Llamas are native to areas of high altitude and relatively cool climate with low humidity of the south American Andes. Even if you aren’t interested in using or selling the fleece, the llama’s health will benefit from shearing if you live where summers are hot.

Llamas do vary considerably in fleece length and thickness, so the importance and frequency of shearing will depend on the individual animal as well as the climate. It is important to leave at least an inch of fiber for protection from weather and sunburn.

The need for skin protection varies according to the llama’s skin color. Lightcolored skin needs more sun protection. A llama typically will need 3 inches of undercoat for winter warmth. A llama sheared to one inch in the spring should grow an adequate coat by winter.

Llamas are not generally shorn in such a manner that the fleece is removed in one piece; rather the fleece is separated according to quality as it is removed from the animal. This makes it easier for a novice to work slowly on an animal, even taking a break and finishing the shearing a day later if the animal becomes too nervous.

The most noticeable difference between the two animals is their size. Alpacas are smaller, around 90 cm (35 inches) high at the shoulder, and between 55 and 65 kg (121 to 143 pounds). Llamas are the biggest lamoid at about 120 cm (47 inches) at the shoulder and about 113 kg (250 pounds). So llamas are going to be a lot bigger than their cousins. Their faces are also dissimilar: alpacas have small, blunt faces with short ears, while llamas have more elongated faces with bananasized ears.

Another key difference is their hair. Alpacas have shaggy hair that is used for fleece production. Their hair color can vary greatly, from whites and light yellows to browns and blacks. Llamas’ hair is coarser, and their wool is considered inferior, but llama breeders are working to create a llama breed with finer, softer hair.