Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Safe

Can Alpacas Eat Intermediate & Western Wheatgrass?

Intermediate & Western Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium / Pascopyrum smithii) — a grass. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
✓

Yes — intermediate & Western wheatgrass is safe for alpacas.

It is acceptable forage or browse in normal amounts.

Intermediate & Western Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium / Pascopyrum smithii)
Intermediate & Western Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium / Pascopyrum smithii). Photo: Dehaan, CC BY-SA 3.0 us via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Safe
Scientific name
Thinopyrum intermedium / Pascopyrum smithii
Family
Poaceae
Plant type
Grass
Also known as
intermediate wheatgrass

Feeding notes

Hardy western grasses used in dryland pastures and hay.

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

Thinopyrum intermedium, known commonly as intermediate wheatgrass, is a sod-forming perennial grass in the Triticeae tribe of Pooideae native to Europe and Western Asia. It is part of a group of plants commonly called wheatgrasses because of the similarity of their seed heads or ears to common wheat. However, wheatgrasses generally are perennial, while wheat is an annual.From Wikipedia — “Thinopyrum intermedium”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 23,082 recorded observations of Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R.Dewey worldwide, including 3,294 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 intermediate & Western wheatgrass?
Yes. Hardy western grasses used in dryland pastures and hay.
How much intermediate & Western wheatgrass 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 Q7784629.