Climate snapshot for alpacas
95/100Alpaca climate comfort score
86°FAverage high, Jul
17°FAverage low, Dec
~18Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~171Frost nights per year
11 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Dry climate — only 11 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: 95/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Cold semi-arid (Köppen BSk).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 17°F | 0.8 in | 108 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 47°F | 21°F | 0.7 in | 103 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 56°F | 26°F | 0.7 in | 104 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 63°F | 31°F | 0.5 in | 95 · ok | frost |
| May | 73°F | 40°F | 0.6 in | 99 · ok | — |
| Jun | 84°F | 49°F | 0.4 in | 120 · caution | — |
| Jul | 86°F | 56°F | 1.8 in | 130 · caution | grass |
| Aug | 83°F | 54°F | 2.0 in | 125 · caution | grass |
| Sep | 77°F | 47°F | 1.3 in | 119 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 66°F | 35°F | 0.9 in | 100 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 53°F | 24°F | 0.7 in | 105 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 43°F | 17°F | 0.8 in | 82 · 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 McKinley County, New Mexico
January 43° / 17°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.
February 47° / 21°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).
March 56° / 26°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 63° / 31°F
- 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 73° / 40°F
- 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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 84° / 49°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.
- 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.
July 86° / 56°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 83° / 54°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.
September 77° / 47°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 66° / 35°F
- Secure winter hay: about 18 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
November 53° / 24°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 43° / 17°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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: May.
- Best months for crias to be born: May–Jun (breed in Jun–Jul).
- 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: Jul–Oct (about 4 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 McKinley County, New Mexico 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 McKinley County, New Mexico?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. McKinley County, New Mexico scores 95/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in McKinley County, New Mexico?
Plan shearing for May, 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 McKinley County, New Mexico?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Jun. For births then, breed females in Jun–Jul (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in McKinley County, New Mexico?
With roughly 8 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 900 lb (408 kg) — around 18 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 35.584, -108.253 · land area 5,451 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to New Mexico.