Is It Safe To Shear Pregnant Alpacas? A Simple Guide

Many alpaca owners wonder: “Is it safe to shear a pregnant alpaca?” This guide will cover the most common concerns owners have, explain the real risks and benefits of shearing during pregnancy, and help put your mind at ease about the process.

Why Pregnant Alpacas Should Be Sheared

It’s common for alpaca owners to worry about whether their pregnant females should be shorn with the rest of the herd. The concern usually centers around the possibility of added stress during shearing and whether that stress could lead to complications. This is a reasonable question — any time stress is introduced to an alpaca, especially a pregnant alpaca, there is some level of risk, and each owner should ultimately decide what they are comfortable with after weighing those risks.

However, the greater risk is not shearing a pregnant alpaca and allowing her to carry a full fleece into the heat and humidity of summer. Heat stress and humidity-related complications are far more dangerous to both the dam and the developing cria than the short, controlled stress of a properly handled shearing session.

If you shear your alpacas yourself, you have the advantage of choosing precisely when to shear each animal. But when using a professional alpaca shearer — especially one who services thousands of alpacas each season — it is usually safest to have your pregnant females shorn when the rest of the herd is done, and you have a skilled alpaca shearer available to you. 

Statistically, this is far safer than delaying until temperatures rise, when the risks of overheating, stress, and late-gestation complications dramatically increase. Additionally, there are similar risks of shearing a dam shortly after giving birth, so it won’t typically help matters to wait longer than needed.

In short, there is always some risk, but the risks of not shearing are significantly higher. It’s best to get your whole herd sheared in the springtime before the hot summer weather sets in. 

Key Safety Benefits of Shearing Pregnant Alpacas

Lower Risk of Heat Stress

Pregnant alpacas are more prone to overheating, especially during the final 60–90 days of gestation. Heavy fleece traps heat and humidity, creating a dangerous environment that can lead to:

• Heat stress

• Hyperthermia

• Premature labor triggered by extreme heat

• Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance

Heat stress is far more common than complications as a result of shearing stress, and it can be fatal or create long-term reproductive issues.

Healthier Late Pregnancy & Labor

Short fleece dramatically improves airflow and allows the dam to regulate her body temperature more efficiently. Many farms report smoother, safer birthing outcomes when females are already shorn before summer temperatures arrive.

Better body regulation = safer pregnancy + safer labor.

Reduced Parasite and Skin Problems

Dense, unshorn fleece holds moisture against the skin, increasing the risk of:

• Mites

• Fungal infections

• Skin irritation

• Heat rash

Pregnant females are more sensitive to systemic stressors, making parasite prevention even more important.

Understanding The Real Risks: Shearing vs. Not Shearing

It’s important to acknowledge honestly:

• There is always some level of risk when shearing any alpaca.

• Pregnant alpacas carry an increased risk due to stress and physical sensitivity.

However, among the thousands of pregnant alpacas shorn by professional crews each year, complications remain well under 1%. In contrast, the rate of heat stress, overheating, and pregnancy complications from being left unshorn in warm climates is significantly higher.

The Comparison That Matters

Shearing risk (very low) 

vs. 

Not-shearing risk (much higher, especially in warm months)

When weighing the two, nearly all veterinarians, breeders, and professional shearers agree: Shearing is the safer choice by a wide margin.

With the right crew, safe handling techniques, and a quick 5–10 minute workflow, shearing pregnant alpacas is overwhelmingly the right choice. It’s safe, humane, and beneficial for both dam and cria.

How Common Is Pregnancy During Shearing Season?

For many breeding farms, the majority of adult females are pregnant at shearing time:

• A female alpaca typically breeds from around 2 years old to 15 years old.

• Gestation lasts 11–12 months.

• Many farms rebreed yearly.

With that in mind, professional crews shear many thousands of pregnant alpacas safely every year. Our company alone has sheared an estimated 20,000 pregnant alpacas over the last 15 years.

Your animal is absolutely not an outlier.

How Often Do Complications Occur?

In professional alpaca shearing, including pregnant females:

Stress-related deaths are extremely rare — virtually negligible when proper handling and methods are used. Across thousands of animals sheared by experienced teams, fatalities are well below 0.1%, often effectively zero.

Minor stress-related issues are more common, such as:

• Elevated heart rate

• Hyperventilation

• Short-term muscle tension

Serious complications (more than minor stress) are also uncommon — less than 1% — and often involve pre-existing conditions or late-pregnancy risks, such as:

• Heat stress if shearing is done outside the safe seasonal window

• Stress-induced labor or minor birthing complications

• Rare cases of internal tearing or injury

The key takeaway is that with experienced handlers using proper methods, almost all alpacas, including pregnant females, tolerate shearing very well, and the risk of death or serious injury is extremely low. The greater risk is leaving them in full fleece well into the summer heat. 

When Should You Shear Pregnant Alpacas?

The timing of shearing can vary depending on your location and climate, but a good rule of thumb is to align shearing with the schedule for your other alpacas. Ideally, shearing should occur in springtime, after the winter cold when the fleece has provided warmth, but before the heavy heat and humidity of summer. This timing ensures that pregnant alpacas remain comfortable, reduces the risk of heat stress, and promotes better outcomes during late gestation and labor.

Annual shearing is recommended in all climates, but in warmer regions, some farms may need to shear twice a year to prevent overheating and ensure the herd stays healthy.

Do I Need To Tell My Shearer An Alpaca Is Pregnant?

It doesn’t hurt to let them know — not because it changes the method dramatically, but because:

• It helps them plan gentle transitions

• They may adjust positioning during handling

• They can reassure you throughout

• They know to stay extra alert for stress signs

That said, professional crews, like ours, assume every female could be pregnant and handle each and every animal with the proper technique and care required to not cause injury. 

If you don’t know the pregnancy status, that’s perfectly fine — we shear safely either way.

Post-Shearing Care Tips For Pregnant Alpacas

Even when everything goes perfectly during shearing, you’ll want to keep an eye on your animals for some time after they are finished and provide them with a few things.

Aftercare Checklist

• Provide fresh water

• Offer shade or fans, especially in warm weather

• Keep them with herd mates (reduces stress)

• Avoid over-handling for a few hours

• Monitor breathing rate

• Watch for overheating if the day is warm

Most alpacas bounce back within minutes and return to grazing like nothing even happened.

A Real Example From Our Own Crew

At Ebel Shearing Services, we’ve seen firsthand just how smoothly things can go — even in situations that might sound alarming on paper. A few years ago, we were shearing at a good friend’s farm when one of their heavily pregnant alpacas suddenly began dilating and showing clear signs of going into labor right on the mat.

We safely and calmly finished her shearing in just minutes and let her back up. Not even a few minutes later, her cria popped out — happy, healthy, and needing no special help whatsoever.

Everything went exactly as it should. The mom recovered normally, and the baby thrived.

Should You Shear Your Pregnant Alpaca? 

Yes — absolutely.

Every major alpaca organization and most professional shearers agree:

It is far riskier not to shear a pregnant alpaca.