Climate snapshot for alpacas
71/100Alpaca climate comfort score
30°CAverage high, Aug
2°CAverage low, Jan
~14Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~27Frost nights per year
1448 mmAnnual precipitation
6Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jun–Aug
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (May–Oct)
- Wet ground — 57 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 71/100 — Good on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa). GBIF holds 2 alpaca occurrence records for Italy.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8°C | 2°C | 52 mm | 129 · ok | — |
| Feb | 12°C | 4°C | 90 mm | 132 · ok | — |
| Mar | 15°C | 6°C | 80 mm | 133 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 17°C | 8°C | 89 mm | 134 · ok | grass |
| May | 21°C | 13°C | 235 mm | 146 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 26°C | 17°C | 152 mm | 152 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 29°C | 20°C | 140 mm | 155 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 30°C | 21°C | 87 mm | 151 · high | worms, grass |
| Sep | 24°C | 17°C | 181 mm | 148 · caution | worms, grass |
| Oct | 20°C | 13°C | 215 mm | 149 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 12°C | 5°C | 68 mm | 135 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 10°C | 2°C | 59 mm | 131 · 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 45.6°, 10.0°, elevation 241 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Italy
January 8° / 2°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.
February 12° / 4°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 15° / 6°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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 17° / 8°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).
May 21° / 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 26° / 17°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- 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).
July 29° / 20°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- 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.
August 30° / 21°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
September 24° / 17°C
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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.
October 20° / 13°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
November 12° / 5°C
- Secure winter hay: about 12 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.
December 10° / 2°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Mar–May (breed in Apr–Jun).
- Heat precautions: Jun–Aug.
- Barber pole worm season: May–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Mar–Nov (about 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palazzo Martinengo Colleoni di Malpaga | farm | 19 km | — |
| Castello di Malpaga | farm | 19 km | Visit |
| Cascina Malpaga Nuova | farm | 37 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 44 km | — |
| Maneggio Malpaga | farm | 46 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 46 km | — |
| Malpaga | farm | 51 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 51 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 51 km | — |
| Alpaca News | shop | 51 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 52 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 52 km | — |
| Cascina Malpaga | farm | 52 km | — |
| Ca' Malpaga | farm | 58 km | — |
| Malpaga | farm | 61 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 Italy?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Italy scores 71/100 (good) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat, barber pole worm and wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Italy?
Plan shearing for March, 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 Italy?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Mar–May. For births then, breed females in Apr–Jun (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Italy?
With roughly 3 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 565 lb (256 kg) — around 12 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Italy?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jun–Aug. We estimate about 14 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Coordinates 45.600, 10.000. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.