Climate snapshot for alpacas
91/100Alpaca climate comfort score
23°CAverage high, Aug
2°CAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~29Frost nights per year
1156 mmAnnual precipitation
5Barber pole worm months
13Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (May–Sep)
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (8 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 3 alpaca occurrence records for Netherlands.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7°C | 2°C | 99 mm | 128 · ok | — |
| Feb | 9°C | 4°C | 87 mm | 135 · ok | — |
| Mar | 11°C | 4°C | 88 mm | 132 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 13°C | 6°C | 104 mm | 133 · ok | grass |
| May | 19°C | 10°C | 104 mm | 144 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 22°C | 13°C | 52 mm | 141 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jul | 22°C | 14°C | 132 mm | 147 · ok | worms, grass |
| Aug | 23°C | 14°C | 83 mm | 151 · ok | worms, grass |
| Sep | 21°C | 13°C | 80 mm | 150 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 16°C | 10°C | 122 mm | 146 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 10°C | 5°C | 109 mm | 137 · ok | — |
| Dec | 8°C | 4°C | 94 mm | 134 · 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 52.2°, 5.5°, elevation 4 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Netherlands
January 7° / 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 9° / 4°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 11° / 4°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 13° / 6°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.
May 19° / 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 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).
July 22° / 14°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.
August 23° / 14°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).
September 21° / 13°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.
October 16° / 10°C
- Secure winter hay: about 13 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 10° / 5°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 8° / 4°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: Apr–Jul (breed in May–Aug).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: May–Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Mar–Oct (about 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpacahoeve Klinkenberg | farm | 69 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Eco Farm · Egmond aan den Hoef | shop | 74 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Country · Oosterhout | visitor farm | 78 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Schmiede | activity | 81 km | Visit |
| Alpacahouse | visitor farm | 85 km | — |
| Alpaca boerderij Zonneveld | farm | 95 km | Visit |
| Rheinberg Alpakas am Rhein-Schloß | farm | 111 km | Visit |
| De Alpacaboerderij | farm | 111 km | Visit |
| AlpacaView Lodge | visitor farm | 118 km | Visit |
| AlpacaView-Farm | farm | 119 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Pachmana · Ham | farm | 124 km | — |
| Alpakazucht Büter · Haren (Ems) | shop | 128 km | Visit |
| Alpakazucht Büter · Haren (Ems) | farm | 128 km | Visit |
| Alpacalandgoed | activity | 129 km | — |
| Rosendorf Alpaka | shop | 137 km | Visit |
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 Netherlands?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Netherlands scores 91/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are barber pole worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in Netherlands?
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 Netherlands?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Apr–Jul. For births then, breed females in May–Aug (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Netherlands?
With roughly 4 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 632 lb (287 kg) — around 13 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Coordinates 52.200, 5.500. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.