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 Jr. Detective
    
Location: Beggs, OK | Nutrena has confirmed that the mill that produces their feed in OKC is not Ionophore Free as we previously thought. While they are stating that they are "monensin/Rumensin free" they are using Lasalocid/Bovatec to produce medicated feeds in their facility.
When a mill uses ionophore antibiotics to produce their medicated feeds anything that is produced in that facility is at risk for contamination. Please keep this in mind when making your choices as to what you are going to feed your horses.
Even if you think this hasn't affected you, it probably has in one way or another. Random colics, chronic ulcers, hard keepers, EPM Symptoms, etc....have all been attributed to ionophore toxicity. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | rachellyn80 - 2015-04-01 2:33 PM Nutrena has confirmed that the mill that produces their feed in OKC is not Ionophore Free as we previously thought. While they are stating that they are "monensin/Rumensin free" they are using Lasalocid/Bovatec to produce medicated feeds in their facility.
When a mill uses ionophore antibiotics to produce their medicated feeds anything that is produced in that facility is at risk for contamination. Please keep this in mind when making your choices as to what you are going to feed your horses.
Even if you think this hasn't affected you, it probably has in one way or another. Random colics, chronic ulcers, hard keepers, EPM Symptoms, etc....have all been attributed to ionophore toxicity.
Thank you for the update. The more we know, the better our horses can be.  |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | For those feeding Nutrena Pro Force Fuel, Blue Bonnet Intensify Omega is very comparable in labels to the Nutrena. I personally am switching all my horses to Blue Bonnet |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | Sad isn't it, that we as the lay person/purchaser must know all of the common names and "registered" names for drugs that will kill our horses in their feed. |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | 3canstorun - 2015-04-01 2:37 PM Sad isn't it, that we as the lay person/purchaser must know all of the common names and "registered" names for drugs that will kill our horses in their feed.
What is even sadder is they are not being completely truthful about this! and just think we are dumb horse people |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I just want to see some d@mned accountability from some of these companies. I'm disgusted. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | I truly believe that the majority of feed producers just don't know... This is a HUGE issue that is just now coming to light and making sense. We have never thought to question anything that might not be on the label of our feeds. We might question the NSC or Starch content because we think our horse has ulcers, but it doesn't occur to you to ask if there might be something in the feed that is slowly poisoning them.
Chronic low level exposure to ionophores has not been extensively researched, but the studies that are out there are very disturbing....especially to someone who has treated 10 horses now for EPM.
We fed Nutrena SafeChoice for years, then switched to ADM Patriot, then for most of the past 3 years we were feeding a locally milled feed. That feed tested positive for Monensin and Lasalocid...and prompted my whole investigation into feeds in general. In contacting the people across the US that have been affected by the ADM feed contamination I have found that our horses share many of the same symptoms. My conversations with the people in my area that have had the same issues with our local feed I have found the EXACT same symptoms. It took one of my horses nearly dying from a hypersensitive reaction to the medications in the feed to alert us to how serious our problem really is.
I would have loved for this to not be the case. We have tested for every disease, bacteria, and virus you can imagine...nothing has shown a positive result except my feed test. The vets, nutritionists, and toxicologists that have seen my test results and examined my horses have stated that they will not recover fully. |
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Location: on a hill | Thank you. I've been feeding empower balance all winter to my easy keepers. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | What other feeds have tested for this? I used to feed Triple Crown and Satin Finish. Are those safe? Stopping nutrena tonight  |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | There is a facebook page called Is Your Horse Feed Safe? It has a list of safe feed companies. |
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Blessed
Location: Here | rachellyn80 - 2015-04-01 3:03 PM I truly believe that the majority of feed producers just don't know... This is a HUGE issue that is just now coming to light and making sense. We have never thought to question anything that might not be on the label of our feeds. We might question the NSC or Starch content because we think our horse has ulcers, but it doesn't occur to you to ask if there might be something in the feed that is slowly poisoning them.
Chronic low level exposure to ionophores has not been extensively researched, but the studies that are out there are very disturbing....especially to someone who has treated 10 horses now for EPM.
