In the past couple of weeks, I have returned 4 bags of Blue Seal Rider to two different Tractor Supply stores and am about to return a bag of horse cookies. I am sure this damp, humid weather makes things worse but that is too much!!!
Anyone else having problems like this? What feed and where did you get it?
Really frustrating.
I buy all my feed from Loudoun Mill. I haven’t had any issues. I do keep all my feed in a temp-controlled room in metal garbage cans w/lids.
I also don’t buy more than 2-3 weeks worth at a time.
I never buy feed from Tractor Supply. I’ve seen more bad/moldy/out of date feed/treats from there than anywhere else.
Betting it is a Tractor Supply issue. I have been told by employees that feed often sits outside on pallets, covered in a tarp, when warehouse space is short.
I buy LOTS of feed from the local Mennonites and Amish (as in literal tons a month), and have yet to have a moldy bag. Considering that they do not have electricity or “climate control”, it really puts it in perspective when TSC sells moldy feed.
Not only feed (sent back 1 bag), but almost everyone in my barn is saying their leather tack is getting mouldy in their lockers.
I pulled an old halter out of my box that was green. I had cleaned it a few weeks ago. So wasn’t expecting the mould until others said something.
For us it’s the humidity.
Yes - 2 bags of Nutrena Safe Choice from Tractor Supply. I only buy one bag at a time - it takes 2-3 weeks to go through a bag. It has been horrifically humid here……… But I also have a bag of Triple Crown ration balancer in the same garbage can ( I leave it in the bag - do not pour in can). This has NOT been moldy in spite of TSC having the feed in an air conditioned store and the TC RB from a feed store that does not have their feed in an AC room.
It sounds like TSC is the common link here and probably their warehouse.
Drive around a TSC sometime and look at all the stuff on pallets they have sitting outside in the back. I’ve seen feed sitting there before, Plastic wrap around the outside of the pallet isn’t going to keep it dry in high humidity or rain.
Yes, bought a bag from TSC a couple of weeks ago which was moldy. When I went back to get more feed, I found much of their feed with manufacture dates from February (this is September), not to mention they do not protect feed as they should. Also, I’m tired of the torn bags that have been taped and “discounted”. Half their stall pellets were soaked and had turned to sawdust in the bags, along with half of them being ripped open. And while I’m ranting, I hate that they don’t make an effort to keep feed in stock regularly.
I have complained but it’s pointless.
Purina has a mill in Ft Worth, it is only four miles from our place… for TSC to get feed from there to their Ft Worth area stores the feed is shipped to the TSC distribution center in the Waco area then shipped back
We use a local feed store chain whose feed is normally less than few weeks old from the date of production… and cost less than or equal to TSC
I buy my feed from TSC and have not had an issue with mold (I use Purina & Nutrina feeds), but our TSC keeps low quantities on hand and are sometimes out of what we feed. Broken bags are a different matter - especially on the Dumor alfalfa pellets, which always seem to have tape on them (I won’t buy them if they’ve got a tear, rip or have busted open).
I have, however, found a way to keep my feed from getting moldy/musty once I get it home in the high temps & humidity we have here in the summer. I use large plastic Behlen feed bins (link below). My feed room isn’t temp controlled (that would be so nice!). We don’t use nearly as much feed in summer and it would get musty smelling and I’d have to throw it out, wash the bin and start over. So, I went to Lowe’s and bought really thick, heavy duty foam weatherstripping with the adhesive back (the kind for an exterior door) and stuck it it all the way around the top lip of the bin to make it an air tight seal when the lid is closed & latched. No more wasted feed in summer! This also works on metal garbage cans (insulation on underside of lid).
https://www.behlencountry.com/product/multi-purpose-storage-container/
I have returned moldy bags of feed to some TSCs, only to have them tape the bag back up in front of me, slap a “broken bag discount” label on it, and put it back on the shelf.
Speaking generally, they have pretty terrible quality control.
Just a heads up. Even though the feed came from TSC, and they are notorious for not rotating feed, mite issues, mold, etc., I would still call Blue Seal and let them know what is going on. They can then go back to TSC and try to make educate them about rotating product, storage, etc. Not saying it will actually help, but it gives Blue Seal a reason to talk to TSC about it.
I use Blue Seal and haven’t had a problem. I buy from a local distributor and the Blue Seal Mill is right in town. We also have tsc in town but they don’t carry the feeds I use anyway.
IT IS TRACTOR SUPPLY’s FAULT…again they are NOTORIOUS for BAD as in THE WORST feed inventory management. Many times I have called tractor supply and actually gone on line to fill out their survey with brutal honesty, I have also called Blue Seal as well…there is a date code on the bag that will indicate when the feed was actually produced…I forget how to read it now, but it will help in determining if the feed is “old” on top of being improperly stored. It would be nice if TS got it’s act together and could actually manage feed inventory, but I doubt they will. I think Blue Seal should just drop them and find another chain to carry the product because it does come in handy to be able to pick up a bag after 5pm every once in a while, but not if it is YICKKKIEEE
Exactly why I don’t buy the broken bags. Non-horsey husband came home with a previously opened bag of equine senior from TSC once and was so proud he’d gotten at a real discount on it. Well, the feed smelled sour and nasty. It was definitely spoiled. But it was the TSC across town, not the one we typically use near us. I think it depends on the store manager and how they manage quantities of feeds and obviously, returns of opened feed bags.
YES! Multiple bags of Purina Impact Mature Active feed we’ve had to throw away this summer because of mold. It has been a very humid summer up here in the northeast so maybe they were stored improperly at the feed supply store (not a chain store like TSC) and acquired excess moisture. However, if you save the bottom seal that has the manufacture date on it you can get it refunded
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