Llamas are efficient forage animals: grass hay and pasture cover almost everything they need, and they get by on noticeably less feed than their size suggests. A llama typically eats around 1 to 2% of its body weight in dry matter daily, and most need no grain at all.
They are camelids rather than ruminants in the strict sense, with a three-compartment stomach instead of four, and they evolved on sparse, low-quality Andean forage. That history is why over-feeding is a more common problem with llamas than under-feeding.
Built for Poor Forage
Llamas process fibrous, low-protein forage very efficiently. Put one on rich pasture or feed it like a horse and it will become overweight, which is a real welfare issue and hard to reverse in an animal that hides condition under fleece.
Practically, that means grass hay rather than alfalfa for most adult llamas, and pasture that would look unremarkable to a cattle farmer is often exactly right. Body condition should be assessed by hand along the spine and ribs, not by eye, because fleece conceals a great deal.
Quick Facts: Feeding Llamas
- Grass hay and pasture cover nearly all adult needs
- Roughly 1–2% of body weight in dry matter daily
- Most llamas need no grain, over-feeding is the usual mistake
- Assess condition by hand, fleece hides both fat and thinness
- Selenium deficiency is regional, check local guidance
The Daily Diet
- Pasture. The mainstay in the growing season. Llamas graze and browse, taking both grass and some shrubby growth.
- Grass hay. The winter staple. Timothy, orchard or mixed meadow hay.
- Alfalfa. Only for pregnant or lactating females and growing youngstock. Too rich for most adults.
- Camelid minerals. Free-choice, formulated for llamas and alpacas.
- Clean water. Always available. Llamas drink less than horses but still need constant access.
Grain and pelleted supplements are for animals with a genuine extra requirement, working animals, pregnant or nursing females, or an underweight individual. Feeding grain as routine enrichment is how llamas get fat.
Minerals and Selenium
Use a mineral formulated for camelids where you can get one. Sheep minerals are a common substitute because they are also copper-restricted, and llamas do not need the copper levels goats do, but a camelid-specific mix is preferable.
Selenium is the one that varies by geography. Large parts of the US have selenium-deficient soils, and camelids in those areas often need supplementation, while over-supplementing in a selenium-rich area is itself harmful. This is a case where local advice genuinely beats general advice, ask a vet or extension office rather than guessing.
Llamas and Alpacas: Same Diet, Different Animal
Nutritionally the two are very close, and much of this page applies to both. The practical differences are size and purpose: a llama is roughly twice the weight of an alpaca and is often kept as a pack animal or a guard animal for sheep, while alpacas are kept primarily for fleece.
That guarding role is worth knowing about if you keep sheep, though a livestock guardian dog is the more capable option against determined predators. See our guide to what alpacas eat for the alpaca-specific detail.
Foods and Plants to Avoid
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Rich alfalfa as a routine adult feed | Excess protein and calories, obesity |
| Routine grain for idle animals | The most common cause of overweight llamas |
| Goat minerals | Copper level is higher than camelids need |
| Mouldy hay | Mycotoxins |
| Rhododendron, azalea, oleander, yew | Toxic, as for most livestock |
| Wilted cherry leaves | Cyanide compounds |
| Lawn clippings | Ferment rapidly, cause digestive upset |
For how this compares across the rest of the yard, see our overview of what most farm animals eat, or browse the full farm feed hub.
Other feeding guides in this group (other livestock): pigs eat, horses eat, rabbits eat. Or start from the overview of what most farm animals eat.
Grass hay and pasture cover almost everything a llama needs, at roughly 1 to 2% of body weight in dry matter daily. Most adult llamas need no grain, and alfalfa is generally too rich except for pregnant or nursing females and growing youngstock.
Usually not. Grain is for working animals, pregnant or lactating females, and underweight individuals. Llamas evolved on sparse Andean forage and gain weight easily, so routine grain is the most common feeding mistake.
Around 1 to 2% of body weight in dry matter, so roughly 3 to 6 lb of hay for a 300 lb llama. They are more feed-efficient than their size suggests.
Better not to. Goat minerals carry more copper than camelids require. A camelid-specific mineral is best; sheep minerals are a common substitute since they are also copper-restricted.
Nutritionally they are very close and the same feeding principles apply. The differences are practical rather than dietary: a llama is roughly twice an alpaca’s weight and is often kept as a pack or guard animal, while alpacas are kept mainly for fleece.
Large parts of the US have selenium-deficient soils, and camelids there often need supplementation, while over-supplementing in selenium-rich areas is harmful. Local guidance from a vet or extension office beats general advice on this one.
