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Phenotypic Appearance
The
llama should display a distinctive presence, possessing
and demonstrating structural balance.
Females should exhibit an elegant profile; males should
exhibit a more masculine profile. When
on the move and viewed from the front and rear, the llama should
track with a natural,
smooth gait, in a sagittal plane, while displaying balance and ample
body width for its size, structure and age. The
fiber may be traditional, silky or suri with coverage from minimal to
heavy. An adult llama (fours years or older) should be a minimum of
40” at the withers and weigh between 300 and 400 hundred pounds.
Conformation
Breed Standard
 Head & Ears
The
head should be in proportion with the overall symmetry and
structure of the llama, may be refined in style (F), or more
masculine (M), and exhibit a tapered muzzle (broad wedge shape) when
viewed from the side. Viewed from the front, the muzzle width and length
should maintain facial balance. The
muzzle should have two prominent nasal openings, centered at
the front of muzzle, proportion in size and in aligned balance with the
overall head structure.
The llama head should have two eyes that maintain a horizontal line
across the forehead from each other with ample width so as to maintain geometrical
head balance and not restrict the near 360 degree vision of the llama.
The eye should be bold, round, clear, dark in color with
eye lashes and firm eyelids, demonstrating no signs of entropion
(rolling in) or ectropion (rolling out).
The
ears should sit high and upright on the head with a slight tilt
toward the muzzle, facing forward, and should have the ability to rotate
individually and have a natural inward curve toward the forehead. Placement
of the ears on the llama head should be of such width as to
resemble the hands of a clock pointing at 11 and 1 and be of
individual length and width that maintain the head's symmetrical
balance while adhering to the llama phenotype.
The head should remain relatively stationary when the llama is on the
move.
Bite
For
the llama's age, the bite should show appropriate length of teeth with
full enamel coverage. There
should be six incisors at adulthood, and they should align evenly
from side to side and make contact with the front of the upper
palate (dental pad) just below the rosteral edge.
The upper palate should be rounded and follow the contour of the muzzle. The upper palate should sit snuggly against the incisors when
the mouth is closed. There
should be eight molars, four on top and four on bottom, at adulthood,
and the upper and lower molars within the jaw should make aligned
contact when the mouth is closed. There
should be six canine (fighting) teeth, (preferably removed at
adulthood), two top and one bottom on each side at the front of the
upper and lower jaws. The top and a bottom lips should make aligned contact at the
center of the front of the muzzle.
The teeth should not protrude outside the mouth at closure.
Neck
The
neck should be a two thirds the length of body and maintain
its one third proportionate allotment of balance to the body
and legs. The neck should be of sufficient length to maintain
a harmonious structural balance with the head, body and legs.
The neck should be carried erect and upright when the llama is on
the move. It should blend
smoothly into the back of the poll on one end and blend smoothly, with a
slight dip, into the withers and shoulder area on the other end.
Body
The llama’s body should be a third longer than the neck and legs and
maintain visual, structural balance with the other parts of the llama.
The chest and breast area should be firm and of sufficient width and
length for the llama’s size and age, blend smoothly into the shoulder
and not interfere with the natural gate of the llama. The rib
area should be of sufficient size in its length, width and capacity, for
its age, to maintain overall lung, digestive and reproductive
capacity. The rump
structure should have a slight natural curvature to the pelvis
area allowing the hooks and pins to align properly and blend
smoothly into the thighs, aiding in the llama’s natural gait.
Top Line and Tail Set
When viewed from the side, the top line should appear relatively level
starting at the rump structure and ending at the withers. The top
line should have a natural rise to the spine at the shoulders,
tapering to a very slight downward curve along the back and rise slightly
again into the top of the loin. The rump structure and pelvis
area should allow for the tail to protrude perpendicular out
of the spinal area. The tail head should protrude from
the dorsal within the pelvis slightly below and parallel to the loin.
The tail should protrude from straight out of the tail head with no
angulations, twist, or kinks and should ride high and in line with the
spinal column when erect. The tail and top line should remain relatively
stationary when on the move.
