Local alpaca guide · Europe

Raising Alpacas in Austria

Austria has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb): summer highs average 23°C in July and winter lows average -5°C in January, with about 1488 mm of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are wet ground.

Climate snapshot for alpacas

87/100Alpaca climate comfort score
23°CAverage high, Jul
-5°CAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~115Frost nights per year
1488 mmAnnual precipitation
4Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year

Main challenges

  • Wet ground — 59 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat

Advantages

  • Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
  • Winters are cold but rarely severe
  • Low meningeal worm risk

Overall rating: 87/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfb). GBIF holds 1 alpaca occurrence records for Austria.

Month-by-month climate

Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
-10°00°5010°10120°15130°201Jan: 111.3 mmJanFeb: 120.1 mmFebMar: 92.2 mmMarApr: 153.4 mmAprMay: 132.6 mmMayJun: 124.7 mmJunJul: 102.9 mmJulAug: 127.3 mmAugSep: 175.0 mmSepOct: 87.4 mmOctNov: 130.8 mmNovDec: 130.6 mmDecJan high: 3°CFeb high: 6°CMar high: 10°CApr high: 11°CMay high: 16°CJun high: 21°CJul high: 23°CAug high: 23°CSep high: 20°COct high: 16°CNov high: 7°CDec high: 4°CJan low: -4°CFeb low: -2°CMar low: 0°CApr low: 2°CMay low: 7°CJun low: 11°CJul low: 13°CAug low: 13°CSep low: 9°COct low: 6°CNov low: -1°CDec low: -3°C°Cmm
MonthHighLowPrecip.Heat-stress indexNotes
Jan3°C-5°C111 mm121 · okfrost
Feb6°C-2°C120 mm123 · okfrost
Mar10°C0°C92 mm127 · ok—
Apr11°C2°C153 mm129 · ok—
May16°C7°C133 mm139 · okgrass
Jun21°C11°C125 mm146 · okworms, grass
Jul23°C13°C103 mm149 · okworms, grass
Aug23°C13°C127 mm152 · okworms, grass
Sep20°C9°C175 mm146 · okworms, grass
Oct16°C6°C87 mm143 · okgrass
Nov7°C-1°C131 mm129 · okfrost
Dec4°C-3°C131 mm122 · 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: Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2023-2024) at 47.8°, 14.5°, elevation 830 m.

Alpaca care calendar for Austria

January 3° / -5°C

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 6° / -2°C

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 10° / 0°C

Vitamin D
  • 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.

April 11° / 2°C

  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.

May 16° / 7°C

ShearingCria season
  • Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
  • 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.
  • Toenail check and trim.

June 21° / 11°C

Worm seasonCria seasonBreeding
  • 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).

July 23° / 13°C

Worm seasonCria seasonBreeding
  • 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.

August 23° / 13°C

Worm seasonCria seasonBreeding
  • 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).

September 20° / 9°C

Worm seasonBreeding
  • 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.

October 16° / 6°C

Vitamin D
  • Secure winter hay: about 16 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
  • 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 7° / -1°C

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 4° / -3°C

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: Jun–Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
  • Freezing nights: Nov–Feb — keep water from freezing.
  • Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
  • Grazing season: May–Oct (about 6 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

Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 250 km. Contact them before visiting — opening times change.

NameTypeDistanceWebsite
Lebensraum Bauernhof - Alpakas, Esel, Schafe, Ziegen, Miniponys, Minischweinchen und Nandusvisitor farm27 km—
Nußbach Alpaka Stallfarm32 km—
Alpakabauernhof Geiblingervisitor farm33 kmVisit
Alpakahof Kremstalshop35 kmVisit
Alpakas vom Hacknerhofshop45 kmVisit
Hörschinger Alpakahof · Hörschingshop52 kmVisit
Hofladen Alpakasshop54 km—
Alpakaria Kräuter und Alpakahof · Aurach am Hongarshop65 kmVisit
Alpakahof Stockerfarm79 kmVisit
Alpaka Clubhausfarm82 km—
Alpakafarm Ahornvisitor farm85 kmVisit
Alpaka Laden · Frohnleitenshop85 kmVisit
MohnAlpakasvisitor farm89 kmVisit
Trötscher Alpakaranch · Semriachfarm91 km—
Alpakahof Hahn · Grafenschlagfarm91 km—

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 Austria?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Austria scores 87/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Austria?
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 Austria?
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 Austria?
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.

Coordinates 47.800, 14.500. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.