A recall has been issued for Top of the Rockies Alfalfa Cubes (horse feed) due to potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, an organism that can cause severe or potentially fatal toxicity in animals eating the food or coming in contact with it.
According to the recall, there have been 45 horse deaths associated with this issue, to date.
The recalled product was distributed directly to the following states: AR, CO, IL, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX, WI. Further distribution may be possible, so it is important to check if you have this product.
The recalled Top of the Rockies Alfalfa Cubes are approximately 1 inch cubes, packaged in a 50 pound bag, and they are labeled with the following codes: 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522 and 111622. The code can be found on the front of the bag, towards the top of the bag. It is usually in the white portion of the bag, but can sometimes be found in the brown portion of the bag. The code represents the month, day and year the cubes were manufactured. These codes have been updated from our original post after our review of records.
If you have these date codes lots of alfalfa cubes, or you can’t be sure of date lot code of the products you have, do not feed them to your horses or any other animals. Throw them away in a secure container and place them in a covered trash can or dumpster so that no other animals can access them. Avoid handling the cubes directly and wear disposable gloves and a face mask while throwing the cubes away and cleaning any bins or containers where they were kept. Additionally, you should clean out all the empty bins or containers where the alfalfa cubes were kept by soaking them with a 1:10 dilution of household bleach for 15 to 20 minutes, followed by soap and water, then leave them to air dry. Dispose of the gloves and face mask in a secure trash receptacle. Wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the containers. If you think your horse has become ill after eating this food, call your veterinarian.
For more on the recall, click here
