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Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Nutrition/Supplements > Feed/Soil/Water Contamination


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Watch for Poisonous Weeds in Hay
Most weeds are not palatable and will be avoided by pastured livestock if adequate forage is available. However, in hay, most livestock cannot differentiate weeds from beneficial long-stemmed forage, resulting in accidental ingestion and possibly a loss in performance or death. Three weeds commonly found in the upper Midwest that remain toxic when ... Read full story
 11/19/2009
TheHorse.com en Español: Herbecidas en el Heno Retienen el Poder en el Estiércol  *
This is one of a series of articles translated as part of our partnership with A Caballo, an equine publication based in Mexico, and Jorge Murga, DVM. Keep an eye on TheHorse.com for more Spanish-language resources coming soon. Read a longer version of this article in English. Preguntas o comentarios en español puede ser enviado a News@TheHorse.com. ... Read full story
 9/16/2009
Contaminated Feed Seized in Kentucky   *
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising horse owners to discard feed purchased at a Florence, Ky., feed store because it could be contaminated. The agency issued the advisory on Monday when U.S. Marshals seized $24,000 in livestock food products from the Bi-County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association Inc. The FDA inspectors discovered ... Read full story
 7/21/2009
Horse, Livestock Feed Seized from Kentucky Mill   *
U.S. marshals have seized horse and livestock feed stored under "filthy" conditions at the Bi-County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association Inc. in Florence, Ky., according to a statement released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bi-County manufactures feed and stores commercial feeds. "The FDA will not tolerate a company's failure to adequately ... Read full story
 7/20/2009
Hay Herbicides Not a Risk to Horses, Despite Manure-Fertilized Crop Loss   *
Recent reported crop losses in North Carolina and several other states are linked to certain broad leaf herbicides containing aminopyralid, clopyralid, and picloram, according to researchers. In North Carolina, people with gardens and organic farms who rely on horse manure or compost for fertilizer are noticing that some of their plants are dying. ... Read full story
 7/10/2009
Grazing Horses in Moderately Polluted Areas   *
Horses might serve as good management tools for pastures moderately polluted by trace elements, according to Spanish researchers. And provided the animals receive adequate, systematic monitoring through biological sampling, they can be kept on this land without adverse health consequences. Scientists conducted a study in the Agrio and Guadiamar River ... Read full story
 6/27/2009
Euthanasia Drug Found in Carcass Compost   *
Composting is one option for disposing of a horse carcass after euthanasia. Researchers at West Texas A&M recently conducted a study to determine if residues of sodium pentobarbital might remain in compost as a potential environmental hazard. They presented their preliminary results at the 2009 Equine Science Society Meeting, held May 29-31 in ... Read full story
 6/5/2009
Dealing with Disaster: Equine Nutrition in Less-than-Ideal Conditions   *
Horses thrive on routine, and nowhere is this more true than in feed management. After the ideal type and amount of grass, hay, and grain are determined for each individual horse, with attention to that animal's age, body condition, use, and metabolism, it's best to stick to that regimen to maintain health and avoid digestive upsets. Clean water should ... Read full story
 5/26/2009
Ingested Wires Cause Colic, Adhesions   *
When ingested, small wires can wreak havoc in the equine digestive system. They might even cause different segments of the tract to fuse together, leading to painful and usually fatal consequences, according to South African and American researchers who recently published a study on the subject. The four cases discussed in the medical review, which ... Read full story
 4/4/2009
AAEP 2008: Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning   *
Aluminum phosphide is an indoor fumigant used to kill insects in most, if not all, of the stored grains we and our horses are exposed to. Like most pesticides, it can cause major problems in unintended species when used incorrectly. At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., a report of ... Read full story
 3/6/2009
Fifth North Carolina Horse Dies of Unknown Toxin   *
A mystery toxin killed a fifth horse in western North Carolina in November. Veterinarians now suspect this case might be due to the same substance that caused the death of four other horses earlier that month. The fifth horse was found dead in its pasture by the owners. Veterinarians determined via a Nov. 25 necropsy that the horse died of atypical ... Read full story
