The cost of keeping them would outweigh the value of the fibre

The cost of keeping them would outweigh the value of the fibre."But there's no doubt they're well suited to conditions in the UK; they survive in some pretty tough parts of the country."Most of the people who keep them are pretty well-heeled. They are turned into yarn then into sweaters and cloth.So far the use of llama fibre to make garments in Britain has been very small scale. And according to Dr Angus Russel of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen, it's likely to stay that way."We have come to the conclusion that fibre is not a viable option for UK farmers. I have to find alternative farming."Llamas are fantastic farm animals. I have 35 llamas and from them I reckon I could get the same income as I can out of 500-odd sheep."Members of the British Camelids association pool their fibre together in 50 kilo loads. It is much softer and finer than wool and because each strand is hollow, garments made from it are very warm.Retired jeweller Peter Knowles-Brown, who farms 1,000 acres near Moffat in Scotland, keeps llamas and is convinced they offer a commercial future for him."I'm a hill farmer - it's just sheep on a very limited income, and with the threat of subsidies going, two-thirds of my income will disappear.

If a fox comes into a field the llama will scare him away by walking up and staring him out. They can use their back legs, and will spit, but that's a last resort."Another use for llamas, andtheir cousins alpacas, is the fibre from their coats. Llamas mark their territories with their dung and then stake out the field. He had a terrible problem with foxes - one year he lost between 30 and 40 lambs.

Then he read an article extolling the virtues of llamas as guards. So Jamie bought a llama called Lawrence from the Roses two years ago."After that I didn't get any problems. Adults can carry 100lb and because they have small feet with a leathery pad, they don't cut up the paths like heavier animals."But can llamas pay their way on a farm? One farmer who thinks so is Jamie Freeman, from Headcorn in Kent. "We've found it very popular, particularly with people who come from London and want to do something a bit different."Llamas are very sure-footed. To many, they're simply nice to have around, to keep the horse company and show at game fairs Some have found other uses. Retired turf contractor Mike Spooner and his wife Jennifer offer visitors llama-trekking trips on the South Downs in summer."It's mostly a weekend occupation," says Mrs Spooner, who keeps eight of the animals.

So what exactly are llamas good for?The British Camelids Limited Owners and Breeders Association has some 200 members, who own around 2,000 llamas nationally. I still think they're a long-term commercial proposition, but I'd say very long term."They're eaten in South America, but here they're too expensive to make rearing them for meat viable. With ostriches you can make yourself a financial plan - that this year you'll have so many eggs and then next year it will multiply to such and such Llamas only have one baby a year, and not every year. He is keen to promote them as a farm animal, but has had a negative response from farmers."One of the problems with them is that you can't breed up quickly. Paul Rose admits they are a hobby run riot - the day job is running a publishing company - but he believes llamas are more than just a passing fad. There were no "Teach Yourself Llama Farming" books, so they learnt as they went along.Apart from the llamas being much in demand at village fetes, the Roses sell them in Britain and abroad, male llamas starting atpounds 500.