Post by qhflicka on Oct 6, 2010 13:53:06 GMT -5
Just a reminder - if you intend using round hay bales this winter, to first give all your livestock, including your equines, a Botulism vaccine.
This is very, very important!
I did not know that this vaccine even existed.
A couple of years ago, when hay here in the Tri Cities was very hard to find, because hay farmers were hoarding it, we ended up buying two round bales of Alfalfa to put out in the pastures.
It was bright green and smelled fresh.
We had used up our winter hay supply earlier than we had anticipated because we fed extra hay out because it was an exceptionally cold and long winter.
It was one of the worst winters, we had ever experienced and wanted to make sure the horses could keep their bellies full 24/7 to keep warm.
The Alfalfa came highly recommended!!
Well after about a week we had 2 steers, a llama and an 8 month old foal go down, and could not get back up - This is one of the main symptoms for Botulism poisoning.
Chance of recovery depends on how much of the Botulism spores were ingested.
Five adult horses lost weight for a few weeks and then recovered and gained it all back quite quickly. The other five horses that ate same hay showed absolutely no symptoms - they must have had prior exposure to Botulism and were immune.
The two steers and llama died the same day they went down.
The foal was in a sling, would recover for three days, walking, playing in his pen, then go down again.
Dr Schoenburg, our vet checked on him regularly for the six weeks we kept him alive.
He was on various antibiotics. Blood was sent WSU for different tests. I even hand fed him every two hours throughout the night, I get up every two hours anyway, to test my young daughter's blood sugar levels (Diabetic), so that was easy for me to do.
He kept his weight until the last week, where it was obvious that his systems were shutting down and so he was euthanised.
I believe a young SAFE horse was also in a sling during this time too. Botulism?
Two other people I know, then also had 8 month old foals go down with Botulim, one was in Finley, the other in Othello and they were feeding small bales of Alfalfa from different sources though.
Botulism is another reason why one should not feed hay on dirt, especially if moist or muddy. (Our horses were fed in hay troughs).
This is very, very important!
I did not know that this vaccine even existed.
A couple of years ago, when hay here in the Tri Cities was very hard to find, because hay farmers were hoarding it, we ended up buying two round bales of Alfalfa to put out in the pastures.
It was bright green and smelled fresh.
We had used up our winter hay supply earlier than we had anticipated because we fed extra hay out because it was an exceptionally cold and long winter.
It was one of the worst winters, we had ever experienced and wanted to make sure the horses could keep their bellies full 24/7 to keep warm.
The Alfalfa came highly recommended!!
Well after about a week we had 2 steers, a llama and an 8 month old foal go down, and could not get back up - This is one of the main symptoms for Botulism poisoning.
Chance of recovery depends on how much of the Botulism spores were ingested.
Five adult horses lost weight for a few weeks and then recovered and gained it all back quite quickly. The other five horses that ate same hay showed absolutely no symptoms - they must have had prior exposure to Botulism and were immune.
The two steers and llama died the same day they went down.
The foal was in a sling, would recover for three days, walking, playing in his pen, then go down again.
Dr Schoenburg, our vet checked on him regularly for the six weeks we kept him alive.
He was on various antibiotics. Blood was sent WSU for different tests. I even hand fed him every two hours throughout the night, I get up every two hours anyway, to test my young daughter's blood sugar levels (Diabetic), so that was easy for me to do.
He kept his weight until the last week, where it was obvious that his systems were shutting down and so he was euthanised.
I believe a young SAFE horse was also in a sling during this time too. Botulism?
Two other people I know, then also had 8 month old foals go down with Botulim, one was in Finley, the other in Othello and they were feeding small bales of Alfalfa from different sources though.
Botulism is another reason why one should not feed hay on dirt, especially if moist or muddy. (Our horses were fed in hay troughs).
