Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Safe

Can Alpacas Eat Indiangrass?

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) — a grass. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — indiangrass is safe for alpacas.

It is acceptable forage or browse in normal amounts.

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). Photo: Unknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Safe
Scientific name
Sorghastrum nutans
Family
Poaceae
Plant type
Grass

Feeding notes

Native warm-season prairie grass; good summer forage when kept vegetative.

How to offer it

  1. Introduce any new forage or browse gradually over a week or two.
  2. Make sure it is fresh — avoid moldy, wilted piles or plants sprayed with herbicide.
  3. Keep a balanced diet: grass or hay first, with a camelid mineral available.

About the plant

Sorghastrum nutans, known as Indiangrass, is a North American prairie grass found in the United States and Canada, especially in the Great Plains and tallgrass prairies. It is sometimes called Indian grass, yellow Indian-grass, or wood grass.From Wikipedia — “Sorghastrum nutans”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 26,726 recorded observations of Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash worldwide, including 23,663 in the United States. It belongs to the Poaceae family, together with Johnsongrass, Cheatgrass, Corn Plants & Stalks, Dallisgrass (ergot-infected), Foxtail Barley & Foxtail Grasses. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Can alpacas eat indiangrass?
Yes. Native warm-season prairie grass; good summer forage when kept vegetative.
How much indiangrass can an alpaca eat?
As part of a varied diet based on grass or grass hay, it can be eaten freely. Introduce new browse gradually.

Keeping pastures safe

  • Walk every paddock and fence line each season and remove toxic plants, including roots.
  • Never throw garden, hedge or lawn clippings over the fence.
  • Check pastures after storms for fallen branches (cherry, red maple).
  • Buy hay from known sources and inspect it for weeds.
  • Keep pastures well managed — hungry alpacas eat plants they would normally avoid.

Browse the full toxic plant checker, the printable list of poisonous plants and the list of safe plants.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.

Data: plant status compiled from veterinary toxicology references (see sources); taxonomy and occurrences from GBIF; identifiers from Wikidata Q3046578.