hay stack guardians?

Winter elk herds are abundant here. They converge on winter pastures and hay stacks.  Even stacks very near homes and dogs get worked over. We have taken a perhaps odd approach to this situation. Alpacas! We rescued 5 alpacas several years ago, fire refugees. Having had no previous alpaca encounters, I find them most interesting and useful. They are tidy nibblers, and very vocal alarmist. Over time I have realized that for winter feeding, the alpacas can't out compete the cattle due to sheer size and familiarity. So I now keep them in the stack yard with access to the hay. Alpacas have a designated poop pile...not where they eat and they will sleep right next to the stack. I find they do not tear into the hay but prefer the little dribbles of leaves and such that accumulate from feeding the hay to the cattle. Un-like sheep that seem to stink up hay so nothing will eat it, the cows have no problem with "alpaca residue".  When elk cross our pastures, they are very wary of the alpacas and keep their distance. So far so good, no elk damage to our stacks! They have other perks too, they are amazing coyote chasers and we use the wool to make healthy insulation for walls and ceilings...and then there are those awesome manure/fertilizer piles. Gotta love 'em. Wondering if anyone else has used them to protect hay stacks?

Clever Idea I wouldn't have thought to use them to protect the hay stack.You might be the first.Out here some people put them into their herds of sheep to protect them.Horses freak out when hey see them.The wool is amazing makes the softest of hats.Some people even use them as pack animals.I like your idea though.If possible you should post a picture so we can see your fierce-some hay stack guardians.

Ben,
Another thought on why alpacas keep elk and most likely deer as well out  of hay stacks, the little shrill chirpy "barks" that alpacas make sound perhaps a lot like "horrid distress cries" that elk and deer may want to stay away from??