Local alpaca guide · Utah

Raising Alpacas in Cache County, Utah

Cache County, Utah has a mediterranean-influenced warm-summer continental climate (Köppen Dsb): summer highs average 82°F in July and winter lows average 16°F in January, with about 29 inches of precipitation a year. It is a comparatively easy climate for alpacas.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

100/100Alpaca climate comfort score
82°FAverage high, Jul
16°FAverage low, Jan
~4Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~179Frost nights per year
29 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year

Advantages

  • Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
  • Winters are cold but rarely severe
  • Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
  • Low meningeal worm risk

Overall rating: 100/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Mediterranean-influenced warm-summer continental (Köppen Dsb).

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
10°0.030°1.050°2.070°3.090°4.0Jan: 3.5 inJanFeb: 3.0 inFebMar: 3.0 inMarApr: 2.9 inAprMay: 2.9 inMayJun: 1.6 inJunJul: 0.8 inJulAug: 1.0 inAugSep: 1.6 inSepOct: 2.4 inOctNov: 2.6 inNovDec: 3.3 inDecJan high: 32°FFeb high: 36°FMar high: 45°FApr high: 52°FMay high: 62°FJun high: 72°FJul high: 82°FAug high: 80°FSep high: 70°FOct high: 56°FNov high: 42°FDec high: 32°FJan low: 16°FFeb low: 18°FMar low: 25°FApr low: 31°FMay low: 39°FJun low: 46°FJul low: 54°FAug low: 52°FSep low: 44°FOct low: 33°FNov low: 24°FDec low: 17°F°Fin
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan32°F16°F3.5 in103 · okfrost
Feb36°F18°F3.0 in103 · okfrost
Mar45°F25°F3.0 in113 · okfrost
Apr52°F31°F2.9 in109 · okfrost
May62°F39°F2.9 in106 · okgrass
Jun72°F46°F1.6 in100 · okgrass
Jul82°F54°F0.8 in104 · ok—
Aug80°F52°F1.0 in115 · okgrass
Sep70°F44°F1.6 in102 · okgrass
Oct56°F33°F2.4 in103 · ok—
Nov42°F24°F2.6 in106 · okfrost
Dec32°F17°F3.3 in90 · okfrost

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 Cache County, Utah

January 32° / 16°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
  • Toenail check and trim.

February 36° / 18°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).

March 45° / 25°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
  • Toenail check and trim.

April 52° / 31°F

Frost
  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.

May 62° / 39°F

ShearingCria season
  • 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.
  • Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
  • Toenail check and trim.

June 72° / 46°F

Cria seasonBreeding
  • 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 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.

July 82° / 54°F

Cria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
  • Toenail check and trim.

August 80° / 52°F

Cria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.

September 70° / 44°F

Breeding
  • 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.

October 56° / 33°F

Vitamin D
  • Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).

November 42° / 24°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
  • Toenail check and trim.

December 32° / 17°F

FrostVitamin D
  • Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
  • Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).

Key recommendations

  • Shearing: May.
  • Best months for crias to be born: May–Aug (breed in Jun–Sep).
  • Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
  • Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
  • Freezing nights: Nov–Apr — keep water from freezing.
  • Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
  • Grazing season: May–Jun, Aug–Sep (about 4 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
  • Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
  • Selenium: Most forage here supplies adequate selenium, and some western areas have high-selenium plants — avoid stacking selenium supplements.

Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.

Alpaca farms & shops nearby

No alpaca farms near Cache County, Utah 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 Cache County, Utah?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Cache County, Utah scores 100/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Cache County, Utah?
Plan shearing for May, 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 Cache County, Utah?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Aug. For births then, breed females in Jun–Sep (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Cache County, Utah?
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.

Nearby counties

Coordinates 41.734, -111.745 · land area 1,165 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Utah.