Local alpaca guide · Nevada

Raising Alpacas in White Pine County, Nevada

White Pine County, Nevada has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb): summer highs average 86°F in July and winter lows average 16°F in December, with about 13 inches of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are dry climate.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

100/100Alpaca climate comfort score
86°FAverage high, Jul
16°FAverage low, Dec
~13Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~185Frost nights per year
13 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
20Hay bales / alpaca / year

Main challenges

  • Dry climate — only 13 in of rain — irrigated pasture or year-round hay

Advantages

  • Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
  • Winters are cold but rarely severe
  • Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
  • Low meningeal worm risk

Overall rating: 100/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfb).

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
10°0.030°1.050°2.070°3.090°4.0Jan: 1.1 inJanFeb: 1.2 inFebMar: 1.4 inMarApr: 1.5 inAprMay: 1.4 inMayJun: 0.7 inJunJul: 0.8 inJulAug: 0.8 inAugSep: 0.9 inSepOct: 1.1 inOctNov: 0.9 inNovDec: 1.0 inDecJan high: 40°FFeb high: 42°FMar high: 50°FApr high: 56°FMay high: 66°FJun high: 77°FJul high: 86°FAug high: 84°FSep high: 75°FOct high: 61°FNov high: 48°FDec high: 39°FJan low: 17°FFeb low: 19°FMar low: 25°FApr low: 29°FMay low: 37°FJun low: 45°FJul low: 53°FAug low: 52°FSep low: 43°FOct low: 33°FNov low: 23°FDec low: 16°F°Fin
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan40°F17°F1.1 in120 · okfrost
Feb42°F19°F1.2 in122 · okfrost
Mar50°F25°F1.4 in119 · okfrost
Apr56°F29°F1.5 in114 · okfrost
May66°F37°F1.4 in99 · okgrass
Jun77°F45°F0.7 in104 · ok—
Jul86°F53°F0.8 in111 · ok—
Aug84°F52°F0.8 in109 · ok—
Sep75°F43°F0.9 in112 · okgrass
Oct61°F33°F1.1 in102 · okgrass
Nov48°F23°F0.9 in108 · okfrost
Dec39°F16°F1.0 in94 · okfrost

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 White Pine County, Nevada

January 40° / 17°F

FrostVitamin D
  • 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.

February 42° / 19°F

FrostVitamin D
  • 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).

March 50° / 25°F

Frost
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Toenail check and trim.

April 56° / 29°F

Frost
  • Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.

May 66° / 37°F

Cria season
  • Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
  • Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
  • Secure winter hay: about 20 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
  • Toenail check and trim.

June 77° / 45°F

ShearingCria seasonBreeding
  • Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
  • 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).
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.

July 86° / 53°F

Cria seasonBreeding
  • 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).
  • 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 84° / 52°F

Cria seasonBreeding
  • 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).
  • 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 75° / 43°F

Breeding
  • Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
  • Toenail check and trim.

October 61° / 33°F

  • Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.

November 48° / 23°F

FrostVitamin D
  • 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 39° / 16°F

FrostVitamin D
  • 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).

Key recommendations

  • Shearing: June.
  • Best months for crias to be born: May–Aug (breed in Jun–Sep).
  • Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
  • Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
  • Freezing nights: Nov–Apr — keep water from freezing.
  • Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
  • Grazing season: May, Sep–Oct (about 3 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 White Pine County, Nevada 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 White Pine County, Nevada?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. White Pine County, Nevada scores 100/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in White Pine County, Nevada?
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 White Pine County, Nevada?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Aug. For births then, breed females in Jun–Sep (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in White Pine County, Nevada?
With roughly 9 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 967 lb (439 kg) — around 20 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.

Coordinates 39.418, -114.901 · land area 8,887 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Nevada.