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.
The recall is voluntary and precautionary
The recalled feed was produced at:
Purina's Statesville, N.C., plant between Nov. 3, 2007, and Feb. 8, 2008;
Harrisburg, Pa., Jan. 1, 2008, and Feb. 8, 2008; and
Guilderland, N.Y., Jan. 1, 2008, and March 10, 2008.
Dealers in the following states might have sold affected product:
Posted 2008-05-07 10:22 AM (#83373 - in reply to #83307) Subject: RE: Horse Feed Recall Affects East Coast
Veteran
Posts: 129 Location: Northwest Ohio
I attended a Purina Horse Owners Workshop last night and this subject was addressed. This is what the Purina Rep stated.....This was a voluntary "retrieval", not an actual "recall". He called it "old news" because it actually took place 7 weeks ago. The media just now is reporting it. Most of the feed involved had been consumed already. Purina has stopped using the supplier responsible. Three plants servicing only the east coast were affected. There were two horse fatalities reported, but the causes of death were ruled something different, not from the feed. I felt at ease after his explanation. Hope you all do too.
Posted 2008-05-09 8:15 PM (#83620 - in reply to #83373) Subject: RE: Horse Feed Recall Affects East Coast
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Candy girl on 2008-05-07 11:22 AM
I attended a Purina Horse Owners Workshop last night and this subject was addressed. This is what the Purina Rep stated.....This was a voluntary "retrieval", not an actual "recall". He called it "old news" because it actually took place 7 weeks ago. The media just now is reporting it. Most of the feed involved had been consumed already. Purina has stopped using the supplier responsible. Three plants servicing only the east coast were affected. There were two horse fatalities reported, but the causes of death were ruled something different, not from the feed. I felt at ease after his explanation. Hope you all do too.
Well, I think you got the marketing party line...Because I just received this message...
Major Feed Recall
Land O Lakes/Purina has issued a feed retrieval for a number of brands.
Land O Lakes/Purina has issued feed recalls, or "retrievals," for a variety of their brands manufactured between the dates of November 3, 2007, and March 10, 2008. These feeds were identified to contain greater than 20 ppb of aflatoxins, originating from a single ingredient from a single supplier. Only specific manufacturing plants and dates are involved. The recalled products also vary.
As of May 6, 2008, the contaminated feeds had been distributed in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
The manufacturing plants involved, and dates, are:• Statesville, North Carolina: Feeds manufactured between November 3, 2007, and February 8, 2008.• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Feeds manufactured between January 1, 2008, and February 8, 2008.• Guilderland, New York: Feeds manufactured between January 8, 2008, and March 10, 2008.
If you have purchased a Purina feed and live in one of the involved states, check the bottom edge of your feed bag for a date code. The date codes on Purina feeds are in this format: 7NOV03STA
The first number is the year. "7" = 2007, "8" = 2008. The next code is the month. "NOV" = November. Next two digits are the day. "03" = 3rd (of November in this case). Last three letters are the plant code. STA = Statesville. HAR = Harrisburg. GLD = Guilderland.
If you have feed from one of these three plants manufactured within the recall dates, call your feed dealer to see if your specific brand is involved in the recall. If you purchased feed during the time frames listed for the recall but no longer have your bags, call your dealer anyway to see if the feed you use was involved in the recall.
If your horses are having health problems of unknown cause, call your veterinarian and let him/her know you may have fed aflatoxin-contaminated feed. Feed, urine or liver biopsy tissues can be tested for aflatoxin and aflatoxin metabolites. Your state’s Department of Agriculture should also be notified if your veterinarian suspects feed related health issues.
Note: As of May 6, this was an ongoing issue. Further recalls could be issued. Details are still very sketchy. Other feeds could also be involved but no details are available. Signs range from acute liver failure to stunted growth in young horses, poor hair coat, abnormal liver enzymes on blood chemistry, jaundice (yellow eyes and gums), feed refusal, unexplained loss of condition, poor immune system function. Fetal abnormalities have been reported in other species.
Horse Feed Recall Affects East Coast
