Climate snapshot for alpacas
47/100Alpaca climate comfort score
99°FAverage high, Aug
48°FAverage low, Jan
~153Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~1Frost nights per year
22 inAnnual precipitation
4Barber pole worm months
9Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jun–Aug
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (11 months of grass growth)
Overall rating: 47/100 — Challenging on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot semi-arid (Köppen BSh).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 48°F | 0.9 in | 134 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 75°F | 53°F | 0.8 in | 136 · caution | — |
| Mar | 82°F | 59°F | 1.2 in | 150 · high | grass |
| Apr | 88°F | 64°F | 1.3 in | 153 · high | grass |
| May | 93°F | 71°F | 2.4 in | 169 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 98°F | 75°F | 2.5 in | 164 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 98°F | 76°F | 2.2 in | 160 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 99°F | 76°F | 1.8 in | 152 · high | grass |
| Sep | 93°F | 72°F | 4.5 in | 156 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 88°F | 65°F | 1.9 in | 134 · caution | grass |
| Nov | 78°F | 56°F | 1.3 in | 137 · caution | grass |
| Dec | 71°F | 49°F | 1.0 in | 134 · 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 Starr County, Texas
January 70° / 48°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- 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).
- Secure winter hay: about 9 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
February 75° / 53°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).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
March 82° / 59°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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).
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 88° / 64°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 93° / 71°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.
June 98° / 75°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.
July 98° / 76°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 99° / 76°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.
September 93° / 72°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 88° / 65°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 78° / 56°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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 71° / 49°F
- 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).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Nov–Feb (breed in Dec–Mar).
- Heat precautions: Mar–Sep; dangerous heat in Jun–Aug.
- Barber pole worm season: May–Jul, Sep — 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: Mar–Jan (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 Starr 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 Starr County, Texas?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Starr County, Texas scores 47/100 (challenging) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity.
When should alpacas be shorn in Starr 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 Starr County, Texas?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Nov–Feb. For births then, breed females in Dec–Mar (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Starr 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 Starr County, Texas?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Mar–Sep. We estimate about 153 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 26.531, -98.740 · land area 1,223 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.