Our animals

The animals on the farm

We have lots of different animals on the farm: llamas, alpacas, cattle and cows, donkeys, ponies, cats and chickens.

Interesting facts about llamas and alpacas

A South American proverb:
«Never look a llama deep in the eyes, for you will fall in love with it.»

The camel family is divided into New World camelids (NWC) (wild forms: vicuña and guanaco; domesticated forms: alpacas and llamas) and Old World camelids (dromedaries and Bactrian camels). Llamas and alpacas were already being bred on the high plateaus of the Andes as early as 7000–5000 BC. They are therefore among the oldest domesticated animals in the world.

Classification

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There are two distinct types of llama: the Classic Llama, which has a sparse coat and is characterised by its large frame, long legs and elongated back. Its head is almost horse-like. The woolly coat lies over its body like a blanket; the wool thins out at the neck, and the head and legs are bare. The Classic Llama is more spirited than the Wooly Llama and is very well suited as a trekking companion.
The Wooly Llama differs mainly in its thick, long coat, which covers large parts of the forehead and legs. It is smaller in stature and has a more laid-back temperament. When trained, this type also makes an excellent trekking companion.
We mainly have Wooly Llamas on our farm. I much prefer these animals to the Classic Llamas, simply because of their appearance. I find them more suitable for working with children, young people, people with disabilities, and so on. Their thick fleece makes you want to cuddle them and has a real ‘aww’ factor.

New World camelids do not walk on claws or hooves, but on soft calloused pads. Their gait is gentle on the turf, making them an alternative to sheep or cattle for grazing on sensitive land and steep slopes. Llamas are active animals. Young llamas, in particular, often take the opportunity to let off steam in the pastures.

The difference between a llama and an alpaca lies in the shape of their ears (llamas have banana-shaped ears, whilst alpacas have spear-shaped ears) and in the shape of their pelvis, that is, where the tail attaches.

Cattle, cows, donkeys, ponies, chickens, dogs and cats

Cattle

Our cattle spend the whole summer on the lush, rolling pastures of the Obere Klus. They are reared in the herd alongside their mothers (suckler cow rearing). We are committed to the BTS/RAUS standard: particularly animal-friendly housing with daily access to outdoor areas in winter and 24-hour access to pasture in summer. The animals are fed exclusively on grass and receive no additional concentrated feed.

Our suckler herd consists of a mix of Angus, Aubrac, South Tyrolean Grey Cattle and crossbreeds, as well as a Limousin bull.
We produce Natura Beef, and we place great importance on excellent welfare standards, as well as treating our cows and calves with respect and kindness.
For further information, please visit www.obereklus.ch

Donkeys and ponies

Our two female donkeys are domestic donkeys and form a mother-and-daughter pair. Lady and Chiquita are strong-willed ladies with a slight tendency to be greedy and stubborn. But they have wonderful personalities.
Our three ponies come in three different sizes.
Navarro the Elder is a miniature Shetland pony. He is an extremely friendly older gentleman. Unfortunately, his eyesight is slowly deteriorating, but apart from that he is in excellent health.
Joya is our Shetland pony. Joya has had an eventful and not always happy life as an animal, until she ended up with her previous owner and then with us. For many years she worked happily at a children’s riding school and is now enjoying her twilight years with us at Obere Klus.
Luna is the youngest and largest of the bunch. Although Luna can be ridden, she has a strong tendency to put on weight. Luna came to us suffering from severe laminitis, but with a lot of patience and adjustments, we’ve managed to make her a happy pony once again.
It’s interesting to note that all the animals needed a new home for various reasons and now happily assist us in our animal-assisted therapy sessions, showing us a great deal of gratitude.

Chickens

A variety of hens and a cockerel bring our farm to life. My aim is to help people get to know these birds better. I am constantly fascinated by how strongly and in how many different ways hens communicate with one another. Their constant clucking encourages you to respond. Chickens are also very well suited to occupational therapy, for example in care homes, as many elderly residents come from rural backgrounds and the chickens help to bridge the gap to times gone by. The chicken is not just a source of eggs and meat, but also an extremely interesting creature.

Our current resident in the chicken coop is called Mr Uri, as I picked him up from the canton of Uri 😀

Cats

And of course, the cats are a must. Our organic ‘mouse police’ are indispensable on the farm. We’re very grateful for the brilliant work carried out by our three cats.

Two of the three animals were also rescued from poor living conditions and given the chance to lead a free, wonderful life.