FDA Warns Texas Horse Owners Against Feeding Recalled Product
Large amounts of Manzanilla Feeds’ Top of the Rockies Alfalfa cubes have been recalled due to declining neurological health symptoms and even death.
There have been 98 horses reported to show these symptoms, with at least 45 of them dying or being put down. These horses were located in Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas. The symptoms related to the recalled alfalfa cubes look similar to botulism and horse owners are suggested to keep a close eye on their animals to see if they develop any symptoms.
Symptoms include muscle tremors, difficulty eating or swallowing, difficulty standing, or collapse.
While there have only been cases reported in four states, the recalled product is distributed across 10 states: AR, CO, IL, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX, and WI. The date codes date codes 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522, and 111622, are the ones that are specifically included in this recall, and it is suggested to check the alfalfa cubes you might have for these codes.
If the cubes you have include one of these date codes, or does not have a clear code, do no feed them to your horse or any other animals. The code can typically be found toward the top of the bag. If you have a recalled bag, dispose of the cubes in sealed container to avoid any other animals gaining access to the food and potentially getting sick. You should also avoid handling the cubes with bare hands, and be sure to use gloves and even a face masks when disposing in order to avoid contaminating yourself. Be sure to also thoroughly clean any container the cubes may have bee stored in before using for another product.