At least 20 Louisiana horse deaths tied to contaminated feed - Lafourche Gazette

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — At slightest 20 horses successful Louisiana person died aft ingesting bacteria recovered successful immoderate alfalfa hay cubes from a shaper successful Colorado, authorities agriculture officials said.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry began notifying livestock owners and others astir imaginable problems with immoderate bags of "Top Of The Rockies Alfalfa Horse Cubes" successful mid-December aft horses successful Louisiana and 3 different states began showing neurological symptoms accordant with botulism, authorities officials said.

The FDA said astatine slightest 98 horses successful Louisiana, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico person showed symptoms including musculus tremors, occupation swallowing oregon eating, trouble lasting oregon collapse. At slightest 45 of those animals person died oregon were euthanized owed to declining wellness aft eating the cubes.

The section said it had confirmed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory that Clostridium botulinum benignant C was successful the alfalfa cubes, which causes equine botulism, The Advertiser reported.

State investigators received accusation that an unopened container of the cubes, produced by Manzanola Feeds successful Manzanola, Colorado, contained carnal remains.

"This uncovering indicated that worldly from an carnal oregon animals whitethorn person been incorporated into the cubes during alfalfa harvesting," a merchandise from LDAF said. "Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, is commonly contiguous successful decaying carnal carcasses."

Manzanola Feeds has recalled its "Top Of The Rockies Alfalfa Horse Cubes" with the day codes 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522, and 111622. More accusation connected however to dispose of the cubes safely tin beryllium recovered astatine the FDA's website.

The LDAF said equine owners should instantly interaction a veterinarian if a equine ate the merchandise and is showing signs of a neurological illness.