Lama

Problematic: The llama is the home of the guanaco, and their domestication was probably in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, and Peru's north coast, thousands of years ago.

Population: The Peruvian population flame reaches nearly 900,000 heads and worldwide live about 2.5 million. In traditional and natural flames exist only in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. In pre-Hispanic times was introduced to Ecuador and Colombia, and from the nineteenth century to other countries. Currently, stocks are called in USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France, Italy and other countries that have managed to value it.

History: The lama was raised intensively during the pre-Hispanic times as the only beast of burden, as it has the capacity to carry up to 75 kg. There were enormous herds of llamas freighters to move the product and there was even a special race, much bigger and stronger, for those purposes ... Today, this breed is very rare. Lama meat was eaten fresh and sun-dried for storage in the form of jerky. The chroniclers who accompanied the conquistadors, who in the stores or colcas were huge reserves of jerky. Llama wool was used to make cloth, ponchos, tapestries and other garments. Flame leather ropes and ties made of high strength. However, their use as beasts of burden has become obsolete with the introduction of horses and the vast network of roads in the Sierra. Today, European countries and USA consider the flame as an animal very green, very efficient in their consumption of food and water, and weather-resistant disease, and have adopted it as a means of transportation within their areas protected.

Management: You can cross to the alpaca and is known as hybrid or llapaca huarizo, which has the advantage of producing fibers thinner than the flame and in greater numbers than the alpaca. At the junction of the vicuna is called llamovicuña. On the other hand, Peru has 18 million hectares of natural pastures Andean, which can serve as fodder for the flame and the other camels, who digested the pasture with 22% more efficient than sheep, this means that there is a better camelid raising business opportunity.

Benefits: Fiber: for making fabrics, which are called cloth, and used to make sacks, bags and other items of great durability, and harnesses for horses. It could also give rise to a modern agricultural industry for the manufacture of carpets and other items. Leather has excellent potential for fine leather goods, and this aspect should be studied and developed. Meat: to live on natural pastures, may have excellent potential as meat 'organic' special characteristics, its low cholesterol content.

Opportunities: Andean Trade Preference Agreement - ATPA, which allows entry of fine fibers camelid U.S. market free of tariffs.