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Common Sense and then some
    
Location: So. California | LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A particular brand of horse feed that may have been sold in San Diego Countywas recalled Sunday, following the death of three horses and sickening of dozens of others.
The feed contains ionophore, a feed additive that is fed to cattle to make them gain weight. Ionophore is toxic to horses, and there is no antidote.
One particular batch of Western Blend horse feed, sold in 50 pound sacks across California and Arizona, is blamed for the death of three horses and
injury to horses at a riding school and stable near Fresno, the ABC station there reported.
Western Milling recalled its Western Blend feed, bearing lot number 5251. The company said it contains monensin, an ionophore.
According to the FDA, clinical signs of ionophore poisoning in horses vary depending on how much it ate. Symptoms can include poor appetite, diarrhea, weakness, rapid heart rate, labored breathing, colic and sudden death.
The first clinical signs are often noted from 12 to 72 hours after ingesting a toxic dose and the clinical signs may linger up to about eight days. Permanent cardiac damage is possible in horses which showed adverse effects, but then recovered.
The feed subject to this recall was distributed in the last few weeks to stores in California and Arizona. Of the 1,100 bags mixed with the hazardous additive, all but 67 bags have already been tracked down and taken back by the company, Western Milling said in its recall notice.
http://www.cbs8.com/story/30126487/horse-feed-recalled-after-three-horses-die |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | Anniemae - 2015-09-29 1:16 PM
LOS ANGELES (CNS ) - A particular brand of horse feed that may have been sold in San Diego Countywas recalled Sunday, following the death of three horses and sickening of dozens of others. The feed contains ionophore, a feed additive that is fed to cattle to make them gain weight. Ionophore is toxic to horses, and there is no antidote. One particular batch of Western Blend horse feed, sold in 50 pound sacks across California and Arizona, is blamed for the death of three horses and injury to horses at a riding school and stable near Fresno, the ABC station there reported. Western Milling recalled its Western Blend feed, bearing lot number 5251. The company said it contains monensin, an ionophore. According to the FDA, clinical signs of ionophore poisoning in horses vary depending on how much it ate. Symptoms can include poor appetite, diarrhea, weakness, rapid heart rate, labored breathing, colic and sudden death. The first clinical signs are often noted from 12 to 72 hours after ingesting a toxic dose and the clinical signs may linger up to about eight days. Permanent cardiac damage is possible in horses which showed adverse effects, but then recovered. The feed subject to this recall was distributed in the last few weeks to stores in California and Arizona. Of the 1,100 bags mixed with the hazardous additive, all but 67 bags have already been tracked down and taken back by the company, Western Milling said in its recall notice. http://www.cbs8.com/story/30126487/horse-feed-recalled-after-three-horses-die
Glad to see a company finally taking responsibility for this. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| And this my friends, is why I have not fed any commercial feeds for quite some time.
Edited by FLITASTIC 2015-09-29 2:19 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | FLITASTIC - 2015-09-29 2:16 PM
And this my friends, is why I have not fed any commercial feeds for quite some time.
I was just thinking the same thing! Glad I switched to oats. |
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Expert
Posts: 5290
| ampratt - 2015-09-29 12:21 PM
FLITASTIC - 2015-09-29 2:16 PM
And this my friends, is why I have not fed any commercial feeds for quite some time.
I was just thinking the same thing! Glad I switched to oats.
And that feed recall is right in my back yard! |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | Accountability goes a long way with consumers. A company that won't even acknowledge publicly that they've made a mistake because they don't want to suffer financially should not be supported by our industry. The company that produced the feed that we had test bad has not once admitted to anyone except us that there was a problem. I have horses that have had to be rehabilitated for months and ultimately have NO value now....They continue to produce the same feed.
We are coming into October which marks the beginning of the big months of medicated feed production and an increased risk of drug carryover. If you choose to financially support mills that are putting horses and ultimately people at risk, be my guest...but I never will again. |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | This is terrifying. I will never buy one single bag of processed feed again either. Not one. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas |  |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| I just switched everyone over to whole oats and renew gold. I feel much better doing so! I was feeding the purina active sr but the bags wouldn't stay consistent and finding whole corn pieces through out the bags was a huge turn off as well. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | FLITASTIC - 2015-09-29 2:31 PM
ampratt - 2015-09-29 12:21 PM
FLITASTIC - 2015-09-29 2:16 PM
And this my friends, is why I have not fed any commercial feeds for quite some time.
