Fence Height Is the Whole Game
For llamas and alpacas, fence height is essential: tall enough to keep them in, and configured to keep predators out. These are sociable herd animals with thick fur coats — the coat makes them harder to shock, so voltage matters more than with short-haired stock, but they're intelligent and learn to respect a hot fence quickly.
Ask These Questions First
- Will you keep males and females together? If so, plan to separate them — a single group will need interior division.
- Are there young crias in the pen? Babies can get caught in the fence while small, and they are far more vulnerable to predators, so they need extra wires and closer spacing.
- What predators are you fencing against? Adult llamas and alpacas can kick in defense, but wolves, coyotes and stray dogs will still test the fence — and crias are in real danger from them.
The Specification
- Height: to the shoulder — about 5 feet — so they can't jump over. Electrified high-tensile fencing is the recommended material for safety and durability.
- Strand count: 4 wires for mature llamas and alpacas, 6 wires where crias are present or predator pressure is high.
- Spacing: even intervals up the height, with the bottom wire low enough to deter digging predators.
- Voltage: the energizer should maintain 4,000–5,000 volts on the line — 4,000+ handles their thick coats, and 5,000 volts is the minimum to deter predators. Vegetation drags voltage down, so size with headroom.
Putting It Together
Because their coats insulate, llamas and alpacas demand a stronger shock than cattle — size the energizer accordingly and keep the line clear of vegetation. For the full setup — grounding, energizer hookup and testing — see our installation guides, and pair the fence with our predator fencing guide if coyotes or dogs are a factor on your land.