Local alpaca guide · Texas

Raising Alpacas in Concho County, Texas

Concho County, Texas has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa): summer highs average 95°F in July and winter lows average 33°F in January, with about 25 inches of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

58/100Alpaca climate comfort score
95°FAverage high, Jul
33°FAverage low, Jan
~91Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~36Frost nights per year
25 inAnnual precipitation
5Barber pole worm months
8Hay bales / alpaca / year

Main challenges

  • Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jul–Aug
  • Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (May–Jun, Aug–Oct)

Advantages

  • Practically frost-free winters
  • A long grazing season (12 months of grass growth)

Overall rating: 58/100 — Fair on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa).

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
30°0.048°1.065°2.082°3.0100°4.0Jan: 1.2 inJanFeb: 1.4 inFebMar: 1.9 inMarApr: 1.8 inAprMay: 3.4 inMayJun: 3.0 inJunJul: 1.8 inJulAug: 2.3 inAugSep: 2.8 inSepOct: 2.6 inOctNov: 1.6 inNovDec: 1.2 inDecJan high: 60°FFeb high: 64°FMar high: 71°FApr high: 80°FMay high: 86°FJun high: 92°FJul high: 95°FAug high: 95°FSep high: 88°FOct high: 79°FNov high: 68°FDec high: 61°FJan low: 33°FFeb low: 37°FMar low: 44°FApr low: 51°FMay low: 61°FJun low: 68°FJul low: 70°FAug low: 70°FSep low: 63°FOct low: 53°FNov low: 42°FDec low: 34°F°Fin
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan60°F33°F1.2 in124 · okgrass
Feb64°F37°F1.4 in125 · okgrass
Mar71°F44°F1.9 in140 · okgrass
Apr80°F51°F1.8 in144 · cautiongrass
May86°F61°F3.4 in162 · highworms, grass
Jun92°F68°F3.0 in159 · highworms, grass
Jul95°F70°F1.8 in157 · highgrass
Aug95°F70°F2.3 in148 · cautionworms, grass
Sep88°F63°F2.8 in151 · highworms, grass
Oct79°F53°F2.6 in126 · cautionworms, grass
Nov68°F42°F1.6 in126 · okgrass
Dec61°F34°F1.2 in124 · okgrass

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 Concho County, Texas

January 60° / 33°F

  • Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
  • Toenail check and trim.

February 64° / 37°F

Cria season
  • Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.

March 71° / 44°F

ShearingMeningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
  • 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.

April 80° / 51°F

Meningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
  • 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.
  • Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).

May 86° / 61°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).
  • Toenail check and trim.

June 92° / 68°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.

July 95° / 70°F

Danger heatMeningeal worm
  • 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.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
  • Toenail check and trim.

August 95° / 70°F

Danger heatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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° / 63°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.

October 79° / 53°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.

November 68° / 42°F

Meningeal worm
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
  • Toenail check and trim.

December 61° / 34°F

    Key recommendations

    • Shearing: March.
    • Best months for crias to be born: Feb–Apr (breed in Mar–May).
    • Heat precautions: May–Sep; dangerous heat in Jul–Aug.
    • Barber pole worm season: May–Jun, Aug–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
    • Winter: frost is rare.
    • Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
    • Grazing season: year-round (about 12 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 Concho 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 Concho County, Texas?
    Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Concho County, Texas scores 58/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.
    When should alpacas be shorn in Concho 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 Concho County, Texas?
    Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Feb–Apr. For births then, breed females in Mar–May (gestation is about 335 days).
    How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Concho County, Texas?
    With roughly 0 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 365 lb (166 kg) — around 8 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
    How hot does it get for alpacas in Concho County, Texas?
    Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 91 days a year above 90°F (32°C).

    Nearby counties

    Coordinates 31.319, -99.864 · land area 984 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.