Research Committee

by Ron Baird

The mission of RMLA in research is two-fold; funding research into medical needs of lamas and meeting the practical needs of lama owners. Both these objectives are being met with a great deal of success.

Contributions on the part of RMLA have helped fund studies in vitamin D deficiencies, the genetic inheritance of negative traits such as choanal atresia, the determination of appropriate dosages of medicines to eliminate meningeal worm infections, development of simpler and faster pregnancy tests, and others.

The RMLA Research Committee has focused its attention on the bans of llamas on public lands. The misguided attack by of one National Park employee banning llamas in his park because llamas might communicate Johne's Disease to wildlife had led to a proposed ban on llamas on many other public lands. The lama industry formed the Llama Legal Defense Fund, maintained and administered by RMLA, as a national effort to blunt the attack. A conference held at CSU in March, 1996, under the auspices of the BLM, unequivocally determined that llamas should not be excluded from public lands because of Johne's Disease - and in fact determined that wildlife carries Johne's Disease.

RMLA expended $5,000, approximately $10.00 per member, in research money during 1995 funding a soil erosion study conducted under the auspices of the University of Montana. RMLA was one of the largest single funding sources for this study, done in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service through its Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute.

The study, entitled "Influence of Llama, Horse, and Foot Traffic on Soil Erosion From Established Recreation Trails in Western Montana," was designed to assess the relative physical impacts of llamas used as pack animals on trails. A burning question that all llama lovers face when using their animals to better enjoy the backcountry and wilderness areas is actual restriction or the threat of restriction by land managers, who unknowingly tend to apply the same restrictions to llamas as they do horses, mules, and burros. The study showed with a high degree of certainty that llamas had impacts similar to hikers and significantly less than horses. Its concluding sentence was:

"Trail managers may want to consider managing llamas used as pack-stock independently of restrictions placed on horses."

The RMLA research effort has also been directed toward-widespread dissemination of health care information for llamas and alpacas. The RMLA published book, Caring for Llamas and Alpacas, now in its 7th printing, is the most, comprehensive volume available for owners and users of lamas. RMLA research committee efforts have led to a majority of other lama associations helping advertise this book. A significant portion of the profits from the sales of this book are directed toward medical research efforts, donated by RMLA for the benefit of the entire lama community.