Climate snapshot for alpacas
86/100Alpaca climate comfort score
93°FAverage high, Jul
38°FAverage low, Dec
~65Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~18Frost nights per year
14 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jul–Sep
- Dry climate — only 14 in of rain — irrigated pasture or year-round hay
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 86/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 137 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 61°F | 41°F | 2.7 in | 142 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.2 in | 142 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 72°F | 46°F | 1.0 in | 143 · ok | grass |
| May | 80°F | 52°F | 0.6 in | 133 · caution | — |
| Jun | 88°F | 57°F | 0.1 in | 124 · caution | — |
| Jul | 93°F | 61°F | 0.0 in | 122 · caution | — |
| Aug | 92°F | 61°F | 0.0 in | 124 · caution | — |
| Sep | 88°F | 58°F | 0.1 in | 127 · caution | — |
| Oct | 78°F | 51°F | 0.7 in | 120 · caution | — |
| Nov | 65°F | 43°F | 1.3 in | 128 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 56°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 136 · ok | grass |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: NOAA nClimDiv 1991–2020 county normals.
Alpaca care calendar for Stanislaus County, California
January 56° / 39°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 61° / 41°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 66° / 44°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 72° / 46°F
- Secure winter hay: about 16 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 80° / 52°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 88° / 57°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 93° / 61°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 92° / 61°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
September 88° / 58°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 78° / 51°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 65° / 43°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 56° / 38°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Oct–Jan (breed in Nov–Feb).
- Heat precautions: Jul–Sep.
- Barber pole worm season: Mar — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Nov–Apr (about 6 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Selenium levels vary across the state. Test hay or blood before changing supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Stanislaus County, California are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Stanislaus County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Stanislaus County, California scores 86/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat and dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in Stanislaus County, California?
Plan shearing for March, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Stanislaus County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Oct–Jan. For births then, breed females in Nov–Feb (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Stanislaus County, California?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Stanislaus County, California?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jul–Sep. We estimate about 65 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 37.562, -121.003 · land area 1,496 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.