I was just thinking the same thing! Glad I switched to oats.
And that feed recall is right in my back yard!
EEKS! To scary! |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | How do you know your whole grains aren't contaminated? I have heard that some mills run oats through thier mill to clean them out after producing medicated cattle feed, how do you know you are not getting those oats? Just asking because we all want whats best for our horses, but how do you really know? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | Barnmom - 2015-09-30 12:00 AM
How do you know your whole grains aren't contaminated? I have heard that some mills run oats through thier mill to clean them out after producing medicated cattle feed, how do you know you are not getting those oats? Just asking because we all want whats best for our horses, but how do you really know?
I would ask the company/feed store where a person gets their oats where they get theirs, how they are processed etc and find out. |
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Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | ampratt - 2015-09-30 7:22 AM
Barnmom - 2015-09-30 12:00 AM
How do you know your whole grains aren't contaminated? I have heard that some mills run oats through thier mill to clean them out after producing medicated cattle feed, how do you know you are not getting those oats? Just asking because we all want whats best for our horses, but how do you really know?
I would ask the company/feed store where a person gets their oats where they get theirs, how they are processed etc and find out.
This is a separate issue from processed feed in general. I would rather use oats than any least cost formulated processed feed. But, I would also not use oats that had been bagged at any mill that also does medicated feed. There is a lot of junk made for the horse market, and as shown above, clearly some is not safe. But, not all "processed feed" is full of synthetic ingredients, and not all "whole grains" are bagged in a safe mill. You need to know who you are dealing with, and that whatever you feed is bagged in a plant that has no medication on their site. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | Barnmom - 2015-09-30 12:00 AM How do you know your whole grains aren't contaminated? I have heard that some mills run oats through thier mill to clean them out after producing medicated cattle feed, how do you know you are not getting those oats? Just asking because we all want whats best for our horses, but how do you really know?
Each mill has different processes. I have not heard of using oats to clean out. Typically it is corn chops.
And yes whole grains, especially corn can come in toxic. They can also come in to an ionophore free facility but the molasses they bring in, is likely from a liquid feed company who uses much higher concentrates of meds and ionophores than your local mill is even allowed to handle. So cross over contamination is possible, even on oil based blends that are not molasses.
And to answer your question, no, you dont really know. So you have to do your best to find a company you can trust.
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? |
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Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well???
I would think so. My boss has a high fence ranch and we sent his deer feed off to be tested just to be sure. All came back within normal ranges and no traces of the ionophores.
As for whole grains, yes, this can be an issue if they are bagged or go through a processor that has been used to mix cattle feeds. |
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Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well???
I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs. |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe? |
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Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe?
I think it is state law that feed be labeled or tagged, isnt it? It depends on where they sourced the oats. Most likely you are fine but I would research. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | What about the hunters that use corn in their feeders?
The feed milling industry as a whole needs an overhaul. Taking risks with the lives and health of animals....and the income of the people that keep them in business is at the very least unethical, immoral, and completely wrong on all accounts. It should be criminal. If you can stand by and keep your mouth shut about what you know is going on in a facility then you are just as guilty, no matter what you may tell yourself.
We are conditioned by advertisements and trends to think that commercially mixed feeds and supplements are necessary if we want to compete with the best....NOT true. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe?
You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all. |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs.
Edited by ACEINTHEHOLE 2015-09-30 11:37 AM
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-30 11:36 AM TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs.
Sheep are also ruminants and it's not safe for them, but it's safe for goats. |
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Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-30 11:36 AM
TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs.
