Climate snapshot for alpacas
63/100Alpaca climate comfort score
97°FAverage high, Jun
31°FAverage low, Dec
~101Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~53Frost nights per year
10 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jun–Jul
- Dry climate — only 10 in of rain — irrigated pasture or year-round hay
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 63/100 — Fair on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Cold desert (Köppen BWk).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 31°F | 0.5 in | 123 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 64°F | 35°F | 0.4 in | 125 · ok | — |
| Mar | 72°F | 41°F | 0.2 in | 141 · ok | — |
| Apr | 80°F | 48°F | 0.2 in | 145 · caution | — |
| May | 88°F | 57°F | 0.3 in | 165 · high | — |
| Jun | 97°F | 66°F | 0.7 in | 164 · high | — |
| Jul | 96°F | 69°F | 2.1 in | 157 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 94°F | 68°F | 1.7 in | 146 · caution | grass |
| Sep | 88°F | 62°F | 1.5 in | 151 · high | grass |
| Oct | 80°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 126 · caution | grass |
| Nov | 68°F | 38°F | 0.5 in | 126 · ok | — |
| Dec | 58°F | 31°F | 0.6 in | 121 · 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 El Paso County, Texas
January 59° / 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 64° / 35°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
March 72° / 41°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 80° / 48°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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).
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
May 88° / 57°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 97° / 66°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.
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 96° / 69°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.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 94° / 68°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
September 88° / 62°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 80° / 50°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Secure winter hay: about 18 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 68° / 38°F
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 58° / 31°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–Sep; dangerous heat in Jun–Jul.
- Barber pole worm season: Jul — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Jan — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Jul–Oct (about 4 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is uncommon this far west but cases occur near the edge of its range.
- 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 El Paso 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 El Paso County, Texas?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. El Paso County, Texas scores 63/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in El Paso 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 El Paso 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 El Paso County, Texas?
With roughly 8 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 900 lb (408 kg) — around 18 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in El Paso County, Texas?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 101 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 31.766, -106.241 · land area 1,013 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.