MISSOURI: Authorities have warned horse owners to be on the lookout for supplies of bad hay after equines across the country were found to be suffering from malnutrition, or even poisoned.
According to industry publication Animal Pharm News, a drought in the American midwest last year ruined the hay crop in several US states, with disastrous consequences for horses.
The bad feed means equines across the country are suffering nutritional imbalances which could have fatal implications, according to veterinary experts from the University of Missouri/Columbia. According to Animal Pharm, many horses are suffering from "chronic selenosis - selenium poisoning - and vitamin E deficiency".
Wikipedia says that "hay is very sensitive to weather conditions, particularly when it is harvested. In drought conditions, both seed and leaf production are stunted, making hay that has a high ratio of dry coarse stems that have very low nutritional values. If the weather is too wet, the cut hay may spoil in the field before it can be baled." The online encyclopedia goes on to say that hay can develop rot and mold after being baled, creating the potential for toxins to form. This can make horses sick.
Selenium, in conjunction with vitamin E, is necessary for proper functioning of the immune system and to protect the integrity of cell membranes. However, there is a delicate balance between too little selenium and too much, according to the College of Veterinary Management.
Chronic selenosis, which occurs after eating too much of the supplement, can cause hair loss in a horse's mane and tail, and equines can develop a form of laminitis, a painful condition that affects the hoof. If the condition is left untreated for too long, a horse may require euthanasia as a result of severe laminitis, Animal Pharm says.
Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery, told Animal Pharm that due to the poor Missouri hay crop last year, inferior hay may been imported from other states. This hay may have in fact been too high in selinium or too low in vitamin E. In some areas of the Midwest, selenium is deficient in the soil, according to the College of Veterinary Management.
Professor Johnson told Animal Pharm that hay which is not fresh can lack vitamin E, an antioxidant which is important for a horse's nerve health. Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency include weakness, weight loss, trembling and changes in the retina at the back of the eyeball.
He recommended that horse owners either test their hay or keep a close eye on their horses.
that's terrible! so what's a horse to eat instead? it's not like you can just open up a can or anything- what about oats or oatmeal? i'm sorry, i just have no idea.
Keep the stories coming! I am really happy for petshed - you've helped me tons. Yeah, I agree. We horse owners are left with no choice sometimes if the feeds delivered to our area are bad. can't blame mother nature for turning these hay dangerous. Best way is to deal with the problem head on - be responsible for your animals. Check their feeds all the time, give them adequate meds,etc.
well danielle if your horses aren't grazing around, and if you can't give them hay, there are always oats and other pellet feeds you can get from dealers.
This is bad. i've some family members who live in the farm. I gre up in a farm and took care of a horse before. They love hay much more than those horse feeds we get from dealers. My family members are still in that farm. They've a couple of horses. Told them to check the hay that their horses are eatin'. Glad I came accross this article. Thanks Petshed.
Remember that pet food recall some months back? What did that teach us? That we're at the complete mercy of these companies we -supposedly- entrust with our hard-earned money and more importantly, the well-being of our pets! Any company that comes short in delivering its promise of quality must take ownership of its mistakes. Whether its bad cat food or bad hay- it's pretty much all the same!
then what do i do now? how can i check if the hay i bought has just the right vitamin mix for my horse? its scary just thinking about it. its good though that the authorities were able to catch it this early.
Seems like nothing is safe now. Ms. Brooks has a good point. Everyone is at the mercy of the companies who give feeds to animal owners. supposedly, they should do all the quality control and horse owners would have the peace of mind that what their horses are eating is safe. doesn't happen anymore eh? every burden falls to the consumer - we too have to keep on checking everything is ok, aside from the big responsibility we have of taking good care of our horses.
Sad that all pet owners put their entire trust on these food manufaturers. But what else could be done right? It's not like all pet owners have all the time in the world to cook their own pets' meals! The least that these manufacuters could do is make their goods edible and ensure quality!
I sure hope that this problem has been solved. that's why i always get from a trusted food manufacturer but sometimes it's really hard. of course, the risk is always there so I guess the best thing to do is try to always check their food as best you can.
i'm just glad that my horse food supplier is a good and trusted friend and so far my horses haven't gotten sick from the hay that i give them.