In most mills that make medicated cattle feeds and horse feeds the protocol is this. First the medicated feed is made. The system is then flushed, usually with oats. The oats from the flush are normally then added to the batch of medicated feed. Next, a run of non-medicated feed for the same species is supposed to be run. Most mills then flush with oats again and add that back into the non-medicated run. At this point they can make equine products on that line. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | winwillows - 2015-09-30 12:55 PM ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-30 11:36 AM TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs. In most mills that make medicated cattle feeds and horse feeds the protocol is this. First the medicated feed is made. The system is then flushed, usually with oats. The oats from the flush are normally then added to the batch of medicated feed. Next, a run of non-medicated feed for the same species is supposed to be run. Most mills then flush with oats again and add that back into the non-medicated run. At this point they can make equine products on that line.
What if the mill has no identifiable process? The batch sheets are a joke and there is no mixing order. The FDA only inspects mills that are licensed and you can produce medicated feeds without a license....It's all about levels and grades of what you are supposed to be producing, but the drugs are all the same.
Small, poorly run mills need to be Cattle Feed Only. We are supposed to be concerned about government involvement and the regulations that would be required to make this the rule, but what about the people who are running the millls and making it necessary? |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 11:33 AM
want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe?
You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all.
Just talked with the manager at my feed store.. I was assured my oats have absolutely no contact with any medicated feeds. They buy them in bulk straight from the field and my feed store bags them themselves. Good to know! I feel so much better! |
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Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 1:54 PM
Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 11:33 AM
want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe?
You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all.
Just talked with the manager at my feed store.. I was assured my oats have absolutely no contact with any medicated feeds. They buy them in bulk straight from the field and my feed store bags them themselves. Good to know! I feel so much better!
Every bag of feed is supposed to have analysis information, and contact information of who is responsible for the quality of what is inside. I don't think it is legal anywhere to just sell a bag without identification, though I know many do. The easy answer is to only feed products that someone has their name and contact information on (even if it is plain oats) and who can honestly tell you that no ingredients in that bag have ever been in a mill that does medicated feed. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | The other question that comes into play is the cleanout of the trucks that haul medicated feeds... Mills are also supposed to have separate bins for clean out material, but I can tell you for an admitted fact that there's one that didn't use theirs properly. |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | winwillows - 2015-09-30 12:55 PM ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-30 11:36 AM TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs. In most mills that make medicated cattle feeds and horse feeds the protocol is this. First the medicated feed is made. The system is then flushed, usually with oats. The oats from the flush are normally then added to the batch of medicated feed. Next, a run of non-medicated feed for the same species is supposed to be run. Most mills then flush with oats again and add that back into the non-medicated run. At this point they can make equine products on that line.
Yep, and that protocol is only as good as the worst employee at the mill. If anyone has tried to hire minimum wage employees lately then you know how scary that is, JMO. |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| winwillows - 2015-09-30 3:07 PM
want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 1:54 PM
Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 11:33 AM
want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe?
You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all.
Just talked with the manager at my feed store.. I was assured my oats have absolutely no contact with any medicated feeds. They buy them in bulk straight from the field and my feed store bags them themselves. Good to know! I feel so much better!
Every bag of feed is supposed to have analysis information, and contact information of who is responsible for the quality of what is inside. I don't think it is legal anywhere to just sell a bag without identification, though I know many do. The easy answer is to only feed products that someone has their name and contact information on (even if it is plain oats ) and who can honestly tell you that no ingredients in that bag have ever been in a mill that does medicated feed.
Well shoot.. I had to go look back at my notes from my conversation. He said the oats are cleaned and delivered straight from the field. The only things they purchase in bulk is northern oats, corn and seed oats. And that they bag them themselves in their barn. I did think it was strange to not have any tags or anything on the bags themselves. I haven't even fed them yet. I'm not quite sure what to think right now! My only other options for oats is TSC or nutrena or from a guy who grows them locally and they aren't cleaned ... very dusty I've tried those before but I hated how dirty and dusty they were. |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 4:17 PM winwillows - 2015-09-30 3:07 PM want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 1:54 PM Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 11:33 AM want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe? You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all. Just talked with the manager at my feed store.. I was assured my oats have absolutely no contact with any medicated feeds. They buy them in bulk straight from the field and my feed store bags them themselves. Good to know! I feel so much better! Every bag of feed is supposed to have analysis information, and contact information of who is responsible for the quality of what is inside. I don't think it is legal anywhere to just sell a bag without identification, though I know many do. The easy answer is to only feed products that someone has their name and contact information on (even if it is plain oats ) and who can honestly tell you that no ingredients in that bag have ever been in a mill that does medicated feed. Well shoot.. I had to go look back at my notes from my conversation. He said the oats are cleaned and delivered straight from the field. The only things they purchase in bulk is northern oats, corn and seed oats. And that they bag them themselves in their barn. I did think it was strange to not have any tags or anything on the bags themselves. I haven't even fed them yet. I'm not quite sure what to think right now! My only other options for oats is TSC or nutrena or from a guy who grows them locally and they aren't cleaned ... very dusty I've tried those before but I hated how dirty and dusty they were.
