|
Avoiding Feed Mill Horse Feed Poisoning
|
|
|
You might remember the story about the horses that died of monensin poisoning back in December. Monensin is an additive to livestock feed, most commonly in cattle feeds, that is deadly poisonous to horses. It’s never intentionally added to horse feed, but cases of it finding its way accidentally into a batch aren’t unusual.
Related: Dangers of Monensin Antibiotics in Horse Feed
Many people don’t think twice about buying their horse feed from the same feed mill that mixes cattle or chicken feed, but maybe they should. The best way to avoid feeding horse concentrates contaminated with monensin is to buy feed from a mill that specializes only in horse feed. That way, the tail end of a batch of cattle feed won’t end up in a bag of horse feed, or a new trainee, that might not know better, won’t throw in an additive that does not belong. There are lots of companies around that make only horse feed, and these might be the safest to buy from.
Unwanted additives aren’t the only undesirable things that can find their way into horse feed. Moldy corn can also become toxic. Corn that is stressed during a bad growing season may become infected with a fungus called fusarium. The fungus produces a toxin that is deadly to horses. Some horses will die with severe nervous system dysfunctions while others will develop liver disease. Be willing to pay for top quality feeds to avoid fusarium poisoning.
Wheat in horse feed is another problem. Wheat is a high starch and gluten food that can’t be digested well by horses. Colic and other health issues can arise if wheat is fed. Ergot poisoning is as dangerous to horses as it is to humans. Ergot is a fungus that grows on wheat and produces a toxin that can be deadly - another good reason to avoid wheat in horse feeds. Learn to identify the various grains in your feed mix and watch for changes in the ingredients of each bag
Of course, too much of any grain, no matter how carefully chosen or high quality is toxic to horses, leading to colic and founder. Keep your feed supplies locked away from your horses to prevent anyone ‘raiding the cookie jar’ if they escape from their stall at night.
Hay and pasture can contain toxins too. Most of us know molds in hay cause respiratory problems. But, molds can also cause colic and some can cause broodmares to abort foals. Botulism poisoning can be a concern, especially if feeding haylage or silage. Hay can contain toxic weeds too. Plants like bracken fern, red maple and oak, hoary alyssum, and other leaves and weeds can contaminate hay and pasture grass, causing colic, founder and nervous system disorders. Learn to identify good quality hay and recognize the problem weeds, plants and trees in your area.
Keeping your feed clean and protected from weather and rodents will help prevent some poisonings. Opossums carry the protozoa responsible for EPM or equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, and don’t hesitate to relieve themselves on your stack of nice clean hay.
Related: Horse We Purchased At Auction Was Drugged
Avoiding feed poisonings just takes a little awareness. Check what you feed your horse, and where it comes from, so you can have peace of mind when feeding time comes. |
|
|
|
|
 Related Horse News
|
|
You might remember the story about the horses that died of monensin poisoning back in December. Monensin is an additive to livestock feed, most commonly in cattle feeds, that is deadly poisonous to horses. It’s never intentionally ...
|
|
One of the most puzzling aspects of horse care is how much hay to feed. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture states that on average a full-grown riding horse should eat about 12-15 pounds of hay a day. There’s also a simple formula ...
|
|
1My hands are sore, my muscles are tired and my legs and forearms are scratched and bruised. That means we must be haying. It’s been a rough year again for those trying to get hay off of the fields. Constant rain has been a proble ...
|
|
When you check out Pinterest or scroll through your Facebook feed, you’ll likely see posts of miracle cures achieved using certain trendy foods or supplements. These trends tend to spill over to the stable, leaving our feed rooms ...
|
|
We generally think of minerals in any diet as a good thing. But it is possible for horses to get too much of a certain mineral. The most common culprits include fluoride, lead, and iron. If caught in time, most symptoms of poisoni ...
|
|
When you buy a bag of textured or pelleted horse feed, none of the ingredients are easily recognizable. A bag of oats contains oats - and that’s easy to see. But often even the label on a bag of feed doesn’t list the exact ingredi ...
|
|
Some horses eat anything and will eat everything from anchovies to zucchini. And some are extremely picky and act like you’ve poisoned them if you put anything but hay and grain in front of their noses. Have you ever tried a taste ...
|
|
More News by Winniefield Park
|
|
Two breeds are currently holding the highest jump records on PonyBox. The Thoroughbred and Canadian Warmblood's are taking the top spots with vengeance and appear unstoppable. ...
|
|
Oliver normally enjoys being groomed by his young owner, but when she noticed Oliver getting restless she wondered at his was unusual behavior. It wasn’t until that she noticed some neighbor kids playing on a frozen pond that she ...
|
|
It’s no surprise that the top-winning mare and stallion are also Ponybox’s highest earners. Or, that the highest-winning stable also produces many of the most successful jumpers. Here is a look at the outstanding earners on Ponybo ...
|
|
Lots of sports fans pay top dollar to buy seats that put them almost in the middle of the action. But this race fan took getting into the action a little too seriously. It was a lot of risk for an experience that lasted a moment. ...
|
|
Take a quick armchair trip to see pastoral landscapes, otter crossings and adorable, furry Shetland ponies! This travel video highlights some of the sights on the archipelago that makes up the Shetland Islands. This is the native ...
|
|
As we reach the middle of February 2021 these horses are holding the top spots. A rare breed is making an appearance in the ranks of Best Jump while Friesians are holding many of the top spots in the ranks. ...
|
|
Where do you go when your feet get cold. This foolish kitty decided to sink its toes into the plush coat of an equine pal. Or perhaps pal isn’t the right word. It’s quite possible kitty has a future in rodeo. Now, all we need is k ...
|
|
Bridgerton is one of the newest Netflix series feeding our binge-watching needs. Set in Regency-era England you know that the characters won’t be jumping and smart cars to get around to their various teas, balls and romantic assig ...
|
|
|
