"It's not as strange as it sounds," says Mr Copas. "Alpacas are used all over the world to deter wild dogs and coyotes.

"We've always had dogs that keep the birds safe, but they can't be on the ranges all the time, unlike the alpacas who stay there day and night."

The grass-eating alpacas are perfectly suited to the job because, while they will drive away foxes, they get on fine with turkeys

I have some friends who inherited 4 alpacas with their current house. The phrase "mardy bastards" doesn't even come close to conveying the level of foul temper those beasts have.

The alpacas protecting 24,000 Christmas turkeys

Tooooo cute! There's some alpacas at a farm near my step Mum in Norfolk