Cargill Inc. announced the recall of an astounding number of additional brands of animal feed this week, including horse feed, due to elevated aflatoxin levels. Aflatoxin is a toxin found on moldy crops that if ingested can kill animals. Cargill’s is expanding its recall to include an additional eighty-four Southern States feed brands, including eleven equine horse feed formulas, due to aflatoxin levels that exceed FDA’s action levels. This is an expansion of the recall initiated May 6, 2019.

HOW BAD ARE AFLATOXINS?

All mammals and poultry exposed to high levels of aflatoxin are at risk for acute and chronic adverse effects and health consequences across all species and age classes. Immature animals are more sensitive to aflatoxins. Young, newly weaned, pregnant, and lactating animals require special protection from suspected toxic feeds. When consumed by animals, the results can be detrimental, causing toxicity or even death. Aflatoxicosis may cause various toxicological problems such as neurological issues, liver failure, kidney failure, and cardiac failure.

Clinical signs associated with acute aflatoxicosis include anorexia, elevated temperature, increased heart, and respiratory rates, ataxia, depression, lethargy, convulsions, icterus, colic and abdominal straining, bloody feces, and death.

Approximately two times, the tolerable levels stated in the Merck Veterinary Manual is likely to cause clinical disease, including some mortality. Dietary levels as low as 10–20 ppb result in measurable metabolites of aflatoxin.

WHAT ABOUT AFLATOXICOSIS IN HORSES?

There are reported signs of toxic hepatopathy and gastrointestinal upset in horses that consume feed containing 2 to 50 ppb of aflatoxin. The onset of symptoms can begin as early as 4 hours after dosing, and deaths occurred from 68 hours to 32 days after intoxication. An additional sign observed in a naturally occurring instance of toxicosis was subcutaneous hemorrhages. The acute oral LD50 of aflatoxin in horses is reported to be 2 mg/kg or greater. 

WHERE WAS THE FEED SOLD?

Cargill has received several adverse event reports and as such Cargill is expanding the scope of the recall.

The animal feed is being recalled from retail outlets and distributors in twenty states across America; specifically Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia markets.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Consumers with animals who have consumed products referenced in the table and are exhibiting these symptoms should contact their veterinarian immediately.

If your animal is experiencing any adverse health consequences related to the feeding of the recalled feed notify the FDA immediately of the problem.

WHAT IS BEING RECALLED?

The expansion includes products manufactured between October 31, 2018, and March 1, 2019. To view the label for each product, click on the link in the table below that corresponds to that product.

Note: The equine specific feeds are marked in boldface type because my readers, in general, do not own livestock.

Additionally, the following previously recalled affected products were also manufactured and sold in the eastern United States and removed from retail shelves throughout February, March, and April 2019.