Climate snapshot for alpacas
51/100Alpaca climate comfort score
96°FAverage high, Jul
31°FAverage low, Jan
~87Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~46Frost nights per year
32 inAnnual precipitation
9Barber pole worm months
10Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jul–Aug
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Mar–Nov)
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- A long grazing season (10 months of grass growth)
Overall rating: 51/100 — 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 | 55°F | 31°F | 1.5 in | 119 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 60°F | 35°F | 1.8 in | 120 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 68°F | 43°F | 2.6 in | 136 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 76°F | 50°F | 2.7 in | 141 · caution | worms, grass |
| May | 84°F | 60°F | 4.5 in | 160 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 92°F | 69°F | 3.8 in | 158 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 96°F | 72°F | 2.4 in | 158 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 96°F | 72°F | 2.5 in | 149 · caution | worms, grass |
| Sep | 88°F | 64°F | 3.3 in | 151 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 77°F | 52°F | 3.5 in | 124 · caution | worms, grass |
| Nov | 66°F | 41°F | 2.1 in | 124 · ok | worms, grass |
| Dec | 56°F | 33°F | 1.8 in | 119 · ok | — |
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 Clay County, Texas
January 55° / 31°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 60° / 35°F
- 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.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
March 68° / 43°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 76° / 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.
- 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 84° / 60°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 92° / 69°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 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.
September 88° / 64°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 77° / 52°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 66° / 41°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.
- Secure winter hay: about 10 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 56° / 33°F
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Mar–Apr (breed in Apr–May).
- Heat precautions: May–Sep; dangerous heat in Jul–Aug.
- Barber pole worm season: Mar–Nov — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Jan — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Feb–Nov (about 10 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 Clay County, Texas 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 Clay County, Texas?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Clay County, Texas scores 51/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Clay County, Texas?
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 Clay County, Texas?
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 Clay County, Texas?
With roughly 2 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 499 lb (226 kg) — around 10 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Clay County, Texas?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 87 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 33.786, -98.213 · land area 1,089 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.