Local alpaca guide · Oklahoma

Raising Alpacas in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma

Roger Mills County, Oklahoma has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa): summer highs average 94°F in July and winter lows average 24°F in January, with about 25 inches of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are summer heat and barber pole worm.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

72/100Alpaca climate comfort score
94°FAverage high, Jul
24°FAverage low, Jan
~67Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~91Frost nights per year
25 inAnnual precipitation
7Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year

Main challenges

  • Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jun–Aug
  • Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Apr–Oct)

Advantages

  • Winters are cold but rarely severe
  • A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)

Overall rating: 72/100 — Good on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa).

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
20°0.040°1.160°2.180°3.2100°4.2Jan: 0.8 inJanFeb: 0.9 inFebMar: 1.8 inMarApr: 2.4 inAprMay: 3.7 inMayJun: 3.5 inJunJul: 2.4 inJulAug: 2.9 inAugSep: 2.3 inSepOct: 2.3 inOctNov: 1.2 inNovDec: 1.1 inDecJan high: 50°FFeb high: 54°FMar high: 64°FApr high: 72°FMay high: 81°FJun high: 89°FJul high: 94°FAug high: 93°FSep high: 85°FOct high: 73°FNov high: 61°FDec high: 51°FJan low: 24°FFeb low: 28°FMar low: 37°FApr low: 44°FMay low: 55°FJun low: 64°FJul low: 69°FAug low: 67°FSep low: 59°FOct low: 47°FNov low: 35°FDec low: 26°F°Fin
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan50°F24°F0.8 in117 · okfrost
Feb54°F28°F0.9 in115 · okfrost
Mar64°F37°F1.8 in126 · okgrass
Apr72°F44°F2.4 in131 · okworms, grass
May81°F55°F3.7 in149 · cautionworms, grass
Jun89°F64°F3.5 in150 · highworms, grass
Jul94°F69°F2.4 in153 · highworms, grass
Aug93°F67°F2.9 in150 · highworms, grass
Sep85°F59°F2.3 in144 · cautionworms, grass
Oct73°F47°F2.3 in119 · okworms, grass
Nov61°F35°F1.2 in132 · okgrass
Dec51°F26°F1.1 in116 · 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 Roger Mills County, Oklahoma

January 50° / 24°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 54° / 28°F

FrostVitamin D
  • 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.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).

March 64° / 37°F

Meningeal wormCria season
  • Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
  • 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 72° / 44°F

ShearingWorm seasonMeningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).

May 81° / 55°F

Worm seasonMeningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • 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.

June 89° / 64°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal wormBreeding
  • 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).

July 94° / 69°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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.
  • Toenail check and trim.

August 93° / 67°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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 85° / 59°F

Worm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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 73° / 47°F

Worm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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 61° / 35°F

Vitamin D
  • 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.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
  • Toenail check and trim.

December 51° / 26°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: April.
  • Best months for crias to be born: Mar–May (breed in Apr–Jun).
  • Heat precautions: Jun–Aug.
  • Barber pole worm season: Apr–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
  • Freezing nights: Dec–Feb — keep water from freezing.
  • Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
  • 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 Roger Mills 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 Roger Mills County, Oklahoma?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Roger Mills County, Oklahoma scores 72/100 (good) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat and barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma?
Plan shearing for April, 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 Roger Mills County, Oklahoma?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Mar–May. For births then, breed females in Apr–Jun (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Roger Mills 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 Roger Mills County, Oklahoma?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jun–Aug. We estimate about 67 days a year above 90°F (32°C).

Nearby counties

Coordinates 35.709, -99.742 · land area 1,141 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Oklahoma.