Climate snapshot for alpacas
98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
88°FAverage high, Jul
21°FAverage low, Jan
~20Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~135Frost nights per year
26 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
16Hay 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: 98/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Mediterranean-influenced hot-summer continental (Köppen Dsa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 21°F | 2.8 in | 107 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 41°F | 24°F | 2.5 in | 108 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 2.7 in | 119 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.0 in | 114 · ok | grass |
| May | 68°F | 44°F | 2.8 in | 112 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 78°F | 53°F | 1.4 in | 107 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 88°F | 61°F | 0.7 in | 110 · ok | — |
| Aug | 86°F | 59°F | 0.9 in | 120 · caution | grass |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 1.6 in | 108 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 2.2 in | 108 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 47°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 111 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.7 in | 96 · 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 Davis County, Utah
January 36° / 21°F
- 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 41° / 24°F
- 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 51° / 31°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- 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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 57° / 36°F
- 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.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
May 68° / 44°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 78° / 53°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).
- Secure winter hay: about 16 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 88° / 61°F
- 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 86° / 59°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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 76° / 50°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 61° / 39°F
- 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 47° / 29°F
- 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 36° / 22°F
- 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: Apr–Jun (breed in May–Jul).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: May — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Nov–Mar — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct (about 6 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
Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 80 km (50 miles). Contact them before visiting — opening times change.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca International | shop | 46 mi | — |
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a farm that's missing? Add it to OpenStreetMap and it will appear here in the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Davis County, Utah?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Davis County, Utah scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Davis 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 Davis County, Utah?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Apr–Jun. For births then, breed females in May–Jul (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Davis County, Utah?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 41.038, -112.202 · land area 299 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Utah.