 1/5/2009
Supplement Safety  *
As president of NASC I am very familiar with this issue and the committee examining the safety of garlic, lutein, and evening primrose oil. While I was not a member of the committee, I was asked to make presentations to the committee and submit information regarding the objectives commissioned by CVM. While I believe that certain conclusions of the ... Read full story
 12/1/2008
Beyond the Feed Tag: Horse Feed Ingredients, Quality and Safety Issues  *
The tag on every animal feed product is labeled with information required by the FDA, with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance--from most to least inclusion. "However, this is not always enforced and there is no guarantee that listing of ingredients reflects the inclusion rate of the finished product," said Randel Raub, PhD, director ... Read full story
 11/16/2008
100 Horses Dead at Embryo Transfer Farm; Botulism Suspected  *
Around 100 horses have died at EquiTransfer, a Marion County, Fla., embryo transfer farm. Veterinary officials say that botulism from haylage might be to blame. EquiTransfer is owned by veterinarians Jose Dávila, DVM, and his wife, Francis Ramirez, DVM. Neither were available for comment. Mike Short, DVM, equine programs manager for Florida's Division ... Read full story
 10/10/2008
Additional Information on Feed Recall Released  *
Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC recently announced a recall of certain horse feed products manufactured at three East Coast facilities. The products might contain an ingredient with an unacceptably high level of aflatoxin. For more on this see Horse Feed Recall Affects East Coast. The company updated its Web site May 8 with a new statement to horse ... Read full story
 5/9/2008
Purina Recalling Horse Feed in Eastern States  *
Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC has implemented a voluntary recall of some horse feed due to a possible excess of aflatoxin. According to a statement released by the company, no confirmed animal health complaints attributable to aflatoxins have been reported. Aflatoxins are a potent form of mycotoxins, which are secondary metabolites of molds. Read ... Read full story
 5/5/2008
Horse Feed Recall Affects East Coast  *
Horse feed dealers are the key to identifying if there's a potential problem with recently purchased Purina feed, according to Land O'Lakes spokesperson Lydia Botham. Land O'Lakes Purina Feed LLC recently announced a recall of certain horse feed products manufactured at three East Coast facilities. The products might contain an ingredient with an ... Read full story
 5/5/2008
FDA Dietary Supplement Rule Not Applicable to Veterinary Products   *
Scientific studies performed over the past decade have demonstrated the widespread availability of poor quality and potentially unsafe dietary supplements for both human and animal consumption. These include supplements that: Do not contain the type or amount of ingredient listed on the manufacturer's label; Recommend subtherapeutic dosages; ... Read full story
 12/26/2007
Readers Respond: Mold? Geh!  *
More than 1,300 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "Have you dealt with mold in your horses' feed or hay before?" Results were as follows: Yes, in both: 46.80% (637) Yes, in hay: 38.80% (528) Yes, in grain: 3.82% (52) No, thankfully! 10.58% (144) Many readers commented that they prefer to be safe rather than sorry when it ... Read full story
 10/31/2007
Unacceptably High Fungal Levels Identified in Horse Feeds   *
High levels of fungal species and mycotoxins (the toxins produced by some fungi) have been identified in equine feeds. This contamination can result in nutrient losses from the food, and it can negatively impact the health and productivity of horses. In a study done in 2007 in the journal Veterinary Research Communications by Brazilian researchers ... Read full story
 9/8/2007
Blister Beetles in Hay: Shop Smart to Reduce the Risk  *
Alfalfa hay is an excellent, high quality forage for horses, but it has the potential to attract blister beetles--toxic insects that can kill horses if ingested. Blister beetles cause inflammation and blistering of the skin within hours of contact. If ingested, cantharidin, a toxic substance in the beetle, is absorbed and rapidly excreted in the ... Read full story
 4/12/2007
Damage From Within  *
Molds are one-celled fungi that facilitate the breakdown and decay of plant materials. Mycotoxins are "sporadically produced secondary metabolites of molds," according to Equine Clinical Nutrition by Lon D. Lewis, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM. Antibiotics (such as penicillin) are types of useful mycotoxins, which at therapeutic levels are more toxic to bacteria ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Accidental Poisoning Kills 27 Horses at Texas Boarding Barn  *
