Pack limits in this wiki’s table run from a comfortable 20-25 kg for a 130 kg llama to 60-70 kg for a 450 kg large mule, with absolute maxima of 30 to 90 kg, and all are for fit, conditioned animals on moderate terrain. Reduce loads 20-30% for steep mountain trails or very hot weather: for the large mule that turns a comfortable 60-70 kg into 42-56 kg.
Part of Pack Animal Management
The pack-load table for five animals, the arithmetic behind it, the derating rules and what the source leaves unstated.
The Table Does Not Follow One Percentage Of Body Weight
Pack load is often quoted as a fraction of body weight. The source table does not state one, and when the fractions are computed from its figures they differ by animal. All numbers below are source figures or arithmetic on them. This article introduces no external pack-load figure and no rule of its own; the percentages are computed here and are not standards.
| Animal | Body weight | Max pack load | Comfortable load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large mule | 450 kg | 90 kg | 60-70 kg |
| Horse | 500 kg | 80 kg | 50-60 kg |
| Donkey | 200 kg | 50 kg | 30-40 kg |
| Small mule | 350 kg | 70 kg | 45-55 kg |
| Llama | 130 kg | 30 kg | 20-25 kg |
What You Need
- The animal’s actual weight — the table assumes 450, 500, 200, 350 and 130 kg; scale for yours.
- Condition and terrain assessment — the table is for fit animals on moderate terrain.
- A scale for cargo, saddle, pad and panniers.
Method: Compute The Day’s Allowance
Step 1: Fractions of body weight (computed here).
| Animal | Max / body | Comfortable / body |
|---|---|---|
| Large mule | 90 / 450 = 20.0% | 60 / 450 = 13.3% to 70 / 450 = 15.6% |
| Horse | 80 / 500 = 16.0% | 50 / 500 = 10.0% to 60 / 500 = 12.0% |
| Donkey | 50 / 200 = 25.0% | 30 / 200 = 15.0% to 40 / 200 = 20.0% |
| Small mule | 70 / 350 = 20.0% | 45 / 350 = 12.9% to 55 / 350 = 15.7% |
| Llama | 30 / 130 = 23.1% | 20 / 130 = 15.4% to 25 / 130 = 19.2% |
Across the five animals the comfortable fraction runs from 10.0% to 20.0% and the maximum from 16.0% to 25.0%. The table does not follow a single percentage of body weight, so do not extrapolate it to a different animal by one.
Step 2: Derate for steep or hot conditions. The source says to reduce loads 20-30% for steep mountain trails or very hot weather. Apply it to the comfortable load: low end x 0.70, high end x 0.80.
| Animal | Comfortable | After 20-30% reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Large mule | 60-70 kg | 60 x 0.70 = 42 to 70 x 0.80 = 56 kg |
| Horse | 50-60 kg | 35 to 48 kg |
| Donkey | 30-40 kg | 21 to 32 kg |
| Small mule | 45-55 kg | 31.5 to 44 kg |
| Llama | 20-25 kg | 14 to 20 kg |
Why apply it to the comfortable load: derating the maximum for the large mule gives 90 x 0.70 = 63 to 90 x 0.80 = 72 kg, which is at or above the comfortable 60-70 kg, so a reduced maximum would still exceed the figure the table calls comfortable. This reading is the reasoning of this article, not a statement by the source, which does not say which column the reduction applies to.
Step 3: Count everything the animal carries. The source does not say whether the saddle, pad and panniers are inside the table’s loads. Count them inside to stay safe: weigh the empty saddle and panniers and subtract them from the allowance to get the cargo.
Step 4: Stacked reductions. The source also says to reduce load by 20% for sustained grades over 15%. It does not say whether this adds to the 20-30% above. If the two stack by multiplication, the load is 0.80 x 0.80 = 0.64 to 0.70 x 0.80 = 0.56 of the comfortable load, a 36% to 44% reduction. If they do not stack, it is 20-30%. Until you know which, plan with the stacked, smaller figure on a steep, hot day.
Worked Example
A string of 3 large mules and 2 donkeys, cargo only, ignoring equipment.
- Comfortable, moderate terrain: 3 x (60 to 70) + 2 x (30 to 40) = 180 to 210 + 60 to 80 = 240 to 290 kg.
- After the 20-30% reduction on a steep or hot day: 3 x (42 to 56) + 2 x (21 to 32) = 126 to 168 + 42 to 64 = 168 to 232 kg.
- Cargo that cannot go: at the full 290 kg planned, the reduced capacity of 168 to 232 kg means 290 - 232 = 58 kg to 290 - 168 = 122 kg must be left behind or carried in a second trip.
If one large mule goes lame in a string of 5 large mules each carrying 70 kg, 350 kg must be carried by 4: 350 / 4 = 87.5 kg each, which is below the 90 kg maximum but 17.5 kg above the 70 kg top of the comfortable range. Leave cargo rather than load to the maximum.
Common Mistakes
- Loading to the maximum — the maximum is a limit, not a target; comfortable is the planning figure.
- Applying a fraction from one animal to another — the table is not proportional.
- Forgetting the saddle — it counts.
- Ignoring condition — the table is for fit animals; an unfit or thin animal carries less.
Safety
An overloaded pack animal goes lame
Lameness in a working animal is a slow disaster for the household depending on it. Never plan to a maximum, derate on steep or hot days, and take cargo off at the first sign of limping, stumbling or reluctance. See Emergency Hoof Repair.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Weight Distribution Rules — placing the allowed load
- Combine with: Feed Requirements on the Move — how much of the load the animal eats on a trip