Climate snapshot for alpacas
63/100Alpaca climate comfort score
96°FAverage high, Jul
31°FAverage low, Jan
~93Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~46Frost nights per year
20 inAnnual precipitation
5Barber pole worm months
9Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jul
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (May–Jun, Aug–Oct)
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- A long grazing season (11 months of grass growth)
Overall rating: 63/100 — 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 | 58°F | 31°F | 0.8 in | 122 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 63°F | 35°F | 0.9 in | 124 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 71°F | 43°F | 1.4 in | 139 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 79°F | 50°F | 1.4 in | 144 · caution | grass |
| May | 87°F | 60°F | 2.7 in | 163 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 93°F | 68°F | 2.7 in | 160 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 96°F | 71°F | 1.7 in | 158 · high | grass |
| Aug | 95°F | 70°F | 2.2 in | 147 · caution | worms, grass |
| Sep | 87°F | 63°F | 2.5 in | 150 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 78°F | 52°F | 2.1 in | 125 · caution | worms, grass |
| Nov | 67°F | 40°F | 1.3 in | 125 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 59°F | 33°F | 0.8 in | 122 · ok | grass |
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 Mitchell County, Texas
January 58° / 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 63° / 35°F
- 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 71° / 43°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 79° / 50°F
- 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.
- 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 87° / 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 93° / 68°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° / 71°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.
- 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
- 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 87° / 63°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 78° / 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 67° / 40°F
- Toenail check and trim.
December 59° / 33°F
- Secure winter hay: about 9 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- 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.
- Barber pole worm season: May–Jun, Aug–Oct — 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–Dec (about 11 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, Texas?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Mitchell County, Texas scores 63/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, Texas?
With roughly 1 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 432 lb (196 kg) — around 9 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Mitchell County, Texas?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 93 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 32.304, -100.924 · land area 911 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.