Twenty-seven horses died the week of July 16 from apparent accidental poisoning at a boarding farm in College Station, Texas. Researchers at nearby Texas A&M University (TAMU) suspect a pesticide fumigant used in a feed silo nearby was responsible for the deaths. However, the reason for the extreme reaction to the chemical is still unknown. "We ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Australian Toxic Feed Case Decided  *
An Australian court awarded $71,000 in damages after a Sydney area family’s Thoroughbred mare died and three other show horses were permanently retired due to heart conditions resulting from contaminated feed, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The mare had a heart aneurism after eating feed purchased from George Weston Foods. The other three horses ... Read full story
 7/6/2006
Tennessee Feed Recalled  *
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative officials voluntarily recalled four lots of horse feed in early and mid-November after a horse's death was linked to the feed, which contained high levels of a livestock drug. The 10% Grain Mix (item #93638) was contaminated with rumensin (monensin sodium), a common cattle drug. John Niver, nutritionist at the Co-op, ... Read full story
 11/18/2005
Book Excerpt: Water Bucket Blues  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Out of seven horses here, I have five with water bucket issues in stalls, and it’s getting on my nerves. Our Morgan pony paws at his water bucket and spills out most of the water, no matter how ... Read full story
 10/12/2005
Diseases of Dietary Origin  *
The axiom, "You are what you eat" does have relevance to horses with regard to health and well-being. Although horses have evolved to eat plant material, not all plants are safe to eat. Some food substances directly exert toxic effects, while others grow fungi that do so. Availability and type of food are important issues to intestinal health and nutritional ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Twelve Belgians Dead from Bad Feed   *
Feed contaminated with a cattle weight gain medication (monensin) killed 12 Belgians in Wisconsin and sickened several others, said a Wisconsin Ag Connection report. The horses, owned by Wayne Huston of Cottage Grove, were treated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). As of Sept. 5, five of them had died and three ... Read full story
 11/1/2003
AAEP 2002: Possible Environmental Sources of Drug Positives  *
As post-performance drug testing methods become more sensitive, racehorse and show horse owners, veterinarians, handlers, and trainers have become more aware that positive drug tests could be the result of inadvertent contamination of the horse with chemicals present in the environment. Cynthia Kollias-Baker, DVM, PhD, director of the Racing Laboratory ... Read full story
 1/7/2003
Malicious Mycotoxins  *
Leave your saddle sitting in a corner of your tack room after you and your horse are caught in a rainstorm, and you'll get an eye-opening look into the world of fungi and molds. Within days, your leather tack will have sprouted a patchy coat of green and white fur created by spores from the air and the surrounding environment migrating onto the wet, ... Read full story
 8/1/2002
Water Contamination  *
Any treatise you've ever read on caring for horses probably includes the line, "Provide access to plenty of fresh, clean water." Although we all understand that this is good advice--all living things need this simple, essential liquid--we don't really tend to give water a lot of consideration as part of the equine diet. But, just any water source won't ... Read full story
 12/1/2001
New MRLS Theory Suggested   *
The examination of mycotoxins, wild cherry trees, molds, cyanide, odd climatic conditions, and unusually heavy caterpillar infestation has led to one more possible theory to how mare reproductive loss syndrome was triggered this spring. The “hybrid” theory suggests a blend of caterpillars, molds, and the right moment during gestation might have caused ... Read full story
 10/12/2001
Soil and Water Testing  *
As you push your shopping cart down the aisle at the supermarket, it's likely become routine for you to do a quick scan of the nutritional analysis printed on the side of every cereal box and container of yogurt you select. Instantly, you know how much crude protein the product contains, how much fat, how many micrograms of manganese. The same is ... Read full story
 10/2/2001
What's in Your Feed? (Contamination)  *
"Yuck!" you hear your friend exclaim from the feed room as you move down the barn aisle one evening, doling out flakes of hay. "What is it?" you call over your shoulder. "There are huge lumps of molasses in this bag of feed!" she replies, chucking one out into the aisle for emphasis. Arms now empty of hay, you scoop up the offending object. It ... Read full story
 9/1/2001




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