Climate snapshot for alpacas
62/100Alpaca climate comfort score
96°FAverage high, Jul
28°FAverage low, Jan
~79Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~69Frost nights per year
29 inAnnual precipitation
8Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jul
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Mar–Oct)
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)
Overall rating: 62/100 — Fair on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 28°F | 0.9 in | 118 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 56°F | 31°F | 1.1 in | 117 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 65°F | 40°F | 2.1 in | 127 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 2.9 in | 132 · ok | worms, grass |
| May | 82°F | 58°F | 4.4 in | 150 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 91°F | 67°F | 3.8 in | 152 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 96°F | 72°F | 2.5 in | 154 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 95°F | 70°F | 3.0 in | 152 · high | worms, grass |
| Sep | 86°F | 62°F | 2.8 in | 145 · caution | worms, grass |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 2.8 in | 121 · caution | worms, grass |
| Nov | 62°F | 38°F | 1.7 in | 133 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 1.4 in | 117 · 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 Kiowa County, Oklahoma
January 51° / 28°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.
February 56° / 31°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- 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.
March 65° / 40°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.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- 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.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 73° / 47°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- 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).
May 82° / 58°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 91° / 67°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
July 96° / 72°F
- Dangerous heat: provide shade, fans and ground-level sprinklers or wading pools; check the herd twice daily and avoid all handling or transport in the afternoon.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 95° / 70°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
September 86° / 62°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.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 75° / 50°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.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
November 62° / 38°F
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Secure winter hay: about 12 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.
December 52° / 30°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Mar–Apr (breed in Apr–May).
- Heat precautions: May–Aug; dangerous heat in Jul.
- Barber pole worm season: Mar–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Feb — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Mar–Nov (about 9 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: This area is at the western edge of the meningeal worm range. Risk is real where deer and snails share wet, wooded pastures.
- 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 Kiowa County, Oklahoma 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 Kiowa County, Oklahoma?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Kiowa County, Oklahoma scores 62/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Kiowa County, Oklahoma?
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 Kiowa County, Oklahoma?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Mar–Apr. For births then, breed females in Apr–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Kiowa County, Oklahoma?
With roughly 3 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 565 lb (256 kg) — around 12 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Kiowa County, Oklahoma?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Aug. We estimate about 79 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 34.921, -98.982 · land area 1,015 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Oklahoma.