Climate snapshot for alpacas
86/100Alpaca climate comfort score
78°FAverage high, Jul
12°FAverage low, Jan
~1Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~207Frost nights per year
22 inAnnual precipitation
3Barber pole worm months
17Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Hard winters — average lows under 15 °F in Dec–Feb
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 86/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 12°F | 1.8 in | 109 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 38°F | 14°F | 1.7 in | 107 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 46°F | 20°F | 2.0 in | 117 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 52°F | 27°F | 2.0 in | 110 · ok | frost |
| May | 62°F | 35°F | 1.7 in | 115 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 73°F | 42°F | 0.8 in | 117 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 78°F | 49°F | 2.0 in | 126 · caution | worms, grass |
| Aug | 74°F | 47°F | 2.2 in | 128 · ok | worms, grass |
| Sep | 68°F | 40°F | 2.0 in | 120 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 57°F | 30°F | 1.8 in | 108 · ok | frost |
| Nov | 44°F | 20°F | 1.7 in | 114 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 35°F | 12°F | 1.8 in | 103 · ok | frost |
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 Ouray County, Colorado
January 36° / 12°F
- Hard cold: extra hay at night, heated water, windbreaks and coats for crias or seniors; check ears for frostbite.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 38° / 14°F
- Hard cold: extra hay at night, heated water, windbreaks and coats for crias or seniors; check ears for frostbite.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 46° / 20°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 52° / 27°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
May 62° / 35°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 73° / 42°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- 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.
July 78° / 49°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
August 74° / 47°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- 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).
September 68° / 40°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- 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).
- Secure winter hay: about 17 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 57° / 30°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
November 44° / 20°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 35° / 12°F
- Hard cold: extra hay at night, heated water, windbreaks and coats for crias or seniors; check ears for frostbite.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: June.
- Best months for crias to be born: Jun–Sep (breed in Jul–Oct).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Jul–Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Oct–Apr — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: May–Sep (about 5 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is uncommon this far west but cases occur near the edge of its range.
- Selenium: Most forage here supplies adequate selenium, and some western areas have high-selenium plants — avoid stacking selenium supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Ouray County, Colorado 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 Ouray County, Colorado?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Ouray County, Colorado scores 86/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are hard winters.
When should alpacas be shorn in Ouray County, Colorado?
Plan shearing for June, 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 Ouray County, Colorado?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Jun–Sep. For births then, breed females in Jul–Oct (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Ouray County, Colorado?
With roughly 7 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 833 lb (378 kg) — around 17 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 38.155, -107.788 · land area 541 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Colorado.