Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Local alpaca guide · Great Plains

Raising Alpacas in South Dakota

South Dakota has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa): summer highs average 85°F in July and winter lows average 8°F in January, with about 23 inches of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are summer heat, barber pole worm and hard winters.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team

Statewide snapshot

75/100Alpaca climate comfort score (state average)
85°FAverage high, Jul (state average)
8°FAverage low, Jan (state average)
~11Days above 90°F (32°C) per year (state average)
~172Frost nights per year (state average)
23 inAnnual precipitation (state average)
5Barber pole worm months (state average)
16Hay bales / alpaca / year (state average)
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
0°0.022°1.145°2.168°3.290°4.3Jan: 0.5 inJanFeb: 0.7 inFebMar: 1.1 inMarApr: 2.3 inAprMay: 3.4 inMayJun: 3.7 inJunJul: 3.0 inJulAug: 2.6 inAugSep: 2.2 inSepOct: 1.9 inOctNov: 0.8 inNovDec: 0.6 inDecJan high: 28°FFeb high: 32°FMar high: 44°FApr high: 57°FMay high: 69°FJun high: 79°FJul high: 85°FAug high: 83°FSep high: 75°FOct high: 60°FNov high: 44°FDec high: 31°FJan low: 8°FFeb low: 11°FMar low: 22°FApr low: 32°FMay low: 44°FJun low: 55°FJul low: 60°FAug low: 58°FSep low: 48°FOct low: 35°FNov low: 22°FDec low: 12°F°Fin

Average of 66 county normals (NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020). Conditions vary a lot within the state — open your county below.

Statewide challenges

  • Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Aug
  • Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (May–Sep)
  • Hard winters — average lows under 15 °F in Dec–Feb

Most alpaca-friendly counties

  1. Lawrence County — 86/100
  2. Oglala Lakota County — 84/100
  3. Custer County — 83/100
  4. Pennington County — 82/100
  5. Fall River County — 81/100

Most challenging counties

  1. Aurora County — 71/100
  2. Beadle County — 71/100
  3. Brule County — 71/100
  4. Buffalo County — 71/100
  5. Charles Mix County — 71/100

All 66 counties

Click a column to sort. Temperatures in °F; “worm months” follow Gordon's bioclimatograph for barber pole worm.

CountyPeak highLowest lowDays ≥90°FFrost nightsWorm monthsShearHay balesScore
Aurora County869151665May1471
Beadle County856121705May1471
Bennett County8713171724May1479
Bon Homme County8611161575May1474
Brookings County82441745May1676
Brown County83271785May1675
Brule County8710181645May1471
Buffalo County878161715May1471
Butte County8710181823May1678
Campbell County84491824May1677
Charles Mix County8711191595May1471
Clark County82451755May1679
Clay County8510131575May1472
Codington County81231795May1679
Corson County856131834May1680
Custer County8414101804May1683
Davison County868151655May1471
Day County81241785May1679
Deuel County81431755May1676
Dewey County867161774May1673
Douglas County8710161635May1471
Edmunds County83471815May1675
Fall River County8813251773May1481
Faulk County84591795May1675
Grant County82351745May1676
Gregory County8712181605May1477
Haakon County8810241733May1478
Hamlin County82341775May1679
Hand County856111745May1675
Hanson County868131655May1471
Harding County858131903May1778
Hughes County888201734May1473
Hutchinson County869141615May1471
Hyde County856111785May1675
Jackson County8812241684May1476
Jerauld County858121685May1471
Jones County8811241694May1473
Kingsbury County83561725May1679
Lake County83661705May1679
Lawrence County811341963Jun1786
Lincoln County848101605May1472
Lyman County8810221674May1473
Marshall County81241775May1679
McCook County84891665May1475
McPherson County82351845May1779
Meade County8711181773May1678
Mellette County8812241664May1479
Miner County84691685May1475
Minnehaha County83771655May1476
Moody County82651705May1676
Oglala Lakota County8814231693May1484
Pennington County8512131793May1682
Perkins County867141873May1678
Potter County855101804May1677
Roberts County82351745May1676
Sanborn County867141685May1471
Spink County844101755May1675
Stanley County889241714May1473
Sully County866161764May1673
Todd County8713191694May1479
Tripp County8812211645May1474
Turner County859101605May1475
Union County8510121565May1472
Walworth County84591804May1677
Yankton County8610131575May1471
Ziebach County878181773May1678

Typical alpaca care calendar for South Dakota

Based on statewide averages — your county page has a calendar tuned to local conditions.

January 28° / 8°F

Hard coldVitamin D
  • 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 32° / 11°F

Hard coldVitamin D
  • 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 44° / 22°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
  • 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.

April 57° / 32°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.

May 69° / 44°F

ShearingWorm seasonMeningeal wormCria season
  • 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.

June 79° / 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).

July 85° / 60°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.

August 83° / 58°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).

September 75° / 48°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.
  • Toenail check and trim.

October 60° / 35°F

Meningeal wormVitamin D
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Secure winter hay: about 16 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).

November 44° / 22°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 31° / 12°F

Hard coldVitamin D
  • 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 for South Dakota

  • Shearing: May.
  • Best months for crias to be born: May–Jul (breed in Jun–Aug).
  • Heat precautions: Aug.
  • Barber pole worm season: May–Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
  • Freezing nights: Nov–Mar — keep water from freezing.
  • Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
  • Grazing season: May–Oct (about 6 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: Most forage here supplies adequate selenium, and some western areas have high-selenium plants — avoid stacking selenium supplements.

Alpaca farms & shops in South Dakota

Caputa AlpacasWebsite

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Listing is not an endorsement.

Frequently asked questions

Can you raise alpacas in South Dakota?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. South Dakota scores 75/100 (good) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat, barber pole worm and hard winters.
Which part of South Dakota is best for alpacas?
By our climate comfort score, the most alpaca-friendly counties are Lawrence County, Oglala Lakota County and Custer County; the most challenging are Aurora County, Beadle County and Brule County.
When should alpacas be shorn in South Dakota?
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 South Dakota?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Jul. For births then, breed females in Jun–Aug (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in South Dakota?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in South Dakota?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Aug. We estimate about 11 days a year above 90°F (32°C).

Neighboring states

IowaNebraskaNorth DakotaWyomingColoradoIndiana

See how these guides are calculated.