A high-level rodeo stock contractor in Canute, Oklahoma, lost over seventy head of bucking horses after feed containing sodium monensin, a common additive intended for cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry. Known by the brand name Rumensin, when fed to the correct species, it is known to increase milk production, control ketosis, reduce bloat, control coccidiosis, and improve feed efficiency and reproductive performance.
When ingested by the wrong species, horses, pigs, or dogs, it can be fatal. The horses would have experienced myocardial necrosis, heart failure, and death. Horses that survive will likely suffer from chronic heart damage. It takes 2 mg per kg to poison a horse, which is more than a bite or two, but still not a large quantity.
Senior Broadcaster Ron Hays contacted Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, OSU Professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine, to hear her take on the situation.
She began by saying, “Our hearts go out to our other friends in Western Oklahoma who are dealing with this. Those horses were performance athletes.”
She said that the tragic event serves as a reminder to others to pay close attention when they are feeding multiple species on the same ranch. It is important to read labels carefully and communicate their needs clearly and effectively with feed dealers.
“We have cattle and horses at our house, and oftentimes it isn’t me dumping the feed so I make sure I communicate very clearly,” she said. “At my house, we don’t use anything with monensin because it is always a concern that we might give the wrong feed to a horse and run into a problem.”
She added that monensin is a great additive for beef cattle, and she recommends it to cattle producers to improve their bottom lines. “This product is well known and effective, and both veterinarians and nutritionists want to see it in ruminant diets,” she said.
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