Feed Mites?

[Benjamin]

Would you feed, feed, that may have feed mites?

Are they harmful at all??

Thanks

 

[flyingfeet]

When you say 'may' - they are always there, it depends on the level of infestation.

If you keep your feed in bins, if you can see the little critters like dust all over the bin then its a high level of infestation.

Personally I've tended to chuck the feed, as often it smells quite fermented and not very pleasant. However mites are always present, so don't actually cause problems, but do lower the nutrients in your feed.

 

[Benjamin]

Okay...didn't know that, thanks!

I was given a bag of Blue Chip last night, as a friend works at a feed place, and they were chucking it out because it had mite on the bag.
Opened the bag and inside there was this kind of greasy dust. Not sure what Blue Chip smells like, but it was quite strong. Would it be safe to feed and as I have put this in my feed bin, will all my other feed be affected??
Just my imagination but I am scratching.........

 

[spaniel]

Personally I would chuck it.

Feed/forage mite infestation has quite a distinctive smell and if you walk into a heavily contaminated feedroom you can really get a whiff of it. The smell is a sort of sweet honey/musty fragrance which is actually often what feed rooms do smell of. Its one of theose aromas that takes you back to your childhood when feed was still 'straights' and the little devils where constantly having to be swept outside.

 

[flyingfeet]

spread some of it out on a black surface and spread out, if the dust is moving its heavily infested. If not its probably oko to feed. I cannot tell you what blue chip smells like, but as its a pellet it will have normal dust too.

Worth noting that if you have flour in your cupboard and its been there for a few months, it will have flour mites in it!!!

 

[lcforster]

I recently bought a bag of feed, and put the opened bag in BRAND NEW feed bin (no feed been in before) next morning the bin was literally crawling with mites. If I find mites I always throw the feed away and thoroughly clean the bin with power hose. Would you eat muesli with creepy crawlies in - I wouldn't and I don't see why my horses should.

 

[Emma27]

Rub your hand on the bag and give your hand a sniff, if your hand stinks then your feed is mited and i wouldn't use it.

 

[DollyDolls]

I've had mite in a bag of blue chip, more to do with dodgy supplier than blue chip. Anyway, at first it was ok, then within a day it had all turned. As looking at it turned my stomach, it got binned, and the feed bin got cleaned.

Never had mite since (changing supplier!).

 

[AmyMay]

Nope - chuck it all out. We have just had to throw all the feed away stored in the feed store that was discovered to have mites.

You shouldn't feed it......

 

[digger2]

Never knew feed had mites, but did know about hay!!

(edited for spelling)

 

[merlinsquest]

Well I wouldnt eat manky food even if it was free.... so wouldnt expect merlin to either

 

[SpruceRI]

I always chuck it - the feed smells horrid.