Climate snapshot for alpacas
94/100Alpaca climate comfort score
16°CAverage high, Jun
1°CAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~49Frost nights per year
1669 mmAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 66 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 94/100 — 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 | 5°C | 1°C | 165 mm | 133 · ok | — |
| Feb | 7°C | 3°C | 109 mm | 138 · ok | — |
| Mar | 7°C | 2°C | 176 mm | 136 · ok | — |
| Apr | 9°C | 3°C | 155 mm | 135 · ok | — |
| May | 15°C | 7°C | 76 mm | 141 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 16°C | 9°C | 76 mm | 143 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 16°C | 10°C | 152 mm | 147 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 16°C | 11°C | 108 mm | 149 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 16°C | 10°C | 150 mm | 150 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 12°C | 7°C | 153 mm | 145 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 8°C | 3°C | 135 mm | 140 · ok | — |
| Dec | 7°C | 3°C | 214 mm | 140 · 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 52.3°, -3.6°, elevation 342 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Wales, United Kingdom
January 5° / 1°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 7° / 3°C
- 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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 9° / 3°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
May 15° / 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 16° / 9°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 16° / 10°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 16° / 11°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.
September 16° / 10°C
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
October 12° / 7°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 8° / 3°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 7° / 3°C
- 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: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pen-y-Graig Holiday Cottage and Alpacas | visitor farm | 56 km | — |
| Belvedere Alpaca Ranch | farm | 87 km | — |
| Stay Balanced Alpaca Experiences · Newport | visitor farm | 94 km | Visit |
| Alpaca Cwtch · Fishguard | farm | 101 km | — |
| Wolfridge Alpaca Barn | farm | 108 km | — |
| Anglesey Alpacas | visitor farm | 108 km | — |
| Coombe Alpacas | farm | 113 km | — |
| Chalford Intrepid Alpacas Explorer Scout Unit | farm | 117 km | — |
| Cotswold Alpacas | farm | 118 km | Visit |
| The Alpaca Farm | farm | 131 km | — |
| Saddleworth Alpacas | farm | 176 km | — |
| Felley Alpacas | farm | 177 km | — |
| Mayfield Alpacas · Sheffield | visitor farm | 180 km | Visit |
| The Great House Alpacas | farm | 184 km | — |
| Holly Hagg Community Farm Alpacas | farm | 185 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 Wales, United Kingdom?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Wales, United Kingdom scores 94/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Wales, United Kingdom?
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 Wales, 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 Wales, United Kingdom?
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 52.300, -3.600. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.