Local alpaca guide · Utah

Raising Alpacas in Weber County, Utah

Weber County, Utah has a mediterranean-influenced warm-summer continental climate (Köppen Dsb): summer highs average 84°F in July and winter lows average 18°F in January, with about 27 inches of precipitation a year. It is a comparatively easy climate for alpacas.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
84°FAverage high, Jul
18°FAverage low, Jan
~9Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~163Frost nights per year
27 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
17Hay 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 warm-summer continental (Köppen Dsb).

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
10°0.030°1.050°2.070°3.090°4.0Jan: 3.4 inJanFeb: 2.8 inFebMar: 2.8 inMarApr: 2.9 inAprMay: 2.7 inMayJun: 1.5 inJunJul: 0.7 inJulAug: 1.0 inAugSep: 1.6 inSepOct: 2.3 inOctNov: 2.4 inNovDec: 3.1 inDecJan high: 34°FFeb high: 38°FMar high: 48°FApr high: 55°FMay high: 64°FJun high: 75°FJul high: 84°FAug high: 83°FSep high: 73°FOct high: 58°FNov high: 44°FDec high: 34°FJan low: 18°FFeb low: 20°FMar low: 28°FApr low: 33°FMay low: 41°FJun low: 48°FJul low: 56°FAug low: 55°FSep low: 46°FOct low: 35°FNov low: 26°FDec low: 18°F°Fin
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan34°F18°F3.4 in105 · okfrost
Feb38°F20°F2.8 in106 · okfrost
Mar48°F28°F2.8 in116 · okfrost
Apr55°F33°F2.9 in112 · ok—
May64°F41°F2.7 in109 · okworms, grass
Jun75°F48°F1.5 in103 · okgrass
Jul84°F56°F0.7 in107 · ok—
Aug83°F55°F1.0 in117 · okgrass
Sep73°F46°F1.6 in105 · okgrass
Oct58°F35°F2.3 in105 · okgrass
Nov44°F26°F2.4 in108 · okfrost
Dec34°F18°F3.1 in93 · 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 Weber County, Utah

January 34° / 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).
  • Toenail check and trim.

February 38° / 20°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 48° / 28°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 55° / 33°F

  • Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.

May 64° / 41°F

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

June 75° / 48°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 17 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 84° / 56°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 83° / 55°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 73° / 46°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 58° / 35°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 44° / 26°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 34° / 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).

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 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: May–Jun, Aug–Oct (about 5 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.

NameTypeDistanceWebsite
Alpaca Internationalshop47 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 Weber County, Utah?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Weber County, Utah scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Weber 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 Weber 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 Weber County, Utah?
With roughly 7 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 833 lb (378 kg) — around 17 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.

Nearby counties

Coordinates 41.270, -111.877 · land area 576 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Utah.