Climate snapshot for alpacas
91/100Alpaca climate comfort score
23°CAverage high, Jan
3°CAverage low, Jun
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~25Frost nights per year
859 mmAnnual precipitation
5Barber pole worm months
10Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Nov–Mar)
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (10 months of grass growth)
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 91/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Oceanic (temperate) (Köppen Cfb). GBIF holds 2 alpaca occurrence records for Australia.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°C | 12°C | 64 mm | 144 · ok | worms, grass |
| Feb | 23°C | 11°C | 58 mm | 142 · ok | worms, grass |
| Mar | 21°C | 10°C | 51 mm | 140 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 17°C | 7°C | 77 mm | 141 · ok | grass |
| May | 13°C | 5°C | 45 mm | 138 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 11°C | 3°C | 96 mm | 138 · ok | — |
| Jul | 11°C | 4°C | 68 mm | 136 · ok | — |
| Aug | 12°C | 5°C | 104 mm | 139 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 14°C | 5°C | 67 mm | 135 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 16°C | 5°C | 65 mm | 134 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 20°C | 9°C | 87 mm | 140 · ok | worms, grass |
| Dec | 21°C | 10°C | 77 mm | 140 · ok | worms, 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: Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2023-2024) at -41.6°, 146.9°, elevation 189 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Tasmania, Australia
January 23° / 12°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 23° / 11°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
March 21° / 10°C
- 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.
April 17° / 7°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
May 13° / 5°C
- Secure winter hay: about 10 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 11° / 3°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
July 11° / 4°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
August 12° / 5°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
September 14° / 5°C
- 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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
October 16° / 5°C
- 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.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
November 20° / 9°C
- 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.
December 21° / 10°C
- 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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: September.
- Best months for crias to be born: Sep–Dec (breed in Oct–Jan).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Nov–Mar — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Apr–Sep.
- Grazing season: Aug–May (about 10 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (P. tenuis) is a North American parasite and is not present here.
- Selenium: Check regional soil selenium with your vet or agricultural advisor — many temperate regions are low.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Tasmania, Australia 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 Tasmania, Australia?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Tasmania, Australia scores 91/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Tasmania, Australia?
Plan shearing for September, 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 Tasmania, Australia?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Sep–Dec. For births then, breed females in Oct–Jan (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Tasmania, Australia?
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.
Coordinates -41.600, 146.900. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.