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We are now based in Kaiwaka Northland. Website is being updated thank you for your understanding.

Kerdon Alpaca is an  Alpaca breeding farm owned and operated by Kerry and Donna Tannion. It was situated in Maungaturoto, on the edge of the Kaipara Harbour, just 90 minutes north of Auckland New Zealand (half way between Auckland and the beautiful Bay of Islands).

Kerdon Alpaca has been part of our lives, on our lifestyle block, since July 2009. We started, like most people, with the idea of a few pet boys as lawnmowers, but were smitten and had to have some babies. We have had 23 cria (baby alpaca) born on our block to date, July 2013.  see our cria page for all cria born on farm since 2010.

At the end of 2015 we shifted to a bigger block in Kaiwaka and set about the procces of buiding sheds, pens, fences etc. We lived in a cabin for a year while our house was being built.

Our main focus is in breeding high quality Black animals, with excellent conformation and fleeces which are fine, dense, with a soft handle. In saying that our overall strategy, first and foremost, is to have Healthy, Happy Animals.

We feed our animals night and morning with specially formulated Alpaca pellets and chaff, a blend of Oat and Lucern. In the evening they get carrots and occasionally apples as a treat. We have been known to feed them strawberries when available which they adore!! We give our boys and girls a Seaweed Tonic once a month and to date have not had to drench for parasites. Keeping their paddocks clean and making life stress free as possible helps  our boys and girls stay healthy. Hay is always available to which ever animal requires it.

They all have different personalities and make each day so memorable. The majority of Kerdon Alpaca have Italian names. The reason for that is our love affair with Italy and all our wonderful memories of days spent in and around Tuscany.

Kerdon Alpacas share our block with Bono and Clyde (Nubian goats) Blakie (the German Shepherd) and Squeak (the cat). Sadly these wonderful animal friends have passed on and we now have two Mimiature Schnauzers, Holly and Karli

Why we chose  Alpaca

They are irresistable and make great pets. Alpaca are ideally suited to Lifestyle Blocks. The relatively easy-care nature of alpaca makes them perfect for this type of property. Alpaca are herd animals and do best when kept and handled in groups. Always curious and usually come when called  for breakfast or dinner. Most of our animals will happily eat out of our hands. We halter train our young cria at six months when weaned.

Alpaca are a domesticated species of Camelid and originate from the Aliplano area of South America.

There are two types of Alpaca, Huacaya (pronounced wha-ky-ya) and Suru (pronounced soo-ree)

Huacaya are the breed we farm and this breed makes up the majority of Alpaca in New Zealand. The Huacaya are characterised by a thick dense fleece growing perpendicular from the body. Where as the Suri is distguished by its long silky fibre that grows paraell to the body and hangs in locks.

Stocking rates for Alpaca are similar to sheep (4-5 per acre). They are grass eaters and ours thrive on kykuyu which makes up about 99% of our block.

Alpaca are shorn once a year, in spring for us. They do not require special fencing but a set of yards is handy for yearly vaccinations or when toe nails need trimming etc. Toe nails need trimming anything from once a year to 4 times a year depending on the animal. Some have nails that grow quickly others don't.The female gestation period is around 11.5 months and they are induced ovulaters which means they ovulate once mated. They don't come into season like other animals and becasue of this can be mated at any time of the year.

Alpaca fibre is said to be softer than wool and believed to be superior in warmth and strength. There is minimal lanolin in the fibre and thus believed to be hypoallergenic with people reporting less skin irritation from Alpaca fibre garments.

Alpaca is very versatile and can be carded, spun, woven, knitted or felted.

When our animals are shorn we wash and card the fibre and sell it carded or dye it for  fibre art (see the fibre art gallery) or have it  made into yarn for knitting or weaving. 

The product is then sold at  Marsden Cove Market or is for purchase on-line. 
We now have a shop, on site, open at times advertised through our FB sites, 

Kerdon Alpaca or Isabella Tannion Check out for open days but we are happy to open the shop if you ring or text outside open days.