Improving coloured fleece quality the aim

Breeding alpaca which take coloured fleece quality to the next level is the aim of Bruce and Wendy Johnstone of Wainui Heights Alpaca.


Wainui Heights Expo winning the intermediate mid/dark fawn male award at the 2014 National Alpaca Expo held in Christchurch.

“These both have potential as good stud males which have won their classes at the Christchurch show, but we need to sell them because they are the same genetics as the rest of our animals.”

Both have excellent colour genetics. Wainui Heights Emmerson has a soft, fine, dense fleece while Wainui Heights Expo’s mid-fawn fleece is extremely soft, as well as fine and dense.

When they gave up dairy farming, Wendy and Bruce looked for animals which would be easy on their hilly property near Whakatane.

“Our first consideration was the environmental impact of animals and alpaca, which aren’t hard on the hill country, seemed ideal so we bought 12 females. They are such delightful animals we were very quickly hooked.”

That was in 2009. Now the couple have 80 alpaca and Wendy, who enjoys handcrafts, has gone on to develop a line of garments made from their coloured fleece which she sells at alpaca shows and through the stud’s Facebook page.

As well as valuable top breeding animals, Wainui Heights also has for sale animals ideal as pets or for farmers just entering the industry.

“Alpaca are easy animals to farm. While they require the normal good animal husbandry care, they are not prone to hoof rot or fly strike as sheep and are easy on the pasture.

“More than that, they are gentle, friendly animals which are a pleasure to work with,” says Bruce.


Wendy Johnstone of Wainui Height Alpaca makes a range of handcrafts from the fleece produced by the stud’s alpaca.


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