PASSIONATE ABOUT ALPACAS
Mourne Alpacas is the home of the largest pedigree alpaca herd on the island of Ireland.
We are passionate about all things alpaca, offering unique alpaca experiences here on our farm.
We are the home of all-inclusive paddock trekking experiences, full farm trekking, and our unique CRIA WATCH and picnic add-on experiences, suitable for all ages and abilities.
Mourne Alpacas have featured all of 2023 on UTV Rare Breed - be sure to watch on the ITV PLayer to see all the fun of alpaca farming!
SO WHY DO WE OWN ALPACAS?
Alpacas slow us down and point the way to simple things that make us smile. They are gentle with our children. They live with us in harmony. Once in a while we are asked by one of our females to help her give birth and maybe nurse the cria for a few days until mother nature brings them both together, starting life’s cycle over again. We really can’t imagine a better way to spend our time as a family.
​
Our leisurely on-farm alpaca experiences will show you just how magical and engaging these incredible animals are. When you visit, to learn, to trek, to simply be with our alpacas you will be immersed in the magical and relaxing world that alpacas create, that we enjoy every day here at Mourne Alpacas.
TREK AND MEET ALPACAS ON OUR FARM
Get in touch for information on our fully accessible and inclusive Mourne Alpacas experiences, including full farm treks, accessible paddock walks, picnic options and also our fabulous Cria Watch when the new babies are landing in the nursery paddocks.
Trek with one alpaca, in pastures with over 100 more!
Click below to read all our social media news!
WHAT IS AN ALPACA – AND WHY DO WE BREED THEM?
Everyone would like to buy, breed, live with and sometimes sell perfect alpacas. To do that, we must first have a vivid picture of “perfect” in our mind’s eye. Here at Mourne Alpacas, we are striving to improve on our genetics and breeding all the time. Our intensive training, both delivered and received, means that we are learning all the time. Our continued investment in new bloodlines means that we are striving to build better fleece characteristics and improved confirmation into our herd every year.
​
First and foremost, an alpaca is a production animal. The product it creates is fleece. An alpaca’s ultimate value flows from its ability to create fine, dense fleece that is coveted by the makers of luxury garments. It also so happens that the fleece characteristics which make an alpaca valuable are heritable. When mated properly, alpacas pass these fleece traits on to their offspring.
Ultimately, the ideal alpaca produces an elite fleece and quality cria with high breeding value.
​
Here at Mourne Alpacas, we use genetically sound selection and breeding systems, using outstanding studs all our own on the farm, with strict biosecurity measures in place.
​
We feed our herd the best feeds available in order to produce healthy, quality alpacas with the finest fleece possible, for the production of beautiful Mourne Alpacas yarns available from our farm shop.
THE IDEAL ALPACA
An ideal alpaca’s look begins with the head, a dense top knot, and well-covered cheeks converging with the wool cap to form a close V at the eyes, which are brown. The ears are shaped like an arrowhead and erect. The muzzle is soft and wedge shaped. The jaw should fit together correctly, with the lower incisors meeting the upper dental pad. The head and neck make up about one-third of an alpaca’s height, the body makes up one-third, as do the legs. The neck connects to the shoulder at approximately a 45° angle to the back, which is straight, dropping off a bit at the tail. When the alpaca is alert, the neck and back form almost a 90° angle with the head slightly forward. The perfect alpaca has a squared off appearance, with four strong legs setting squarely under it, giving it a graceful stance which translates into a fluid gait. The ideal alpaca has a soft, dense fleece, which is completed with abundant coverage down the legs. The alpaca’s head is a window into its quality and type: both huacaya and suri. The head of the ideal suri should exhibit well-covered cheeks and a bearded chin. The suri’s fleece should begin independently locking at the forehead and continue uniformly down the neck, across the body and down the legs, finishing at the toes. The head of the ideal huacaya should exhibit a dense top knot which is crimpy. The cheeks should be well covered, and the bridge of the nose, clean. The crimp in the top knot should continue down the neck, across the blanket, and into the tail, finishing down the belly and legs. The stars of any herd will catch your eye with an alert, erect appearance.
EVERY COLOUR OF ALPACA -
and some for sale!
Here at Mourne Alpacas, we have every colour of alpaca recognised in the official colour chart, from dazzling whites through fawns, browns, rose and all shades of grey to jet and blue-black stunning girls and boys, with amazing crimp and very fine micron counts.
​
To see for yourself what we have for sale, in pregnant females, empty females, females with cria at foot, or castrate groups, please contact us to arrange a farm visit.
Come and visit, learn about, trek with and enjoy our fabulous pedigree herd!
Book online or contact Mourne Alpacas to find out more