Climate snapshot for alpacas
92/100Alpaca climate comfort score
22°CAverage high, Jul
-2°CAverage low, Feb
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~103Frost nights per year
2428 mmAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 96 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
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 92/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Oceanic (temperate) (Köppen Cfb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3°C | -2°C | 291 mm | 124 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 4°C | -2°C | 251 mm | 121 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 7°C | -2°C | 163 mm | 122 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 9°C | 1°C | 242 mm | 128 · ok | — |
| May | 16°C | 7°C | 122 mm | 136 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 17°C | 8°C | 139 mm | 139 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 22°C | 12°C | 46 mm | 143 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 22°C | 13°C | 113 mm | 146 · ok | worms, grass |
| Sep | 18°C | 10°C | 138 mm | 145 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 12°C | 6°C | 268 mm | 136 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 6°C | 1°C | 316 mm | 130 · ok | — |
| Dec | 6°C | 0°C | 341 mm | 132 · ok | — |
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 49.2°, -122.3°, elevation 499 m.
Alpaca care calendar for British Columbia, Canada
January 3° / -2°C
- 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 4° / -2°C
- 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 7° / -2°C
- 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 9° / 1°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
May 16° / 7°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.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 17° / 8°C
- 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).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 22° / 12°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).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 22° / 13°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).
September 18° / 10°C
- 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 12° / 6°C
- Secure winter hay: about 16 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).
November 6° / 1°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 6° / 0°C
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- 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: Aug — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Jan–Mar — 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.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca Country Store | shop | 93 km | — |
| Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm | visitor farm | 93 km | — |
| Andina Alpacas | farm | 198 km | — |
| Marketso Alpaca Ranch | farm | 201 km | — |
| Camelot Haven Alpacas · Vernon | visitor farm | 250 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 British Columbia, Canada?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. British Columbia, Canada scores 92/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in British Columbia, Canada?
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 British Columbia, Canada?
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 British Columbia, Canada?
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 49.200, -122.300. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.