Feed recall-Land O Lakes/Purina

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barnbum

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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.

Eleanor Kellon, VMD

Horse Journal Veterinary Editor
 
Please remember that this is a VOLUNTARY recall and is not serious enough at present time to involve anything more than the possibility of problems. As of last week no animals were reported ill from these grains. They are ONLY manufactured in those paticular plants, and people in other areas need not worry as of yet. Again, this is a self-regulated recall as levels are above the company's acceptable level guidelines.
 
For those who are interested, here is an article that is circulating within the Canada Food Inspection Agency that gives a few more details and a website address:

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MAY 09, 2008

Internal Article / Article interne

A recall of animal feed across the eastern half of the United States initiated in April does not include Ohio.

Land O Lakes Purina Feed LLC announced a recall of several varieties of horse, goat and pig feed in a small statement on its Web site without forwarding that information to the national news media, but the information is circulating by word of mouth and over the Internet.

Purina notified dealers identified by their internal records as having received feed possibly contaminated by the presence of aflatoxin.

This voluntary retrieval was initiated due to the possible presence of aflatoxin contamination above acceptable levels,? Purina said in a statement posted at its horse feed Web site. The statement claims the company has not received any animal-health complaints associated with the contaminated products.

Purina identified the states where feed vendors received the possibly contaminated products as 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. No vendors in Ohio were thought to have received the recalled feed.

Aflatoxins are toxic chemicals created by fungi. The toxins can cause liver damage, immune system suppression and reproductive problems in horses. Symptoms include gastrointestinal dysfunction, reduced reproductivity, anemia, jaundice and reduced feed utilization and efficiency, according to Cornell University's Department of Animal Science.

Purina's statement said the ingredient of concern came from one supplier, but the company declined to identify either the ingredient or the supplier, simply stating it has discontinued purchasing from that supplier. Affected foods were manufactured at Purina's Statesville, N.C., plant between Nov. 3, 2007, and Feb. 8; at its Harrisburg, Pa., plant between Jan. 1 and Feb. 8; and at the company's Guilderland, N.Y., plant between Jan. 1 and March 10.

Varieties involved include Country Acres All Stock 14 percent and 16 percent textures, several Country Acres Horse feeds, Equine Junior and Equine Senior, Horse Chow 100, Goat Chow, several Horsemans Edge varieties, Pure Pride 100, Sow & Pig Builder OTC 50, and Start & Gro Sunfresh Recipe. A full list of serial numbers and varieties is available at http://horse.purinamills.com, by clicking on the notice ?Eastern U. S. Feed Product Retrieval.?

This comes after numerous food recalls last year by U.S. feed manufacturers due to contaminated ingredients purchased from loosely regulated Chinese suppliers. Purina has not identified whether the supplier in question in the recall is a domestic or overseas company.
 

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