Climate snapshot for alpacas
95/100Alpaca climate comfort score
20°CAverage high, Aug
2°CAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~24Frost nights per year
1168 mmAnnual precipitation
3Barber pole worm months
9Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (11 months of grass growth)
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 95/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Oceanic (temperate) (Köppen Cfb). GBIF holds 4 alpaca occurrence records for United Kingdom.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8°C | 2°C | 92 mm | 132 · ok | — |
| Feb | 10°C | 4°C | 83 mm | 138 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 11°C | 5°C | 135 mm | 136 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 13°C | 6°C | 92 mm | 136 · ok | grass |
| May | 17°C | 9°C | 83 mm | 142 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 20°C | 11°C | 46 mm | 143 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 20°C | 12°C | 102 mm | 147 · ok | worms, grass |
| Aug | 20°C | 13°C | 69 mm | 149 · ok | worms, grass |
| Sep | 19°C | 12°C | 135 mm | 150 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 16°C | 10°C | 116 mm | 146 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 11°C | 6°C | 117 mm | 139 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 10°C | 6°C | 98 mm | 137 · ok | 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 50.8°, -3.6°, elevation 57 m.
Alpaca care calendar for South West England, United Kingdom
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 10° / 4°C
- 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).
March 11° / 5°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 13° / 6°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
May 17° / 9°C
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 20° / 11°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.
July 20° / 12°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 20° / 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 19° / 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.
October 16° / 10°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
November 11° / 6°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 10° / 6°C
- Secure winter hay: about 9 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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- 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: Jul–Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Feb–Dec (about 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay Balanced Alpaca Experiences · Newport | visitor farm | 96 km | Visit |
| Pen-y-Graig Holiday Cottage and Alpacas | visitor farm | 115 km | — |
| Wolfridge Alpaca Barn | farm | 115 km | — |
| Coombe Alpacas | farm | 128 km | — |
| The Alpaca Farm | farm | 137 km | — |
| Chalford Intrepid Alpacas Explorer Scout Unit | farm | 145 km | — |
| Crackers about Alpacas | shop | 148 km | — |
| West Wight Alpacas · Yarmouth | visitor farm | 151 km | Visit |
| Cotswold Alpacas | farm | 157 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Cwtch · Fishguard | farm | 164 km | — |
| Bozedown Alpaca Farm | farm | 192 km | — |
| Belvedere Alpaca Ranch | farm | 194 km | — |
| The Great House Alpacas | farm | 202 km | — |
| Alborada Alpacas | farm | 224 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 South West England, United Kingdom?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. South West England, United Kingdom scores 95/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in South West England, United Kingdom?
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 South West England, United Kingdom?
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 South West England, United Kingdom?
With roughly 1 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 432 lb (196 kg) — around 9 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Coordinates 50.800, -3.600. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.