Climate snapshot for alpacas
95/100Alpaca climate comfort score
19°CAverage high, Aug
2°CAverage low, Jan
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~35Frost nights per year
1036 mmAnnual precipitation
3Barber pole worm months
14Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- 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 | 7°C | 2°C | 88 mm | 129 · ok | — |
| Feb | 9°C | 4°C | 59 mm | 133 · ok | — |
| Mar | 9°C | 3°C | 89 mm | 132 · ok | — |
| Apr | 11°C | 4°C | 85 mm | 131 · ok | grass |
| May | 16°C | 9°C | 60 mm | 142 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 19°C | 10°C | 57 mm | 140 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jul | 19°C | 12°C | 112 mm | 143 · ok | worms, grass |
| Aug | 19°C | 12°C | 92 mm | 144 · ok | worms, grass |
| Sep | 18°C | 11°C | 100 mm | 147 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 14°C | 8°C | 109 mm | 142 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 9°C | 4°C | 62 mm | 135 · ok | — |
| Dec | 8°C | 4°C | 121 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 54.0°, -1.5°, elevation 88 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom
January 7° / 2°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 9° / 4°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 9° / 3°C
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 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.
May 16° / 9°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 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).
July 19° / 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 19° / 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).
September 18° / 11°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 14° / 8°C
- Secure winter hay: about 14 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 9° / 4°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: April.
- 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: Jun–Aug — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Apr–Oct (about 7 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 Sculpture | farm | 26 km | — |
| Beacon Alpacas | farm | 27 km | — |
| Alpaca View | farm | 36 km | — |
| Newland Alpacas | farm | 49 km | — |
| Alpaca Alpaca At Leven Valley | shop | 57 km | — |
| Saddleworth Alpacas | farm | 59 km | — |
| Holly Hagg Community Farm Alpacas | farm | 68 km | — |
| Mayfield Alpacas · Sheffield | visitor farm | 72 km | Visit |
| Why Not Alpacas | activity | 74 km | Visit |
| Marshland Alpacas | farm | 82 km | — |
| Marshlands Alpacas · Barrow-upon-Humber | visitor farm | 82 km | — |
| Felley Alpacas | farm | 107 km | — |
| The Alpaca Clothing Company · Stainton | shop | 110 km | Visit |
| JandJ Alpacas · Newark | visitor farm | 121 km | — |
| Alpacaly Ever After · Keswick | farm | 128 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 Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom scores 95/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom?
Plan shearing for April, 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 Yorkshire and the Humber, 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 Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom?
With roughly 5 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 699 lb (317 kg) — around 14 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Coordinates 54.000, -1.500. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.