's sons have gone on to be consummate packers. His sons are so desirable that they sell very quickly. You might consider breeding to him if this is the kind of llama you prefer, or you can purchase one of his offspring when they are available.
| Some Offspring by Bolivian Black Hawk
Noel is a classic style llama and turned 2 years old in December of 1999. He has presence and great conformation. His owner is showing him and hopes to use him as a stud. He has a very malleable personality and enjoys costume parades and community events. When he reaches maturity he will also be trained to pull a cart. This young llama has it all!
Robert Merrill, a gentle giant, is now living with my veterinarian and guarding her Alpine show goats; does and babies. He loves the kids and they love him. They play on his back and snuggle up with him when he is kushed. He has a real job and a good life! He is out of Teppi.
Jan Pierce has been renamed Gold'n Hawk by his new owner, who is using him as a packer stud. He is out of Sapphire. Jan has produced two crias so far, and it looks like the legacy of Hawk's production of super offspring has been passed on to his son.
Jerome Hines already exhibited outstanding presence at the age of 2 weeks. He has grown into a very big, handsome llama that loves to pack. Leonard Warren is shown here at 14 months with his new owner, Karen Anderson, the day she purchased him. He has grown up to be not only a magnificent looking animal with a great disposition but a fearless
packer 'with heart'.
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If you are in this area and would like to come for a visit, the llamas
and I always enjoy company. Just call for directions.
We're located about 20 minutes east of Sacramento, off Highway 80.
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