Trailers are Critical for Serious Llama Breeders

Because most serious llama enthusiasts show their animals around the country, livestock trailers are absolutely necessary. And serious llama breeders take their trailers seriously, too.

As hardy as they are, llamas don’t handle heat particularly well. At the peak of the market, some of the best animals were valued at $60,000 or more. As a result, the trailers used to haul them over long distances to shows are usually air-conditioned.

Dan and Dale Goodyear, who at one point owned a herd of 250 llamas at their Berry Acres Llamas farm in Robesonia, Pa., were regularly participating in shows as far away as Oklahoma.

“We had a big, 30-foot Eby trailer, which is based in Blue Ball, Pa.,” says Dan. “It was a modified horse trailer that was fully air conditioned. Eby worked with me to design it specifically for our needs. It was compartmentalized and could haul 12-14 llamas, depending upon their size and gender.” He could pull it with his Ford F350 pickup. The Goodyears also had a smaller trailer to carry up to four animals for local travels.

Tom and Barbara Parsons of Dousman, Wis., also designed a trailer that not only carries their llamas in the back, but also has living quarters for them in the front.

After a frustrating experience with a local trailer dealer in Wisconsin, the Parsons ended up working with a Western Canadian dealership that was willing to custom design the unit. The custom trailer and camper ended costing $70,000 and change, according to Tom.