Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Caution

Can Alpacas Eat Switchgrass?

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) — a grass. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation.

Occasional nibbles are usually tolerated, but problems occur with large amounts, certain plant stages or vulnerable animals.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). Photo: Warren Gretz, DOE/NREL, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Caution
Scientific name
Panicum virgatum
Family
Poaceae
Plant type
Grass
Toxic parts
Young growth
Toxic compound
Steroidal saponins

Why it matters

Hepatogenous photosensitization is documented in sheep and horses. Use as part of a mixed grass hay.

Signs of switchgrass poisoning in alpacas

  • Reddened, swollen, peeling skin on unpigmented or lightly fleeced areas (face, ears, legs)
  • Itching and head rubbing
  • Seeking shade
  • Eye irritation and tearing
  • Liver damage

If your alpaca ate a lot of switchgrass

  1. Remove access and estimate how much was eaten.
  2. Watch for the signs listed above over the next 24–72 hours.
  3. Call your vet if any signs appear or if a pregnant, young or sick animal ate a large amount.
  4. Reduce the plant in your pasture and keep good forage available so alpacas aren't driven to eat it.

About the plant

Panicum virgatum, commonly known as switchgrass and panic grass, is a perennial warm season bunchgrass native to North America, where it occurs naturally from 55°N latitude in Canada southwards into the United States and Mexico. Switchgrass is one of the dominant species of the central North American tallgrass prairie and can be found in remnant prairies, in native grass pastures, and naturalized along roadsides. It is used primarily for soil conservation, forage production, game cover, as an ornamental grass, in phytoremediation projects, fiber, electricity, heat production, for biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and more recently as a biomass crop for the production of ethanol and butanol.From Wikipedia — “Panicum virgatum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 28,643 recorded observations of Panicum virgatum L. worldwide, including 24,606 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

Is switchgrass poisonous to alpacas?
It can be. Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation. Hepatogenous photosensitization is documented in sheep and horses. Use as part of a mixed grass hay.
What part of switchgrass is toxic to alpacas?
Young growth.
What are the symptoms of switchgrass poisoning?
Reddened, swollen, peeling skin on unpigmented or lightly fleeced areas (face, ears, legs), itching and head rubbing, seeking shade, eye irritation and tearing and liver damage.
Is dried switchgrass safe?
Drying does not reliably make poisonous plants safe. Treat dried leaves and contaminated hay with the same caution.

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 Q1466543.