I don't know what the laws are. They can probably get around the tagging issue by saying they're for seed or food plots. Like I said, I can buy them from a seed cleaner and they never came close to a feed mill. Field to cleaner to bag to their warehouse. Way cleaner and better quality than anything I've ever gotten from a mill. |
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Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 5:14 PM
want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 4:17 PM winwillows - 2015-09-30 3:07 PM want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 1:54 PM Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-30 11:33 AM want2chase3 - 2015-09-30 11:24 AM Now I'm a bit concerned. ... the oats I bought from my feed store is just bagged in a white feed sack.. no labels or tags. They are whole oats and look really clean. Are the oats from tsc considered safe? You should ask where it comes from. We can get locally grown oats or corn that are cleaned and bagged in a seed cleaning facility, not a feed mill. The bags aren't labeled at all. Just talked with the manager at my feed store.. I was assured my oats have absolutely no contact with any medicated feeds. They buy them in bulk straight from the field and my feed store bags them themselves. Good to know! I feel so much better! Every bag of feed is supposed to have analysis information, and contact information of who is responsible for the quality of what is inside. I don't think it is legal anywhere to just sell a bag without identification, though I know many do. The easy answer is to only feed products that someone has their name and contact information on (even if it is plain oats ) and who can honestly tell you that no ingredients in that bag have ever been in a mill that does medicated feed. Well shoot.. I had to go look back at my notes from my conversation. He said the oats are cleaned and delivered straight from the field. The only things they purchase in bulk is northern oats, corn and seed oats. And that they bag them themselves in their barn. I did think it was strange to not have any tags or anything on the bags themselves. I haven't even fed them yet. I'm not quite sure what to think right now! My only other options for oats is TSC or nutrena or from a guy who grows them locally and they aren't cleaned ... very dusty I've tried those before but I hated how dirty and dusty they were.
From our conversation. .. these oats I bought haven't been thru a mill. To my understanding anyway. I only paid $8.00 for a 50lb sack and they are pretty clean . |
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Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | Barnmom - 2015-09-30 3:57 PM winwillows - 2015-09-30 12:55 PM ACEINTHEHOLE - 2015-09-30 11:36 AM TurnLane - 2015-09-30 11:11 AM rachellyn80 - 2015-09-30 10:49 AM Is the corn that is used to clean out the system marked as such? Would that not be an issue for the deer industry as well??? I see a lot of corn bagged/labeled as DEER CORN, yes. But I doubt the ionophores are an issue for the deer guys since deer are ruminants like cattle?
I do know of some big ranches that buy ionophore feed to kill hogs. In most mills that make medicated cattle feeds and horse feeds the protocol is this. First the medicated feed is made. The system is then flushed, usually with oats. The oats from the flush are normally then added to the batch of medicated feed. Next, a run of non-medicated feed for the same species is supposed to be run. Most mills then flush with oats again and add that back into the non-medicated run. At this point they can make equine products on that line.
Every mill has a different protocal- or even no protocal. There are no industry standards or regulations on clean out.
With what seems to be all the information out there, people STILL choose to feed not only feed from medicated mills- they also continue to feed straight cattle feed. It is sad when it is our friends, family, trainers and neighbors, even when they know people personally who have been affected yet continue to choose to feed the same feed. 
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Feed Recall - CA and AZ