Here is the latest info.
All mares are doing good, in stalls, under cameras and have foaling alarms on halters. Mares are on EQUITOX to help promote milk production. Some look as if they could go soon as their back ends are very relaxed. Due Dates at 320 days started on Feb 3. We are watching very closely. Here is a copy of a letter I received just moments ago from the Extension Office. I have not spoken to an attorney as of today. I have however left messages with a couple and am just waiting.
Donna,
This is the message that I received from my colleague at the University of Kentucky. He had their forage group (five individuals) look at the sample.
Message starts here:
"I hope you got my phone message on the hay sample. All agreed (5) mainly fescue. Tim Phillip's picked through and came up with approx 50%fescue and 30% OR and BG and other misc. stuff. So this could have been an OR field at one time and had thinned. "
This means that the subsample that I sent to Kentucky was about half tall fescue, 30% bluegrass and orchardgrass, and 20% other species and material.
I also spoke with my colleague on campus this morning and she reported the following:
"The hay sample you sent me is mainly tall fescue with minimum amount of orchardgrass, foxtail barley and horsenettle seedheads."
Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) is in the nightshade genus and can be poisonous. However, it tends to cause to nervous system symptoms and I not sure that it would be relevant in your case. Here is a link that describes nightshade poisoning:
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/plants/pphorne.htm.
We will have the results of the alkaloid test back at the end of this week or early next week and they will give us a better idea of what is going on.
I would set aside that hay, but keep it in case we need to look at a more representative sample of the entire lot.
At this point, I think that you have done about all you can by taking the hay out of the mares' diets and starting the Domperidone.
Chris D. Teutsch, Ph.D.