We fed Nutrena SafeChoice for years, then switched to ADM Patriot, then for most of the past 3 years we were feeding a locally milled feed. That feed tested positive for Monensin and Lasalocid...and prompted my whole investigation into feeds in general. In contacting the people across the US that have been affected by the ADM feed contamination I have found that our horses share many of the same symptoms. My conversations with the people in my area that have had the same issues with our local feed I have found the EXACT same symptoms. It took one of my horses nearly dying from a hypersensitive reaction to the medications in the feed to alert us to how serious our problem really is.
I would have loved for this to not be the case. We have tested for every disease, bacteria, and virus you can imagine...nothing has shown a positive result except my feed test. The vets, nutritionists, and toxicologists that have seen my test results and examined my horses have stated that they will not recover fully.
But I am ever so grateful and mostly my horses are ever so grateful for the education on this subject.
Feed companies however need to get a grasp on this and clean up their mills. Just like dog food killing dogs. These are highly educated nutritionist they should know better. I don't find it as an excuse. Should have never been allowed to begin with. And the whole well we don't use monensin is the wrong attitude.
Red Chain mills here in Texas
here is their response to my question and he never replied to my last question Please read from bottom up
I am confused, is the bovatec used in the feed mills where you sack? Because you are saying that you do and then you don’t. Yes I am buying sacked feed and I am trying to make sure I am buying ionophore free grain and not safety clean out grain. Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2015 6:46 AM Subject: Re: Horse feed and alfalfa pellets Clean out, we do use bovatec in the feed mills where sack. We have never used rumensin at all where we sack, I'm assuming you are buying sack feed
Sent from my iPhone I have been feeding your feeds and I am double checking to see if your horse feed and alfalfa pellets are made in an ionophore free mill or if you are simply following the standard safety cleanout practice. Julie Crews |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | redmansmyman11 - 2015-04-01 3:09 PM What other feeds have tested for this? I used to feed Triple Crown and Satin Finish. Are those safe? Stopping nutrena tonight
There have been issues with Triple Crown feeds unrelated to ionophores. A friend on here had hers tested and it showed extremely high levels of sulfur...as well as vitamin/mineral contents well above the guaranteed analysis. That test is being blamed on the feed being past the recommended date of use, but that makes no sense at all. Kelleen Bliss who is the admin for the Justice for Dual Peppy page on FB has had some significant issues with Triple Crown feeds as well.
The scary part is that there are so many things that you would think of before you would suspect your feed being the problem! |
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  The Original Cyber Bartender
Location: Washington | rachellyn80 - 2015-04-01 1:03 PM I truly believe that the majority of feed producers just don't know... This is a HUGE issue that is just now coming to light and making sense. We have never thought to question anything that might not be on the label of our feeds. We might question the NSC or Starch content because we think our horse has ulcers, but it doesn't occur to you to ask if there might be something in the feed that is slowly poisoning them.
Chronic low level exposure to ionophores has not been extensively researched, but the studies that are out there are very disturbing....especially to someone who has treated 10 horses now for EPM.
We fed Nutrena SafeChoice for years, then switched to ADM Patriot, then for most of the past 3 years we were feeding a locally milled feed. That feed tested positive for Monensin and Lasalocid...and prompted my whole investigation into feeds in general. In contacting the people across the US that have been affected by the ADM feed contamination I have found that our horses share many of the same symptoms. My conversations with the people in my area that have had the same issues with our local feed I have found the EXACT same symptoms. It took one of my horses nearly dying from a hypersensitive reaction to the medications in the feed to alert us to how serious our problem really is.
I would have loved for this to not be the case. We have tested for every disease, bacteria, and virus you can imagine...nothing has shown a positive result except my feed test. The vets, nutritionists, and toxicologists that have seen my test results and examined my horses have stated that they will not recover fully.
You are to be commended on your educating the masses and alerting as needed. Thank you Rachel. |
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Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | The reason that this is allowed to continue is because the FDA is not stepping up and putting a stop to it. The FDA does not have a published "action level" for ionophores in horse feed because it just shouldn't be there. They opperate on a 4ppm level for recalls on horse feed that test positive.