Front Legs
Viewed
from the front, the front legs should be relatively straight
from the point of the shoulder through the foot pads, and the toes
should point forward. A slight toeing out is acceptable, since the
llama’s natural gait is a pace. Shoulder
width should be maintained with an inside plane from the shoulder to
the knees and straight from the knees through the feet.
Viewed on the move from the front, the front legs should move forward
freely, with all parts working in sync and each leg tracking in a
straight forward line with the toes pointing relatively forward.
Viewed
from the side, the front legs should face forward and maintain
a relatively straight plane from the point of the elbow through the
forearm, elbow and fetlock. Viewed
on the move from the side, the front legs should move freely, with all
parts moving in sync and maintaining a natural, fluid movement
from the shoulder through the feet. The size of the front legs
(length and width, including bones, tendons and muscles) should be in
geometrical proportion with other body parts.
The pastern should blend smoothly into the fetlock and shank.
Rear Legs
Viewed
from the rear, the rear legs should be relatively straight from the
pelvis through the stifle, hocks, fetlocks, pasterns and on through the
feet and pads, with the toes pointing forward. Pelvis width should be maintained with an inside plane from
the pelvis to the stifle and straight from the stifle through the feet.
Viewed
from the side, the rear legs should point forward, maintaining proper
angulations as to allow for a visual straight line to be drawn from the
point of the hip through the rear of the hock and on to the ground
directly behind the pad. The
pastern should blend smoothly into the fetlock and shank.
When
viewed on the move from the rear, the rear legs should move freely,
with all parts moving in sync and each leg tracking forward in a straight
line with the toes pointing forward. When viewed on the move from
the side, the rear legs should move freely, with all parts moving
in sync and maintaining a natural, fluid movement from the pelvis
through the feet. The size
of the rear legs (length and width, including bones, tendons and
muscles) should be in geometrical proportion with other body parts.
Feet and Pasterns
Both
front feet should be of equal size, and both rear feet should be of
equal size. All feet, for
the age of the llama, should be in geometrical proportion with the other
body parts and cause the llama to stand square and balanced on all
four corners. The pasterns should blend smoothly into the shank
and the fetlock at a 60 degree angle and should be upright, firm and
without tendon weakness. The
pasterns should be balanced in size, both length and width, with
the other parts of the leg. The
pad should cover only the bottom portion of the foot, be smooth and
without defects. Each foot must have two toes that point forward, with each toe
having a toenail that is straight and centered on the toe.
Toenails should be without twists or turns and should not
protrude downward past the foot pad.
Genitalia
and Teats
Female
should have the vulva centered vertically to the pelvis.
It should be balanced in height and width for the size and
age of the llama. The llama
should have four teats of symmetrical size and distance apart
and be of sufficient length and width for the size and age of the
llama.
Male
must have only two side-by-side testicles that are bilaterally
symmetrical and of firm consistency, one penis located in the sheath on
the ventral midline and four teats.
All should be in geometrical proportion for the size and age of
the llama.
Movement
When
viewed from the rear, the llama should move in a sagittal plane
(square/parallel -giving the visual effect of being unable to see the
front legs), with the rear legs and feet following the same line as
the front legs and feet. The tail, top-line, neck and head should
follow a center plane and have no sway vertically or horizontally.
When
viewed on the move from the side, the rear feet and legs should track on
the same line as the front legs. Rear
feet placement should stop - but not past - the track the front feet had
just occupied. There should
be no exaggerated (vertically or horizontally) movement to the top line,
neck or head. The
llama’s gait should exhibit no stiffness, jerkiness, or
restrictions of any type.
When
viewed on the move from the front, the llama should move in a sagittal
plane (square/parallel – giving the visual effect of being unable to
see the rear legs) with the rear legs and feet following the same line
as the front legs and feet. The head, neck and chest area should remain
on center plane with no vertical or lateral sway at a walk, pace or
gallop.
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Suri style fiber