Climate snapshot for alpacas
61/100Alpaca climate comfort score
96°FAverage high, Aug
37°FAverage low, Jan
~109Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~18Frost nights per year
19 inAnnual precipitation
5Barber 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 (May–Jun, Aug–Oct)
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (10 months of grass growth)
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 61/100 — Fair 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 | 62°F | 37°F | 0.8 in | 126 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 68°F | 41°F | 0.8 in | 128 · ok | — |
| Mar | 75°F | 49°F | 1.3 in | 143 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 82°F | 56°F | 1.4 in | 147 · caution | grass |
| May | 89°F | 65°F | 2.4 in | 165 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 94°F | 72°F | 2.3 in | 161 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 96°F | 74°F | 1.6 in | 158 · high | grass |
| Aug | 96°F | 73°F | 2.0 in | 149 · caution | worms, grass |
| Sep | 90°F | 67°F | 2.5 in | 153 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 81°F | 58°F | 2.0 in | 128 · caution | worms, grass |
| Nov | 70°F | 46°F | 1.0 in | 128 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 63°F | 38°F | 0.8 in | 126 · 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 Val Verde County, Texas
January 62° / 37°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).
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Secure winter hay: about 10 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
February 68° / 41°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
March 75° / 49°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 82° / 56°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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 89° / 65°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 94° / 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.
July 96° / 74°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.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 96° / 73°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.
September 90° / 67°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.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 81° / 58°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.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
November 70° / 46°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 63° / 38°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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Oct–Jan (breed in Nov–Feb).
- 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: Jan, Mar–Nov (about 10 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 Val Verde 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 Val Verde County, Texas?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Val Verde County, Texas scores 61/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Val Verde 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 Val Verde County, Texas?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Oct–Jan. For births then, breed females in Nov–Feb (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Val Verde 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 Val Verde County, Texas?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 109 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 29.875, -101.143 · land area 3,145 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Texas.