Alpaca

veterinarian

Thijs Flahou: a

vision of nutrition!

A fondness for alpacas, llamas and animal feed is deeply ingrained in Thijs Flahou. In 2003, his thesis on these South American animals was the final step in his veterinary medicine education. He gained experience in England, Nigeria, the Caribbean and at a French zoo. At that zoo, he completely overhauled the feed schedule for hundreds of animal species.

When Thijs Flahou established his veterinary practice in Belgium in 2007, his considerable interest in alpacas and llamas surfaced. As an alpaca veterinarian, he focuses on their well-being and health. Together with his wife, he started an alpaca breeding farm at that time. By working with the animals day in, day out, Thijs soon learned that the alpaca feed available back then was poorly tailored to the specific needs of the animals. 

Alpaca feed developed by an alpaca veterinarian

Since Thijs could not find what he was looking for, he began developing his own alpaca feed for his animals. Instead of a single pellet with vitamins, minerals, proteins and energy, he deliberately opted for different feeds, each with its own unique properties. This let him tailor the diet specifically to the needs of each individual animal and, for example, give highly pregnant females extra protein without having to needlessly increase other nutrients. According to alpaca veterinarian Thijs, an adapted high-quality feed, combined with stress-free housing and a low stocking rate, is the perfect formula for a healthy animal.  

As an alpaca veterinarian, Thijs looked after countless animals over the years. He is often asked about the kind of feed he serves his alpacas. Thijs is always more than happy to share his vision on well-balanced feed time and again. As a result of this enthusiasm, Alpamin has grown to become the most frequently used range of feed products for alpacas and llamas in Europe.

Want to learn more about how to properly care for alpacas and llamas?