The New Zealand government I have found has a zero tolerance policy. They look at any positive test no matter how trace it may be as an indicator for a much larger problem. This is the proactive approach that should be taken with these substances. In the US we leave our horses safety in the hands of human error....humans who more than likely don't even own horses themselves.
I have been in contact with the Oklahoma Dept of Agriculture, the FDA, and State Representatives trying to encourage changes in these regulations and will continue to do so. It costs absolutely nothing but time. |
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Blessed
Location: Here | rachellyn80 - 2015-04-01 3:21 PM The reason that this is allowed to continue is because the FDA is not stepping up and putting a stop to it. The FDA does not have a published "action level" for ionophores in horse feed because it just shouldn't be there. They opperate on a 4ppm level for recalls on horse feed that test positive.
The New Zealand government I have found has a zero tolerance policy. They look at any positive test no matter how trace it may be as an indicator for a much larger problem. This is the proactive approach that should be taken with these substances. In the US we leave our horses safety in the hands of human error....humans who more than likely don't even own horses themselves.
I have been in contact with the Oklahoma Dept of Agriculture, the FDA, and State Representatives trying to encourage changes in these regulations and will continue to do so. It costs absolutely nothing but time.
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | Just to share, here is Nutrena response:
We do not have monensin/rumensin in our OKC facility, however lasalocid may be used, that is true. Monensin toxicity levels are about 20x the levels for lasalocid.
Anywhere that we use either, we utilize FDA approved Good Manufacturing practices to eliminate the risk, in addition to HACCP, which is used to manage risks associated with the production of our animal foods. HACCP stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point,” a systematic, preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards. HACCP is not required in the animal feed industry, but it is mandated in four areas of food for human consumption (fish and seafood, juice processing, poultry, and meat).
These process include residue testing on batches of feed made after use of any medications in our facility, and subsequent rejection of loads that have residue levels detected.
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | rachellyn80 - 2015-04-01 3:15 PM redmansmyman11 - 2015-04-01 3:09 PM What other feeds have tested for this? I used to feed Triple Crown and Satin Finish. Are those safe? Stopping nutrena tonight
The scary part is that there are so many things that you would think of before you would suspect your feed being the problem!
I had a problem with Triple Crown Senior and I'm just thankful I was just feeding 2 cups a day that I added with his night feeding. The Triple Crown Senior was the last thing I changed to stop the problem I was having. Wish it had been the first thing I changed as my horse lost weight and looked awful within a few weeks time. He had a lot of gas and started having loose stools and weight loss. It goes back to having too much sulfur. TC told me to throw the bag out and they sent me a certificate to replace it. I should have asked for a refund as I'm sure not going to feed it again as this wasn't the first problem with Triple Crown I've had and I have already given them too many chances. |
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Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | Just curious, is there a list forming somewhere of the feeds to avoid? Quick google search makes it apparent ADM & Lakeland.
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | Three*C*Champs - 2015-04-01 3:28 PM
Just to share, here is Nutrena response:
We do not have monensin/rumensin in our OKC facility, however lasalocid may be used, that is true. Monensin toxicity levels are about 20x the levels for lasalocid.
Anywhere that we use either, we utilize FDA approved Good Manufacturing practices to eliminate the risk, in addition to HACCP, which is used to manage risks associated with the production of our animal foods. HACCP stands for “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point,” a systematic, preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards. HACCP is not required in the animal feed industry, but it is mandated in four areas of food for human consumption (fish and seafood, juice processing, poultry, and meat).
These process include residue testing on batches of feed made after use of any medications in our facility, and subsequent rejection of loads that have residue levels detected.
We've just received an update that affects many people that we know. The mill in OKC that produces Nutrena Feeds is NOT ionophore free. While they don't use Monensin, they do use Lasalocid in their medicated feeds. Contrary to what many will tell you regarding the toxicity of Lasalocid this is a HUGE issue. The study below is worth the time to read...particularly the paragraph regarding delayed neurotoxicity on the 5th page. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00933.x...
Edited by TwistedK 2015-04-01 3:33 PM
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The Original Cyber Bartender
Location: Washington | Waiting on the FDA will take longer than more horses have. As owners with this information you just need to drop the feed companies that don't know or worst yet don't care. |
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