Contaminated Feed

K

kshanp

New User
Joined
5 June 2017
Messages
5
Visit site
Has anyone else had problems with contaminated feed bags - especially Dengie? I use their Dengie Meadow Grass chaff as my 30 year old has barely any teeth left, but he can eat their chaff mixed with beet and soaked grass nuts as it's so fine and soft. However, back in February, I had two bags of feed with very sharp pieces of what looks like balsa wood, one of which could easily have lodged in a horse throat as the point of it was so thin and sharp. I contacted them and they didn't really offer much of an excuse, other than it happens etc etc, which I know, but surely as the chaff is much finer, why can't it be picked up through some sort of filter. I was assured it was probably just one field it had happened in and they could trace it back to that field and speak to the owner to try and make sure it doesn't happen again. They sent me vouchers, which I sent back as I have to order my feed online as nowhere local stocks their meadow grass and vouchers are useless to me, they did then reimburse me with a cheque. 4 months later, I have yet again found another piece of wood of a different shape but exactly the same as the first two bits I found - different batch number on the bag. I have contacted them again. But I am so paranoid now about missing pieces of wood in his feed, I am literally sifting through it with a fine tooth comb. Feed isn't cheap and I'm really annoyed at how little responsibility the feed manufacturers seem willing to take on this. As I pointed out to them, what would have happened if my elderly horse had eaten the wood and had got it lodged in his throat and lost his life from it - I didn't really get any response, other than they were sorry and it happens! Great! I can't change feed as he can't eat any of the other chaffs. Anyone else having similar problems?
 
I had an issue with dodsen and horel's cushcare, after much toing and frowing I eventually got a refund. Cut a long story short my horse wouldn't eat it after that and since Aug 16 touch wood has been eating Topspec Fibre Plus Cubes and senior lite balancer he wont' eat any chops but if yours likes chop they do a good selection might be worth a look, send for some samples from companies

Or could you feed cubes like me as a mash ? mine has teeth but he choked couple of years ago so has mash, dengie to alfalfa cubes that can be mashed
 
Food standards regulations don't apply to horse feed. There is just no comeback on the manufacturers of there is stuff like this in feed. Dengie are probably right - it happens. I've found large stick bits / wood chunks in the Alpha A we use - but I just fish them out if I see them. If I miss them the horses fish them out and leave them. (Or eat them I suppose - I wouldn't know that bit!) I just treat is as inclusions in a hay bale - one of those things.

You could try calling the other companies and see if anyone does a really fine chop. You could try the smaller ones like Agrobs or Simple systems? Possibly a good excuse to go to a large show and try out all the feed companies!
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
Mollichaff make a veteran one that's supposed to be easy to chew
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I can't have anything with molasses in, I did used to use the Mollichaff range, but it makes him too ill now if he eats that. Will look into some of the other feed manufacturers. I still haven't heard back from Dengie today, which is a bit disappointing. I do use Thunderbrooks as well but their chaff is a bit more coarse and he does seem to prefer the Dengie Meadow Grass. Oh well, I will either have to keep going through the bags with a fine tooth comb or try to find someone that does something similar. Thanks everyone! :-)
 
Yes, I have found packing tape, the really strong plastic'y type in a bag of Dengie, I have also had big stones in a different sack.
I complained both times but ultimately stopped using their chaff because it was poor quality.

I now use Thunderbrooks which is very healthy and lovely and soft for my oldies teeth.
 
I found some metal in mine! Wrote to them to let them know and was told there is a metal detector screening stage and to be fair they were very apologetic. Also sent me vouchers, picked up a freebie bag to replace my contaminated one but then didn't use again because it worried me too much. Guess it could happen in other feeds but didn't have the time to be sifting through it!
 
Thanks for all the replies. I am now looking into Readigrass.
Dengie told me that they haven't had any other complaints about things being found in their Meadow Grass. I still haven't heard back from them regarding the complaint I sent on Monday evening!
Think I will stop using their feeds and either stick to Thunderbrooks or have a look at Readigrass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top